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Georgia congressman to be first African American chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
WASHINGTON—The U.S. House Democratic caucus on Thursday ratified Rep. David Scott’s selection to chair the Agriculture Committee, making him the first African American and the first Georgian to lead the panel. “I was born on my grandparents’ farm in rural Aynor, South Carolina, during the days of segregation, and the hardships, of those, on […]
New pandemic relief proposal rolled out by bipartisan group in Congress
WASHINGTON—More than a dozen U.S. House and Senate members are pushing for a bipartisan coronavirus relief package to aid struggling states and local governments and fund programs such as unemployment and rental assistance that are set to expire later this month. In a Tuesday press conference, lawmakers unveiled a four-month, $908 billion proposal that would […]
Sen. Tammy Baldwin and colleagues urge federal funding for state distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
WASHINGTON—More than a dozen U.S. Senate Democrats, including Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, are urging congressional leaders to include “robust” funding in any coronavirus relief package for states to prepare for vaccine distribution. “Dedicated funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution is especially critical now as jurisdictions are facing historic budget shortfalls amid the pandemic and funding for […]
Immigration advocates push Biden to not just bring back DACA but expand it
WASHINGTON—President-elect Joe Biden is promising to reinstate an Obama-era program that shields deportation for some undocumented people who were brought to the United States by their parents when they were children. But immigration advocates are pushing for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to not just be reaffirmed but expanded, and written into law. […]
Biden promises ‘no national shutdown’ despite surge in COVID-19
WASHINGTON—President-elect Joe Biden pressed the urgent need for economic relief and a vaccine distribution plan for states and tribes after a video meeting Thursday with bipartisan leaders of the National Governors Association. But Biden in a press conference in Wilmington, Del., also vowed there will be “no national shutdown” despite a surge in COVID-19 cases […]
Wisconsin Republicans in Congress chime in on Trump claims of a stolen election
WASHINGTON—Leading Wisconsin Republicans are agreeing with President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the election was stolen from him, and backing legal challenges to voting results in states won by President-elect Joe Biden. “There’s nothing to congratulate him about,” Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told reporters on Tuesday when asked if he had congratulated Biden […]
Georgia voters could determine control of the U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON—Control of the U.S. Senate may depend on two runoff races in Georgia, where the outcome won’t be known until early January—opening the door to a fresh round of massive campaign spending in the Peach State. One runoff between GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock is already set. While the second runoff […]
Democrats reel after losses, setbacks in Congress
WASHINGTON—Tuesday’s election was a disaster for congressional Democrats, who were expected to pick up nearly a dozen GOP seats in the House but instead lost races while also failing to flip Senate seats held by vulnerable Republicans. The outlook for Democratic control of the Senate did not improve the day after the election, either, as […]
Struggle for control of the U.S. Senate enters its final tense hours
WASHINGTON — Democrats have a shot at winning the White House, capturing the Senate majority and keeping their hold on the House — an election result that could dramatically shift the policy agenda away from the gridlock that’s gripped the nation’s capital for years. In the Senate, the clearest route to that outcome is through […]
Barrett nomination advances to the U.S. Senate floor with a GOP-only vote
WASHINGTON—Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, as Democrats boycotted the vote in a show of protest. The 12 Republicans on the panel speedily voted on Barrett’s nomination and sent it to the Senate floor. The full Senate will vote Monday, […]
Few precedents for presidential candidates unable to stay on the ticket
President Donald Trump’s diagnosis with COVID-19 just a month before Election Day raises the question of what happens in the unlikely case a nominee is unable to continue as a candidate for the presidency. The answer is murky at best, and complicated, with little precedent to follow. Trump arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical […]
Trump taken to Walter Reed hospital; Biden tests negative
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Maryland late Friday afternoon, where White House officials said he is expected to stay for “the next few days” for treatment of COVID-19. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany described Trump, who disclosed his diagnosis earlier Friday, as having mild symptoms […]