In The News

WASHINGTON — Madeleine Albright, the first female secretary of state of the U.S. and a feisty inspiration to generations of women, died on Wednesday, just weeks short of her 85th birthday. The cause was cancer, her daughter Anne said. When... Read More

WASHINGTON — Limited tours of the U.S. Capitol by the general public, something not seen since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, are set to resume Monday. An email sent to members of Congress and staff on Wednesday spelled out... Read More

The Biden administration is requesting $700 million to launch the new 988 line for those in a mental health crisis, by July 16, 2022. “There’s a level of excitement because 988 is a chance to improve mental health care services... Read More

WASHINGTON — Republican senators took the podium during a press conference on Wednesday to call on the Biden administration to increase domestic oil and gas production to stifle rising gas prices. The conference featured remarks from Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho,... Read More

WASHINGTON — As the United States turns its attention to bombs falling on Ukraine, defense analysts warned the Senate Wednesday not to overlook emerging security risks in Latin America. Transnational crime, drug gangs as well as growing Russian and Chinese... Read More

WASHINGTON — The U.S. is scaling back COVID-19 response efforts, despite a recent uptick of infections involving an omicron subvariant known as BA.2 which now accounts for about 35% of all positive COVID infections in the country.  “BA.2 is omicron... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Wisconsin Supreme Court erred in not sufficiently considering the actual requirements of the Voting Rights Act when it imposed a map drawn by Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers over other proposals, the U.S. Supreme Court said on... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday convicted an elected official from New Mexico of illegally entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds but acquitted him of engaging in disorderly conduct during the riot that disrupted Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.... Read More

EASTLAND, Texas — Numerous wildfires that broke out last week are still being suppressed by firefighting crews in west-central and southwest Texas. Over the weekend, three new wildfire ignitions in Eastland County, west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, were absorbed... Read More

ARLINGTON, Va. — School food directors and nutrition advocates are warning that without an extension to pandemic child nutrition waivers, schools across the country will be forced to cancel or scale back meal services for local families. The waivers, which... Read More

WASHINGTON — Ketanji Brown Jackson described herself as a judge who merely applies laws to facts rather than imposing her own opinions onto rulings during the second day of Senate hearings into her nomination to the Supreme Court. “It is... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge is expected to hear attorneys’ closing arguments on Tuesday in the trial of an elected official from New Mexico charged with illegally entering U.S. Capitol grounds during the riot that disrupted Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s presidential... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — History was made the instant Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court. President Joe Biden promised he would choose a Black woman for the job and the 51-year-old... Read More

WASHINGTON — Bidding will start in the next auction of 2.5 GHz band licenses for 5G wireless services beginning on July 29, the Federal Communications Commission announced Monday. The ascending clock format auction will offer approximately 8,000 new flexible-use, county-based... Read More

WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday urged private companies to bolster their cyber defenses, citing intelligence that suggests the Russian government is exploring “options for potential cyberattacks” on entities and critical infrastructure in the United States. “To be clear,... Read More

WASHINGTON — A 25-year-old newspaper reporter was one of two people killed after a shooting early Saturday morning in Norfolk, Virginia. Sierra Jenkins, who covered education for The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, was caught in the crossfire as she was leaving Chicho’s... Read More

WASHINGTON — Publicly-traded companies, hedge funds and others may soon have to disclose the greenhouse gas emissions they produce and how climate risk affects their business under new rules proposed Monday by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the proposal... Read More

WASHINGTON — Confirmation hearings opened in the U.S. Senate Monday for Ketanji Brown Jackson with Democrats commending the first Black female nominee to the Supreme Court but Republicans seeking assurances she would avoid being too activist. Democratic senators mentioned her... Read More

WASHINGTON — Justice Clarence Thomas was hospitalized with an infection on Friday after experiencing flu-like symptoms, the court said in a written statement posted to its website on Sunday. “He underwent tests, was diagnosed with an infection, and is being... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — An elected official from New Mexico has vowed to ride a horse to court on Monday for his trial on charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol grounds on the day a pro-Trump mob disrupted the certification of... Read More

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina has given the greenlight to firing-squad executions, a method codified into state law last year after a decade-long pause in carrying out death sentences because of the state's inability to procure lethal injection drugs.... Read More

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Rep. Don Young, who was the longest-serving Republican in the history of the U.S. House, has died. He was 88. His office announced Young's death in a statement Friday night. "It's with heavy hearts and... Read More

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., introduced five bills on Thursday as part of a package aimed at curbing ethical breaches by lawmakers and restoring public trust in Congress.  The bills take several courses of action to prohibit unethical... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by secure video link for about two hours on Friday morning, with Biden warning that Beijing would face “consequences” if it provides “material support” to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A... Read More

WASHINGTON — The U.S. government agreed this week to pay $127.5 million to families of students killed by a gunman in 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.... Read More

WASHINGTON — Rep. W. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., has asked the Federal Election Commission for an advisory opinion on whether members of Congress can use campaign funds to protect their homes, up to and including paying for a locking security gate,... Read More

OTTAWA, Ont. — Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced on Thursday that the country would no longer require fully vaccinated travelers to show a negative coronavirus test prior to entering the country starting April 1. Duclos’ announcement comes as Canadian... Read More

WASHINGTON — As the Senate Finance Committee waded into the hot-button topic of prescription drug prices on Wednesday two things were clear from the outset: everyone agrees something needs to be done to make drugs like insulin more affordable and... Read More

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court rejected a third set of state House and Senate maps on Wednesday, potentially throwing plans for the state’s upcoming May 3 primary election into chaos. In response to the ruling, Ohio Secretary of... Read More

WASHINGTON — The national average for gasoline prices hovered near record highs Friday, a fact not lost in Washington, D.C., as Republicans and Democrats engaged in a blame game. The Senate Commerce Committee's ranking Republican called on the Federal Trade... Read More