Jeffries makes historic bid to lead House Dems after Pelosi
A day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would step aside, congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York has announced his history-making bid to become the first Black person to helm a major political party in Congress as leader of the House Democrats.
Jan. 6 hearings: What weโve learned, and whatโs next
Through seven hearings this summer, the House Jan. 6 panel has maintained consistent themes: Donald Trumpโs stubborn resistance to advisers who told him that Joe Biden won the election, and the former presidentโs role in inciting the Capitol insurrection.
Castro leads congressional delegation of Carrizo Springs facility tour for unaccompanied migrant children
CARRIZO SPRINGS, Texas โ U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio on Friday led a Democratic congressional delegation tour of the Carrizo Springs Office of Refugee Resettlement facility for unaccompanied children at the border. Castro said the lawmakers visited the facility to make sure the children are being โrespected and humanely treatedโ and to make sure they are placed with their family sponsors or relatives as soon as possible. Castro said the current problems at the border were created by the Trump Administration. President Biden inherited a situation where the previous administration had sought to dismantle the infrastructure for processing asylum seekers in the United States,โ Castro said. Castro also said the Trump Administration used the pandemic as an excuse to expel people who were seeking asylum.
Biden hails House passage of $1.9T virus bill, now to Senate
โWe have no time to waste,โ Biden said at the White House after the House passage early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an โincidentalโ impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.
House passes $1.9T pandemic bill on near party-line vote
The new presidentโs vision for flushing cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an โincidentalโ impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.