EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’
PFAS, called “forever chemicals” because they last so long in the environment, have been associated with serious health conditions, including cancer and reduced birth weight.
Federal Government
Articles
Social Security cost-of-living adjustment largest in decades
The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pelosi prepares Dems to scale back $3.5T spending package to $2T
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there are “important decisions to make in the next few days” if they hope to forge a legislative compromise that the fuller party, including its spending-weary centrists, ultimately can support.
House sends debt-limit hike to Biden, staving off default
Members of the House on Tuesday pushed through a $480 billion increase to the nation’s debt limit, ensuring the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December.
One of Indiana’s GOP senators endorses Donnelly’s nomination
Also, Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins called Donnelly “an ideal choice to represent the United States at the Vatican.”
President Biden to nominate Joe Donnelly as ambassador to the Vatican
Donnelly, a devout Catholic, defended Biden’s Catholic faith during last year’s presidential campaign, writing in an op-ed published in August 2020 that Biden “lives his faith every day.”
Senate passes bill to raise debt ceiling into early December
The debt-ceiling increase covers federal borrowing only until about Dec. 3. That means Congress faces yet another deadline to stave off default and prevent a government shutdown, two urgent tasks that carry significant political and economic consequences in the case of failure.
Default crisis dodged until December with Senate debt accord
Senate leaders announced an agreement Thursday to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December, temporarily averting an unprecedented federal default that experts say would have devastated the economy.
Congress foresees short-term debt fix amid political standoff
The emerging agreement sets the stage for a sequel of sorts in December, when Congress will again face pressing deadlines to fund the government and raise the debt limit before heading home for the holidays.
U.S. poised to sue contractors who don’t report cyber breaches
Officials have repeatedly spoken of the need for better private-sector engagement as the government confronts a surge in ransomware attacks that in the last year have targeted critical infrastructure and major corporations.
Biden: Senate filibuster change on debt a ‘real possibility’
Invoking a filibuster rules change won’t be easy, in part because all Democratic senators would need to be on board.
Dems edge toward pared-down spending plan to boost support
The $3.5 trillion price tag on the social services portion of President Biden’s agenda has long been the sticking point, with progressives demanding the funding for their priorities and moderates balking at the eye-popping number.
Ex-Facebook employee says products harm children, fuel division
A former Facebook data scientist testified to the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection. She is accusing the company of being aware of apparent harm to some teens from Instagram and being dishonest in its public fight against hate and misinformation.
Fed watchdog to investigate officials’ financial trades
The Federal Reserve’s Office of the Inspector General will investigate “whether trading activity by certain senior officials was in compliance with both the relevant ethics rules and the law,” the Fed said Monday.
Local resettlement groups prepare for Afghan evacuees
At least 490 Afghan refugees are expected to permanently resettle in Indiana in the coming weeks or months, and not-for-profit resettlement agencies are preparing to assist them.
Ban on ‘surprise’ medical bills on track for Jan. 1 rollout
Surprise medical bills have been a common problem for people with health insurance, all the more irritating because most patients might have thought they were protected.
Vote delayed, Democrats struggle to save Biden $3.5T bill
Deeply at odds, President Joe Biden and his party are facing a potentially embarrassing setback—if not politically devastating collapse of the whole enterprise—if they cannot resolve the standoff over Biden’s ambitious vision.
Congress passes bill to avert partial government shutdown
The back-to-back votes by the Senate and then the House will help avert one crisis, but just delay another as the political parties dig in on a dispute over how to raise the government’s borrowing cap before the United States risks a potentially catastrophic default.
Congress moves to avert partial government shutdown
The House is expected to approve the measure following the Senate vote Thursday, preventing a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Friday.
GOP blocks bill to keep government operating; new try ahead
With days to go, Democrats said they will try again before Thursday’s deadline to pass a bill funding government operations past the Sept. 30 fiscal year end.