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Democrats eye another push to eliminate filibuster with Sinema, Manchin gone
Senior Senate Democrats are interested in making another attempt to eliminate or alter the filibuster. This happens as two of their party’s biggest opponents to the change — Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V. — are retiring. “I hope that we will use this opportunity to take a hard look at the Senate…
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Sinema exit will make it even harder for Democrats to hold Senate majority
Key retirements could make it more difficult for the Democratic Party to maintain its Senate majority after the 2024 election. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who caucuses with Democrats, announced she won’t seek reelection in November. The race for her seat is one of four elections where the incumbent is stepping down in a state where…
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Democrats, Republicans want answers about outside influence on US Trade Rep
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is opening an investigation into the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The investigation seeks to understand how much influence outside organizations may have had on the October 2023 decision to abandon digital trade principles, which the U.S. first put forward in 2019. At the time, Trade…
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Congress releases spending packages to last through Sept., avoid partial shutdown
Congress took a major step toward avoiding a government shutdown and funding federal agencies through September. Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate jointly released a $435 billion package that will fund specific government functions and programs including the departments of Justice, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as House subcommittees…
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Supreme Court unanimously rules that Trump can remain on presidential ballot
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Donald Trump can remain on the ballot in Colorado, overturning a decision from the state’s Supreme Court. The justices ruled that the Constitution makes Congress, not the states, responsible for enforcing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment against federal officeholders and candidates. In December, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled…
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Congress considers giving rusting RFK Stadium campus to DC for revitalization
Washington, D.C., is known for its beautiful architecture showcased in landmarks like the Capitol, White House and monuments. But away from the National Mall, parts of the city have been left to rust, including RFK Stadium and its 174-acre campus. The campus is the largest unused tract of land in the district, and there’s a…
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Plastic is in blood, breast milk and vital organs – Congress wants to get it out
A January study caught the public’s attention when researchers found that the average one liter bottle of water contains 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. However, that information barely scratches the surface of the plastic problem that goes to the cellular level, and Congress wants to do something about it. A recent hearing in the Senate…
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Senate Republicans praise McConnell for impact on federal judiciary
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., announced that he will step down from his position in November. McConnell has been the top Republican in the chamber since 2007 and is the longest serving Senate leader in history. The 82-year-old made clear he plans to finish his elected term which ends in January 2027. McConnell is…
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Here’s who could replace Mitch McConnell as Senate’s top Republican
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., announced he will step down from his position in November. McConnell has been the top Republican in the chamber since 2007, and he is the longest serving Senate leader in history. He said he’ll finish his elected term which ends in January 2027. So who could replace him? There are…
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American tech is still being found in Russian weapons used in Ukraine
Russia’s war against Ukraine is now two years in, leading to increased sanctions and export controls against both Moscow and Vladimir Putin’s allies. However, American technology is still making its way into Russian weapons. “The evidence points overwhelmingly to the fact that Russia relies on Western technology to power its military capabilities and United States…
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SCOTUS hears arguments in landmark case on Texas, Florida social media laws
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases that could change how social media companies moderate content that users post on their sites and whether they can block some users altogether. The cases from Florida and Texas both look into censorship and First Amendment rights. Florida and Texas passed what they described as anti-censorship laws…
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Biden weighs border executive order as immigration approval rating hits 28%
President Joe Biden is considering an executive order that would restrict immigrants’ ability to apply for asylum if they cross the border illegally. CNN reported that the administration is considering using Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was previously used under former President Donald Trump. According to the State Department, “INA 212(f)…
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Senators say WHO pandemic treaty could destroy innovation ecosystem
The World Health Organization is developing a pandemic treaty that it contends will help prevent pandemics and increase preparedness to save lives, reduce disease burden and protect livelihoods. The WHO said it’s doing this because the international community’s response to COVID-19 was a “catastrophic failure.” However, a bipartisan group of senators is telling the Biden…
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