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Congress

May 7, 2020

Democrats make case for role of government in virus response

When he stood before Congress in 1996 and declared “the era of big government is over,” President Bill Clinton gave voice to a doctrine that permeated Democratic politics for more than two decades. Government, while necessary, shouldn’t be celebrated if the party wanted to win elections. The coronavirus is changing that. Democrats are enthusiastically embracing […]

Mar 18, 2020

Amid virus, Congress’ leaders resist call for remote voting

Congressional leaders are resisting calls to let lawmakers vote remotely, a dispute pitting the scourge of the coronavirus against two centuries of tradition that underscores Washington’s struggle to adapt to recommendations that evolve daily about how to handle the pandemic. Advocates of the voting change cite the health perils of air travel at a time […]

Feb 13, 2020

House acts to remove deadline for Equal Rights Amendment

In a bid to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, the House has approved a measure removing a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopening the process to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex. “There is no expiration date on equality,” said Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California, the resolution’s sponsor. Nearly 50 […]

Feb 13, 2020

House acts to remove deadline for Equal Rights Amendment

In a bid to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, the House has approved a measure removing a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopening the process to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex. “There is no expiration date on equality,” said Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California, the resolution’s sponsor. Nearly 50 […]

Dec 17, 2019

Budget deal puts access to health care above curbing costs

The bipartisan budget deal announced in Congress protects access to health care under the Affordable Care Act but it also ditches one of that law’s main cost controls. The deal would repeal a cost-control measure in “Obamacare” known as the Cadillac Tax, an unpopular levy on benefit-rich health insurance plans scheduled to take effect in […]

Dec 17, 2019

Budget deal puts access to health care above curbing costs

The bipartisan budget deal announced in Congress protects access to health care under the Affordable Care Act but it also ditches one of that law’s main cost controls. The deal would repeal a cost-control measure in “Obamacare” known as the Cadillac Tax, an unpopular levy on benefit-rich health insurance plans scheduled to take effect in […]

Dec 3, 2019

Federal court sides with Congress in battle for Trump’s bank records

A federal appeals court in New York handed President Donald Trump another legal defeat, ruling Tuesday that Congress can see his banking records for investigations into possible foreign influence in U.S. politics or other misdeeds. A panel of 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges said two banks, Deutsche Bank and Capital One, should comply […]

Sep 12, 2019

Democrats outline impeachment hearings as moderates remain wary

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler tried to clear up confusion within his caucus about impeachment on Thursday as the committee approved guidelines for impeachment hearings on President Donald Trump. Nadler says there’s no uncertainty about what his committee is doing: It’s an impeachment investigation, no matter how you want to phrase it. Some of Nadler’s fello[...]

Sep 12, 2019

Democrats outline impeachment hearings as moderates remain wary

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler tried to clear up confusion within his caucus about impeachment on Thursday as the committee approved guidelines for impeachment hearings on President Donald Trump. Nadler says there’s no uncertainty about what his committee is doing: It’s an impeachment investigation, no matter how you want to phrase it. Some of Nadler’s fello[...]

Sep 9, 2019

Congress returns to McConnell’s legislative ‘graveyard’

Facing criticism that the Senate has become little more than what one member calls an “expensive lunch club,” Congress returns for the fall session Monday with pressure mounting on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to address gun violence, election security and other issues. The Kentucky Republican has promised a “Grim Reaper” strategy focused on burying […]

Sep 9, 2019

Congress returns to McConnell’s legislative ‘graveyard’

Facing criticism that the Senate has become little more than what one member calls an “expensive lunch club,” Congress returns for the fall session Monday with pressure mounting on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to address gun violence, election security and other issues. The Kentucky Republican has promised a “Grim Reaper” strategy focused on burying […]

Aug 22, 2019

Report shows US deficit to exceed $1 trillion next year

The federal budget deficit is expected to balloon to more than $1 trillion in the next fiscal year under the first projections taking into account the big budget deal that President Donald Trump and Congress reached this summer, the Congressional Budget Office reported this week. The return of $1 trillion annual deficits comes despite Trump’s […]

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