Author
How Medicare prescription drug coverage would change under U.S. Senate Democrats’ bill
WASHINGTON — A major spending bill from U.S. Senate Democrats would allow Medicare for the first time in its history to begin negotiating the prices of certain high-priced prescription drugs — a proposal that’s been around for years but has never come so close to the finish line. Under the legislation, Medicare would start negotiating the […]
Biden slams COVID-19 vaccine ‘lies,’ announces free at-home tests
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged that COVID-19 vaccine doubters stop “peddling lies” on TV and online, as the nation grapples with a rising number of cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant. Biden also announced new federal help for testing and treatment in the states, including 500 million at-home rapid test […]
Vaccine mandate for health care workers halted nationwide by Louisiana judge
WASHINGTON–A federal judge in Louisiana on Tuesday issued a ruling blocking nationwide the Biden administration mandate requiring millions of health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. A suit challenging the mandate was led on behalf of multiple states by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, and U.S. Judge Terry Doughty granted the states’ request […]
How Congress will attempt the biggest expansion of social programs since FDR
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate last week passed a massive bipartisan infrastructure bill and an even larger budget blueprint that would pave the way for historic changes in U.S. health, education, climate and tax policies. The two measures are roped to each other, reflecting Democrats’ strategy to pass what could be bipartisan with Republicans—and to go it […]
Biden to meet with Western governors about wildfires, vows to raise firefighter pay
WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he will host a meeting next week of Western governors, Cabinet members and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials “to prepare for heat, drought and wildfires in the West.” “There’s an old expression: God made man. Then he made a few firefighters. They have a higher incidence of severe injuries than […]
Biden signs law making Juneteenth a new federal holiday
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation declaring a legal public holiday annually on June 19, the date of the end of slavery in the U.S. known as Juneteenth. “Throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by many names—Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day,” Vice President Kamala Harris said at the White […]
House OKs commission to probe Jan. 6 attack, but McConnell objections may doom it
WASHINGTON–The U.S. House voted Wednesday 252-175 to give the go-ahead to the formation of an independent, bipartisan commission that would investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, despite objections from Republican leaders that the scope of the commission was not wide enough and other investigations are ongoing. Thirty-five Republicans joined with Democrats in […]
In historic vote, Senate confirms Haaland at Interior
U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland made history on Monday when she became the first Native American to ever be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold a position in a president’s Cabinet. In a 51-40 vote, senators confirmed Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, to serve as secretary of Interior, where she will run a $21 billion […]
A list of Biden’s first-day executive orders, directives and memos
Joe Biden early Wednesday released a list of executive orders, memos and directives he was scheduled to make after his swearing in. According to the transition team, those actions included: Ask the American people to mask up for 100 days in a “100 days masking challenge” to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They will require […]
Trump to stay ‘the next few days’ at military hospital for COVID-19 treatment
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Maryland late Friday afternoon, where White House officials said he is expected to stay for “the next few days” for treatment of COVID-19. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany described Trump, who disclosed his diagnosis earlier Friday, as having mild symptoms […]
Federal judge removes Trump’s public lands head, saying he has ‘served unlawfully’
A federal judge in Montana has ordered that conservative firebrand William Perry Pendley should not lead the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, saying that Pendley has “served unlawfully” for more than a year. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris in his ruling on Friday also barred Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt from “unlawfully delegating […]