Poli Alert Political & Civics

Casey Quinlan, Florida Phoenix The expanded child tax credit that families received in 2021 helped reduce child poverty across the country, but particularly in the South where families lack a sufficient safety net, according to a paper released on Wednesday. The report by the Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution’s economic …

Julia Forrest, The Texas Tribune Sen. Ted Cruz continued to take aim at U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, calling him “the most partisan and politicized attorney general our nation has ever seen.” These remarks came on the first day of CPAC, where …

Jacob Fischler, Nebraska Examiner Republicans on a U.S. Senate panel raised several objections Wednesday to President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, while Democrats indicated their support and called the objections “fake scandals” meant only to create a political controversy. The Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s confirmation …

Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix As the 2023 legislative session looms, GOP lawmakers are looking to expand the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida that earned national notoriety last year and restrict the use of “pronouns” for students and school employees. The LGBTQ community and civil rights advocates have …

President Joe Biden is expected to issue his first veto after two Democrats—Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana—partnered with the GOP on Wednesday to pass legislation that would block his administration’s rule allowing retirement plan managers to consider climate and other factors in investment decisions. …

Stephen Fowler, GPB News The Georgia Senate Ethics Committee passed a version of an elections omnibus bill Tuesday night that might violate federal law and includes a last-minute ban on absentee drop boxes. A Republican majority on the committee approved a substitute to Senate Bill 221 that was only available …

Jennifer Shutt, Louisiana Illuminator The U.S. District Court judge who could end more than two decades of legal access to medication abortion underwent extensive questioning about LGBTQ equality at his December 2017 confirmation hearing — and very little about his views on abortion. Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Donald …

Peter Hall, Pennsylvania Capital-Star The Pennsylvania House of Representatives elected Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, on Tuesday to lead the chamber as the first woman and second Black speaker. McClinton’s election immediately followed Rep. Mark Rozzi’s resignation as speaker after the Berks County Democrat said he had accomplished his goals by …

President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive more than $400 billion in student loan debt to over 40 million borrowers drew criticism from conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday as the justices heard oral arguments in a pair of cases that will decide the fate of one of …

“These are not, like, the nine greatest experts on the internet,” noted Justice Elena Kagan – a reference to herself and fellow colleagues on the Supreme Court. Depsite this, the justices are being asked to negotiate complex arguments that could have wide implications for online providers and ultimately everyone who …

Some of the nation’s top cybersecurity leaders are warning state and local election officials of ongoing foreign and domestic national security threats to election systems, urging them to upgrade their defenses ahead of next year’s presidential election. At separate conferences this month, federal officials warned gatherings of the National Association …

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania introduced legislation Tuesday that would require the U.S. Transportation Department to impose more strict regulations on trains carrying hazardous materials, an effort to prevent disasters like the toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio from happening …

The Supreme Court hears oral arguments Tuesday in two cases to determine whether President Joe Biden can lean on a 2003 law to fulfill a campaign promise and forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for millions of borrowers nationwide. The justices are set to decide not only if the …

Special to the Capital-Star, Pennsylvania Capital-Star Victoria A. Brownworth PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia, along with New York City, is one of only two of the top dozen largest cities in the U.S. to never have a woman mayor. There have been 99 mayors in Philadelphia’s long city history, and all have been men …

Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune A federal judge issued a favorable ruling for Texas abortion funds, indicating they likely cannot be criminally charged for helping people travel out of state to terminate their pregnancies. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman temporarily blocked prosecutors in eight counties from pursuing charges against anyone …