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Louisiana’s Shalanda Young advances toward Senate confirmation as Biden’s budget director
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 15, 2022
The U.S. Senate gave President Joe Biden’s budget director nominee a first nod of approval Monday night, voting to advance her to a final confirmation vote later this week.
VA eyes major changes in health care system as veterans flock to the South, Southwest
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 14, 2022
The restructuring would mean the closures or consolidations of some medical facilities, likely provoking opposition from communities and members of Congress.
U.S., other democracies limit Russian trade benefits in reaction to war against Ukraine
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 11, 2022
President Joe Biden on Friday announced a new round of sanctions on Russia by the United States, as well as countries within the European Union and the Group of Seven nations.
Congress nears finish line on spending package that omits aid for COVID tests, treatment
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 10, 2022
Congress is close to clearing a massive government funding package that includes billions in aid to Ukraine, but Democrats and Republicans remain locked in a stalemate over additional pandemic relief.
Return of earmarks a boon for members of Congress facing midterm battles
By: Jennifer Shutt and Jacob Fischler - March 10, 2022
Vulnerable lawmakers from throughout the country are set to rake in federal cash for home-state projects after a major spending bill included the first round of earmarks in more than a decade.
COVID aid stripped from U.S. spending bill after protests states would lose relief money
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 9, 2022
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that it was “heartbreaking” to remove the COVID-19 funding, but added that the House needed to immediately pass the rest of the $1.5 trillion spending package, including aid to Ukraine.
Congress reaches deal on massive spending package with billions for COVID aid, Ukraine
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 9, 2022
The announcement means Congress should be able to avert a government shutdown when a spending patch expires at midnight on Friday, though an additional patch until next week will have to be passed as well.
Biden declares U.S. ban on Russian oil, warns of gasoline price spikes
By: Jennifer Shutt and Jacob Fischler - March 8, 2022
“The decision today is not without cost here at home,” Biden said. “Since Putin began his military buildup on Ukrainian borders, just since then, the price of gas at the pump in America went up 75 cents. And with this action, it’s going to go up further.”
U.S. government shutdown days away as Congress struggles on Ukraine aid, COVID-19 relief
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 7, 2022
With just five days left before government funding expires, Democrats and Republicans are trying to reach agreement on $1.5 trillion in federal spending as well as billions more in assistance to Ukraine and COVID-19 relief.
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sasse, Klobuchar, Leahy
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 3, 2022
WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson spent part of her Thursday shaking hands with Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse underneath a mounted bison head in his Capitol Hill office. The somewhat unusual photo op came on the second day of Jackson meeting privately with senators on the Judiciary Committee ahead of her […]
White House wants $10 billion for Ukraine aid, $22.5 billion for more COVID help
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 3, 2022
White House acting budget director Shalanda Young wrote in a letter to lawmakers that this likely won’t be the last emergency funding request for either Ukraine or fighting the pandemic as both situations continue to evolve.
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with top members of U.S. Senate
By: Jennifer Shutt - March 2, 2022
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began the arduous Senate confirmation process Wednesday, meeting on Capitol Hill with four key senators.