Salem protest against coronavirus restrictions flares at Capitol, governor’s mansion
Updated Jan 01, 2021;
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Roughly 200 people gathered at the Capitol in Salem to protest government-ordered coronavirus lockdown measures they say violate their liberty, and speakers urged steps including purposefully spreading the virus to achieve herd immunity and using guns to defend restaurants that defy state orders to offer takeout meals only.
Many in the crowd didn’t wear masks. Some waved flags decrying far-left group antifa. Chants of “USA! USA! USA” rang out as U.S. flags flapped noisily in the brisk wind.
After more than an hour of speeches on the Capitol steps and as a hard rain fell, the group marched the nearly two miles to Mahonia Hall, the home to Oregon governors, and continued the protest there. They chanted “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “USA!” as they walked.
House passes two-day measure to keep government funded past midnight deadline Susan Ferrechio
The House Friday passed a measure to keep the government funded until Sunday at midnight.
The legislation will provide Republican and Democratic leaders additional time to hammer out final differences in a coronavirus aid package they plan to bundle with 2021 government spending legislation.
Government funding runs out at midnight, so the vote is on track to happen in the Senate later Friday night.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told reporters in the Capitol Friday the Senate would attempt to pass the bill by voice vote, but there may be objections from lawmakers in both parties.
GOP senator says relief talks are in the same place, no progress
From CNN s Ted Barrett and Ali Zaslav
Rod Lamkey/Pool/Getty Images
The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Thune, said Friday that Covid-19 relief talks are in the same place.
“Kind of the same place, no progress,” Thune said, when asked if he had an update on the negotiations.
Congressional leaders are scrambling to finalize a $900 billion Covid-19 relief deal before tonight s midnight deadline to fund the government. Relief and the shutdown deadline are tied together since leaders want to tie the relief deal to a $1.4 trillion funding bill to keep the government open through next September.
Representatives are venting about the lack of information on the stimulus talks
From CNN s Manu Raju Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
As congressional leaders scramble to finalize a possible Covid-19 relief deal, there’s a lot of frustration on the floor among rank-and-file House members who are shut out of the talks and have no information about timing, what’s in the deal, or when they may vote or if they’ll vote soon to keep the government open past midnight, according to members in both parties.
“What the hell is going on?” one Democrat said, summing up the frustration on the floor.
Congress?s inability to break gridlock could mean working through the holidays in Washington washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.