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Navy identifies 2 killed in fighter jet crash as aviators from California
Read full article: Navy identifies 2 killed in fighter jet crash as aviators from CaliforniaThe Navy has identified the two crew members killed when their jet fighter crashed near Mount Rainier last week as two 31-year-old aviators from California.
Congressional Democrats push resolution that says hospitals must provide emergency abortions
Read full article: Congressional Democrats push resolution that says hospitals must provide emergency abortionsA resolution introduced by Congressional Democrats would make clear that U.S. emergency rooms need to provide emergency abortions when a woman’s health or life is at risk, despite strict state abortion bans.
House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new voters
Read full article: House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new votersHouse Speaker Mike Johnson has teed up a vote this week on a bill that would keep the federal government funded for six more months.
House Republican unveil bill to avoid shutdown. Senate Democrats say they're wasting precious time
Read full article: House Republican unveil bill to avoid shutdown. Senate Democrats say they're wasting precious timeHouse Republicans have unveiled legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.
Netanyahu seeks support for war in Gaza with speech to Congress but sparks protests, boycotts
Read full article: Netanyahu seeks support for war in Gaza with speech to Congress but sparks protests, boycottsIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged in a scathing speech to Congress to achieve “total victory” against Hamas and criticized American opponents of the war in Gaza as “idiots.”.
Key senators reach agreement on spending levels for next year, setting up clash with House
Read full article: Key senators reach agreement on spending levels for next year, setting up clash with HouseThe Senate will pursue a spending increase next year of about 3.4% for defense and 2.7% increase for non-defense programs under a bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Congress unveils $1.2 trillion plan to avert federal shutdown and bring budget fight to a close
Read full article: Congress unveils $1.2 trillion plan to avert federal shutdown and bring budget fight to a closeLawmakers have introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies this weekend.
U.S. military and diplomatic leaders urge a divided Congress to send aid to both Israel and Ukraine
Read full article: U.S. military and diplomatic leaders urge a divided Congress to send aid to both Israel and UkraineDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are urging an increasingly divided Congress to immediately send major aid to both Israel and Ukraine.
The Dianne Feinstein they knew: Women of the Senate remember a tireless fighter and a true friend
Read full article: The Dianne Feinstein they knew: Women of the Senate remember a tireless fighter and a true friendIn tributes to Sen. Dianne Feinstein after her death, her female colleagues talked about her indomitable, fierce intelligence and how she had paved the way for so many women.
The Senate's bipartisan approach to government funding is putting pressure on a divided House
Read full article: The Senate's bipartisan approach to government funding is putting pressure on a divided HouseThe United States is at risk of another damaging government shutdown, potentially as soon as the end of September.
In post-Roe era, House Republicans begin quiet push for new restrictions on abortion access
Read full article: In post-Roe era, House Republicans begin quiet push for new restrictions on abortion accessHouse Republicans are pushing new restrictions on abortion access and trying to build on the work of activists whose strategy successfully elevated the abortion fight to the Supreme Court.
Lawmakers quick to unload FTX founder's contributions
Read full article: Lawmakers quick to unload FTX founder's contributionsLawmakers who eagerly accepted piles of cash from Samuel Bankman-Fried now can’t move fast enough to offload contributions from the disgraced crypto mogul to anywhere but their own campaign coffers.
Schumer sending $15M to Democrats, Senate Campaign Committee
Read full article: Schumer sending $15M to Democrats, Senate Campaign CommitteeSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is transferring $15 million from his campaign account to his party’s candidates, incumbents and political committee for the fall election.
Health official on COVID-19: ‘We are in a much better position to respond than we were a year ago’
Read full article: Health official on COVID-19: ‘We are in a much better position to respond than we were a year ago’In a U.S. Senate committee hearing Thursday, the leaders of the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health agencies told senators that the country should prepare for what might happen next.
Pandemic preparedness bill moves ahead; funding still needed
Read full article: Pandemic preparedness bill moves ahead; funding still neededA Senate committee has approved a bipartisan blueprint to overhaul the nation’s public health system, applying the lessons of COVID-19 to future outbreaks through a new chain of command, a stronger medical supply chain, and clearer crisis communications.
Divided no more? Court opening may draw Democrats together
Read full article: Divided no more? Court opening may draw Democrats togetherDemocrats have fractured repeatedly over President Joe Biden’s agenda, stalling legislation and creating an atmosphere of mistrust that threatens the party’s political prospects in November.
Watchdog: HHS failing on health crises, deemed 'high risk'
Read full article: Watchdog: HHS failing on health crises, deemed 'high risk'A nonpartisan congressional watchdog says the federal Department of Health and Human Services is failing to meet its responsibilities for leading the nation’s response to public health emergencies including the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather disasters and even potential bioterror attacks.
Democrats push for paid family leave ahead of critical votes
Read full article: Democrats push for paid family leave ahead of critical votesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi surprised advocates, and even many of her Democratic colleagues, when she revived a long-sought paid family and medical leave plan and said it would be part of a massive social and environmental spending bill in the House.
Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budget
Read full article: Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budgetMedicaid issues are turning up as winners in President Joe Biden’s social budget framework even as divisions force Democrats to hit pause on far-reaching improvements to Medicare.
Paid leave loss hits hard for Dems after decades of advocacy
Read full article: Paid leave loss hits hard for Dems after decades of advocacySen. Patty Murray of Washington, who was elected in 1992 as a self described “mom in tennis shoes,” has been fighting for paid family and medical leave for decades.
Leading Dems seek input on 'public option' health care plan
Read full article: Leading Dems seek input on 'public option' health care planTwo leading congressional Democrats are calling for ideas on a “public option” health insurance plan, a campaign promise of President Joe Biden’s that faces long odds politically.
Fighting Biden virus aid, GOP rekindles Obama-era strategy
Read full article: Fighting Biden virus aid, GOP rekindles Obama-era strategyAmericans are experiencing flickers of optimism at the one-year anniversary of the deadly outbreak as more people are vaccinated. But new strains of the virus and a still shaky economy could unleash another devastating cycle of infections, lockdowns and deaths. Biden and Democrats warn that now is not the time to let up on aid, and that it's better to risk doing too much than too little. McConnell expressed similar optimism last spring when he hit “pause” on new spending after approval of the initial round of aid. GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said by the time they're done they hope to turn public opinion around.
Fighting Biden virus aid, GOP rekindles Obama-era strategy
Read full article: Fighting Biden virus aid, GOP rekindles Obama-era strategyAdIt’s a tested strategy but comes at an uncertain, volatile time for the nation. Americans are experiencing flickers of optimism at the one-year anniversary of the deadly outbreak as more people are vaccinated. But new strains of the virus and a still shaky economy could unleash another devastating cycle of infections, lockdowns and deaths. Biden and the Democrats backing him warn that now is not the time to let up on aid — better to risk doing too much, than too little. GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said by the time they're done they hope to turn public opinion around.
Biden, Yellen say GOP virus aid too small, Democrats push on
Read full article: Biden, Yellen say GOP virus aid too small, Democrats push onFrom left, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joined the Democratic senators for a private virtual meeting, both declaring the Republicans' $618 billion offer was too small. “President Biden spoke about the need for Congress to respond boldly and quickly,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the lunch meeting. The president made it clear that he won’t delay aid in hopes of winning GOP support. Biden proposes $170 billion for schools, compared to $20 billion in the Republican plan.
Democrats prep Biden's virus aid package with or without GOP
Read full article: Democrats prep Biden's virus aid package with or without GOP(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are preparing to push ahead quickly on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package even if it means using procedural tools to pass the legislation on their own, leaving Republicans behind. Coming so soon in Biden's administration, the action provides a first test of Republican opposition to the White House priorities as well as to the new president's promise of a “unity” agenda. Biden's COVID-19 aid package includes money for vaccine distribution, school reopenings and $1,400 direct payments to households and gradually boosts the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour over five years. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters earlier Tuesday that Biden is still looking to negotiate on an aid package, while emphasizing that several components of the existing aid will lapse in March. Collins said Tuesday that the White House made good on its commitment to deliver a more detailed accounting of the proposed expenditure.
Spending bill to restore federal college grants for inmates
Read full article: Spending bill to restore federal college grants for inmatesThe massive, catchall bill combines $900 billion in COVID-19 aid with a $1.4 trillion spending bill. A 1994 bill blocked prisoners from the program, but momentum has been growing to reverse the decision. For Republicans, the bill secures a longtime goal to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the form that students fill out to determine their eligibility for federal financial aid. It would provide $23 billion to colleges and universities, the first federal virus aid since a virus package Congress approved in March. For K-12 schools, the bill provides $54.3 billion, with an additional $4.1 billion that governors can use on education.
US angling to secure more of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine
Read full article: US angling to secure more of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccineOperation Warp Speed has financed the development, manufacture and distribution of millions of doses, with the goal of providing a free vaccine to any American who wants one. Pfizer was not as closely involved with Operation Warp Speed as other manufacturers, preferring to retain control over its own development and manufacturing. But the government did enter into a contract to buy 100 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first of which were shipped this week. At issue is the purchase of another 100 million doses for delivery as early as the middle of next year. “We of course would welcome having another 100 million doses,” said Slaoui, adding that it's his expectation that negotiations with Pfizer will be successful.
Alexander preaches consensus in farewell to fractious Senate
Read full article: Alexander preaches consensus in farewell to fractious SenateAlexander left the GOP's leadership track during the Obama years to focus on his committee work. As chairman of the HELP panel, Alexander shepherded a 2015 rewrite of elementary and high school education that swept through the Senate with near-universal support. “Lamar listened to me when I told him we should write a bill together, rather than amending the Republican bill he had begun working on,” Murray said. Alexander offered a defense of the chamber's traditions, especially the filibuster that forces consensus — or, increasingly, gridlock — upon the Senate. Alexander will be replaced by Nashville businessman Bill Hagerty, a Republican backed by President Donald Trump.
McConnell, Schumer to lead, but Senate majority uncertain
Read full article: McConnell, Schumer to lead, but Senate majority uncertainSen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., won another term as Republican leader, his office said, cementing his role as the longest-serving GOP leader in U.S. history. But it’s still to be determined whether McConnell will retain his role as majority leader or cede it to Schumer as the final races for the U.S. Senate play out. Republicans brushed back Democratic challengers in several states, but failed to lock down the seats needed to retain their majority. The math has become more challenging for McConnell because the vice president of the party holding the White House casts the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. A Democratic majority in the Senate, the party that also controls the House would give the party a firm grasp on power in Washington.
Trump aide's no-holds-barred style sparks new COVID-19 furor
Read full article: Trump aide's no-holds-barred style sparks new COVID-19 furorMichael Caputo, the top spokesman at the Department of Health and Human Services, can be heard on an agency podcast asserting that Democrats don't want a coronavirus vaccine in order to punish President Donald Trump. Caputo was named the top HHS spokesman in April, during a tense period in relations between the White House and HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “There are people in the United States government on the Democrats' side ... (who) do not want a vaccine,” he said. “They don’t want a vaccine until November 4th,” he added, citing the day after the presidential election. They don’t want a vaccine now because of politics, sir.”___Associated Press news researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report.
Fauci: US 'going in wrong direction' in coronavirus outbreak
Read full article: Fauci: US 'going in wrong direction' in coronavirus outbreak(Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)The U.S. is going in the wrong direction with the coronavirus surging badly enough that Dr. Anthony Fauci told senators Tuesday some regions are putting the entire country at risk just as schools and colleges are wrestling with how to safely reopen. Connect the dots, he told senators: When and how school buildings can reopen will vary depending on how widely the coronavirus is spreading locally. I feel very strongly we need to do whatever we can to get the children back to school, he said. Its not clear if that kind of broad-stroke testing would reduce spread of the coronavirus, CDC concluded. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education.
Congress stalls out again dealing with national trauma
Read full article: Congress stalls out again dealing with national trauma(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON For a moment, Congress had a chance to act on policing reform, mobilized by a national trauma and overwhelming public support. There are other high-profile examples where public support has been unable to overcome hyper-partisanship in Congress most notably on gun control. The parties have also failed to make progress in overhauling the nations fractured immigration laws, despite broad public support. Murray said in an interview that there was little attempt to do that kind of behind-the-scenes work on policing reform. The feeling that you want to accomplish something, that you want to get something done ... is a very different feeling than we saw with policing reform."
Where's Markey? Senator misses dozens of votes in pandemic
Read full article: Where's Markey? Senator misses dozens of votes in pandemicOnly Markey and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state missed the vote. Of 42 Senate votes in May and the first half of June, Markey missed 34 or about 80%, according to information from GovTrack, an independent clearinghouse for congressional data. Of those missed votes, one of the more notable for Markey was last weeks vote on the Great American Outdoors Act. The bill, which passed on a bipartisan 73-25 vote vote, would spend $3 billion on conservation projects, outdoor recreation and maintenance of national parks and other public lands. In all of 2019, Markey missed just 19 of 428 votes or less than 5%.
Federal coronavirus testing plan puts burden on states
Read full article: Federal coronavirus testing plan puts burden on statesWASHINGTON The Trump administrations new strategy for coronavirus testing puts much of the burden on states while promising to provide supplies such as swabs and material to transport specimens. The plan, which was delivered Sunday to members of Congress, drew harsh criticism Monday from Democrats. In a joint letter, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. and Washington Sen. Patty Murray said the administration still does not have a serious plan for increasing testing to stop the spread of the virus.The report comes as the U.S. death toll from the pandemic is approaching 100,000. The HHS document, which The Washington Post first reported, recommends that all states have an objective of testing a minimum of 2 percent of their population in May and June.The Democratic lawmakers, who released the HHS report along with their joint letter, said it confirms that President Trumps national testing strategy is to deny the truth that there arent enough tests and supplies, reject responsibility and dump the burden onto the states.The Trump Administration still does not take any responsibility for ramping up our nations testing capacity, instead pushing the burden onto the states forcing states to compete with each other to procure vital supplies to administer tests from the private market, the lawmakers wrote. They also called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to act on the $3 trillion virus release package passed earlier this month by the House, saying it would deliver a clear strategy and $75 billion for the testing and contact tracing necessary to stop the spread of this vicious virus.