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Congress, GOP presidential candidates react to Trump indictment
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress and Republicans competing against Donald Trump in the presidential primary quickly reacted Tuesday to the latest indictment against the former president, falling largely along party lines. This one, by a federal grand jury, stems from Trump’s alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election after Election Day and leading up to […]
‘Fueled by lies,’ Trump charged with seeking to overturn 2020 election
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted Donald Trump on Tuesday, alleging that Trump and co-conspirators attempted to subvert the 2020 election to keep the former president in power through a series of illegal actions that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The former president faces four […]
U.S. House spending bill for the VA renews fight over abortion access, transgender care
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans approved their first government spending bill Thursday, following tense debate about whether the Department of Veterans Affairs should provide abortions in limited circumstances and the GOP’s decision to cut military construction funding. The 219-211 mostly party-line vote on the Military Construction-VA appropriations bill sends the measure to the Senate, where […]
Higher taxes on the wealthy would bolster Social Security, U.S. Senate Dems argue
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators debated Wednesday how best to resolve a funding cliff within Social Security that will lead to a quarter reduction in benefits in about a decade, absent action from Congress. Democrats on the Budget Committee, led by Chair Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, called for lawmakers to increase taxes on the country’s […]
Overuse of antibiotics leading to dangerous ‘superbugs’ examined by U.S. Senate panel
WASHINGTON — Experts on antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections on Tuesday urged Congress to pass legislation that would address the issues that lead to so-called superbugs. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, the top Republican on the panel and an OB-GYN, said the issue is critically important for Congress because more than 3 million Americans will be diagnosed this […]
Biden administration to crack down on ‘junk’ health insurance plans, surprise billing
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced new initiatives Friday that could reduce health care costs, though none will take effect immediately. The changes include a proposed rule that would reduce the amount of time short-term health insurance plans can last and require companies that offer the plans to be more transparent about what is covered […]
On eve of Dobbs anniversary, Biden at campaign rally warns national abortion ban is next
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden pledged Friday to hold the line against attempts to restrict reproductive rights and abortion access during a campaign rally with the country’s leading abortion rights organizations. “The court got Roe right 50 years ago, and I believe Congress should restore the protections of Roe v. Wade once and for all,” […]
A year after Dobbs: Congress takes a back seat on federal abortion policy
WASHINGTON — One year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, the courts rather than a divided Congress are leading the way on decisions on reproductive rights that would affect the entire nation. Congress has not enacted federal legislation to either preserve reproductive rights or to restrict abortion in the […]
Democrats in Congress renew push to protect access to birth control
WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would guarantee access to birth control regardless of any future Supreme Court rulings. The measure would ensure people have the right to use contraception and that health care providers have a right to share information about contraception as well as provide it. The legislation would insulate access […]
Funding for 33 rural broadband projects unveiled by USDA
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Monday announced it will send $714 million to help rural areas in 19 states connect to the internet. “The president honestly believes that in order to have the fullest opportunity available to bring manufacturing back, to bring precision agriculture, to reconnect young people to economic opportunity in rural places, […]
Social media, trauma, hate speech add to youth mental health crisis, U.S. Senate panel told
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators agreed during a hearing Thursday the country’s children are going through a youth mental health crisis, though some of the committee’s members disagreed about what role Congress has to play. Senators detailed a complicated patchwork of issues that contribute to youth mental health challenges, including violence and trauma within schools and […]
Effects of climate change on farming, federal spending explored by U.S. Senate panel
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators on the Budget Committee dug into the impacts of climate change on farming during a Wednesday hearing, raising concerns about what the next few decades hold for food production and the way of life. But Republicans and representatives of farm groups pushed back against increased government regulation. Brent Johnson, president of […]