News
With time growing short, U.S. Senate talks extend on immigration overhaul
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress left the Capitol on Thursday without a deal on sought-after changes to immigration policy that’s tied to aid for Ukraine and Israel — leaving them just one week to resolve the dispute before lawmakers depart for a three-week holiday break. Negotiations among a small group of senators are expected to […]
Potential first Native American federal judge in Oklahoma advances toward Senate confirmation
WASHINGTON — Former Cherokee Nation Attorney General Sara Hill is one step closer to becoming the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge for the state of Oklahoma, despite objections from top state officials and some U.S. Senate Republicans. The Democratic-led U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Thursday favorably approved, 14-7, […]
New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman censured by U.S. House after he pulled fire alarm
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted Thursday to censure Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York. The House voted 214-191 along party lines on a resolution to censure Bowman for pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building on Sept. 30 while the House considered legislation to prevent a government shutdown. Censure amounts […]
CNN to host GOP presidential debates ahead of Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire primary
WASHINGTON — Republicans hoping to become their party’s presidential nominee will have two more chances to debate next month, following an announcement Thursday that CNN will host one debate in Iowa and another in New Hampshire. The first debate is scheduled for Jan. 10 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and the second debate […]
Report for America to place journalist with Louisiana Illuminator to focus on water issues
The Louisiana Illuminator is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a Report for America host newsroom partner. The Illuminator will join an expanding network of newsrooms benefiting from the support of this nonprofit program. Through this partnership, the Illuminator will expand its coverage of water and its impacts in Louisiana. The beat […]
University of Louisiana System adopts paid parental leave for employees
The University of Louisiana System will offer paid parental leave for all employees, system President Jim Henderson announced at a Board of Supervisors meeting Thursday. The policy, similar to the state Civil Service rule and Gov. John Bel Edwards’ executive order that offers the benefit to most state employees, will offer employees of any gender […]
A court order banning Louisiana from holding youth at Angola expires soon. What’s next?
A federal court order that bars Louisiana from housing incarcerated youth at the state penitentiary at Angola expires this month, raising questions about whether state officials might try to move troubled teens back to the maximum security adult prison. Attorneys for the state and civil rights lawyers fighting the Angola placement disagree on when the […]
New fees on seafood importers would fund testing of foreign shrimp and crawfish
Additional testing for foreign-caught shrimp and crawfish, which Louisiana fisherfolk say undercuts their local product, could come at the expense of the wholesalers who are importing the seafood to the state. The state’s Imported Seafood Safety Task Force met Wednesday and proposed new licensing requirements and an increase in fees charged to seafood distributors and […]
Plan to stash planet-heating CO2 under national forests alarms critics
A proposal that would allow industries to permanently stash climate-polluting carbon dioxide beneath U.S. Forest Service land puts those habitats and the people in or near them at risk, according to opponents of the measure. Chief among opponents’ concerns is that carbon dioxide could leak from storage wells or pipelines and injure or kill people […]
U.S. House Democrats and advocates push for additional federal child care funding
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democratic leaders on Wednesday called on Congress to pass President Joe Biden’s $16 billion supplemental child care funding request. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts gathered with child care activists and other House Democrats at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol. Child […]
Divided over immigration, U.S. Senate blocks advancing aid for Ukraine, Israel
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate failed to move forward Wednesday with a $111 billion spending package that would have bolstered aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Southern border amid deep disagreement about immigration policy. The 49-51 procedural vote, which needed at least 60 senators to advance the bill toward final passage, represents a significant […]
Louisiana Ethics Board accuses former LSU professor of unlawful lobbying
A former LSU professor has been accused of allegedly using a graduate assistant with whom he was reportedly having an affair to lobby the Louisiana Legislature to approve legislation targeting critical race theory. The professor denies the accusation, and a university investigation has cleared him of wrongdoing. Charges from the Louisiana Ethics Administration allege David […]