Congress

WASHINGTON — A congressional panel tried to move forward Thursday with a more aggressive effort to recycle the nation’s wastes on the same day the Supreme Court dealt the Biden administration’s environmental agenda a severe setback. A House Energy and... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act into law on June 25 to support school meal programs ahead of the expiration of pandemic-era waivers, but to expedite the bill’s passage before the expiration on June 30,... Read More

WASHINGTON — Rahul Gupta talked to a congressional panel Monday about patients he treated with drug overdoses. Gupta is director of the U.S. National Drug Control Policy. He formerly worked as an internist in private practice for 25 years. Rather... Read More

WASHINGTON — Congress is trying to catch up to the computerized automation that is running many American businesses but only now is filtering into more conservative government offices. A House committee held a hearing Thursday to determine how to bring... Read More

WASHINGTON — As Title IX turns 50 this week, experts weigh in to discuss how its recent history could hint at what’s still to come for the landmark educational sexual discrimination law. When Title IX was being formulated in Congress,... Read More

WASHINGTON — Americans seeking assistance in a mental health crisis will soon be able to dial 988 for help starting July 16, but concerns are mounting as to whether behavioral health providers are equipped with the tools necessary to implement... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday called on Congress to suspend the federal tax on gas and diesel for three months to provide some relief to soaring inflation and surging prices at the pump. The federal gas tax holiday... Read More

WASHINGTON — A week after appearing on Capitol Hill, in the Oval Office and in the White House briefing room, academy award winning actor Matthew McConaughey is continuing to press his case for bipartisan action on guns and gun violence.... Read More

WASHINGTON — With the passage of a historic conservation bill this week, the U.S. House committed over $2 billion to restoring habitats and potentially saving scores of species from extinction. In addition to being a watershed moment for the conservation... Read More

WASHINGTON — Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon must face trial on criminal contempt of Congress charges stemming from his refusal to cooperate with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill. In a... Read More

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers advised against an out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality Wednesday as they assessed emerging terrorist threats from radical Muslim extremists based in the Middle East. The threats have not gone away despite a 20-year American war effort in the war... Read More

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Republicans picked up a key victory in the special election for Texas's 34th Congressional District when Hidalgo County GOP Hispanic Outreach Chair Mayra Flores beat Democratic Cameron County Commissioner Dan Sanchez and two other candidates on Tuesday.... Read More

WASHINGTON — The nation’s frustration with domestic terrorism was evident at a congressional hearing Tuesday as lawmakers sought answers to a problem as persistent as violence. The immediate question at the House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing was how to improve... Read More

WASHINGTON — Calls to protect forests and farmland as fresh water supplies dwindle were repeated Tuesday in Congress and internationally amid increasingly dire predictions about climate change. “The West has not been this dry in 1,200 years,” said Sen. Michael... Read More

WASHINGTON — Industry criticism of a tough antitrust bill to crack down on the market dominance of tech giants is growing more shrill as it heads for a vote in Congress as soon as this month. The latest salvo was... Read More

NORTH POLE, Alaska — It’s probably a phone call generations of children have dreamt of receiving. For me it happened when an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen of my cell phone. “Hello, Dan,” the voice on the other end... Read More

WASHINGTON — A congressional committee wants Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder and National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to testify about allegations of impropriety against the team. An Oversight and Reform subcommittee is investigating reports of a hostile work environment... Read More

WASHINGTON — Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has asked the Federal Election Commission for clarification on its rules regarding the use of campaign funds to pay for child care expenses incurred by a candidate. Swalwell, who currently represents California's 15th Congressional... Read More

WASHINGTON — Many of the problems for low-income persons seeking affordable housing would disappear if the government encouraged more ownership of manufactured homes, according to industry advocates who testified to Congress Thursday. Manufactured homes can cost half as much as... Read More

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers at a congressional hearing Wednesday were skeptical of assurances by government regulators and manufacturers that they can resolve the nation’s shortage of baby formula promptly. They described the problems they observed as part of a bigger trend... Read More

WASHINGTON — A congressional panel sought answers Tuesday for how to help the disabled evade the stereotypes, abuse and depression that often push them into persistent failure. “They’re forgotten or they're an afterthought,” said Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, who formerly... Read More

WASHINGTON — Automobile industry advocates suggested on Friday that Congress act quickly to secure a U.S. role in manufacturing electric vehicles before the opportunity slips away to foreign competitors. They testified at a congressional hearing in Pontiac, Michigan, where automobile... Read More

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan delegation of lawmakers is renewing the push to create a clear path to permanent legal status for individuals who age out of temporary protection from deportation. In a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday, Sens. Alex... Read More

WASHINGTON — Defense intelligence officials told a congressional panel Tuesday that sightings of "unidentified aerial phenomena" are increasing but they could not explain why. They don’t know where they come from or how the ultra-fast flying discs stay in the... Read More

WASHINGTON — The New Democrat Coalition, the largest Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives, turns 25 this week; an anniversary that coincides with but by no means caps, a very busy and effective year for the group. At the... Read More

WASHINGTON — Space was described as the final frontier for defending the United States against weapons of mass destruction from China and Russia at a congressional hearing Friday. Leading the U.S. defense effort is the Space Force, a new branch... Read More

WASHINGTON — Hydropower offers a promising clean energy option for producing electricity but only if the current regulatory obstacles can be overcome, according to energy industry and environmental officials who testified to Congress Thursday. Last year, hydroelectricity generation produced about... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will appeal for a renewed international commitment to attacking COVID-19 as he convenes a second virtual summit on the pandemic and marks “a tragic milestone" as the U.S. approaches 1 million deaths. “As a nation, we... Read More

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats are trying to intervene in the upcoming trial of Trump advisor Steve Bannon to counter his request to a federal court to dismiss charges against him for contempt of Congress. They have prepared an amicus... Read More

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida judge declared a congressional district map approved by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis unconstitutional Wednesday because it intentionally “Diminishes African Americans’ ability to elect the representative of their choice.” Leon County Circuit Court Judge Layne Smith... Read More