Author

Jacob Fischler

Jacob Fischler

Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

the U.S. Capitol at night.

Eight Republicans are running for U.S. House speaker. Here’s your guide to the field.

By: and - October 23, 2023

WASHINGTON — The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House were set to make their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate. Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, […]

Protesters from the progressive organization Jewish Voice for Peace chant “cease-fire now” and “free Palestine” inside the U.S. House Cannon Office Building rotunda

Biden in Tel Aviv pledges U.S. support for Israel, humanitarian aid for Gaza

By: and - October 18, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden assured Israel that the U.S. will replenish defense stockpiles and also announced new humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza during his historic visit Wednesday to the war-torn region where thousands have died in just a dozen days, including 31 Americans. Biden plans to ask Congress later this week for an […]

President Joe Biden, joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, delivers remarks on the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel in the State Dining Room of the White House on Oct. 10, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Biden will visit Israel to demonstrate U.S. support following Hamas attack

By: - October 16, 2023

President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with the Middle East ally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday. Biden will “reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with Israel and our ironclad commitment to its security,” send a message to other groups and powers in the region not to […]

Sen. Bill Cassidy

Cassidy, U.S. Senate delegation head to Israel as show of support

By: - October 14, 2023

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel, the New York Democrat’s office said Friday as Israel ordered around 1 million people to leave the northern half of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip amid war with the militant group. The visit by Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the […]

The south side of the White House is

Louisiana not among states White House chooses for $7 billion in clean hydrogen hubs

By: - October 13, 2023

The Biden administration is directing $7 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law to build seven regional hydrogen power hubs in 16 states, the White House announced Friday. The projects, each of which is a cluster of assets that produce and process hydrogen fuel as an alternative to fossil fuels, will benefit the climate, the economy […]

President Joe Biden speaks during a roundtable with Jewish community leaders in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Oct. 11, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

Biden administration working to recover U.S. hostages held by Hamas

By: - October 11, 2023

U.S. officials are working to recover American hostages from the Middle East and provide aid to Israel as violence continues in the region following last weekend’s attack by Hamas, administration and congressional leaders said Wednesday. Speaking to Jewish community leaders at the White House late Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden said the administration was working […]

President Joe Biden, joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, delivers remarks on the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel in the State Dining Room of the White House on Oct. 10, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’

By: and - October 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants a returning Congress to take “urgent action” on Israel’s security needs after Hamas militants have injured and killed thousands beginning with Saturday’s brutal attack, including the deaths of 14 Americans. U.S. citizens are also among the hostages taken into Gaza by the armed group, though the administration could not […]

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks about the Hamas attack on Israel during a news conference in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 9, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

McCarthy may jump into U.S. House speaker race, as crises overseas mount

By: , , and - October 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans will gather behind closed doors beginning Monday night in an attempt to decide who should become the chamber’s next speaker, a race with a renewed sense of urgency with ally Israel now at war and the House in paralysis. Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Ohio’s Jim Jordan are the only candidates […]

House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-North Carolina, is pursued by reporters as he returns to the offices of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-California, at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 4, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

How does a ‘frozen’ U.S. House function without a speaker? Everyone’s got an opinion.

By: and - October 4, 2023

WASHINGTON — The stunning ouster of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday — the first time a speaker has been removed in Congress’ 234-year history — created a leadership vacuum in the chamber and left multiple questions about how legislative business would proceed. North Carolina Republican Patrick McHenry ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore […]

Sen. Bill Cassidy

Cassidy, Kennedy among 6 U.S. senators in delegation to China, Japan and South Korea

By: - October 3, 2023

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Idaho Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo will lead a bipartisan delegation to China, Japan and South Korea next week, Schumer’s office said Tuesday. The other senators on the trip are Louisiana Republicans Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy and Democrats Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Jon Ossoff of […]

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy takes questions from reporters on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 at the U.S. Capitol.

Government shutdown nears: U.S. House GOP fails to pass one-month spending plan

By: , , and - September 29, 2023

WASHINGTON — A sweeping government shutdown appeared inevitable on Friday, with the U.S. Senate stuck in a procedural holding pattern on its bipartisan stopgap bill and divided U.S. House Republicans unable to pass their short-term spending bill. Both chambers of Congress must approve and President Joe Biden must sign government funding legislation before midnight on […]

The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona

Nearly all national park sites to close during government shutdown

By: - September 29, 2023

Almost all National Park Service sites will be inaccessible during a partial federal government shutdown likely to start this weekend, the U.S. Interior Department said Friday. The agency will bar access to most of the nation’s 425 parks, recreation areas, national historic sites and other units, according to a fact sheet from the Interior Department, […]