Author
Trump won’t ‘even consider’ push to rename bases honoring Confederates
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee this week adopted an amendment to require the Defense Department to rename U.S. military facilities named in honor of Confederates. The amendment from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, was adopted during a closed-door vote on annual defense policy legislation. The language was approved by a voice […]
George Floyd’s brother: ‘Make sure that he is more than another face on a t-shirt’
WASHINGTON — George Floyd’s younger brother, Philonise Floyd, pleaded with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday to ensure that his brother didn’t die in vain. “I can’t tell you the kind of pain you feel when you watch something like that. When you watch your big brother, who you looked up to your whole entire life […]
Congressional Dems lay out expansive police reform plans
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats outlined their vision for sweeping police reforms on Capitol Hill Monday, following weeks of nationwide protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. “Never again should the world be subjected to witnessing what we saw on the streets of Minneapolis: the slow murder of an individual by a uniformed […]
Trump plans July 4 celebration despite pandemic
WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t upended President Donald Trump’s plans to hold a Fourth of July celebration in the nation’s capital this summer. The White House told the Associated Press this week that Trump intends to move ahead with a scaled-back version of last year’s massive “Salute to America” event on the National Mall. […]
Baldwin: Should White House testing standards apply to other workers?
WASHINGTON — Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed a top Trump administration health official Tuesday on whether other “essential” workplaces should have the same testing protocols that are being used in the White House. At a U.S. Senate hearing, the Wisconsin Democratic lawmaker asked Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if […]
U.S. Supreme Court tosses gun case as Kavanaugh urges future debate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday avoided issuing a landmark Second Amendment ruling in a closely watched gun rights case, but set the stage for future legal battles. A divided court ruled that a challenge to New York City gun restrictions was moot because the city had later changed its regulations. The case […]
Wisconsin farmers dump milk as people go hungry. Will Washington help?
WASHINGTON — April and May are known as the “spring flush” in the dairy world. “It has a lot to do with Mother Nature. When the sun starts shining more, cows start to become more productive, just like human beings,” said Darin Von Ruden, president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union Board of Directors and a […]
New congressional panel to police COVID-19 relief spending
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced plans Thursday to form a new committee charged with overseeing the more than $2 trillion the federal government is spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis will consist of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, Pelosi said, […]
Behemoth $2T COVID-19 response bill clears U.S. House, heads to Trump
WASHINGTON — A $2 trillion bill to aid workers, health care providers and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic is poised to become law following its passage in the U.S. House on Friday. Many House members reconvened in Washington to approve the 880-page measure, which stands to be the largest economic aid package in U.S. history. The […]
Obama stimulus watchdog: ‘Bad guys’ will make play for COVID-19 relief cash
WASHINGTON — Earl Devaney is feeling déjà vu. Devaney, a former longtime federal watchdog, was hired in 2009 to police the distribution of $840 billion in federal stimulus spending for the Obama administration. He had previously worked for the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. EPA’s environmental enforcement division and as the Interior Department’s inspector general. Now […]
Pandemic spurs U.S. Senate to pass historic aid package
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate late Wednesday night approved a $2 trillion spending bill that aims to provide economic relief for workers and businesses and to aid hospitals and states reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The chamber voted 96-0 to pass the bill in an unusual display of bipartisanship. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin called it, […]
U.S. Senate vows ‘big help, quick help’ with $2T coronavirus bill
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers announced the framework for a bipartisan deal on a $2 trillion spending package early Wednesday morning, but specifics of a final bill and a timeline for enactment remain uncertain. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that he expected the chamber to pass the legislation on Wednesday. He said the bill isn’t a […]