Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats seem poised to claim victory in the House's first votes this year on immigration, but moving legislation on the divisive issue all the way through Congress to President Joe Biden is an uphill fight. The House... Read More

WASHINGTON - House Republicans passed a resolution during their weekly conference meeting on Wednesday in support of restoring earmarks. The 102-84 vote comes as Democrats continue to prepare to revive the practice. Earmarks – funding for specific projects usually inserted... Read More

WASHINGTON - A legal barrier meant to protect the separation of powers is delaying and preventing justice by keeping legitimate lawsuits from being decided on their merits, a panel of legal practitioners said on Wednesday, adding Congress should step in... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell warned ominously Tuesday of a "scorched earth" landscape if Democrats use their new majority to bring an end to the Senate filibuster  in hopes of muscling legislation supporting President Joe Biden's agenda... Read More

WASHINGTON — Democrats want to pass a massive multi-trillion dollar infrastructure bill, but there will be problems on the Republican side with the scope and cost of Democratic priorities. In the end, a bill without bipartisan support could be passed... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House Rules Committee is set to explore the limitations of the War Powers Act and how the House rules process can reform it to work more effectively. The hearing, Article I: Reforming the War Powers Resolution for the... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House Energy and Commerce Committee will begin marshalling the Biden Administation's next big policy goal through Congress next Monday, with a hearing on a $312 billion infrastructure plan. The bill, called the Leading Infrastructure For Tomorrow's America... Read More

WASHINGTON - Reps. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and John Katko, R-N.Y., are urging their colleagues in Congress to authorize innovation grants to develop and scale evidence-based initiatives that improve outcomes in higher education. Their bill, the Fund for Innovation and Success... Read More

WASHINGTON – Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., is urging his colleagues to fund a backlog of school construction projects in rural, tribal and other underserved communities. “In far too many communities in rural Arizona, students attend class in condemned school buildings... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan bill to extend the Paycheck Protection Program to May 31 is gaining support in the House and the Senate and will likely be voted on before lawmakers head back to their districts at the end of... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House is poised to vote on two immigration bills this week, as debate continues over how to address the surging numbers of migrant children and families being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. The first bill, the Dream... Read More

WASHINGTON -- Weeks after Congress approved legislation that dedicates $35 billion to promote energy efficiency, lawmakers forged ahead Friday to determine how they will spend it. They hope to push the U.S. economy toward more renewable energy while moving away... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday pledged swift work by Congress on a job and infrastructure package that will be "fiscally sound," but said she isn't sure whether the next major item on President Joe Biden's agenda... Read More

WASHINGTON – “It’s not supposed to be that way …” the chorus of an old Willie Nelson song begins. It is a melody a lot of Republicans on Capitol Hill may be finding all too familiar. Five months removed from... Read More

WASHINGTON — Although progressive members of his party continue to push for parliamentary revisions to the Senate’s filibuster rules, it appeared Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., had already made up his mind on the matter.  “Jesus Christ!” Manchin, a self-proclaimed moderate-conservative... Read More

WASHINGTON – Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., are reviving their quest to establish a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing and ultimately curtailing the use of animals in federally funded research.  Their bill, the Humane... Read More

WASHINGTON -- The COVID-19 pandemic is winding down but lawmakers in Congress said Wednesday their work to halt the hunger that resulted from it continues. This week, an estimated 9.6 million jobs remain lost compared with the start of the... Read More

WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democrats assembled at the U.S. Capitol Thursday to unveil a new $94 billion proposal to make broadband internet more accessible and affordable nationwide, striking a blow at the digital inequalities that have become all-too-apparent during... Read More

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., has joined with Democratic colleagues Reps. Peter DeFazio, of Oregon, and Bennie Thompson, of Mississippi, in a renewed push to bolster funding for the Transportation Security Administration and better ensure the safety of America's... Read More

The National Association for the Education of Young Children announced its support of the passage of the American Rescue Plan, which includes $39 billion in child care relief.  The legislative relief will address the needs of parents, educators and child... Read More

If the U.S. government does not provide more funding for federal antitrust agencies to contend with Big Tech giants like Facebook and Google, it risks the future U.S. economy and the “way of life it supports,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar,... Read More

WASHINGTON - Republican Reps. Louie Gohmert, of Texas, and Andrew Clyde, of Georgia, are continuing to challenge fines totaling $15,000 for allegedly ignoring a security check before entering the House chamber, the House Ethics Committee announced Thursday. In the wake... Read More

WASHINGTON – It used to be that veterans’ organizations were simply part of the landscape of small-town America.  You might cross the threshold of an American Legion or VFW hall as a child – somehow most likely in connection with... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Emboldened by their majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats are making a new push to enact the first major new gun control laws in more than two decades -- starting with stricter background checks.   The House... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House voted 220-211 on Wednesday to approve the Senate's revised version of President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, sending the bill to the president's desk to be signed. The passage of Biden's "American Rescue Plan" is... Read More

WASHINGTON - The contest to determine who will ultimately represent Iowa's 2nd Congressional District will continue for at least a little while longer. On Wednesday, the Committee on House Administration voted 6-3 to table Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ motion to dismiss Democrat... Read More

WASHINGTON — As states begin to consider consumer privacy legislation, Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., is renewing her push for a federal statute on the matter.  California and Virginia have already enacted comprehensive state data privacy laws, but DelBene said a... Read More

WASHINGTON - A conflict of interest built into online broker Robinhood’s revenue came under scrutiny during Tuesday’s U.S. Senate hearing on retail investing. Three witnesses at the hearing called for a ban on brokerage firms being compensated for routing their... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is poised to approve a landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, placing President Joe Biden on the cusp of an early triumph that advances Democratic priorities and showcases the unity his party will need to forge... Read More

WASHINGTON -- A government report released Tuesday raised alarms about the quality of pharmaceuticals made in foreign countries but consumed by Americans. It said the purity of the drugs is questionable because of a lack of adequate inspections by the... Read More