Senators expect to pass government funding, coronavirus relief bills this weekend
There s finally a light at the end of the coronavirus relief tunnel.
Months after the last COVID-19 stimulus bill expired, lawmakers say they re about ready to pass a renewal that has support from both parties. They also are finalizing the annual government funding bill, which COVID-19 relief is lumped in with, and expect to pass finalized versions this weekend, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said Thursday.
While boosted unemployment payments and other provisions expired with the previous CARES Act, even more unemployment programs were set to run out at the end of the year. Also expiring Friday is a one-week continuing resolution funding the government, passed last week to keep the government from shutting down as Congress worked out a longer-term deal. Senators may unveil an approximately $900 billion relief package as soon as Thursday,
Another 885,000 Americans filed new jobless claims last week, again more than expected
The latest number of new jobless claims has again come in higher than expected.
The Labor Department said Thursday 885,000 Americans filed new jobless claims last week, up 23,000 claims from the revised level of the week prior. Economists had anticipated that the number of claims would decrease this week to 808,000, CNBC reports. This total was also the highest since the week of Sept. 5, according to CNBC.
Last week, the number of new jobless claims had also risen sharply from 716,000 to 853,000, although that latter number was revised to 862,000 on Thursday. The latest spike in claims comes after the United States on Wednesday reported a record of over 247,000 new COVID-19 cases and over 3,600 COVID-19 deaths, CNN reports.
Pelosi pushes Rep. Deb Haaland for interior secretary as Biden finalizes environmental team
President-elect Joe Biden is putting the final touches on his team leading environmental policy across the U.S., but still has a few key selections left to announce.
After announcing his transportation and energy secretaries this week, as well as his climate czar and head of the Council on Environmental Quality, Biden has yet to name his picks to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department. But Biden is reportedly close to nominating Michael Regan and Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) to those roles, respectively, with the latter getting some high-profile support.
More than 30 states hit Google with a 3rd antitrust lawsuit
Google has been hit with yet another antitrust lawsuit.
Over 30 states on Thursday filed a new antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of anticompetitive actions and of illegally maintaining a search monopoly,
The lawsuit, which was led by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, alleges that Google improperly maintained and extended its search-related monopolies through exclusionary conduct that has harmed consumers, advertisers, and the competitive process itself, including by undermining competitors on search.
New York was among the states that joined the lawsuit, and New York Attorney General Letitia James s office said the states want to counter any advantages that Google gained as a result of its anticompetitive conduct and are asking the court to restore a competitive marketplace,
Alaska health-care worker has severe allergic reaction to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
A health-care worker in Juneau, Alaska, had a severe allergic reaction to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, the first such reaction in the nascent U.S. coronavirus inoculation effort, Alaska officials said Wednesday. The unidentified woman, described as middle-aged with no history of allergies, had an anaphylactic reaction about 10 minutes after getting the shot at Juneau s Bartlett Regional Hospital. She started flushing, a rash appearing on her face and torso, said Lindy Jones, the attending physician who treated the woman. When she arrived at the emergency room she was feeling short of breath, Jones said. She was not wheezy. Her heart rate was elevated. She responded to epinephrine, but then the symptoms reappeared, so she was monitored overnight in the intensive care unit. She has been discharged from the hospital.