INSIDER
A Michigan Senate candidate aims to achieve what no Republican has done in three decades
Read full article: A Michigan Senate candidate aims to achieve what no Republican has done in three decadesFormer Representative Mike Rogers is attempting to become the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate race in Michigan in 30 years.
Betting on elections threatens confidence in voting and should be banned, US agency says
Read full article: Betting on elections threatens confidence in voting and should be banned, US agency saysThe federal government is warning that allowing people to bet on the outcome of U.S. elections poses too much of a risk to be allowed in the United States.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Michigan's state primaries
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Michigan's state primariesWhile Michigan remains one of the crown jewels of the fall presidential campaign, the focus now turns to state primaries that may play a major role in deciding control of the narrowly divided U.S. Senate, U.S. House and state legislature.
Trump is proposing to make tips tax-free. What would that mean for workers?
Read full article: Trump is proposing to make tips tax-free. What would that mean for workers?Former President Donald Trumpโs proposal to exclude tips from federal taxes is getting strong reviews from some Republican lawmakers.
Schumer, Democrats urge Justice Department to prosecute alleged oil industry collusion, price-fixing
Read full article: Schumer, Democrats urge Justice Department to prosecute alleged oil industry collusion, price-fixingSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and 22 other Democratic senators are calling on the Justice Department to prevent and prosecute alleged collusion and price-fixing in the oil industry.
The unexpected, under-the-radar Senate race in Michigan that could determine control of the chamber
Read full article: The unexpected, under-the-radar Senate race in Michigan that could determine control of the chamberThe retirement of Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow has opened a Senate seat in Michigan.
Bankman-Fried's trial exposed crypto fraud but Congress has not been eager to regulate the industry
Read full article: Bankman-Fried's trial exposed crypto fraud but Congress has not been eager to regulate the industryThe conviction of former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried for stealing at least $10 billion from customers and investors is the latest black mark for the crypto industry.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers enters Michigan Senate race as the first prominent Republican
Read full article: Former Rep. Mike Rogers enters Michigan Senate race as the first prominent RepublicanFormer Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who served seven terms in the U.S. House, is running for U.S. Senate in Michigan.
Former Republican congressman Mike Rogers expected to run for US Senate in Michigan, AP sources say
Read full article: Former Republican congressman Mike Rogers expected to run for US Senate in Michigan, AP sources sayFormer U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers is expected to soon announce a bid for Michiganโs open U.S. Senate seat next year.
Hill Harper, an actor on 'CSI: NY' and 'The Good Doctor,' is running for the US Senate in Michigan
Read full article: Hill Harper, an actor on 'CSI: NY' and 'The Good Doctor,' is running for the US Senate in MichiganAn actor best known for his roles on โCSI: NYโ and โThe Good Doctorโ will run for Michiganโs open U.S. Senate seat and challenge U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin for the Democratic nomination.
EXPLAINER: US-European differences on climate law persist
Read full article: EXPLAINER: US-European differences on climate law persistPresident Joe Biden is trying to allay concerns raised by French President Emmanuel Macron about a clean energy law that benefits electric vehicles and other products made in North America.
Most electric vehicles won't qualify for federal tax credit
Read full article: Most electric vehicles won't qualify for federal tax creditA tax credit of up to $7,500 could be used to defray the cost of an electric vehicle under the Inflation Reduction Act now moving toward final approval in Congress.
New crypto oversight legislation arrives as industry shakes
Read full article: New crypto oversight legislation arrives as industry shakesAfter 13 years, at least three crashes, dozens of scams and Ponzi schemes and hundreds of billions of dollars made and evaporated, cryptocurrencies finally have the full attention of Congress.
Schumer: Dems will push ahead on pared down economic measure
Read full article: Schumer: Dems will push ahead on pared down economic measureSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats will push ahead on restraining pharmaceutical prices and extending health insurance subsidies for millions of Americans.
Federal watchdog: Trump's USDA overpaid corn farmers by $3B
Read full article: Federal watchdog: Trump's USDA overpaid corn farmers by $3BA federal watchdog says the Trump administration overpaid corn farmers by about $3 billion in federal aid in 2019 and that farmers in the South were paid more for the same crops than elsewhere in the country.
Mental health clinics angle for a spot in Biden budget bill
Read full article: Mental health clinics angle for a spot in Biden budget billAn innovative program to help people with mental health and substance abuse problems is being primed for a major expansion as the COVID-19 pandemic deepens struggles with drug use, depression and anxiety for many Americans.
Biden goes in for cherries on campaign-style Michigan trip
Read full article: Biden goes in for cherries on campaign-style Michigan tripPresident Joe Biden stayed mum on policy during a Saturday trip to Michigan, focusing instead on cherries and on voters who were mask-free amid eased coronavirus restrictions.
Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, and now things get tougher
Read full article: Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, and now things get tougherScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Tough as it was for Democrats, passing President Joe Bidenโs sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package into law was the easy part. Bidenโs signing of the American Rescue Plan on Thursday marks a milestone for his administration and for Democrats who have command of the House, Senate and White House for the first time in a decade. If Senate Republicans start blocking the legislation, Democrats are prepared to force them into long days and nights of dramatic floor filibusters, like the movie version in โMr. The filibuster gives the minority enormous ability to halt action, and Senate Democrats used it plenty of times when they were out of power. Still, Biden's infrastructure package may be one bill that could win over Republican support.
Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, agenda now a slog in Congress
Read full article: Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, agenda now a slog in CongressScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Tough as it was for Democrats, passing President Joe Bidenโs sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package into law was the easy part. If Senate Republicans start blocking the legislation, Democrats are prepared to force them into long days and nights of dramatic floor filibusters, like the movie version in โMr. The filibuster gives the minority enormous ability to halt action, and Senate Democrats used it plenty of times when they were out of power. Still, Biden's infrastructure package may be one bill that could win over Republican support. Doubting bipartisanship will emerge, there is growing support among Democratic senators to do away with the filibuster if Republicans use it to block Biden's bills.
'We can do big things,' Schumer says as Senate approves aid
Read full article: 'We can do big things,' Schumer says as Senate approves aidSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leaves the chamber just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Senate passage sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. AdโLessons learned: If we have unity, we can do big things,โ Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview after the vote. The outcome โgives us optimism about doing more big things in the future โ because it worked,โ he said. He and Schumer spoke often as the Senate leader steered the pandemic aid to approval.
Manchin, key Senate swing vote, boosts West Virginia's hopes
Read full article: Manchin, key Senate swing vote, boosts West Virginia's hopesScott Applewhite, File)CHARLESTON, W.Va. โ West Virginia has long proclaimed itself โAlmost Heaven,โ a nod to a song and soaring mountaintop vistas. But Manchin, who grew up in the mountain town of Farmington, has emerged as a key swing vote in a divided Senate. Not since Robert Byrdโs death in 2010 has a senator from West Virginia wielded this much influence. With his centrist instincts in such a red state, Manchin has occasionally been the subject of rumors he'll switch parties. โWe're hoping Senator Manchin remembers that he represents some of the poorest people in this country,โ Kerner said.
Biden, Yellen say GOP virus aid too small, Democrats push on
Read full article: Biden, Yellen say GOP virus aid too small, Democrats push onFrom left, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joined the Democratic senators for a private virtual meeting, both declaring the Republicans' $618 billion offer was too small. โPresident Biden spoke about the need for Congress to respond boldly and quickly,โ Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the lunch meeting. The president made it clear that he wonโt delay aid in hopes of winning GOP support. Biden proposes $170 billion for schools, compared to $20 billion in the Republican plan.
Democrats to 'act big' on $1.9T aid; GOP wants plan split
Read full article: Democrats to 'act big' on $1.9T aid; GOP wants plan splitIn this Jan. 27, 2021, photo, President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Democrats in the House and Senate are operating as though they know they are borrowed time. Schumer said he drew from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's advice to โact bigโ to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former White House budget director under George W. Bush, wants a deeper accounting of what funds remain from the $900 billion coronavirus aid package from December. โThe risks of going too small dramatically outweigh the risks of going too big,โ said Gene Sperling, a former director of the White House National Economic Council, who signed the letter.
Key departures signal agriculture shakeup for Capitol Hill
Read full article: Key departures signal agriculture shakeup for Capitol HillMINNEAPOLIS โ The reelection defeat of U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson in Minnesota and some key retirements mean a shakeup is coming for the industry on Capitol Hill, with power likely to shift from the Midwest to the South and the coasts. Both the House and Senate agriculture committees will get new chairs, and there will be a new top Republican on the House panel. Fischbach plans to seek a seat on the Agriculture Committee, but she'll have to draw heavily on her legislative skills to have much of an influence as a freshman in the minority party. Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan is the only one of the top four agriculture committee leaders returning in 2021. Neither Roberts nor Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas, the ranking Republican in the House committee, sought reelection.
Low-key Democrat tries to hang onto Senate seat in Michigan
Read full article: Low-key Democrat tries to hang onto Senate seat in MichiganPeters was the only non-incumbent Democrat to win a Senate election in 2014, when he prevailed easily despite the GOPโs successes nationally and in Michigan. All largely back both Biden and Peters, but a bigger percentage remain undecided in the Senate race, according to some polls. He said he ranks as one of the most bipartisan Senate Democrats and, despite being a freshman in the minority, has written and passed more of his bills than any other senator. Before winning promotion to the Senate, Peters was a congressman, lottery commissioner and state senator and served in the Navy Reserve. Stu Sandler, a consultant for James' campaign, said support for Peters is โsoft all around.
House easily passes stopgap funding bill, averting shutdown
Read full article: House easily passes stopgap funding bill, averting shutdownThe final agreement gives the administration continued immediate authority to dole out Agriculture Department subsidies in the run-up to Election Day. This is cash flow to mom and pop businesses all over rural America," said Texas Rep. Michael Conaway, top Republican on the House Agriculture Committee. Trump announced a new $13 billion allotment of bailout funding at a political rally in Wisconsin last week. But the financial fix had been passed before, and other Democrats, including endangered House incumbents in states like Iowa and Minnesota, pressed for it. In the past, both Democrats and Republicans have sought to use government funding deadlines and must-past temporary funding bills as leverage to try to win concessions elsewhere on Washington's agenda.
At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus response
Read full article: At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus responseAudience members watch from their cars as Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, seen on a monitor, speaks during a CNN town hall in Moosic, Pa., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus response
Read full article: At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus responseBiden faced a half-dozen questions about the coronavirus and a potential vaccine in the town hall from moderator Anderson Cooper and audience members. The town hall was the first time that Biden had faced live, unscripted questions from voters since winning the nomination. Trump participated in a town hall Tuesday in an auditorium in Philadelphia. Trump signaled he'd been watching the town hall before he took the stage for a rally in Misonee, Wisconsin, on Thursday night. โTheyโve got cars ... itโs the weirdest thing Iโve ever seen.โTrump's ABC town hall was held inside a half-empty auditorium, with attendees socially distanced and wearing masks.
At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus response
Read full article: At town hall, Biden blasts Trump's 'criminal' virus responseAudience members watch from their cars as Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, seen on a monitor, speaks during a CNN town hall in Moosic, Pa., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
US Sen. Stabenow urges USDA to extend food program waivers
Read full article: US Sen. Stabenow urges USDA to extend food program waiversThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will not continue to provide food program waivers that have ensured students are fed while schools are closed during the coronavirus pandemic unless Congress acts, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan warned Tuesday. Some children get their only meals at school. Should Congress choose to go in this direction, USDA stands ready to provide technical assistance.The USDA did not return a request for further comment Tuesday. She said she hoped it was not coming from the Trump administrations push to put students back in schools for in-person instruction. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Negotiators huddle in Capitol after $600 benefit expires
Read full article: Negotiators huddle in Capitol after $600 benefit expiresWhatever unemployment aid negotiators agree on will be made retroactive but antiquated state unemployment systems are likely to take weeks to restore the benefits. The White House on Thursday offered a one-week extension of the $600 weekly unemployment benefit, top Democrats said. Without action, the unemployment benefit ran out Friday and both the House and Senate have left Washington. Trump undercut their position by signaling he wants to keep the full $600 benefit for now. Very disappointed in @SenSchumer for blocking the temporary extension of the $600 unemployment benefits.
GOP tucks $8 billion for military weaponry in virus bill
Read full article: GOP tucks $8 billion for military weaponry in virus billThe Republican measure includes billions for F-35 fighters, Apache helicopters and infantry carriers sought by Washingtons powerful defense lobby. The $8 billion weapons procurement package is part of a $29.4 billion defense portion of the GOP's $1 trillion coronavirus response measure, a White House-backed package released Monday. Providing that money now would help build headroom into the annual defense funding bill that Congress plans to write later this year. The weapons bazaar galled Democrats whose votes will be required to pass the bill amid widespread divisions inside the Senate GOP conference on the measure. It instead delivered informal requests to the powerful lawmakers like Shelby who sit atop the defense funding panel, aides say.
Congress weighs choice: Go big on virus aid or hit pause
Read full article: Congress weighs choice: Go big on virus aid or hit pauseLawmakers are wrestling over whether to go big as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants for the next relief bill or hit pause as McConnell insists. As questions mount over Washington's proper role, it's testing President Donald Trump and Congress. Republican priorities are to wean Americans off unemployment benefits to nudge people back to work and provide liability protections for businesses that reopen. We need to work smart here.The political and economic debate stretches beyond the halls of Congress as wary Americans await Washington's next move. The poll found that about 9 in 10 Americans favored the federal government providing funding to small businesses and hospitals.
GOP rising star John James faces trouble at top of ticket
Read full article: GOP rising star John James faces trouble at top of ticket(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)Michigan Senate candidate John James has been called a rising star of the Republican Party so many times its become a cliche. He has caught the attention of big donors and received the enthusiastic, all-caps praise of President Donald Trump on Twitter. He checks all the boxes, so to speak, from a candidate perspective, said former Michigan Republican Party chairman Saul Anuzis. Although Trump narrowly won Michigan four years ago, the mood seems to be turning away from the president and the GOP. In a Fox News poll last month, 44% of Michigan voters had a favorable opinion of Trump, with 52% unfavorable.