Biden taps women for top financial roles in administration
Women also directing budget from congressional perches March 2, 2021 11:03 AM By Nancy Ognanovich
The Senate is on track to confirm two more women this week to help steer economic policy in the Biden administration, adding to a groundbreaking trend of more women in control of government money in the executive and legislative branches.
Gina Raimondo as Commerce secretary and Cecilia Rouse heading the White House Council of Economic Advisers would join Janet Yellen, already confirmed as the nationâs first female treasurer, and other female nominees: Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Isabel Guzman at the Small Business Administration, and Katherine Tai at the trade representativeâs office.
Schumer tees up votes to shut down debate, confirm pick
DHS issues terrorism threat tied to ideological extremism January 27, 2021 5:50 PM By Shaun Courtney and Nancy Ognanovich (Updates with vote timing in fourth paragraph.)
Senate Republicansâ actions to thwart the confirmation of Homeland Security Department nominee Alejandro Mayorkas over immigration policy differences are âirresponsible and unconscionableâ as the country faces threats from domestic extremists, former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff told reporters.
The DHS issued a national terrorism advisory bulletin Wednesday, warning of a heightened threat environment from ideologically motivated violent extremists, including those opposed to the presidential transition.
âBetween a very significant, massive hack that compromised sensitive U.S. government online files, disastrous fires and rain storms and hurricanes, and domestic violence that was an insurrection, I would have thought th
December 16, 2020 7:01 AM By Zachary Sherwood and Brandon Lee
The top four congressional leaders will continue negotiating a Covid-19 relief package today that they could attach to crucial spending legislation ahead of Fridayâs deadline to keep the government open.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met for several hours last night, reporting progress in the talks but with no agreement in hand.
The leaders held two rounds of extended negotiations at the Capitol yesterday, trying to reach agreement for a package of aid for businesses and workers struggling through the pandemicâs economic fallout.
December 14, 2020 7:01 AM By Zachary Sherwood and Brandon Lee
Members of the Electoral College meet today to officially elect Joe Biden, a moment some Republican lawmakers have targeted as the end of President Donald Trumpâs attempts to overturn the results as far as theyâre concerned.
The constitutionally mandated procedure across the 50 states and the District of Columbia usually passes with little notice. But this year, it may help conclude a chaotic election season punctuated by Trumpâs refusal to concede and his frequent insistence, without evidence, that the vote was âriggedâ against him.
Many prominent Republicans joined the president in declining to recognize Bidenâs victory a month ago, saying Trump had a right to pursue legal challenges. That process will have played out once the electors reach a majority of 270 ballots for Biden. Congress will then officially count the Electoral College votes and declare the winner on Jan. 6.
December 10, 2020 7:02 AM By Zachary Sherwood and Brandon Lee
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have given no sign yet that theyâre ready to directly engage in negotiations to sort through competing pandemic relief proposals a step that many lawmakers say will be necessary to complete a deal this month.
The Senate GOP leader is now on board with a $916 billion proposal released Tuesday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, while the House speaker sees a rival $908 billion plan still being drafted by a bipartisan group of lawmakers as the best path to a deal to aid the struggling U.S. economy.