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.

Homes and businesses destroyed by wildfire are seen on Aug. 14, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii.

FEMA’s disaster relief fund is running low on cash. What happens now?

By: - August 18, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund is in desperate need of cash, with the agency projecting at least a $4 billion deficit in the weeks ahead — even as the government responds to devastating fires in Hawaii and hurricane season continues. FEMA, however, won’t simply stop the response and recovery activities […]

Abortion drug pills and drinking water

Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order

By: - August 16, 2023

WASHINGTON —  A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday the abortion pill can stay on the market, but it agreed with a lower court that ultimately use should revert to prescribing and dosage instructions that were in place before 2016. That appeals court ruling will immediately be put on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court decides […]

The exterior of the Rotunda of the U.S. Capital

Congress brought back earmarks. Now they’re one more point of drama in a divided House.

By: - August 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — The new Republican chairwoman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee said just before taking over the panel that she planned to “tweak” how the chamber earmarks spending for community projects — coveted state and local funding that members of Congress request. Some of those changes hinted at by Kay Granger of Texas have […]

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a political rally while campaigning for the GOP nomination in the 2024 election at Erie Insurance Arena on July 29, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Congress, GOP presidential candidates react to Trump indictment

By: and - August 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress and Republicans competing against Donald Trump in the presidential primary quickly reacted Tuesday to the latest indictment against the former president, falling largely along party lines. This one, by a federal grand jury, stems from Trump’s alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election after Election Day and leading up to […]

Former President Donald Trump speaks on May 28, 2022, in Casper, Wyoming.

‘Fueled by lies,’ Trump charged with seeking to overturn 2020 election

By: , and - August 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted Donald Trump on Tuesday, alleging that Trump and co-conspirators attempted to subvert the 2020 election to keep the former president in power through a series of illegal actions that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The former president faces four […]

A Thunderbird

White House: U.S. Space Command to remain in Colorado, spurning Alabama

By: and - July 31, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced on Monday it will headquarter U.S. Space Command in Colorado, a decision that rejects efforts made during the last administration to move the U.S. military facility to Alabama. The decision comes as Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville continues to block senior military promotions from moving forward in the U.S. Senate over […]

Large VA letters highlight the facade of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical campus in Rapid City, South Dakota.

U.S. House spending bill for the VA renews fight over abortion access, transgender care

By: - July 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans approved their first government spending bill Thursday, following tense debate about whether the Department of Veterans Affairs should provide abortions in limited circumstances and the GOP’s decision to cut military construction funding. The 219-211 mostly party-line vote on the Military Construction-VA appropriations bill sends the measure to the Senate, where […]

cherry trees in bloom near the U.S. Capitol

‘We should not fear a government shutdown’: Far-right U.S. House members slam spending bills

By: - July 25, 2023

WASHINGTON — A handful of ultra-conservative U.S. House Republicans rebuked their leadership Tuesday over the annual government funding process, but appeared at odds on whether they should force a government shutdown later this year. Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs at a news conference mostly ruled out a funding lapse, though Virginia Rep. Bob Good left the […]

A cyclist passes a “Health Advisory” sign on March 18, 2020, in Miami Beach, Florida, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preparation for pandemics, natural disasters updated in bill passed by U.S. Senate panel

By: - July 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Senate committee approved legislation Thursday that would update how the federal government prepares for and then responds to pandemics and natural disasters. The broadly bipartisan legislation moved through the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee following a 17-3 vote after members adopted two bipartisan amendments. Republican Sens. Rand Paul of […]

A bicyclist and pedestrians cross in front of the U.S. Capitol

LGBTQ project funding in two states stripped by U.S. House Republicans from spending bill 

By: - July 18, 2023

WASHINGTON — In a tense meeting marked by Democratic charges of hatred and bigotry, Republicans on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to strip funding for three LGBTQ community projects, just weeks after they included the money in the annual transportation and housing spending bill. At one point, Rep. Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican […]

Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as President Joe Biden delivers remarks about border security policies in the Roosevelt Room in the White House

Despite poor polling numbers, Kamala Harris viewed as key for Democrats in 2024

By: - July 14, 2023

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris’ poll numbers have stagnated at a lower level than many of her predecessors’ ratings, a daunting problem for a running mate as the 2024 presidential campaign gets underway. Professors and political experts interviewed by States Newsroom say there are several reasons why Harris’ favorability numbers sagged after she took […]

Storm-damaged furniture an debris sit outside the Galliano home of Paula Bermudez on Oct. 5, 2021 — six weeks after Hurricane Ida.

FEMA disaster relief fund faces August shortfall as feds scramble to find cash

By: - July 13, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund is on track to run out of money as soon as next month, though the agency’s administrator told Congress on Thursday that she’s working with the White House to find a solution. “Our current projections on the disaster relief fund is that we will go […]