Author

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

baby formula 2

Under fire from Congress, FDA chief says baby formula shortage will improve soon

By: - May 19, 2022

WASHINGTON — U.S. Food and Drug Commissioner Robert Califf told Congress Thursday that the infant formula shortage will likely begin to improve in the coming days, though he declined to explain to unhappy lawmakers why his agency didn’t act sooner on a whistleblower report that detailed safety issues at an Abbott Laboratories facility in Michigan.  […]

U.S. Capitol

U.S. House Judiciary Committee debates abortion in advance of landmark court ruling

By: - May 19, 2022

WASHINGTON — The national debate over abortion rights raged in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, as Democrats warned of the dangers of a potential end to the constitutional right and Republicans argued that legislatures should determine abortion laws.  The hearing came just weeks after a leaked draft opinion from Associate Justice Samuel Alito […]

A woman mixing infant formula in a bottle

Congress, White House scramble to ease baby formula shortage

By: and - May 19, 2022

WASHINGTON — Both the Biden administration and Congress moved Wednesday to try to relieve a national infant formula shortage, as the White House invoked the Defense Production Act and the U.S. House approved $28 million for the Food and Drug Administration. President Joe Biden said he would use the law to address the formula shortage, […]

A woman mixing infant formula in a bottle

U.S. House to vote on $28 million for FDA to relieve infant formula shortage

By: - May 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — Democratic appropriators in the U.S. House unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday intended to address a nationwide infant formula shortage that has left parents and caregivers struggling to find food for babies. The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on the bill, which would provide funding to the U.S. […]

U.S. Senate Democrats fail to enshrine nationwide abortion protections, vow more action

By: - May 11, 2022

WASHINGTON — Efforts to secure the nationwide right to an abortion stalled for a second time Wednesday when U.S. Senate Democrats failed to get enough votes to overcome the legislative filibuster.  Republicans, including Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, voted uniformly against limiting debate on the bill while Democrats, save West Virginia’s […]

McConnell doesn’t rule out U.S. Senate vote outlawing abortion if GOP takes control

By: - May 9, 2022

WASHINGTON — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell isn’t ruling out bringing a nationwide abortion ban up for a vote, should the U.S. Supreme Court end the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy and his party regains the chamber in the November elections. The Kentucky Republican was somewhat reserved last week when repeatedly asked by reporters […]

President Joe Biden and Amazon employees union organizer Christian Smalls

Bernie Sanders at U.S. Senate hearing rips Amazon over union opposition

By: - May 5, 2022

WASHINGTON — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders took Amazon to task Thursday at a congressional hearing, bashing the online giant’s leadership for fighting union drives and questioning whether the federal government should continue contracting with the multibillion-dollar company. Amazon executives didn’t attend the hearing but U.S. senators did hear from labor unions and the U.S. Government […]

Abortion rights protestors outside Supreme Court

U.S. Senate to try again on abortion rights after bombshell disclosure of draft opinion

By: - May 3, 2022

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday pledged a new vote codifying the right to an abortion after publication of a draft court ruling that showed the Supreme Court on track to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision. Democrats, who likely won’t have the votes to advance that bill, also predicted that abortion […]

Jan. 6 insurrection

Jan. 6 panel asks three GOP members of the U.S. House to cooperate in probe

By: - May 2, 2022

In the letter, the panel asks for information about meetings that took place in person at the White House ahead of the Jan. 6 attacks, as well as remotely, including one on Dec. 21, 2020.

Ukraine apartment building destroyed in bombing

U.S. to lend and lease military supplies to Ukraine under bill cleared by Congress

By: - April 28, 2022

The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to use the framework of a World War II-era program to allow the federal government to lend and lease military equipment to Ukraine as it resists Russian troops.

U.S. military member in fatigues

Nine rare cancers tied to burn pit exposure added to VA benefits list

By: - April 25, 2022

President Joe Biden, who has said his son Beau Biden’s exposure to toxic fumes from the pits could have led to his death, announced the policy change Monday, saying in a statement he hopes to avoid repeating mistakes of the past.

Ukraine building damaged by Russian missile

Biden to ask Congress for more Ukraine aid after earlier U.S. funding runs dry

By: - April 22, 2022

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans would only vote to advance the bill if Democratic leaders agreed to votes on amendments regarding Title 42.