Poli Alert Politics & Civics

Jimmy Williams In a 75-22 vote, the Senate approved a six-bill funding package, totaling $459 billion, just in time to prevent a partial government shutdown after midnight. The legislation addresses budgets for various federal departments and independent agencies, including those handling transportation, energy, housing, agriculture, and veterans programs. The bipartisan …

Julia Conley, Common Dreams Five years after legislation was first introduced to combat the spread of artificial intelligence-generated deepfake images online, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday unveiled a bipartisan proposal to help victims of such “digital forgery,” saying those affected have “waited too long” for federal action to hold …

Jimmy Willimas The House Energy and Commerce Committee has given unanimous approval to a bill requiring ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to divest the app or face a ban in the U.S. The “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” addresses national security concerns regarding potential access …

Jennifer Shutt, Iowa Capital Dispatch In remarks pivotal to his reelection this fall, President Joe Biden in his State of the Union address Thursday night portrayed himself as the defender of democracy, touted the bipartisan deals he’s brokered during his first term in office and appealed to Congress to support …

Ashley Murray, Georgia Recorder President Joe Biden is expected to use his State of the Union address Thursday night to announce that the U.S. military will build port infrastructure on the Gaza Strip coast to allow humanitarian aid to arrive by sea. Senior White House officials briefed reporters earlier in …

Jimmy Williams Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has officially endorsed former President Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency in 2024, following Trump’s significant victories on Super Tuesday. McConnell, a high-profile Republican, had refrained from endorsing Trump for several months but now acknowledges that Trump has earned substantial support among Republican …

Jimmy Williams Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips has announced the suspension of his presidential campaign following a lackluster performance on Super Tuesday. Phillips, who criticized President Joe Biden’s age and electability during his campaign, failed to garner significant support from Democratic voters. Despite his prior criticisms, Phillips declared his endorsement for …

Thor Benson, Common Dreams As part of the Biden’s administration’s efforts to eliminate so-called “junk fees,” the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has finalized a rule that would cap credit card late fees at $8. The average credit card late fee is $32, so the savings for consumers could be huge. …

Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent U.S. House lawmakers cast a broadly bipartisan vote Wednesday to approve a six-bill government funding package, marking one of the few consequential votes on major legislation that chamber has taken since Republicans took the majority more than a year ago. The $468 billion package includes half …

Ariana Figueroa, NC Newsline Top White House economic officials said Tuesday that President Joe Biden will announce how his administration is tackling economic issues — from the housing crisis to restoring the expansion of the child tax credit — during this week’s State of the Union address to Congress and …

  Hundreds of delegates were at stake in the Super Tuesday presidential primaries bonanza that included 15 states and the U.S. territory of American Samoa. While President Donald Trump netted the lion’s share of delegates, Republican challenger Nikki Haley pulled her second upset in recent days in Vermont. President Joe Biden …

Abraham Kenmore, SC Daily Gazette Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley plans to withdraw from the Republican presidential contest Wednesday, ending her increasingly long-shot bid of toppling former President Donald Trump, according to multiple media sources. Haley will give a speech Wednesday morning in Charleston, where she started her bid, …

Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, Arizona Mirror U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced Tuesday that she will not be seeking a second term after months of speculation about her political future following her decision in late 2022 to leave the Democratic Party. Sinema, who built a reputation as a deal-maker who sought to bridge …

Jimmy Williams The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked Texas’ controversial immigration law that would empower state officers to arrest individuals suspected of entering the U.S. illegally. The move comes after the Justice Department requested intervention, highlighting concerns about the law’s impact on the federal government’s immigration authority and its potential …

Jennifer Shutt, Georgia Recorder Congress is on track to approve a staggering $468 billion in government spending this week, finishing part of the work it was supposed to complete by Oct. 1 — including a big boost intended to shore up the federal WIC nutrition program for women, infants and …