Trump To Tap Strategic Reserves, Tornadoes Rip Illinois & Indiana, Senate Talks Filibuster Change, The Cost Of War

Today on America in the Morning
Trump To Release Oil Reserves

Americans continue to feel sticker shock at the gas pump in the wake of the U.S. war with Iran.  President Trump is encouraging oil tankers to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, a highly used waterway that Iran has shut down in response to American and Israeli military strikes.  John Stolnis has more from Washington.  

Midwest & South Tornadoes

The National Weather Service confirmed that a powerful EF-3 tornado touched down in Kankakee, Illinois Tuesday evening, just a part of the severe weather to slam into the Midwest that included hail larger than the size of a softball.  There was damage reported in towns in Indiana where two people died.  Storms continued into Wednesday and reached through the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and into the South, with tornado watches and warnings that included Pennsylvania, Baltimore, and down to Mississippi.  Correspondent Mike Hempen reports.  

California Warnings

While the war in the Middle East is far from the shores of California, the FBI is warning police departments throughout the Golden State about the possibility of a surprise drone attack.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.  

Vehicle Hits WH Gates

There was a scare at the White House when a vehicle crashed through a barricade near the Old Executive Office Building on the White House grounds, sending a swarm of police, National Guard, and Secret Service to the scene.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports a man was taken into custody, and the area immediately went into lockdown.  

Hawaii Storms & Volcano

The 50th State is dealing with a powerful and slow-moving storm that was inching across Hawaii on Wednesday, bringing an extended period of heavy rain as much as 2 inches per hour, thunderstorms and strong winds that could last into early next week.   

Cornyn & The Filibuster

Senator John Cornyn is denying changing positions on the filibuster in Congress to gain a potential Trump endorsement in his Texas runoff with State Attorney General Ken Paxton.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.  

Debating The Millionaire’s Tax

In Washington State, their House passed a Millionaire’s tax that now moves on to the state senate, a bill that the founder of Starbucks said could force him to move out of the state.  This bill is one of a number of bills that states including California and cities like New York City are debating to enact.  Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on some local governments working on taxing higher income households.  

War Spending

Pentagon officials told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill that they estimated the cost of the war against Iran had exceeded $11.3 billion dollars in the first six days alone.

Kansas Transgender Protest

Kansas is one of five states to prohibit trans-people from changing the gender marker on their driver's licenses.  Correspondent Joan Jones reports they also became the first state that retroactively is canceling licenses that were already active and changed.   

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