Poli Alert Political & Civics

The Federal Reserve announced that it is raising interest rates for the first time in three years to help bring the skyrocketing inflation under control. “With appropriate firming in the stance of monetary policy, the Committee expects inflation to return to its 2 percent objective and the labor market to remain …

The Maryland Court of Appeals on Tuesday issued an order that moves the 2022 Primary Election from June 28 to July 19 as courts weigh challenges to the state’s new legislative and congressional maps. Last month, the deadline for filing certificates of candidacy was extended from Feb. 22 to March …

On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Department of Education announced that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have recently experienced bomb threats are eligible to apply for grant funds under the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program. Project SERV provides short-term immediate funding …

President Joe Biden announced $800 million in emergency security assistance for Ukraine on Wednesday, hours after the country’s embattled President Volodymyr Zelensky made an emotional appeal to a joint session of Congress. The latest aid brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to $1 billion in just the …

by Jennifer Shutt, Idaho Capital Sun March 16, 2022 WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday invoked the Pearl Harbor attacks ahead of World War II and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while urging the United States to do more to stop the Russian war against his country.  During the …

by Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent March 15, 2022 WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is warning that the United States would not be prepared for another COVID-19 variant or surge in cases if Congress doesn’t approve billions in stalled emergency funding. Senior administration officials told reporters Tuesday that without the $22.5 billion the …

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent beginning in November 2023. The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, earned 17 cosponsors from both parties in the upper chamber and was passed by unanimous consent. Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio has long been a …

Mariel Padilla Originally published by The 19th For the first time, a woman of color is the director of what President Joe Biden called “the nerve center of government.” The Senate voted 61-36 on Tuesday to confirm Shalanda Young’s position as the head of the Office of Management and Budget …

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the vice president’s office. “Earlier today, the Second Gentleman tested positive for COVID-19,” Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary for the vice president, said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, …

Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has for the first time, in an interview with The Washington Free Beacon acknowledged that she attended the January 6 ‘Stop The Steal’ rally that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol, but she left before things turned violent. She was too …

Ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber are adding a temporary fuel surcharge to help drivers deal with rising gas prices, the companies have both confirmed. Lyft hasn’t said how much more riders will pay per trip or when the surcharge will begin, but Uber’s surcharge is set to go into effect on …

by Ariana Figueroa, Missouri Independent March 14, 2022 WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Monday urged local and city governments to continue to use the $130 billion in funds allocated to them from the American Rescue Plan to help during the pandemic. The president of the National League of Cities, …

By Eleanor Klibanoff and Sneha Dey, The Texas Tribune For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255 or texting 741741. A state judge ruled Friday that …

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make an address to both houses of the U.S. Congress this week to provide an update on the Russian war, top congressional officials said Monday. Zelensky, who has led his country against the Russian invasion for almost three weeks, will make a virtual address to …

Candice Norwood Originally published by The 19th In the days and weeks leading up to the announcement that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson would be the first Black woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, the White House and groups supporting her nomination prepared for potential lines of attack. The possibilities …