Lawmakers announce 'framework' on bill to keep gov't open
Lawmakers leading the negotiations on a bill to fund the federal government for the current fiscal year say they’ve reached agreement on a “framework” that should allow them to complete work on the bill over the next week and avoid a government shutdown.
Child tax credit tussle reflects debate over work incentives
President Joe Biden and leading Democratic lawmakers, including Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, have been fighting to make permanent a child tax credit that would give families at least $300 a month per child.
House Republicans opt to restore earmarks after lengthy ban
House Republicans narrowly voted Wednesday, March 17, to allow their members to seek earmarks under certain conditions, making a clean break from a decade-long ban against seeking money for specific projects back home. Scott Applewhite, File)WASHINGTON – House Republicans narrowly voted Wednesday to allow their members to seek earmarks under certain conditions, making a clean break from a decade-long ban against seeking money for specific projects back home. The 102-84 vote changes the party's internal rules and allows Republicans to join the Democratic House majority as it puts in place a new process for earmarks in spending and transportation bills. “I think members here know what’s most important about what’s going on in their district, not Biden,” McCarthy said. Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that even if Republicans and Democrats start requesting earmarks for local projects in future bills, he will not participate.
Democratic push to revive earmarks divides Republicans
A dirty word for many Republicans is making the rounds on Capitol Hill -- earmarks. It's a question that's vexing Republicans as they consider whether to join a Democratic push to revive earmarks, the much-maligned practice where lawmakers direct federal spending to a specific project or institution back home. Democratic appropriators in the House see a solution and are proposing a revamped process allowing lawmakers to submit public requests for “community project funding” in federal spending bills. The ranking Republican on the committee, Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri, said earmarks would not increase the amount of money spent in a bill. “That’s something I feel pretty strongly about.”Norman worries that earmarks would be used to entice Republicans to vote for bills with expensive price tags.
Child tax credit expansion sets up showdown with GOP
(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The massive coronavirus relief plan making its way to President Joe Biden’s desk includes a plan to temporarily raise the child tax credit that could end up permanently changing the way the country deals with child poverty. The American Rescue Plan, expected to receive final approval this week, temporarily raises the child tax credit, now at a maximum of $2,000, to as much as $3,600 per child annually. Indeed, Biden himself told House Democrats during a private call last week that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child. That's the case made by some Republican lawmakers in offering an alternative to the Biden proposal. Because the benefit currently expires after a year, the Biden plan essentially creates a potential fiscal cliff for child poverty.
Child tax credit expansion sets up showdown with GOP
(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The massive coronavirus relief plan making its way to President Joe Biden’s desk includes a plan to temporarily raise the child tax credit that could end up permanently changing the way the country deals with child poverty. The American Rescue Plan, expected to receive final approval this week, temporarily raises the child tax credit, now at a maximum of $2,000, to as much as $3,600 per child annually. Indeed, Biden himself told House Democrats during a private call last week that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child. That's the case made by some Republican lawmakers in offering an alternative to the Biden proposal. Because the benefit currently expires after a year, the Biden plan essentially creates a potential fiscal cliff for child poverty.
Dems propose $1,400 payments as part of Biden virus relief
Less than three weeks into his presidency, Biden has declared that vanquishing the virus and resuscitating the economy are his top priorities. AdHouse Education and Labor Committee Democrats also previewed their plans Monday. Couples who make up to $150,000 would be entitled to $2,800 relief payments, which would gradually diminish and fully disappear for those earning $200,000. Biden has said he will not allow the per-person payments to fall below $1,400 but has indicated flexibility on the income thresholds. A federal law known as COBRA already allows them to temporarily keep their old employer’s health plan, but they typically have to pay prohibitively high premiums.
Overlooked in Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan: A push to cut child poverty in half
The price needs to be weighed against the heavy cost that child poverty imposes on society, said Hilary Hoynes, a UC Berkeley economist and expert on poverty. AdvertisementCutting child poverty would create additional “benefits to society, and the benefits can be quite large,” Hoynes said. Plans for expanded child payments have had bipartisan support — at least in theory. In a Senate speech last week, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) cited child payments as an issue on which Republicans and the administration might cooperate. “The expansion of the child tax credit will be permanent.”
latimes.comDeadly siege focuses attention on Capitol Police
This undated image provided by the United States Capitol Police shows U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, of injuries sustained during the riot at the Capitol. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died Thursday night from injuries suffered during the riot. Another disturbing video shows a bloodied police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. Still, the riot — and Sicknick's death — focused renewed attention on Capitol Police, a force of more than 2,300 officers and civilian employees that protects the Capitol, lawmakers, staff and visitors. Capitol Police turned them down both times, according to senior defense officials and two people familiar with the matter.
U.S. Congress approves, sends to Trump $8.3 billion to fight coronavirus
Trump initially requested $2.5 billion, with much of that coming from previously appropriated funds. New York states confirmed coronavirus cases have doubled to 22, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell said the legislation will provide $11.5 million to help her states health department respond to the crisis. The money to fight coronavirus includes over $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, test kits and medical treatments. Besides dispatching money throughout the United States, the bill approved by Congress also would provide for low-interest federal loans to businesses affected by a coronavirus outbreak.
feeds.reuters.comU.S. Senate nears passage of $8.3 billion coronavirus funding as concerns mount
A man in a face mask rides the subway in Manhattan, New York City, after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed in New York, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew KellyA Senate vote would follow House passage of the legislation on Wednesday, 415-2. The money to fight coronavirus includes over $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, test kits and medical treatments. Another $2.2 billion would aid public health activities on prevention, preparedness and response to outbreaks. The funding bill moving through Congress also would provide for low-interest federal loans to businesses affected by a coronavirus outbreak.
feeds.reuters.comHere are the House Democrats who haven't called for impeachment
Getty Images(CNN) - While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, there are some House Democrats who aren't fully on board yet. As the list of House Democrats who support the opening of an impeachment inquiry has climbed in recent days, these are the 40 House Democrats who have not made public statements in support of starting an impeachment inquiry or have only posited conditional support for it. Rep. Terri Sewell of AlabamaRep. Tom O'Halleran of ArizonaRep. Mike Thompson of CaliforniaRep. Josh Harder of CaliforniaRep. Ed Perlmutter of ColoradoRep. Rosa DeLauro of ConnecticutRep. Al Lawson of FloridaRep. Stephanie Murphy of FloridaRep. Frederica Wilson of FloridaRep. Donna Shalala of FloridaRep. Lucy McBath of GeorgiaRep. Ed Case of HawaiiRep. Tulsi Gabbard of HawaiiRep. Dan Lipinski of IllinoisRep. Cheri Bustos of IllinoisRep. Pete Visclosky of IndianaRep. Sharice Davids of KansasRep. Jared Golden of MaineRep. Stephen Lynch of MassachusettsRep. Collin Peterson of MinnesotaRep. Susie Lee of NevadaRep. Steven Horsford of NevadaRep. Jeff Van Drew of New JerseyRep. Andy Kim of New JerseyRep. Xochitl Torres Small of New MexicoRep. Max Rose of New YorkRep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New YorkRep. Anthony Brindisi of New YorkRep. Kendra Horn of OklahomaRep. Kurt Schrader of OregonRep. Susan Wild of PennsylvaniaRep. Conor Lamb of PennsylvaniaRep. Joe Cunningham of South CarolinaRep. Vicente Gonzalez of TexasRep. Henry Cuellar of TexasRep. Sylvia Garcia of TexasRep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of TexasRep. Colin Allred of TexasRep. Ben McAdams of UtahRep. Ron Kind of WisconsinThe-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
House bill would block 2026 Men's World Cup funding until women's team receives 'equitable wages'
The GOALS Act would block federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup which will be hosted, jointly, by Canada, Mexico and the U.S. until the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) pays the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) "fair and equitable wages." The World Cup is over, but the fight for equal compensation on the field continues. Earlier in July, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin introduced a bill that would ban federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup until the USSF pays the women's and men's team equitably. U.S. viewership of the 2019 Women's World Cup final was 22% higher than the 2018 men's final, according to a statement from Fox Sports. The USWNT's lawsuit states that the Women's National Team Player's Association (WNTPA) has proposed a revenue-sharing model, describing a proposal that would tie player compensation to revenue generated by the women's national team for USSF, which the men's national team supports.
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