CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

High-profile progressive Senate Democrats have expanded their climate wish list for the multitrillion-dollar package the White House and Democratic leaders hope to move via budget reconciliation.Driving the news: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is leading a push for $500 billion in fees over 10 years from large fossil fuel companies — with a big chunk hitting Big Oil — to help finance climate initiatives.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe fo

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told a congressional panel that failing to raise the federal debt ceiling would have “absolutely catastrophic consequences” that could bring on a financial crisis.

Ten liberal senators are urging President Joe Biden to back India and South Africa’s appeal to the World Trade Organization to temporarily relax intellectual property rules so coronavirus vaccines can be manufactured by nations that are struggling to inoculate their populations.

Andrew Cuomo announced last July that New York would spend $100 million in federal coronavirus relief to help cash-strapped tenants pay months of back rent and avert evictions. As much as $3.43 billion in federal aid was spent on rental assistance, according to National Low Income Housing Coalition. Last year, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kansas were among the states that struggled to distribute rental assistance. Pennsylvania had similar problems, spending $54 million on rental assistance and $10 million on mortgage assistance, out of nearly $175 million dedicated for the program. AdFacing the Republican-controlled Legislature's Nov. 30 deadline to spend the money, the state Housing Finance Authority returned the bulk of it.

As the government pushes millions of $1,400 stimulus checks out the door, some Americans could come up empty handed. The issue prompted Capitol Hill lawmakers to enter into a crossfire of sorts on Thursday over whether or not those checks can be garnished, as some looked to change the policy. That's after the Treasury Department and IRS announced on Wednesday that 90 million checks have gone out thus far by direct deposit. To remedy that, Brown called for the passage of a bill he proposed alongside fellow Democrats Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. However, efforts to pass that legislation were blocked by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.Toomey argued that it was too late the change the legislation, and that altering the rules could protect husbands or fathers who refuse to pay alimony or child support.

The Vermont independent and a group of congressional Democrats put forward a bill Wednesday to hike taxes on companies that pay their chief executive at least 50 times more than the median pay for their workers. The legislation fits into a push from progressives to boost pay for low-wage workers and root out income and wealth inequality. Democrats failed to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour in their $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, and Sanders has sought alternatives to compel major corporations to hike pay. The tax hike would climb along with the CEO-to-worker pay ratio, until businesses that pay chief executives 500 times more than the median would see a 5 percentage point increase. It is unclear exactly how many companies would pay more in taxes under the plan.

FILE - This Nov. 29, 2011, file photo shows the signature of president Abraham Lincoln on a rare, restored copy of the 13th Amendment that ended slavery, in Chicago. As ratified, the original amendment has permitted exploitation of labor by convicted felons for over 155 years since the abolition of slavery. Constitutional amendments are rare and require approval by two-thirds of the House and Senate, as well as ratification by three-quarters of state legislatures. In Merkley’s Oregon, voters in 2002 approved the elimination of constitutional language that prohibited Black Americans from living in the state unless they were enslaved. The prevalence of prison labor has been largely accepted as a means for promoting rehabilitation, teaching trade skills and reducing idleness among prisoners.

Yet as states increasingly sort themselves along hardening partisan lines, it's complicating Democrats' drive to win the majority and keep it. Thanks to this month's elections, Democrats will own all four Senate seats from purple Arizona and increasingly blue Colorado next year. In addition, three current Senate Democrats are from states that President Donald Trump carried easily this month despite losing to Democrat Joe Biden. “The problem is a Democratic Senate majority runs through red states, and that is an inherent structural difficulty." In the 2022 elections, Democrats will defend Senate 13 seats — all from states Biden won.

WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden feels at home on Capitol Hill, but the place sure has changed since he left. The clubby atmosphere that Biden knew so well during his 36-year Senate career is gone, probably forever. Republicans are favored to retain control of the Senate heading into two runoff elections in Georgia in January. And some lawmakers say voters made clear in the election that governance from the middle is exactly what they want. “He has a remarkable record of shape-shifting to run his conference in a unique manner determined by the political imperative of the moment," said former Senate Democratic leadership aide Mike Spahn.

WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden feels at home on Capitol Hill, but the place sure has changed since he left. The clubby atmosphere that Biden knew so well during his 36-year Senate career is gone, probably forever. Republicans are favored to retain control of the Senate heading into two runoff elections in Georgia in January. And some lawmakers say voters made clear in the election that governance from the middle is exactly what they want. “He has a remarkable record of shape-shifting to run his conference in a unique manner determined by the political imperative of the moment," said former Senate Democratic leadership aide Mike Spahn.

Republican candidate for Senate Sen. David Perdue speaks during a campaign stop at Peachtree Dekalb Airport Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, in Atlanta. But if the Democratic challenger wins, the ambitions of a Biden presidency could well come down to Georgia. But if the Democratic challenger wins, the ambitions of a Biden presidency could well come down to Georgia. That was cemented Friday evening when Democrat Jon Ossoff and Georgia Sen. David Perdue narrowly advanced to a second round after three days of vote counting. Otherwise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to block Biden.

The lack of tracking was highlighted this week when a GOP lawmaker, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, found out he had contracted the virus. Fearing Gohmert's frequent refusal to wear a mask could have caused other members and staff to become infected, Pelosi and Capitol officials quickly issued broad new mask requirements for the House. The dilemma for Congress is similar to the one facing workplaces and schools as they struggle to reopen. Pelosi and McConnell cited those front-line workers when they rejected Trump's offer earlier this year to send rapid tests for lawmakers to the Capitol. Let's expand access to rapid testing on Capitol Hill, but also throughout the country, Van Hollen said.

Riot police stand guard after pushing back protesters demonstrating against the new security law during the anniversary of the Hong Kong handover from Britain, Wednesday, July. 1, 2020, in Hong Kong. Hong Kong police have made their first arrests under a new national security law imposed by mainland China. The House bill is similar to a measure approved last week in the Senate, but makes some minor changes. China has said it will impose visa restrictions on Americans it sees as interfering over Hong Kong.

Police detain a protester after spraying pepper spray during a protest in Causeway Bay before the annual handover march in Hong Kong, Wednesday, July. Hong Kong marked the 23rd anniversary of its handover to China in 1997, and just one day after China enacted a national security law that cracks down on protests in the territory. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)WASHINGTON Congress has approved a bill rebuking China over its crackdown in Hong Kong amid protests against a strict national security law that outlaws so-called subversive or terrorist acts, as well as collusion with foreign forces intervening in the citys affairs. The White House declined to comment, but in a television interview Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence called the new Hong Kong security law a betrayal of the international agreement China signed. ___Associated Press writer Zen Soo in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON Seven U.S. senators, including two strong allies of President Donald Trump, harshly criticized Trump's new chief of U.S.-funded global media on Wednesday for firing the heads of several international broadcasters without consulting Congress. Wednesday's letter was notable in that it was signed by the two powerful Trump allies who are particularly close to the president. The director and deputy director of VOA resigned just days before the firings, which also included the dismissal of each of their governing boards. Conservatives have in particular assailed the firings of former Rubio staffer Jamie Fly as head of RFE/RL and former U.S. diplomat Alberto Fernandez as head of MBN. "We urge you to respect the unique independence that enable USAGM's outlets and grantees to help cultivate a free and open world," the wrote.

They demand to abolish the national security law and defend human rights and freedom in Hong Kong. The bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters, as well as Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for imposing a strict national security law on Hong Kong. Today, the Senate stood up to the communist regime in Beijing and stood with the people of Hong Kong, Toomey said. The legislation "sends a strong, bipartisan message that the United States stands with the people of Hong Kong,'' he added. We must stand up to Chinas continued imperialism and respond strongly to any crackdown in Hong Kong, including reconsideration of China's special trade status with the U.S., Hawley said.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON Senate Republicans could vote as soon as next week on proposed policing changes, an abrupt shift of GOP priorities in an election year as the party rushes to respond to nationwide protests over the deaths of black Americans in interactions with law enforcement. The emerging legislative package, along with President Donald Trump's executive actions announced Tuesday, are perhaps the most ambitious law enforcement changes considered by Republicans in decades. A Republican familiar with the planning but unauthorized to discuss it said voting could happen as soon as next week. We are at the point in the United States where we are at a crossroads, Booker said during a floor speech. Scott's proposal, set to be released Wednesday, shifts money into police training and sets up an officer accreditation system and database of conduct.

December 21: Brooks, Graham, and Hollen The latest on the tragic shooting of two NYPD officers, the cyberattack on Sony by North Korea, the decision to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations, and more, with Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, and Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, and others.

Chris Van Hollen: Normalizing relations with Cuba advances U.S. interests Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, explains why he supports President Obama's decision to shift U.S. policy on Cuba.