NEWS AND OPINION:

A pair of Republican lawmakers are looking out for those who pilot our aircraft.

Sens. Mike Braun of Indiana and Roger Marshall of Kansas have introduced legislation to reinstate pilots who lost their jobs based on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

“In 2021, President Biden mandated through his executive authority that all federal contractors, including airlines operating in the United States, must receive a COVID-19 vaccination. As a result of the unconstitutional ‘jab-or-job’ politics coming out of the Biden Administration, many airline pilots were forced out of a job,” the lawmakers said in a joint written statement.

“No one should have lost their job because they didn’t want to take the COVID vaccine. President Biden’s vaccine mandates were completely out of line and violated the liberties of key workers who are essential in daily operations of our skies. Cosponsoring this bill to restore fired pilots to their previously held jobs is a no-brainer and will help bring this critical industry back to full capacity,” Mr. Brown noted.

Mr. Marshall addd: “The Biden administration’s ‘jab or job’ vaccine mandates will go down as a dark time in American history. Our legislation seeks to right the wrongs of this administration who forced hard-working American people out of not only their jobs, but their careers. We will continue to fight for every American wronged by the Biden Administration’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate that has impacted not only our pilots’ livelihoods but our servicemen and women, our children, small businesses, and beyond. Our bill is just one step of many to correct the wrongs of Joe Biden’s vaccine politics.”

THE MCCARTHY PRESS

News organizations were intensely interested in Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s announcement in an opinion piece published by the Wall Street Journal that he would leave Congress at the end of the year.

“I’m leaving the House but not the fight,” he declared.

Dozens of news stories followed. Here’s just a few headlines and commentary of note about the California Republican and his decision.

“The recently ousted House Speaker is ousting himself from Congress altogether, further narrowing the GOP’s already slim majority,” observed Rolling Stone.

“Kevin McCarthy was booted as House speaker two months ago. Now he’s leaving Congress by year’s end,” said an Associated Press headline, which deemed the announcement a “stunning end” to the lawmaker’s Capitol Hill career.

“McCarthy, who was elected to Congress in 2006, held the top post for nine months before a deal he made to secure the speakership led to his downfall. His fight to win the gavel when Republicans took control of the House in January included 15 rounds of votes, and foreshadowed the limits of his power over a fractured party,” explained a CBS News report.

“Kevin McCarthy isn’t the only Californian who is miserable in Congress” said the Los Angeles Times, while Roll Call put it this way: “McCarthy quitting Congress, says he’ll serve country ‘in new ways.’”

A SCHOLARSHIP OF NOTE

Let us now pause for news about Calvin Coolidge, the nation’s 30th president, which is of particular interest to students of a certain age.

“The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride, four-year, merit scholarship that recipients may use for undergraduate study at any accredited college or university in the United States. Any high school junior who plans to enroll in college in the fall of 2025 and is an American citizen or legal permanent resident is eligible to apply (current high school seniors are not eligible to apply). Winners may use the scholarship to pursue any academic major,” advises the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, based in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.

“Academic excellence is the primary criterion considered by the Coolidge Scholarship. Secondary criteria include an interest in public policy and an appreciation of the values President Coolidge championed. Successful candidates will also demonstrate humility and have a record of genuine service to their communities,” the foundation advises. Interested? Visit Coolidgefoundation.org; applications are due by Jan. 18.

FOR THE LEXICON

“Scamophobia”: This new term from Gallup reflects the latest disconcerting annoyance for many Americans.

“Financial scams are among the most common crimes affecting U.S. adults in 2023, with 15% saying at least one member of their household has fallen prey, including 8% reporting that it has happened to themselves personally,” wrote Lydia Saad, director of U.S. social research for the pollster.

“Gallup also regularly asks Americans how often they worry about each of the crimes included on the annual victimization list,” she noted.

“Being tricked by a scammer into sending money or providing access to a financial account debuts on the list this year as Americans’ second-highest victimization concern, with 57% saying they frequently or occasionally worry about it happening to them. Another 20% rarely worry about it, while 23% never do. Only identity theft, with 72% worrying about it, ranks higher than scams,” she said.

The Gallup poll of 1,009 U.S. adults was conducted by telephone Oct. 2-23 and released Nov. 21.

ONE FOR THE HEROES

Fox News Audio has debuted a new weekly podcast titled “Searching for Heroes with Benjamin Hall,” which is focused on America’s unsung heroes.

The initial offering Monday was on Mr. Hall himself. The network’s State Department correspondent was catastrophically injured in Ukraine when a missile struck his vehicle, tragically taking the lives of Fox News photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova.

“Since the attack, Hall has been inspired by the incredible efforts of everyday heroes similar to those who went above and beyond to help him throughout his arduous journey of recovery,” the network said in a statement.

The new offering is available on FOXNewsPodcasts.com or wherever podcasts are offered. Episodes are released weekly at 3 p.m. ET Sunday.

POLL DU. JOUR

• 21% of U.S. adults say they are a “strong Democrat.”

• 13% say they are a “not very strong Democrat.”

• 7% say they “lean Democrat.”

• 7% say they “lean Republican.”

• 12% say they are a “not very strong Republican.”

• 19% say they are a “strong Republican.”

• 17% say they are an “independent.”

• 3% are not sure about their political identity.

SOURCE: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 2-5.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.

• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.