DC BUREAU

Our Washington, D.C., bureau reports on congressional delegations and key Supreme Court and administrative decisions that affect our state.

STAFF

Jane Norman

DC Bureau Chief

Jane directs national coverage, managing staff and freelance reporters in the nation’s capital and assigning and editing state-specific daily and enterprise stories.

Jacob Fischler

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

Ashley Murray

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.

Jennifer Shutt

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

Ariana Figueroa

DC Bureau Reporter

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.

STORIES

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz files motion to oust McCarthy as U.S. House speaker

BY: - October 3, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House likely faces a decision this week on whether Kevin McCarthy should keep the role of speaker, after Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Monday night offered a motion to remove the California Republican. The so-called motion to vacate gives House GOP leaders up to two days to hold a vote […]

Next battle in Congress over Ukraine aid, as Biden presses House speaker for vote

BY: - October 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic lawmakers are searching for a way to clear more aid for Ukraine, after Congress approved a short-term spending bill that didn’t include any additional money for the country. President Joe Biden on Sunday said that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to find the votes needed to pass a supplemental […]

Government shutdown nears: U.S. House GOP fails to pass one-month spending plan

BY: , , and - September 29, 2023

WASHINGTON — A sweeping government shutdown appeared inevitable on Friday, with the U.S. Senate stuck in a procedural holding pattern on its bipartisan stopgap bill and divided U.S. House Republicans unable to pass their short-term spending bill. Both chambers of Congress must approve and President Joe Biden must sign government funding legislation before midnight on […]

Shutdown would mean even more delays in overwhelmed U.S. immigration courts

BY: - September 29, 2023

WASHINGTON — A looming partial government shutdown will put added pressure on an already strained system — U.S. immigration courts. Canceling or rescheduling court cases that many immigrants have awaited for years will cause even more backlogs, immigration attorneys and judges have warned. “Where we’ll really kind of see the backlog continue to build will […]

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California dies at 90

BY: - September 29, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein died Thursday night in her home in Washington, D.C. The California Democrat was 90 and had announced in February she would not run for reelection in 2024. “She left a legacy that is undeniable and extraordinary,” her chief of staff, James Sauls, said in a statement. “Senator Feinstein was […]

Nearly all national park sites to close during government shutdown

BY: - September 29, 2023

Almost all National Park Service sites will be inaccessible during a partial federal government shutdown likely to start this weekend, the U.S. Interior Department said Friday. The agency will bar access to most of the nation’s 425 parks, recreation areas, national historic sites and other units, according to a fact sheet from the Interior Department, […]

GOP witnesses at Biden impeachment hearing see insufficient evidence of wrongdoing so far

BY: - September 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — With two days before a partial government shutdown, House Republicans held their first impeachment inquiry hearing Thursday over unproven allegations that President Joe Biden benefited from his son’s business dealings overseas. Witnesses tapped by Republicans for the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing acknowledged that there was no evidence showing that the president […]

Pennsylvania’s Fetterman may pursue expulsion of ‘defiant’ Menendez from U.S. Senate

BY: - September 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman said Thursday he would be open to expelling New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez from the Senate. “Now that it’s confirmed that he’s not going to go the honorable way. You know, I would like to pursue whatever avenues are available,” Fetterman told reporters. Menendez spoke privately […]

With two days until shutdown, border security package eyed by U.S. Senate GOP

BY: - September 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. senators huddled behind closed doors Thursday, attempting to draft an amendment to the short-term government funding bill that would increase spending on border security and make policy changes. The provision could help nudge U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to put the broadly bipartisan measure up for a vote in that chamber, […]

GOP presidential hopefuls tear into each other and absent Trump at second debate

BY: and - September 27, 2023

The candidates polling from second to eighth in the race for the Republican nomination for president largely agreed on policy, fought over their records and took aim at former President Donald Trump at their second debate of the year Wednesday night. Trump, who leads polls of the race by substantial margins, skipped the event at […]

Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland probed at U.S. Senate hearing

BY: - September 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. senators said during a Wednesday hearing that foreign ownership of U.S. farmland is a national security threat that should be further examined. The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry discussed foreign ownership of the nation’s agricultural lands, with testimony from experts and Senate colleagues who have been taking the lead […]

Menendez to address U.S. Senate Democrats Thursday about his indictment

BY: - September 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez will address his Democratic colleagues in a closed-door meeting Thursday amid growing calls for him to resign following a federal indictment. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that he was “deeply disappointed, disturbed” after reading the indictment, which charged Menendez with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy […]