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Briana: Tonight, as police crackdown on campus protests across the country, Rutgers students headed to day four of their encampment, facing a crackdown deadline of their own.

>> How can we has privileged students, faculty and staff in a safe place not speak out against the injustices and the genocides happening?

Briana: Close the U.S. House of Representatives moves a bill to fight antidiscrimination.

>> The controversy stems from the debate in free speech on places like college campuses.

Briana: And rolling detect -- early detection of breast cancer can save lives.

>> It's really not something to turn away from.

Briana: Initial screening will now begin at age 40 for all women.

And a final farewell, public officials, colleagues and family play -- pay respects to Congressman Donnell Payne, Junior.

"NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us this Thursday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

President Biden is breaking his silence on the antiwhite -- and you are student protest across the country.

Saying that have a right to free speech but that bonnet protest is not protected, while rejecting calls changes administration's approach to the war in Gaza, and emphasizing there is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab and Palestinian Americans.

Violent clashes among pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups have been reported at UCLA and the University of Arizona with more than 1800 people arrested on university and college grounds in the last two weeks, including more than a dozen demonstrators at Princeton University since they began and encampment, but the movement has largely remained peaceful.

>> As you can see, the protesters are starting to pack up their stuff, starting to take down these tense that have, pretty commonplace site.

Students I'm told did not get all of their demands, but they got most of them.

The administration at sit-down are certainly warranted message earlier today saying the students had to clear out with their belongings by 4:00, otherwise they could face arrest and charges for trespassing.

There had been folks here for a few days now making the man's, divesting from Israel and companies associated with Israel and also having the school sever ties with Tel Aviv University.

They have been pretty hopeful on campus, over the last few month sub covered some protest here as well.

No arrests from Rutgers which is something we can say is unique to the Rutgers New Brunswick campus.

There were couple of arrest last week for trespassing and graduate students refused to take down their tents when they were asked to.

Owner this week on Monday there were 13 people arrested, among them 11 students, one postdoctoral researcher and one person the school says was unaffiliated with the University.

So we have seen a variety of ways that encampments have ended at community that -- at universities across the country.

We've obviously seen much more violent incidents, we saw violence in New York City starting at Columbia.

There was an increased police presence as well.

It's not like we saw -- it's not like the police had to be rough of the students or there was no one here getting hurt or arrested.

So the students getting a lot of what the asked for, if not all of what the asked for, and the administration no longer has to deal with these tense and don't have to worry about disruption during finals.

There were a lot of finals canceled this morning but they resumed at noon.

Some have been rescheduled to a later date and time.

Doesn't seem like any other finals will be affected, although a few students did tell me that if the administration does not acquiesce to their demands in the way they would like to see, we could see more tents here on the east lawn.

So while it was a little fraught today and this week, it doesn't seem like there will be much violence as the day closes out.

Course there could be more tents in the future but it seems like administration and students have come to some kind of understanding where the students will get most of the things that asked for from the administration.

In exchange, there will not be disruption during finals.

Briana: Amid the unrest on college campuses, the U.S. House yesterday passed a bill to define anti-Semitism for the federal Department of Education.

By adopting the controversial international Holocaust remembrance alliance's definition.

The vote was 320-91, with heavy support from Democrats, to codify the definition into title IX so that colleges and universities can enforce federal antidiscrimination laws.

And to address reports of rising anti-Semitism at some universities.

A reauthorize surveillance law gives the government more access to personal data.

Good to see you, as always.

I want to start first with what the alliance uses as a definition, and what came up on the floor about why it is so controversial.

>> And expanded definition to include criticism of the state of Israel as a nation, and the controversy here stems from the likelihood that this could and will squelch debate in free speech on places like college campuses.

Some House Democrats, one in particular who stuck out from New York, who is also Jewish, said criticism alone of Israel, roughly paraphrasing, does not amount to discrimination.

That is not anti-Semitism.

So it's a fine mind between what is hate speech and what is free speech -- a fine line.

Briana: Yet a lot of Democrats supported this bill.

How'd did New Jersey's delegation vote?

>> Everyone but two voted for the bill.

That's really the core here.

Briana: What about in the Senate, does it stand a chance there?

>> Descendant had a lot to Duke -- the Senate had a lot to do and this was really not on the docket.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for Israel to vote out the prime minister over the Briana: Ongoing war in Gaza.

Let me switch gears to something that didn't get done which was reauthorizing the foreign intelligence surveillance act.

What is different now about this, because there was a lot of talk, it is reminiscent of the 9/11 era.

What is different in this act?

>> This is a few generations removed from the patriot act, which was really a foundation for -- in particular section 702, which is a program that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect data on foreign nationals.

What is new here is that Congress has expanded, a broad expansion that allows these intelligence agencies to cast a broader net.

Now potentially anyone, any company that is really connected to a Wi-Fi router would be subject to the government saying we would like digital information on person X. Briana: You find that at Starbucks, coffee shop, some kind of business enabling me to get free public Wi-Fi, it could be asked to hand over their data and have access?

>> Correct.

The caveat here, there are some entities that were exempt, like hospitals, but there is triangulation going on.

You still have to be communicating with a foreign individual to have your data potentially search.

That is really the nature of the Internet.

Briana: This idea of having a warrantless surveillance program, which as I understand it was a sticking point for the folks who didn't vote for it.

>> Correct.

Republicans voted against it, and a Democrat.

In both New Jersey senators voted against it.

That demand from all these members is a warrant to force a government to obtain a warrant when it wants to look at the private -- the data and private digital lives of Americans.

Briana: Check out his full piece on our website.

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral service for Congressman Donald Payne jr. today in Newark, paying their final respects to men whose being a member as a dedicated public's -- public servant who carried on his family's national legacy in politics.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis was there as the Congressman was laid to death -- laid to rest.

>> A problem, profound principle , progressive, patient public servant.

What a life.

Joanna: How's Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries showed up to pay homage to a former colleague and friend, Congressman Donald Payne Junior.

It was held in Newark, where he lived his entire life.

>> There's not a throne you can -- stone you can throw, not -- not a road on which you can drive that the Payne Family has not had an impact on inner-city.

Joanna: Just about every leader from New Jersey was in attendance, many sharing stories with similar themes.

A man of humility he was perhaps the best dressed on the house floor.

>> How dapper he was.

He put us all to shame.

Oh, my gosh.

What color will his bowtie be today, or his socks, whatever it happened to be.

He was so dignified.

>> Non-may have looked a little flashy.

He had these incredible suits and a pocket square that would match his socks.

We've already been speaking about the bow tie.

But I want you to know that Donald Payne Was a humble man.

>> Who never forgot his city or his roots.

>> Everything he did was always keeping his constituents in mind.

>> When he saw families in our estate being torn apart by gun violence, he resolved to be a force for change and helped enact the strongest gun safety reforms in a generation.

And he saw children in his city being poisoned by lead pipes, he dedicated himself to securing billions of dollars in federal funds to bring clean water to vulnerable communities, not just here, but across America.

And when he, like millions of Americans, struggled with chronic illness, he drew from that experience to build a more accessible and more affordable health care system.

>> He might have served in Washington DC, but his heart never left the South word.

Briana: He struggled to serve by -- while battling diabetes.

>> The pressure of being an elected official and being black at the same time, to represent struggled to Beverly while still making time for the father-daughter dance.

>> One by one, they each shared how their relationship felt more like family.

>> Donnell Payne Would refer to me as his uncle Frank, so now I have lost my nephew, so that is hard.

>> I connected with him very early on.

As a matter fact, he allowed me to adopt him, and I called him my son.

And I told him I was his other mother, whether he liked it or not.

>> And anecdotes that showed his sense of humor, even as one of the most prolific lawmakers in Congress, telling Minority Leader Jeffries -- >> I think I found my niche.

But Donnell, you have passed more bills and almost anyone else from our class, and we came in with more than 75 members.

>> He said well, and he hunched up a little bit and said, I'm going to be the Michael Jordan of one minute speeches.

>> Perhaps their emotions were best summed up in this way.

>> Earlier it was said that we were blessed to know him.

Donnell Payne Was a blessing to the house of the United States.

Briana: The agency in charge of enforcing the states' campaign finance laws has a few requests for lawmakers.

Key among them, closing a loophole that allows a new category of political action committees to hide their donors, in the final weeks leading up to an election.

That change is part of the controversial election transparency act signed into law last year, which opponents tell Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan gives campaigns the opportunity to operate in the shadows.

Brenda: New Jersey's election watchdog's red flagging some problems with the state's new election transparency act.

It stated 10, to keep voters better informed about who is putting up campaign cash.

What one loophole let's independent special interest groups avoid reporting dollars spent at the most critical point on the campaign calendar, the last couple of weeks before election day, says Congressman Joe Donahue.

>> What matters is the pre-election disclosure.

Brenda: He heads ELEC, and he recommended solutions for three problems in a letter.

First on the list, fix that wide open loophole on last-minute campaign cash reports by independent groups.

>> That means we never know before election day what is going on.

It is completely opaque.

Nicole and Rasmussen points to a political action committee bankrolled by Democrats which bought ads in two South Jersey races last December hoping to draw votes away from Republicans.

But the PAC reported after the election.

>> The lawyers made it clear they were just using the loophole that was available to them which were now trying to close.

We need to make it so that it can be used.

>> It was simply an attempt them to try to run a shadow campaign.

Brenda: One of the allegedly targeted campaigners says outraged Republicans sued, but the judge kicked the case over to ELEC, which won't comment on specifics now.

But he wants at loophole closed.

>> It is undermining our election integrity and should not have a place in our society.

So we agree with ELEC.

Brenda: ELEC once a campaign cash reported within 48 hours in the final days before voters cast their ballots.

And a two year legal limit on its investigation of campaign shenanigans.

ELEC wants four years, more time to build a strong legal case.

Finally, the letter asks lawmakers to resolve a conflict between ELEC's mission to publicize names and addresses of campaign contributors and Daniels Law, which protects the privacy of many officials and law enforcement and the judicial system.

>> Forcing Daniels law on the Attorney General's office, recognize conflict.

Everybody agrees there's a conflict.

It is how we resolve it at this point.

Brenda: He said for now there are redacted names on Daniels list from ELEC records.

He says they are scheduling meetings, hoping to resolve the issues with lawmakers to benefit New Jersey voters.

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, a large chunk of federal money heading to New Jersey will help make drinking water safer.

The state is getting more than 123 million dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency to locate and replace lead service lines and prevent exposure to lead in water which happens as a result of aging, corroded pipes.

Lead can cause a number of serious health problems, including severe damage to brain development in children.

New Jersey has an estimated 350 thousand lead waterlines, among the most in the nation.

The current administration has pledged to replace all of them by 2031.

New Jersey is among five other states to get the highest amount of this funding, which comes from President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law.

On Wall Street, stocks climbed today with investors setting aside worries about a rate hike the Fed.

Here's how the markets look.

And make sure to tune in to NJ BusinessWeek with Raven Santana, she is celebrating National small business week by talking to some of the states entrepreneurs about how they turned an idea into a successful business.

Thus, Raven chats was the New Jersey small business person of the year about her journey to the top of the industry.

Watch it Saturday morning at 10:00 on the "NJ Spotlight News" YouTube channel.

♪ Briana: A new federal health recognition made this week could potentially save thousands of lives.

Women are now being advised to start breasts cancer screening at age 40, 10 years earlier than previously suggested.

The guidance from the U.S. preventive services task force artist women to get a mammogram every other year until age 74.

As Raven Santana reports, it comes in response to rising cancer rates among younger women.

>> Hang out with the girlfriends, one of use going to get breast cancer in their lifetime.

Raven: Dr. Carolyn Malone wants women to know the risk of getting breast cancer is not little.

But getting a screening can take your life.

In an effort to save more lives, on Tuesday the U.S. preventive services task force announced new guidelines that say women should get a mammogram every other year, now starting at age 40, rather than starting at age 50.

That is due to two major reasons.

The rate of breast cancer among women age 40-49 increase 2% per year on average, an earlier screening can save 20% more lives.

>> I don't know that they got it right into thousand nine, but I'm beyond thrilled that they are taking a big step in the right direction.

Studies are showing that women of certain ethnicities are getting breast cancer earlier than the general population.

They are getting younger and more aggressive cancers.

>> Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the United States.

Clearly we need to do something about this.

The other thing you need to know is that breast cancer in young women is skyrocketing.

This has been happening for the past 10 years.

This predates Covid, it predates the vaccine.

Can't blame it on the Covid vaccine.

>> Dr. Blackwood assures also -- women that the process can take less than 20 minutes and can save your life.

>> There is purple work to fill out at the beginning.

That is everywhere.

The actual mammogram itself takes about 15 minutes.

It's not a hard test.

If women find that it is uncomfortable for them, first of all, it's only seven seconds of discomfort.

Raven: Dr. Blackwood also stresses that screening am a Grams can detect rest cancer in its early stages, when treatment is most effective.

>> It so different than it used to be.

We don't hurt people, but we can -- we can't cure cancer.

We need that to be partnered with early, early detection.

Mammograms and other screening modalities really help that.

Raven: Still, experts say the new guidelines are still out of step with major medical associations.

>> I think the one unfortunate thing is that the U.S. preventative services task force is still saying yes, start at 40, but they still are recommending every other year, whereas many other groups say it really should be annual.

That is one thing I wish would have also changed, because again, it makes it tough for patients to know, when am I supposed to get my mammogram?

This says every year come this as every other year.

It is tricky.

And we know annual mammograms save more lives than every other year, so hopefully that will be something in the future that I hope they will update.

Raven: The task forts -- task force includes other groups.

Briana: That will do it for us tonight, but don't miss Reporters Roundtable tomorrow.

David Cruz talks to Matt Katz about his new podcast, inconceivable truth, which looks at his search for his biological father and the surprises he discovers along the way.

Plus a panel of local reporters talk about this week's main political headlines.

Catch it tomorrow at noon on the "NJ Spotlight News" YouTube channel.

I'm Briana Vannozzi, thanks for being with us.

Have a great night.

We will see you back here tomorrow.

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