Congress

WASHINGTON — House Democrats are plowing ahead with a Friday vote on a $3 trillion-plus coronavirus relief measure, arguing the urgency to act outweighs concerns among rank-and-file lawmakers that the “bold” package described by party leaders isn’t bold enough. Several... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday easily passed an amended bill to revive and increase oversight of surveillance powers. Senators voted, 80-16, to pass the measure before finishing up work on Capitol Hill for the week. Under a previous agreement,... Read More

WASHINGTON - Despite the rancor one hears consistently on cable news and in the Twittersphere, bipartisanship is alive and well among rank and file members of Congress, according to a new survey conducted by The Lugar Center and the McCourt... Read More

There is no question that the United States is in crisis. A global pandemic and economic crisis have upended American life, costing lives and leaving millions of families without a way to make ends meet. In the face of this... Read More

WASHINGTON - Industry and legal experts told the U.S. Senate Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic is creating liabilities that are not adequately addressed by existing laws and regulations. As a result, business owners are running up against hundreds of lawsuits... Read More

WASHINGTON - The National League of Cities is calling on the Senate and White House to embrace a new coronavirus relief bill introduced in the House on Tuesday that allocates $375 billion for the nation's smaller cities, towns, counties and... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Tuesday urged Congress to provide funding for the U.S. automobile industry in future coronavirus stimulus packages. “America’s motor vehicle industry must remain the heart of our nation’s manufacturing capability,” wrote the... Read More

WASHINGTON - Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America called on Congress and the Inspector General of Veteran Affairs to look into VA oversight of state-run veterans homes in the wake of a ProPublica investigation casting light on the grave consequences... Read More

WASHINGTON - House Democrats rolled out their latest package of legislation intended to provide economic relief during the coronavirus pandemic while focusing on areas that were either missed or in need of revision in other aid packages. In a briefing... Read More

A pair of congressional primaries on Tuesday could prove to be the first indicators of a brewing second blue wave come the November general election. The most high-profile of the contests is taking place in California's 25th Congressional District, in... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump tries to move on from the coronavirus, Congress is rushing to fill the void and prepare the country for the long fight ahead. Compelled by the lack of comprehensive federal planning as states begin to reopen,... Read More

WASHINGTON - Rep. Derek Kilmer, chairman of the New Democrat Coalition, joined with Rep. Don Beyer this week to release a draft framework for the Workers’ Relief and Security Act, bicameral legislation that would tie ongoing expanded unemployment benefits to... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of House members led by Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., is seeking to stem the stunning wave of layoffs across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic by expanding the employee retention tax credit. Roughly 33.5... Read More

It was cold and rainy in Taylorville, Illinois as Rep. Rodney Davis answered his phone to discuss the new normal that comes with living through a pandemic. As Davis spoke, his wife Shannon was working as a practicing nurse at... Read More

WASHINGTON - Top federal lawmakers argued for multi-billion dollar investments in new technology to test for coronavirus and develop vaccines against it during a Senate hearing Thursday. They also agreed with government health administrators they face an uncertain outcome for... Read More

WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee released thousands of pages of transcripts from previously secret witness interviews in an investigation into 2016 Russian election interference completed two years ago, rekindling partisan accusations and interpretations amid President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.... Read More

WASHINGTON - Members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus will hold what it is billing as its first "Virtual Congress" to debate the inclusion of state and local government funding in the next coronavirus relief package. The caucus says 24... Read More

WASHINGTON — Republicans say they won’t support a new coronavirus relief bill unless it protects business owners from lawsuits related to COVID-19 exposure, sparking a lobbying frenzy from business groups hoping to get their industry or priority into the bill.... Read More

BALTIMORE — Twenty-four years after leaving the U.S. House, Baltimore Democrat Kweisi Mfume returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to be sworn in as Maryland’s newest congressman, succeeding his friend, the late Elijah Cummings. The swearing-in will occur on the... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Blue Dog Coalition has endorsed the Inspectors General Independence Act, which establishes seven-year terms for the position and protects those who hold it from politically-motivated firings by only allowing removal for cause. The bill was introduced by... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House Judiciary Committee on Friday asked Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to testify after both Republicans and Democrats on the panel expressed concerns his deputies may have lied to Congress. The letter, which is signed by four Democrats... Read More

WASHINGTON - A wealthy homeowners association on exclusive Kiawah Island in South Carolina is returning a $1 million federal loan intended to help small businesses and nonprofits after being taken to task by Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C. Cunningham, who is... Read More

WASHINGTON — House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal said he wants to go back to the future in the next round of coronavirus relief aid. The Massachusetts Democrat told the nation’s mayors Wednesday that he would try to... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of House lawmakers endorsed a bill on Monday to create a new congressional task force to scrutinize the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic.  The Made in America Emergency Preparedness Act, introduced in early April... Read More

WASHINGTON - A day after announcing members would be returning to Washington, House leadership reversed course Tuesday and announced they will not bring the chamber back into session next week. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., made the announcement Tuesday... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats endorsed a bipartisan bill on Monday that would establish a commission to assess the nation's readiness to deal with future pandemics. H.R. 6429, the National Commission on COVID-19 Act, was introduced... Read More

WASHINGTON - NewDEAL, a network of state and local leaders, is urging Congressional leaders of both parties to consider the input of those on the front lines of dealing with the coronavirus outbreak as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill to... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House and Senate will return to work on Capitol Hill on May 4, some 11 days before the stay-at-home order currently in effect in the District of Columbia is set to expire. “Senators will return to Washington... Read More

WASHINGTON - Due to a combination of the passage of multiple economic stimulus bills and a deep recession caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the federal deficit for the 2020 fiscal year will quadruple to $3.7 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives approved a new coronavirus relief package on Thursday, replenishing funds for small business loans, hospitals, and to expand virus testing. The bill, signed by President Trump Friday afternoon, adds $310 billion to the Paycheck... Read More