By MEG KINNARD and KEVIN S. VINEYS, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Civilian federal jobs are being cut by the thousands, as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency continues to shrink the government workforce at the behest of President Donald Trump.

That’s brought a lot of churn and uncertainty in the nation’s capital, where 20% of the country’s more than 2 million civilian — or nonmilitary — federal workers are located.

It’s also affecting workers and communities outside the Washington, D.C. area, where about 80% of that workforce is based. Those cuts mean that members of Congress are now facing potential angst among the out-of-work federal employees in their districts across the country.

The precise locations of all of the thousands of federal employees now out of work isn’t yet known, but a look at the areas with the highest concentrations of civilian U.S. government jobs gives a glimpse at some places that could be most affected.

Here’s a breakdown of federal government jobs across the country by the numbers, surveying data from a Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates, as of 2023:

D.C. area, represented by Democrats, has highest federal worker concentration

It’s no surprise that the District of Columbia has the highest percentage of federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce.

And the areas immediately outside the city, in what’s known as the DMV — which includes Washington and parts of Maryland and Virginia — are next up with the highest concentrations of federal workers, with the top nine districts where percentages of federal workers range from 18.2% down to 8.4%. Most of those districts are represented by Democrats, meaning that some of the areas — albeit those in the D.C. area — likely to have the most significant impacts from DOGE cuts are represented by that party in the U.S. House.

The one with the highest percentage of federal workforce is Maryland’s 5th District, represented by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer. There, about 18.2% of all workers are employed by the federal government.

Republican districts are affected, too

After the districts closest to Washington, D.C., there are GOP-represented areas with high federal worker percentages.

Virginia’s 2nd District, represented by Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans — along the state’s southeastern border with North Carolina — is the GOP area with the highest concentration of federal workers, at 8.1%. Home to Virginia Beach, and a large U.S. Navy presence, it’s considered among the nation’s most politically competitive districts.

Related Articles

Conservative commentators seen with ‘Epstein Files’ binders after AG Bondi promises docs release

As bird flu spreads, feds might undercut states by firing scientists, removing data

With RFK Jr. in charge, supplement makers see chance to cash in

What are the rules of an ICE raid? Here’s what you should know.

Trump says he’s confident Putin will ‘keep his word’ if there’s a deal to end the war in Ukraine

Central Oklahoma’s 4th District, represented by GOP Rep. Tom Cole, has a workforce where 7.7% is employed by the federal government. The district is home to Fort Sill Army Post and Tinker Air Force Base, the latter of which includes the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. Oklahoma’s largest single-site employer, according to Tinker’s website, the complex provides support for dozens of other Air Force Bases.

Federal employees make up 7.6% of the workforce in Alabama’s 5th District, which includes Huntsville and is represented by Republican Rep. Dale Strong. The area encompasses NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which has had a role in rocket engineering and U.S. space exploration efforts from the Saturn rockets integral to moon missions, the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station’s laboratory modules.

The data examined here doesn’t pertain directly to military jobs. Thousands of civilian government employees across the country work in areas near or attached to military installations.

Alaska, represented by an at-large Republican, has a high concentration

Alaska’s sole U.S. House member, Rep. Nick Begich, represents a state with a total federal worker percentage of 6.3%.

Scott Goldsmith, an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has described the state’s economy as a “three-legged stool” kept balanced by three components: the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and then all other industries combined.

The federal government manages a significant amount of land in Alaska. Workers are employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, among others.

New Mexico has highest percentage of federal workers across all districts

All three of New Mexico’s House districts are represented by Democrats, and all of them have significant federal workforces.

Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, two major federal research institutions, are located in the state, where the federal government is the No. 2 largest employer, according to the New Mexico Partnership.

Percentages of federal workers across the districts range from 6.3% in Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez’s 3rd District to 6.2% in Rep. Gabriel Vasquez’s 2nd District. In the 1st District, represented by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury, the workforce is 6.8% federal employees.

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press

A new government report adds to evidence that the HPV vaccine, once called dangerous by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is preventing cervical cancer in young women.

The report comes after Kennedy pledged to give a family member any fees he might earn from HPV vaccine litigation. In a 2019 video posted on the anti-vaccine nonprofit Children’s Health Defense website, Kennedy called Gardasil “the most dangerous vaccine ever invented.”

Related Articles

How to practice healthy fasting during Ramadan

The COVID ‘contrarians’ are in power. We still haven’t hashed out whether they were right

Texas says doctor illegally treated trans youth. He says he followed the law

As bird flu spreads, feds might undercut states by firing scientists, removing data

With RFK Jr. in charge, supplement makers see chance to cash in

The new report found that from 2008 to 2022, rates for precancerous lesions decreased about 80% among 20- to 24-year-old women who were screened for cervical cancer. The estimates were published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is very common and is spread through sex. Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and clear up without treatment. Others develop into cancer, about 37,000 cases a year, according to the CDC.

Women in their 20s are the group most likely to have been given the HPV vaccine, which has been recommended in the U.S. since 2006 for girls at age 11 or 12 and since 2011 for boys the same age. Catch-up shots are recommended for anyone through age 26 who hasn’t been vaccinated.

Jane Montealegre of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in the study, called the decline dramatic and said it can be attributed to the increasing use of the safe and effective HPV vaccine.

“This should reassure parents that they’re doing the right thing in getting their children vaccinated against HPV,” said Montealegre, a cancer-prevention researcher.

Other countries also have reported declining rates of cervical precancer in younger and more vaccinated cohorts, she said. The U.S. doesn’t have a national registry but estimates what’s happening across the country by monitoring five sites.

Kennedy’s financial relationship with litigation against the maker of the HPV vaccine came under scrutiny during his confirmation hearings. The health secretary has since told lawmakers that he has referred hundreds of clients to the law firm suing vaccine-maker Merck in an arrangement where he would be entitled to 10% of contingency fees awarded.

One of Kennedy’s sons, Conor, is an attorney at that law firm, WisnerBaum. In an amended ethics agreement, Kennedy said he will give any fees he earns from litigation over the HPV vaccine to “a nondependent adult family member.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s no secret that head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to improve the interior of the offensive line.

After the Vikings got manhandled up front in their playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, O’Connell momentarily let the emotions get the best of him as he reflected on the performance in real time.

“We’ve got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket,” he said after a 29-9 loss on Jan. 14. “It’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”

Though he tried to walk back the intensity of those comments this week at the 2025 NFL Combine, O’Connell didn’t back down from the fact that the Vikings desperately need to get better in the trenches.

“It was more an emphasis on how I believe we need to play,” O’Connell said. “We need to be able to have a level of execution and a level of physicality that holds up.”

Now, arguably the best player in the upcoming free agent class is off the market.

According to multiple reports, the Kansas City Chiefs intend to place the franchise tag on star guard Trey Smith, which means the Vikings will need to pivot with free agency looming next month.

Here are the best guards available in free agency:

Will Fries

After being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of 2021 NFL Draft, Fries developed from a depth backup into a bona fide starter.

He has started 31 games in his career and was well on his way to establishing himself among the best guards in the NFL last season before suffering a fractured right tibia. He was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 7, 2024, which limited his most recent sample size.

That shouldn’t hurt Fries, 26, from garnering interest from many teams. He still appears to be on an upward trajectory, so the Vikings are going to have to pay up if they want his services.

Teven Jenkins

Originally selected by the Chicago Bears as a tackle in the second round of the 2021 draft, Jenkins has taken the next step since switching to guard. Though he has struggled with injuries at difference points in his career, Jenkins, 26, has still started 38 games.

The biggest issue with Jenkins for the Vikings is the fact that the Bears might be more motivated to re-sign him after missing out on the opportunity to negotiate with Smith.

Kevin Zeitler

A veteran of the trade, Zeitler was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2012 Draft. He has started 197 games in his career and would bring a well of knowledge to the Vikings.

Most recently, Zeitler balled out for the Detroit Lions, playing a key role on an offensive line that many believed to be the best in the NFL. Not only would signing Zeitler, 34, be a viable option for the Vikings, it would weaken an NFC North rival.

Mekhi Becton

It looked as if Becton might never pan out after being selected by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

He battled through a major injury and was on the verge of being considered a bust before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of last season. That decision helped him revitalize his career.

After making the switch from tackle to guard, Becton, 25, was named a starter for the Eagles, and he served in that role all the way to a Super Bowl victory.

Now, will Becton have interest in the Vikings? That remains to be seen.

James Daniels

After being selected by the Bears in the 2018 NFL Draft, Daniels has most recently made a name for himself with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He has started 84 games in his career while playing various position on the interior of the offensive line. The most concerning part about Daniels, 27, is that he’s coming off a torn Achilles tendon, so he will need some time to work himself back to 100 percent.

That might be enough to scare the Vikings away.

Related Articles

Will Vikings hand keys over to J.J. McCarthy? Intel from the NFL Combine

Here’s how the Vikings compared to their peers in annual NFLPA report cards

Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw on track with his recovery

What’s next for Sam Darnold? Vikings weighing options at NFL Combine

Five questions the Vikings must answer at the 2025 NFL Combine

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and HALELUYA HADERO

NEW YORK (AP) — A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of “economic resistance” to protest what the group’s founder sees as the malign influence of billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans.

The People’s Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an “economic blackout,” a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including Walmart and Amazon.

Other activists, faith-based leaders and consumers already are organizing boycotts to protest companies that have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to oppose President Donald Trump’s moves to abolish all federal DEI programs and policies. Some faith leaders are encouraging their congregations to refrain from shopping at Target, one of the companies backing off DEI efforts, during the 40 days of Lent that begin Wednesday.

Here are some details about the various events and experts’ thoughts on whether having consumers keep their wallets closed is an effective tool for influencing the positions corporations take.

Who’s behind the ‘24-hour Economic Blackout?’

The People’s Union USA, which takes credit for initiating the no-spend day, was founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher who lives near the Chicago area, according to his social media accounts.

The organization’s website said it’s not tied to a political party but stands for all people. Requests for comment sent to the group’s email address this week did not receive a reply.

The planned blackout is scheduled to run from 12 a.m. EST through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. The activist group advised customers to abstain from making any purchases, whether in store or online, but particularly not from big retailers or chains. It wants participants to avoid fast food and filling their car gas tanks, and says shoppers with emergencies or in need of essentials should support a local small business and try not to use a credit or debit card.

People’s Union plans another broad-based economic blackout on March 28, but it’s also organizing boycotts targeting specific retailers — Walmart and Amazon — as well as global food giants Nestle and General Mills. For the boycott against Amazon, the organization is encouraging people to refrain from buying anything from Whole Foods, which the e-commerce company owns.

What other boycotts are being planned?

There are a number of boycotts being planned, particularly aimed at Target. The discounter, which has backed diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at uplifting Black and LGBTQ+ people in the past, announced in January it was rolling back its DEI initiatives.

A labor advocacy group called We Are Somebody, led by Nina Turner, launched a boycott of Target on February 1 to coincide with Black History Month.

Protestors hold signs during a rally for a nationwide economic blackout Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Meanwhile, an Atlanta-area pastor, the Rev. Jamal Bryant, organized a website called targetfast.org to recruit Christians for a a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5, which marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Other faith leaders have endorsed the protest.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, announced in late January it would identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion pledges. The organization formed a commission to identify potential candidates.

“Donald Trump can cut federal DEI programs to the bone, he can claw back federal money to expand diversity, but he cannot tell us what grocery store we shop at,” Sharpton said in a statement posted on the National Action Network’s website.

Will the events have any impact?

Some retailers may feel a slight pinch from Friday’s broad “blackout,” which is taking place in a tough economic environment, experts said. Renewed inflation worries and Trump’s threat of tariffs on imported goods already have had an effect on consumer sentiment.

“The (market share) pie is just so big,” Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. “You can’t afford to have your slices get smaller. Consumers are spending more money on food. And that means there’s more pressure on general merchandise or discretionary products.”

Still, Cohen thinks the overall impact may be limited, with any meaningful sales declines more likely to surface in liberal-leaning coastal regions and big cities.

Protestors hold signs during a rally for a nationwide economic blackout Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Anna Tuchman, a marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, said she thinks the economic blackout will likely make a dent in daily retail sales but won’t be sustainable.

“I think this is an opportunity for consumers to show that they have a voice on a single day,” she said. ”I think it’s unlikely that we would see long-run sustained decreases in economic activity supported by this boycott.”

Other boycotts have produced different results.

Target saw a drop in sales in the spring and summer quarter of 2023 that the discounter attributed in part to customer backlash over a collection honoring LGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month. As a result, Target didn’t carry Pride merchandise in all of its stores the following year.

Tuchman studied the impact of a boycott against Goya Foods during the summer of 2020 after the company’s CEO praised Trump. But her study, based on sales from research firm Numerator, found the brand saw a sales increase driven by first-time Goya buyers who were disproportionately from heavily Republican areas.

However, the revenue bump proved temporary; Goya had no detectable sales increase after three weeks, Tuchman said.

It was a different story for Bud Light, which spent decades as America’s bestselling beer. Sales plummeted in 2023 after the brand sent a commemorative can to a transgender influencer. Bud Light’s sales still haven’t fully recovered, according to alcohol consulting company Bump Williams.

Tuchman thinks a reason is because there were plenty of other beers that the brand’s mostly conservative customer base could buy to replace Bud Light.

Afya Evans, a political and image consultant in Atlanta, said she would make a point of shopping on Friday but will focus on small businesses and Black-owned brands.

Evans is aware of other boycotts but she said she liked this one because she believes it could have some effect on sales.

“It’s a broader thing,” she said. “We want to see what the impact is. Let everybody participate. And plan from there.”

AP Business Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report.