• Within the next year, the FDA plans to ban menthol flavored cigarettes and all flavored cigars
• The FDA claims the goal is to “significantly reduce disease and death” and create new product standards within the next year
• There are evidence based studies that show these flavored cigars and cigarettes make it easier for people to start smoking and harder to stop
• Even within the comprehensive 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, menthol flavored tobacco products were not included

• COVID-19 Vaccinations will be key to get onto a cruise 
• Cruise lines can skip test voyages if at least 98% of the Crew is vaccinated along with 95% percent of the passengers

U.S. Economy shows signs of healing as jobless claims drop 13,000 to 553,000

• Number of Americans applying for unemployment fell from 13,000 to 553,000 in 1 week
• Unemployment has dropped from 14.8% to 6%

Democrats struggle with starting infrastructure plan

• Republicans strongly oppose the plan as it increases the taxes for funding 
• In several states where Democrats currently hold a Senate seat, a sudden vacancy over the next 18 months could cost the party its majority before the 2022 election

Water Resource bill could take from Biden Infrastructure plan

• The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 authorizes about $35 billion over five years to improve leaky pipes and upgrade facilities
• On top of this, Biden plans to spend $2.3 Trillion dollars towards roads, bridges, and other infrastructure
• The White House is reaching out to Republicans, as Biden courts GOP lawmakers for their input on the package and to win over their votes

Governor of Arkansas approves Ban on Local State Mask Requirements

• Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law Thursday legislation to ban state or local mask mandates for preventing the spread of the coronavirus
• Wednesday signed bills prohibiting the state and local governments from requiring vaccinations against the virus or “vaccine passports” to access services
• The mask mandate ban does not prevent businesses from imposing their own requirements, unlike an earlier version of the bill Hutchinson had said he would veto

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