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USDA chief voices ‘deep concerns’ over U.S. House GOP farm bill’s nutrition cuts
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on a call with reporters Wednesday strongly criticized a farm bill draft written by U.S. House Republicans, saying it would damage the coalition that traditionally has united behind farm bills and “raises the real possibility of being unable to get a farm bill through the process.” The massive five-year […]
U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday it will ask the Supreme Court on an emergency basis to keep access to the abortion medication mifepristone exactly as it is now, amid the appeals process in a much-watched case out of Texas. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement the department “strongly disagrees” with […]
Report: Biden says South Carolina should be first primary state, Michigan first in Midwest
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is recommending to the Democratic National Committee that South Carolina become the first primary state in the presidential nominating process in 2024, and that New Hampshire and Nevada follow a week later — leaving Iowa out of the early lineup, the Washington Post reported on Thursday night. Georgia and Michigan […]
How Medicare prescription drug coverage would change under U.S. Senate Democrats’ bill
WASHINGTON — A major spending bill from U.S. Senate Democrats would allow Medicare for the first time in its history to begin negotiating the prices of certain high-priced prescription drugs — a proposal that’s been around for years but has never come so close to the finish line. Under the legislation, Medicare would start negotiating the […]
Biden slams COVID-19 vaccine ‘lies,’ announces free at-home tests
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged that COVID-19 vaccine doubters stop “peddling lies” on TV and online, as the nation grapples with a rising number of cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant. Biden also announced new federal help for testing and treatment in the states, including 500 million at-home rapid test […]
How Congress will attempt the biggest expansion of U.S. social programs since FDR
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate this week passed a massive bipartisan infrastructure bill and an even larger budget blueprint that would pave the way for historic changes in U.S. health, education, climate and tax policies. The two measures are roped to each other, reflecting Democrats’ strategy to pass what could be bipartisan with Republicans—and to go it […]
Biden signs law making Juneteenth a federal holiday. State offices will close in Missouri
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation declaring a legal public holiday annually on June 19, the date of the end of slavery in the U.S. known as Juneteenth. “Throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by many names—Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day,” Vice President Kamala Harris said at the White […]
U.S. House OKs commission to probe Capitol attack. Missouri Republicans opposed
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted Wednesday 252-175 to give the go-ahead to the formation of an independent, bipartisan commission that would investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, despite objections from Republican leaders that the scope of the commission was not wide enough and other investigations are ongoing. Thirty-five Republicans joined with […]
Senate confirms Haaland as first-ever Native American to serve in the Cabinet
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland made history on Monday when she became the first Native American to ever be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold a position in a president’s Cabinet. In a narrow 51-40 vote, senators confirmed Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, to serve as secretary of interior, where she will run […]
Feds ramp up emergency help for states hit by extreme weather
WASHINGTON — White House officials said Thursday that they have been in close touch with governors in storm-stricken states to extend emergency assistance — but they also stressed the role of climate change in the weather crisis that has gripped large swaths of the nation. “The extreme weather events that we’re experiencing this week across […]
Here’s what Joe Biden plans to do on his first day as president
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden early Wednesday unveiled the list of executive orders, memos and directives he will make when he assumes the presidency later in the day, reversing a slew of Trump administration actions and laying out new policies of his own. “These actions are bold, begin the work of following through on President-elect Biden’s […]
Our home was attacked Wednesday. It may never be the same.
WASHINGTON — Many of us in our working lives have places away from the office that feel like a second home. It could be a back room at a business, a warehouse, a barn, even the front seat of a car. For me, that place for years was the U.S. Capitol. Thousands of people’s lives […]