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Biden picks former public school teacher as secretary of Education
WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday formally introduced his nominee for secretary of Education — Miguel Cardona, a veteran of public schools and the third Latino selected for the Cabinet. “We knew we needed an education secretary who truly understands what it’s been like for educators, administrators, families, caregivers and students this past year,” […]
Trump loyalist Perdue fights for not just his seat but the future of the GOP
WASHINGTON — Sen. David Perdue during his six years in Congress served as a close ally of President Donald Trump. But with Trump in defeat, it now falls to the senior Georgia senator to preserve not just his own seat in January’s runoff election but also control of the U.S. Senate as the GOP’s last […]
What’s in the $900B emergency relief bill — and what’s out
WASHINGTON — Congress is set to pass a massive bipartisan emergency relief bill that’s intended to aid Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Summaries from House Democratic appropriators say it includes: DIRECT CHECKS —$166 billion in another round of economic impact payments that will go directly to Americans. —$600 stimulus checks for individuals that begin […]
Biden to nominate Buttigieg for transportation secretary
President-elect Joe Biden said Wednesday he will nominate former presidential primary rival Pete Buttigieg to serve in his Cabinet as secretary of transportation. “What I admire about Pete, is he’s always clear about who he is, what he believes and how he wants to bring people in, not exclude them,” Biden said at an appearance […]
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Texas suit that tried to overturn election results
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday turned aside a Texas lawsuit that sought to derail the presidential election results from four battleground states, despite pressure on the justices from President Donald Trump on social media. “Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections,” according […]
More than half of U.S. House Republicans back Texas suit claiming election ‘irregularities’
WASHINGTON — More than 100 U.S. House Republicans on Thursday backed a long-shot Texas lawsuit that seeks to delay the certification of presidential election results for Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin, battleground states that President-elect Joe Biden won. In asking to join the suit filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson led […]
Biden to tap a trio of Midwesterners to lead agriculture, housing, veterans affairs agencies
WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden said Thursday he will nominate U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Minnesota native Denis McDonough to join his Cabinet. If confirmed by the Senate, Fudge will lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the second Black woman to head the $50 billion agency, […]
U.S. House passes bill to avert government shutdown while relief talks drag on
WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday voted to pass a stopgap spending bill, preventing a government shutdown and giving a group of bipartisan lawmakers another week to negotiate a coronavirus relief package. In an overwhelming 343-67 vote, House members backed the stopgap, which would extend fiscal 2021 funding until Dec. 18 while talks continue on […]
Reports: Biden to pick Ohio’s Marcia Fudge for HUD and Iowa’s Tom Vilsack for Agriculture
WASHINGTON — Media reports on Tuesday night said President-elect Joe Biden will nominate U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio to be his secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to be secretary of Agriculture. This would be a second stint as Agriculture secretary for Vilsack, a Democrat who also served […]
Congress set to strip Confederate names from U.S. military bases, flouting Trump veto threat
WASHINGTON — Congress this week is expected to pass a massive defense policy bill that President Donald Trump has threatened to veto because it would remove the names of Confederate generals from military bases across the South. Members of the House and Senate forged a bipartisan agreement to rename the 10 bases in the annual […]
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 Monday press conference, lawmakers unveiled a four-month, $908 billion proposal […]
Senators urge federal funding for state distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
WASHINGTON — More than a dozen U.S. Senate Democrats 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 health departments had […]