A U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon on Saturday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin said in a written statement. President Joe Biden ordered the action on Wednesday, but it was delayed until the balloon was over water off the coast of South Carolina …
Read More »States Criticized For Spending Federal Relief Funds On Tax Cuts, Prisons
Casey Quinlan, Georgia Recorder As states plan how they’ll spend the $25 billion remaining in federal COVID relief funds, some also are facing criticism and renewed scrutiny over how they allocated money already received from the American Rescue Plan Act. Of the $198 billion authorized by Congress in 2021, $173 …
Read More »Democrats Introduce Bill to Ban ‘Grotesque’ Marketing of Assault Weapons to Kids
Sen. Ed Markey on Thursday introduced legislation to outlaw the marketing of firearms to children amid growing outrage from federal lawmakers, gun violence prevention advocates, and parents over a weapon for kids inspired by the AR-15. The Massachusetts Democrat’s Protecting Kids From Gun Marketing Act would direct the Federal Trade …
Read More »Justices Strip ‘fairness and diversity’ From Florida’s Judicial Education Programs
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix Florida judges no longer will need to learn how to at least try to ensure “fairness and diversity” while applying the law under a rule change that the Florida Supreme Court has adopted by a nearly unanimous vote. Florida’s Code of Judicial Conduct still requires 30 …
Read More »New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Bill To Make ‘sextortion’ A Crime
Dana DiFilippo, New Jersey Monitor Using sexual images to extort victims could soon become a crime in New Jersey after lawmakers in the Senate unanimously passed legislation Thursday to criminalize “sextortion.” Sextortion can involve someone hacking into a person’s computer or phone to steal sexual material and threaten to distribute it, …
Read More »Congressional Black Caucus Meets With Biden To Push For Police Accountability
Ariana Figueroa, Iowa Capital Dispatch The Congressional Black Caucus met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday evening to urge the administration to use its executive power for law enforcement reform, following criminal charges for police officers in the killing of a Black man in Memphis, Tennessee. …
Read More »House GOP Votes To Oust Rep. Omar From Foreign Affairs Committee
Jennifer Shutt, Minnesota Reformer The U.S. House voted along party lines Thursday to remove Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee for past antisemitic statements. The removal, the first for a Democrat during this session of Congress, followed Democrats’ vote to strip two Republicans of all their …
Read More »House Judiciary’s Debut Hearing On The Border Centers On Fentanyl
Ariana Figueroa, South Dakota Searchlight House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee blamed the Biden administration for fentanyl drug smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border during a Wednesday hearing. Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio also blamed U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for the number of migrants at the border, …
Read More »At Least 31 Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Introduced This Session In Mississippi
Molly Minta, Mississippi Today Lawmakers have introduced 31 bills targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ Mississippians in education and health care as the first deadline to pass bills out of committee approaches. It is likely the highest number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in any state legislature so far this year, say …
Read More »Ted Cruz, Who’s Running For A Third Term, Again Files Bill To Limit U.S. Senators To Two Terms
Julia Forrest, The Texas Tribune Sen. Ted Cruz reintroduced a bill last week to limit senators from serving more than two six-year terms, even as he stands by plans to run for his third. The bill is a constitutional amendment that would prevent U.S. senators from serving more than 12 …
Read More »Biden, McCarthy Hold ‘productive’ and ‘frank’ Debt Limit Talks As Fiscal Cliffs Loom
Jennifer Shutt, Wisconsin Examiner President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy huddled behind closed doors at the White House on Wednesday in the first of what will likely be several conversations as the country approaches two fiscal cliffs this year amid divided government. The top issue at the …
Read More »Poll: Nearly 80% of Voters in George Santos’ NY District Say He Should Resign
Close to 80% of voters in GOP Rep. George Santos’ New York congressional district want him to resign—including 71% of Republicans—according to a poll published Tuesday, the same day the serial liar temporarily stepped down from his House committee assignments. According to the Newsday/Siena College poll, Santos’ overall approval rating …
Read More »DeSantis Proposes End To Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives at Florida Universities
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he will completely defund diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Florida universities during a press conference Tuesday morning. DeSantis addressed what he called “DEI bureaucracies,” or departments within universities that promote diversity, equality and inclusion, which he said impose a liberal agenda on university students and …
Read More »Gov. Walz Signs Bill Codifying Abortion Rights In Minnesota Law
Max Nesterak, Minnesota Reformer With Gov. Tim Walz’s signature on Tuesday, state Democrats codified the right to abortion and reproductive health care for all residents in Minnesota law. Full stop. No exceptions. “The message that we’re sending Minnesota today is very clear. Your rights are protected in the state. You …
Read More »Of More Than 7,500 Threats Against Members Of Congress In 2022, Just 22 Prosecuted
Jennifer Shutt Members of Congress receive thousands of threats a year, though just a fraction of the people who call, mail or email will ever be prosecuted — a situation that’s of great concern to the police who guard members. Just 22 of the 7,501 threats lobbed at members during …
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