Poli Alert Politics & Civics

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday during a Senate hearing that the Afghan war was a “strategic failure” with the Taliban now being back in power and U.S. withdrawal from the country. Milley, alongside Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and U.S. Central Command head …

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday that Congress has until Oct. 18 to raise or suspend the debt limit before the United States is expected to default on the national debt. “We now estimate that Treasury is likely to exhaust its extraordinary measures if Congress has not acted to …

California will now mail ballots to voters in all elections, extending a practice temporarily adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus at polling locations. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed Assembly Bill 37, which requires county elections officials to mail a ballot to every …

In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley — one of the poorest regions in the country — getting an abortion was already difficult. Now, it’s nearly impossible. Shefali Luthra Originally published by The 19th McAllen, TX — Karla S. knew she was pregnant almost right away. She could tell by the smells: …

The U.S. Postal Service(USPS) is making changes to its express shipping as of Friday that could delay some mail going across the country. The new standards — part of USPS’ Delivering for America Strategic Plan — will increase “time in transit” windows for up to two days, holding up mail with …

Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Monday evening to begin debate on a broad bill funding the government and increasing the debt ceiling. The measure to briefly keep the government operating past the end of the fiscal year on Thursday, as well as to increase the debt ceiling …

California Democratic Rep. Karen Bass announced Monday that she is entering the race to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. “Our city is facing a public health, safety and economic crisis in homelessness that has evolved into a humanitarian emergency,” she said in a statement announcing her candidacy. “Los Angeles …

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it is proposing a rule that would “preserve and fortify” the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. DACA, which was created in 2012 through executive action by then-President Barack Obama, has allowed about 600,000 immigrants, most of whom were brought to …

There are no more migrants crowded under the Del Rio bridge in South Texas, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday, days after viral images of Border Patrol agents using reins against Haitian migrants drew widespread condemnation. “As of this morning, there are no longer any migrants in the camp …

A widely criticized, GOP-led “audit” of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, Arizona, concluded that Joe Biden received more votes for president than Donald Trump. In fact, according to the review, Biden exceeded the county’s tally by 99 votes, while Trump received 261 fewer votes in a hand recount compared to …

Texas has announced it is conducting an audit of the 2020 general election in four counties. In a brief statement on Thursday, the office of the state’s Secretary of State said they had the authority to conduct “a full and comprehensive forensic audit of any election” and has begun doing …

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outlined a “time of intensity” this week, saying her caucus “must pass” President Biden’s $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal, and a bill to keep the government open as it will run out of money on Thursday, September 30. The …

A Florida school district announced last week that it is the first school district in the nation to receive a federal grant to replace funding that was withheld over its mask mandate. The U.S. Department of Education gave Alachua County Public Schools nearly $148,000 through its Project Safe grant program, …

A federal appeals court has temporarily delayed New York City from implementing its vaccine mandate for public school employees. The temporary restraining order was granted by a judge on the federal government’s Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday night. The case will now go to a three-judge federal panel, …

Yesterday, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations and also recommended a booster dose for those in high risk occupational and institutional settings. “I believe we can best serve the nation’s public …