Senate votes to acquit Trump in historic impeachment trial
The vote was 57-43, short of the two-thirds needed for conviction. Seven Republicans broke for their party to find Trump guilty.
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Biden: Governors, mayors need $350B to fight COVID-19 impact
Republican lawmakers have stressed that some past aid to state and local governments remains unspent and revenues have rebounded after slumping when the coronavirus first hit.
Memory Bank: Crowd gathers on the Circle for FDR’s first run in 1932
In his first presidential campaign, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was governor of New York at the time, made a stop in Indianapolis on Oct. 20, just days before the 1932 election, which was taking place in the middle of the Great Depression.
Taft builds new lobby group with Ice Miller transplants
The former Ice Miller employees—including Lacy Johnson and John Hammond III—will form the core of Taft’s new 14-member Public Affairs Strategies Group, 11 professionals plus three support staffers.
Democrats pushing Biden’s COVID-19 bill through House committees
The Ways and Means Committee approved its $940 billion chunk of Biden’s proposal on a 25-18 party-line vote, highlighting a frenzied week that’s seeing a dozen House panels fashion contributions to the sprawling measure.
Biden backs off on TikTok ban in review of Trump China moves
Separately, the Biden administration has “indefinitely” shelved a proposed U.S. takeover of TikTok, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Federal workers could get more paid leave if COVID-19 prevents them from working
Employees who meet certain eligibility criteria could receive as much as 600 hours—15 work weeks—of extra leave time to be paid from a $570 million fund that the bill would create.
Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increase
Democrats hope to rush the bill to Biden for his signature by mid-March, using a special budget-related process allowing certain legislation to be approved by a simple majority.
Election of Democratic chair portends change at struggling post office
A former labor leader and Obama administration official was elected Tuesday to serve as chair of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, marking the first step in a potential shakeup under President Joe Biden.
Biden treads carefully around Trump’s combative trade policy
In his first weeks in office, President Joe Biden has wasted no time in dumping a batch of major Trump administration policies, but his administration seems intent on approaching trade with caution and deliberation.
House Democrats reject plan to curtail $1,400 stimulus payments
Senior House Democrats on Monday night proposed sending $1,400 stimulus payments to Americans with up to $75,000 in annual income, rejecting an earlier plan under consideration to sharply curtail the benefits.
Buttigieg to quarantine after security agent gets COVID-19
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said late Monday he was feeling fine with no symptoms and that the agent had no signs of COVID-19 other than testing positive for the virus.
Here’s the latest on the plan for pandemic stimulus checks
There’s conflicting debate about the effectiveness of the direct payments. Most economists support giving more relief to Americans who are struggling to put food on the table or keep their small business from closing.
Minimum wage hike to $15 by 2025 would result in 1.4M unemployed, CBO says
The report comes as senior Democrats debate whether to include raising the federal minimum wage in a budget resolution that is largely designed to help the sputtering economic recovery.
Editorial: Young shows leadership in debate about next relief plan
At a time when the country—and many of our leaders—appear to be incredibly divided, we appreciate the effort by Sen. Todd Young and his GOP colleagues to craft a COVID-19 relief proposal they could take to the president.
Biden, House Democrats put $1.9T relief plan on fast track
The Senate early Friday approved a measure that would let Democrats muscle the relief plan through the chamber without Republican support. Vice President Kamala Harris was in the chair to cast the tie-breaking vote, her first.
Latest bill would bar NCAA limits on athlete image rights
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-New York) introduced a bill Thursday that would guarantee college athletes the right to earn money from endorsements and sponsorship deals while barring the NCAA, schools and conferences from imposing restrictions.
House moves toward passage of budget, unlocking partisan path for Biden relief bill
House Democrats moved toward passage Wednesday of legislation setting the stage for party-line approval of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, heeding Biden’s calls for swift action.
Biden, Yellen pan GOP virus aid proposal as too small, urge action
While no compromise was reached during the lengthy session, President Biden’s first with lawmakers at the White House, talks are privately underway on various alternatives.
Senate confirms Buttigieg as transportation secretary
Praised by President Joe Biden as bringing a “new voice” to the administration, Pete Buttigieg takes over a Transportation Department with 55,000 employees and a budget of tens of billions dollars.