News
McCarthy abandons another bid for U.S. House speaker, votes on spending bills canceled
WASHINGTON – California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday evening he will not try to become speaker for a second time, ending his tenure holding the gavel after eight GOP lawmakers and Democrats voted to remove him from leadership. “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else,” McCarthy said. […]
U.S. House votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker
WASHINGTON – Dissident Republicans in the U.S. House voted with Democrats on Tuesday to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, a historic move that came just nine months after he secured the gavel following days of negotiating with the GOP’s right flank and 15 rounds of voting. It wasn’t immediately clear after the vote how the […]
Bipartisan U.S. Senate group to travel to East Asia amid rising China tensions
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Idaho Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo will lead a bipartisan delegation to China, Japan, and South Korea next week, Schumer’s office said Tuesday. The trip, scheduled for a week when the Senate will not be in session, comes amid escalating tensions with China, including the country’s internet regulator […]
Amid climate concerns, bill would curb Poland Spring’s long-term water extraction deals
In rural areas of Maine, local activists have long been concerned about resource extraction by bottled water giant Poland Spring, expressing worries about the environmental impacts and arguing that communities should have more control over their own groundwater supply given the escalating climate crisis. Now, water rights advocates are lining up behind a bill that […]
State biologists discover spiny water flea, an invasive species, in Winnipesaukee
State biologists have discovered a new invasive aquatic species in New Hampshire – deep at the bottom of Lake Winnipesaukee. The spiny water flea is a microscopic water animal that does not harm humans but can affect fish, according to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. It can “negatively impact aquatic food webs by […]
Federal program to encourage universal school meals sees low NH take-up
This story was updated on Oct. 3 at 12:03 p.m. to correct the date that the USDA rule change takes effect. The program is designed around a simple tradeoff. A public school with a sufficient percentage of low-income students agrees to provide free school meals for all students. In return it receives additional funds from […]
Next battle in Congress over Ukraine aid, as Biden presses House speaker for vote
WASHINGTON – Republican and Democratic lawmakers are searching for a way to clear more aid for Ukraine, after Congress approved a short-term spending bill that didn’t include any additional money for the country. President Joe Biden on Sunday said that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to find the votes needed to pass a supplemental […]
Congress takes aim at state animal welfare laws
Earlier this year, Oregon Democrats pushed through state legislation that allows local governments to require setbacks between neighbors and factory farming operations. The law prohibits farms from drawing unlimited amounts of free groundwater and requires farmers to apply for a permit before applying manure to their fields. It’s the kind of state regulation at risk […]
‘Bigger than before’: New Hampshire Black Lives Matter chapters merge
The state’s three Black Lives Matter chapters are merging to form a single statewide nonprofit: Black Lives Matter New Hampshire. The consolidation, leaders say, will allow the organization to build its collective power, as well as boost organizing and outreach efforts throughout New Hampshire. The chapters in Manchester, Nashua, and the Seacoast region have already […]
Congress clears bill to avert shutdown, with vote promised later on Ukraine aid
WASHINGTON – Congress approved a bill Saturday night that would stave off a government shutdown until at least mid-November, though the measure doesn’t include Ukraine aid backed by both Republicans and Democrats. The bipartisan 88-9 vote in the U.S. Senate, just hours before a midnight deadline, took place after the U.S. House earlier in the […]
Government shutdown nears: U.S. House GOP fails to pass one-month spending plan
WASHINGTON — A sweeping government shutdown appeared inevitable on Friday, with the U.S. Senate stuck in a procedural holding pattern on its bipartisan stopgap bill and divided U.S. House Republicans unable to pass their short-term spending bill. Both chambers of Congress must approve and President Joe Biden must sign government funding legislation before midnight on […]
Lottery Commission delays hearing on Sanborn casino license
A hearing over whether to revoke the casino license of former state Sen. Andy Sanborn after fraud allegations by the Attorney General’s Office has been delayed by 10 days, according to the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. The hearing, set for Tuesday, Oct. 3, will instead be held Friday, Oct. 13, a spokesman for the commission […]