INSIDER
Tobacco-like warning label for social media sought by US surgeon general who asks Congress to act
Read full article: Tobacco-like warning label for social media sought by US surgeon general who asks Congress to actThe U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those now mandatory on cigarette boxes.
This fiery economist became Argentina's president railing against politicians. Now he's wooing them
Read full article: This fiery economist became Argentina's president railing against politicians. Now he's wooing themArgentinaโs lower house has voted to approve a dramatically downsized version of President Javier Mileiโs economic overhaul package, known as the omnibus bill.
Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package after Senate's early-morning passage ended shutdown threat
Read full article: Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package after Senate's early-morning passage ended shutdown threatPresident Joe Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills that Congress just passed, ending the threat of a potential partial government shutdown.
Congressional leaders announce an agreement on spending levels, a key step to averting shutdown
Read full article: Congressional leaders announce an agreement on spending levels, a key step to averting shutdownCongressional leaders have reached an agreement on overall spending levels for the current fiscal year that could help avoid a partial government shutdown later this month.
Biden says there's 'not much time' to keep aid flowing to Ukraine and Congress must 'stop the games'
Read full article: Biden says there's 'not much time' to keep aid flowing to Ukraine and Congress must 'stop the games'President Joe Biden says American aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now as he tries to reassure allies of continued U.S. financial support for the war effort.
A House impeachment inquiry of President Biden is a 'natural step forward,' Speaker McCarthy says
Read full article: A House impeachment inquiry of President Biden is a 'natural step forward,' Speaker McCarthy saysSpeaker Kevin McCarthy is suggesting that an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden is becoming more likely.
Biden willing to sign effort to block new DC crime laws
Read full article: Biden willing to sign effort to block new DC crime lawsPresident Joe Biden says he's willing to sign a Republican-sponsored resolution blocking new District of Columbia laws that would overhaul how the nationโs capital prosecutes and punishes crime.
Toll of police brutality on display at State of the Union
Read full article: Toll of police brutality on display at State of the UnionThe toll of police brutality in America was on painful display as family members of Black men and women killed in custody sit alongside lawmakers in the House to hear the presidentโs State of the Union address.
President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11
Read full article: President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11President Joe Biden has informed Congress that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.
House passes election law overhaul in response to Jan. 6
Read full article: House passes election law overhaul in response to Jan. 6The House has passed legislation to overhaul the rules for certifying the results of a presidential election as lawmakers accelerate their response to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and Donald Trumpโs failed attempt to remain in power.
Top lawmakers reach deal on Ukraine aid, $1.5T spending
Read full article: Top lawmakers reach deal on Ukraine aid, $1.5T spendingCongressional leaders have reached a bipartisan deal to provide $13.6 billion to help Ukraine fend off its invasion by Russia and assist European allies coping with the continent's worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Metro Detroit Congressional district will be up for grabs if newly drawn maps stand
Read full article: Metro Detroit Congressional district will be up for grabs if newly drawn maps standIf the newly redrawn Michigan political maps withstand legal challenges, it means Metro Detroit will have an open Congressional seat -- which is likely to bring in a gold rush of candidates.
Appeals court weighs Trump arguments to withhold records
Read full article: Appeals court weighs Trump arguments to withhold recordsA panel of judges on Tuesday questioned whether they had the authority to grant former President Donald Trumpโs demands to stop Congress from gaining access to documents related to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Manchin favors trimming Biden budget plan by more than half
Read full article: Manchin favors trimming Biden budget plan by more than halfA Democratic senator vital to the fate of President Joe Bidenโs $3.5 trillion plan for social and environmental spending says he wonโt support even half that amount or the ambitious timetable envisioned for passing it.
Capitol Police officers sue Trump, allies over insurrection
Read full article: Capitol Police officers sue Trump, allies over insurrectionU.S. Capitol Police officers who were attacked and beaten during the Capitol riot are suing former President Donald Trump, his allies and members of far-right extremist groups.
Detroit clerk Janice Winfrey says sheโs been getting death threats since 2020 election
Read full article: Detroit clerk Janice Winfrey says sheโs been getting death threats since 2020 electionIn a testimony before Congress, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said sheโs losing staff and living in fear because of false claims of fraud in the 2020 election.
Senate passes bill to boost US tech industry, counter rivals
Read full article: Senate passes bill to boost US tech industry, counter rivalsThe Senate has overwhelmingly approved legislation aiming to boost semiconductor production in the U.S. The bill is a bid to protect economic and national security in the face of growing international competition, most notably from China.
Michigan to lose House seat after Census -- What it means for our future
Read full article: Michigan to lose House seat after Census -- What it means for our futureThereโs no denying Michiganโs importance in national politics, but due to the lost Congressional seat, there are some things at stake for how much Michigan may matter in the next big election.
Security officials to scale back fencing around US Capitol
Read full article: Security officials to scale back fencing around US CapitolLawmakers from both parties have decried the fencing as unsightly, expensive and beyond what is necessary, even though security fears remain high. The security perimeter extends far beyond the Capitol itself through neighboring parks and office buildings. AdBlodgett said.the outer perimeter fencing will be removed in the latter part of March and Independence and Constitution avenues, the two major thoroughfares that flank the Capitol, will be opened for traffic. An inner perimeter will be moved closer to the Capitol building this week, providing reopened access to nearby streets and some sidewalks. The political pressure to remove the security fencing has been building.
Fence at Capitol blocks DC government from enacting new laws
Read full article: Fence at Capitol blocks DC government from enacting new lawsIn this Jan. 19, 2021 photo, riot fencing and razor wire reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Capitol Police say they are stepping up security at Washington-area transportation hubs and taking other steps to bolster travel security for lawmakers. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ That foreboding black fence erected around the U.S. Capitol building has had an unintentional side effect: walling off the local governmentโs ability to enact new laws. Last Friday, they did the same with a member of Vice President Kamala Harris' staff; Harris, as vice president, presides over the Senate. Only three D.C. bills have been directly overturned since 1975, but members of Congress do sometimes seek to alter or influence D.C. laws by attaching budget riders to certain bills.
Michigan Congressional Republicans question deployment of National Guard troops
Read full article: Michigan Congressional Republicans question deployment of National Guard troopsLANSING โ Hundreds of Michigan National Guard members are being sent to Washington, D.C. after the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that the deadly Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol Building could motivate more domestic terrorists. In a letter House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Michiganโs Congressional Republicans asked for โan immediate intelligence briefingโ about why 1,000 troops from the stateโs National Guard are being redeployed to protect Washington. Rep. Lisa McClain said she hasnโt been given a briefing by the speaker or congressional leaders about any imminent threats. Three GOP officials from Michigan -- including McClain -- still voted to object to election results after the insurrection that killed six people. National Guard troops are expected to stay in D.C. through March.
The Latest: Trump promises 'orderly transition' on Jan. 20
Read full article: The Latest: Trump promises 'orderly transition' on Jan. 20Cruz led the first challenge to Joe Bidenโs defeat of President Donald Trump by objecting to Arizonaโs results. President Donald Trump has falsely said since his defeat that there was widespread fraud in the election. Earlier Wednesday, supporters of President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, forcing a lockdown of the lawmakers and staff inside. ___6:30 p.m.Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is blaming President Donald Trump for inciting a violent โinsurrectionโ at the Capitol. President Trump lost.โณ___6:25 p.m.President Donald Trump has appeared to justify the violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.
Pelosi narrowly reelected speaker, faces difficult two years
Read full article: Pelosi narrowly reelected speaker, faces difficult two yearsSpeaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., waves the gavel on the opening day of the 117th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. โShe's had one finger in the dike and one finger in the eye of Donald Trump," said Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who is seen as a strong contender to succeed Pelosi whenever she steps down. Democrats gave Pelosi a standing ovation as the final tally was announced, while the Republican side of the chamber was nearly empty. Ocasio-Cortez said she and other progressives โhave been in conversations and negotiationsโ with Pelosi, but did not describe what they accomplished.
Fed and Treasury urge Congress to approve more virus relief
Read full article: Fed and Treasury urge Congress to approve more virus relief(Greg Nash/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON โ Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urged Congress to approve COVID-19 relief funds without further delay, though Democrats continued to attack a decision by Mnuchin to allow five Fed lending programs to expire during the pandemic. In his most direct comments so far, Powell told the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday that it's โvery importantโ for Congress to provide economic support. Without more assistance, Powell said, people will lose their homes and small businesses will fail. โWe are hearing from all over that small businesses are really under pressure," Powell told lawmakers. โThere is no justifiable reason for taking these tools away,โ Rep. Maxine Waters, chair of the House panel, told Mnuchin.
Trump, Lee, Tillis: Congress reconsiders testing its own
Read full article: Trump, Lee, Tillis: Congress reconsiders testing its ownMike Lee, R-Utah, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., became the latest members of Congress to test positive for the virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans. All three attended the White House Rose Garden introduction Saturday of Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett. Nationally and on Capitol Hill, there are no comprehensive plans requiring testing or wearing masks. House members can vote by proxy through their colleagues, to cut down on the number of people milling around. Lee, Tillis and other Republican members of the panel were among those who attended the Rose Garden event on Saturday.
Wall Street rallies to close out strong, but wild quarter
Read full article: Wall Street rallies to close out strong, but wild quarterWall Street is rallying Wednesday with rising hope that Washington may break through its partisanship to deliver more aid for the economy. By the end of trading, momentum had returned, and the S&P 500 rose 27.53 points, or 0.8%, to 3,363.00. It was the last day of a strong quarter for the market, where the S&P 500 rallied 8.5% to follow up on its 20% surge in the spring. Continued support from the Federal Reserve helped drive the gains, as the central bank leaned further into the whatever-it-takes approach taken to support markets and the economy. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 careened between a gain of 0.1% and 1.7% for a total spread of 1.6 percentage points.
Asian shares gain, cheered by US rally on hopes for stimulus
Read full article: Asian shares gain, cheered by US rally on hopes for stimulusAsian shares advanced Friday, cheered by a modest rally on Wall Street and rising hopes for fresh stimulus for the U.S. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Asian shares advanced Friday, cheered by a modest rally on Wall Street and rising hopes for fresh stimulus for the U.S. economy. Despite signs of a global economic rebound in the third quarter, worries remain the upturn may be running out of steam. House Democrats said they are paring back their proposal for a new stimulus package in an attempt to jump-start negotiations with the Trump administration. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.3% to 3,246.59 after swinging between a loss of 0.9% and a gain of 1.3%.
Fed sees dim economic outlook as virus squeezes economy
Read full article: Fed sees dim economic outlook as virus squeezes economyWASHINGTON Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that the viral epidemic is endangering the modest economic recovery that followed a collapse in hiring and spending this spring. As a result, he said, the Fed plans to keep interest rates pinned near zero well into the future. That observation was an acknowledgement that uncertainty about when the health crisis might be solved has complicated the Feds ability to set interest rate policy. Few investors expect the Fed to hike interest rates for years to come. Some Fed watchers expect no rate increase until 2024 at the earliest given the bleak outlook for the economy and expectations of continued ultra-low inflation.
DeVos issues rule steering more virus aid to private schools
Read full article: DeVos issues rule steering more virus aid to private schoolsThat's how funding is shared with private schools under other federal rules that Congress referenced in the legislation creating the relief aid. In Louisiana, for example, private schools are estimated to get at least 267% more under DeVos' formula. DeVos said urgent action was needed after dozens of private schools permanently closed as a result of the pandemic. Any private school can request support from their local district, but the new rule urges wealthier schools to reject it. DeVos has been accused of bending the formula to benefit the private schools she has long championed.
President Donald Trump signs $2.2T stimulus after swift congressional votes
Read full article: President Donald Trump signs $2.2T stimulus after swift congressional votesโThis will deliver urgently needed relief,โ Trump said as he signed the bill in the Oval Office, flanked only by Republican lawmakers. It will send unprecedented billions to states and local governments, and the nationโs all but overwhelmed health care system. Liberals accepted generous corporate rescues that accompany larger unemployment benefits, deferrals of student loans, and an enormous surge of funding for health care and other agencies responding to the crisis. Others praised the roles low-income workers play in keeping the country going and the heroism of health care workers. There is also $150 billion devoted to the health care system, including $100 billion for grants to hospitals and other health care providers buckling under the strain of COVID-19 caseloads.
Funeral for 9/11 responder Luis Alvarez to be held Wednesday
Read full article: Funeral for 9/11 responder Luis Alvarez to be held WednesdayRetired New York Police Department detective and 9/11 first responder Luis Alvarez testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on reauthorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2019, in(CNN) - A funeral for first responder Luis Alvarez will be held Wednesday, just days after his powerful congressional testimony on compensating individuals with health problems related to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Alvarez, 53, died Saturday from complications of cancer linked to the time he spent with other first responders at Ground Zero. "Detective Alvarez lost his fight against cancer, but his fight for 9/11 responders and survivors continues. A group of 9/11 first responders met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell this month to push for the passage of a measure to extend compensation funding. The fund Alvarez and other responders fought for was created months after the 2001 terrorist attacks.