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U.S. House passes D.C. statehood bill, but votes still lacking in Senate
WASHINGTON — For the second time, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a measure to make the District of Columbia the 51st state, sending the historic bill to the Senate on a party-line vote. “We look forward to a swift vote in the Senate on this essential legislation,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), said ahead […]
Florida’s Bill Nelson welcomed back to U.S. Senate as NASA nominee
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida returned to a familiar setting on Wednesday — the hearing room of the Senate panel that oversees space policy — where his former colleagues welcomed him back as President Joe Biden’s pick to serve as NASA administrator. Senators from both sides of the aisle praised Nelson as […]
Biden calls for paid time off for vaccinations as U.S. hits 200 million goal
WASHINGTON — Federal and state officials now face trying to reach Americans unable or unwilling to get the COVID-19 vaccine, after meeting President Joe Biden’s goal of administering 200 million doses within his first 100 days in office. To aid in that push, Biden on Wednesday called on employers to give their workers time off […]
Restaurant chains slammed over resistance to minimum wage hike for tipped workers
WASHINGTON — As the nation’s largest trade group for restaurant owners on Tuesday held a virtual version of its annual gathering to lobby Congress, advocates for a $15-per-hour minimum wage took aim at the powerful restaurant chains that they say are blocking legislation on a higher wage for tipped workers. During their own virtual event, lawmakers […]
Pushback against ‘vaccine passports’ puts colleges in a quandary
WASHINGTON — Florida’s Nova Southeastern University joined a small group of U.S. colleges on April 1, when the private research university announced that it would require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus this fall. In a message posted on the university’s website, NSU’s president and CEO, Dr. […]
Former Wisconsin health leader pledges ‘common ground’ agenda if confirmed for HHS post
WASHINGTON — When Andrea Palm worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration, she says there was a theme to the policy issues that ended up on her plate: ones that required bipartisan cooperation. The agency’s secretary at the time, Sylvia Burwell, had a nickname for Palm’s portfolio: the “common-ground […]
Pause for Johnson & Johnson vaccine extended as federal health panel wrestles with next steps
WASHINGTON — Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot will remain paused for at least a week, after a federal vaccine advisory panel said Wednesday that it had too little data on a rare but serious blood-clotting condition reported in at least six women. That means states and federally run vaccine sites will be relying […]
J&J vaccine pause recommended after 6 adverse cases among 6.8M doses
WASHINGTON — Top public health officials said Tuesday that they are recommending a pause in the use of a COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson “out of an abundance of caution” following six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot, and states and localities immediately began moving to suspend the vaccine’s use. Officials […]
White House aims sales pitch for infrastructure plan at the states
WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania’s 7,540 miles of highway roads in poor condition. Florida’s $100 billion in damages over the last decade from extreme weather events. The 1 in 4 Idahoans with no access to broadband internet, and 1 in 2 living in areas with too-few licensed child care centers. In the next phase of President Joe […]
House Ethics launches inquiry into Gaetz following sexual misconduct allegations
WASHINGTON — A U.S. House panel has opened an ethics investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who is already facing a Department of Justice investigation over sex-trafficking allegations. Federal investigators are reportedly examining whether the 38-year-old Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, and whether his involvement with young women broke federal […]
Biden pitches big boosts in education and health spending in budget request
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration released a key portion of its budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year Friday, calling for increasing money for schools, public health programs, cancer research and other discretionary programs that it says have been underfunded for too long. The president’s $1.5 trillion request seeks to spend $769 billion on discretionary […]
Quest for D.C. statehood finds new friends and foes: Other states
WASHINGTON — Congress had yet to even schedule a hearing on a measure granting statehood to the District of Columbia when a panel of state lawmakers in Arizona voted in February to take a stand against D.C’s plea to become the 51st state. From their committee room some 2,300 miles from the nation’s capital, members […]