Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.Please reply to this email to arrange an interview.

                                                    
Russia’s New START Breach Means U.S. Nuclear Weapons Modernization Is a Must <[link removed]> - “Putin’s announcement that Russia is suspending its participation in the flawed New START arms control deal confirms the reality that Russia is uninterested in being a faithful party to international arms agreements. Which is why the US should refuse any concessions to Russia, especially in Ukraine, in response to this violation. Instead, the U.S. must focus on strengthening its nuclear deterrent and accelerating efforts to deal with the PRC’s nuclear breakout,” said Geller. Heritage Expert: Patty-Jane Geller <[link removed]> 
Giving School Names That Sound Like Herbal Teas and Day Spas—Rather Than Like Abraham Lincoln <[link removed]> - Patriotic school names may be an important tool for fostering patriotism among current and future generations. Patriotic figures can also serve as models of civic virtue. While Americans, in general, have not abandoned patriotism, school boards have become much more reluctant to give schools traditional patriotic names. School boards may have more closely resembled the patriotic preferences of the communities they serve in the past than they do today. This Backgrounder explores current trends in school names and considers what these decisions indicate about the values and priorities of the American public education system. Heritage Experts: Jay Green <[link removed]>
School choice would benefit rural students in Wyoming <[link removed]> - In her response to President Biden's State of the Union address, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared that she would soon unveil "the most far-reaching, bold, conservative education reform in the country." The next day, Sanders announced her "Arkansas LEARNS" initiative, intended to "educate, not indoctrinate our kids, and put students on a path to success." Heritage Expert: Jason Bedrick <[link removed]>
Respecting Constitution requires acknowledging death of 1972 ERA <[link removed]> - The current claim that the ERA was only “mostly dead” all those years balances on an exceptionally slim reed. The argument is that the ratification deadline in House Joint Resolution 208, which Congress passed in March 1972, appears not in the text of the proposed ERA but a few inches up the page in the resolutions’ introductory clause. Yup, that’s it. Here’s one of many problems with this weak argument. Article V of the Constitution gives Congress two powers related to constitutional amendments. The Supreme Court has held that Congress’ power to propose constitutional amendments includes the power to set ratification deadlines. Article V also gives Congress the power to dictate whether ratification must be made “by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof.” Heritage Expert: Thomas Jipping <[link removed]>
The FBI’s Targeting of “Radical-Traditional Catholics’ Bodes Ill <[link removed]> - The Federal Bureau of Investigation publicly rescinded <[link removed]> an internal memo on "radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology" the day after a whistleblower had published it. The memo suggests that the FBI <[link removed]> should monitor these Catholics through "the development of sources with access," including in "places of worship." It presents a list of "hate groups" published by the SPLC as a place to start this work. Heritage Expert: Tyler O’Neil <[link removed]>

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