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3 big reasons why the Biden climate agenda is floundering
By: Jacob Fischler - April 22, 2022
President Joe Biden’s climate agenda took a hit this month when the Interior Department said it would open up 144,000 acres of federal land for oil and gas development to comply with a court order to restart fossil fuel development. The announcement marked yet another setback for a presidential climate plan that was once seen […]
Biden administration will appeal ruling on travel mask mandate — if CDC says it’s needed
By: Jacob Fischler - April 20, 2022
The Biden administration will appeal a federal judge’s order striking down a mask mandate for air travel and public transit, subject to a decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Justice Department said in a Tuesday night statement. The CDC has yet to conclude that the mandate – which applied in […]
U.S. House panel grills oil executives at hearing on soaring gas prices
By: Jacob Fischler - April 7, 2022
Democrats blamed the oil industry, Republicans blamed President Joe Biden, and oil executives blamed global market forces at a U.S. House hearing Wednesday on how to reverse a dramatic increase in gas prices. Over nearly six hours, members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and executives from six oil companies […]
Jackson wins 3 GOP votes as U.S. Senate advances her Supreme Court nomination
By: Jacob Fischler - April 5, 2022
The U.S. Senate advanced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic Supreme Court nomination in a 53-47 procedural vote Monday evening, hours after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked along party lines. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah voted with all 50 Senate Democrats on the procedural vote Monday. The […]
U.S. House votes to decriminalize marijuana in federal law
By: Jacob Fischler - April 4, 2022
The U.S. House passed legislation Friday to legalize marijuana nationally, but its future is much less clear in the Senate. The House voted, 220-204, to approve the measure, which would fix the split between federal law and 19 states where recreational marijuana is legal. Three Republicans joined all but two Democrats in approving the measure. […]
Ketanji Brown Jackson wins bipartisan support for U.S. Supreme Court with Collins backing
By: Jacob Fischler - March 30, 2022
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to a seat on the Supreme Court, she said Wednesday, becoming the first Republican to pledge her support for President Joe Biden’s pick to replace retiring Associate Justice Stephen Breyer. Collins, of Maine, said in a statement Jackson had “sterling” academic and professional credentials. […]
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas pressed to recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases
By: Jacob Fischler - March 30, 2022
Two dozen congressional Democrats are calling for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from cases involving the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, following revelations his wife communicated with the Trump White House about overturning the election. In addition, it appears likely that the U.S. House committee probing the attack will […]
U.S. Senate winds up grueling Supreme Court hearings on Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination
By: Jacob Fischler - March 24, 2022
WASHINGTON – Representatives of the American Bar Association reiterated their finding that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is well qualified to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, and law enforcement groups rebutted GOP accusations Jackson is soft on child pornographers during the final day of Jackson’s confirmation hearings Thursday. Republicans, however, called in witnesses to continue […]
What senators asked Ketanji Brown Jackson on the third day of U.S. Supreme Court hearings
By: Jacob Fischler - March 23, 2022
WASHINGTON — Members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee picked up Wednesday morning where they left off Tuesday evening in questioning Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her judicial philosophy, sentencing practices and personal background. Two senators, Democrat Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Republican Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who did not question […]
Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans
By: Jacob Fischler - March 22, 2022
WASHINGTON – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses, and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her record […]
U.S. Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to start Monday
By: Jacob Fischler - March 21, 2022
After more than two weeks of private meetings with nearly half the U.S. Senate, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, will field questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee in highly anticipated public hearings that begin Monday. Members of the panel will question Jackson for two full days, following […]
Zelenskyy reminds Congress of Pearl Harbor and 9/11 in pleading for U.S. help for Ukraine
By: Jennifer Shutt and Jacob Fischler - March 16, 2022
WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday invoked the Pearl Harbor attacks ahead of World War II and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while urging the United States to do more to stop the Russian war against his country. During the speech, delivered virtually to members of Congress in an auditorium on Capitol Hill, Zelenskyy […]