Politics
- PoliticsAssociated Press
Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars. The bill passed the Senate on an overwhelming 79-18 vote late Tuesday after the House had approved the package Saturday. Biden, who worked with congressional leaders to win support, said in a statement immediately after passage that he will sign it Wednesday and sta
5 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Casey and McCormick to face each other as nominees in Pennsylvania's high-stakes US Senate contest
Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick will face each other in Pennsylvania's high-stakes U.S. Senate contest this fall, as Tuesday’s primary election put the men on track for a race that is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and help decide control of the Senate next year. Casey and McCormick won their respective party primary contests after they were uncontested and now enter what is likely to be a grueling, expensive and hard-fought 2024 general ele
5 min read - PoliticsUSA TODAY
Congress passes TikTok sell-or-ban bill, but legal battles loom
Lawmakers argue that the popular social media app poses a national security threat. TikTok has pledged to fight the policy in court.
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
George Santos ends comeback bid for Congress after raising no money
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos on Tuesday said he is dropping his longshot bid to return to Congress, months after he was expelled from the House while facing a slew of federal fraud charges. Santos, who was running as an independent candidate for the 1st Congressional District in New York, said he was withdrawing from the race in a post on the social media platform X. The announcement came after the disgraced former congressman's campaign committee reported no fundraising or expenditures in M
2 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Secretive conservative donor group meets to draw up 2024 plans — with a call-in from Trump
Former President Donald Trump spent last week stuck in New York City for the beginning of his hush money trial.
5 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
How one 'Squad' member avoided an avalanche of pro-Israel money
Rep. Summer Lee ran on President Joe Biden's agenda while benefitting from a sea change on Israel among the Democratic base.
4 min read - USAssociated Press
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Puerto Rico's Democratic presidential primary
Puerto Rico will hold a Democratic presidential primary on Sunday, which will be the only opportunity most registered voters on the island will have to officially weigh in on the race for the White House. Like other U.S. territories, voters in Puerto Rico can’t cast ballots in the general election but may participate in presidential primaries and send delegates to both the Democratic and Republican national conventions this summer. President Joe Biden has already won enough delegates to secure
5 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Congress sends Biden a bill that could ban TikTok — after the 2024 election
Congress voted to set up a path for a TikTok ban in the U.S. within a year, meaning the app will not be banned until after the 2024 election.
7 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
George Santos' bid for Congress flopped after he raised $0
George Santos suspended his bid to return to Congress, saying he didn't want to split the GOP vote. But his campaign also reported no money.
2 min read - BusinessAssociated Press
Biden administration is announcing plans for up to 12 lease sales for offshore wind energy
The Biden administration is preparing to announce plans for a new five-year schedule to lease federal offshore tracts for wind energy production, with up to a dozen lease sales anticipated beginning this year and continuing through 2028. The plan was to be announced Wednesday in New Orleans by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. "As we look toward the future, this new leasing schedule will support the types of renewable energy projects needed to lower consumer costs, combat climate change, create
1 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
The Supreme Court is about to decide if a president can get away with committing crimes while in office
Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to recognize that he had total legal immunity as president.
9 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Biden's long fight with Republicans over Ukraine aid has ended, but significant damage has been done
President Joe Biden's long, painful battle with Republicans in Congress to secure urgently needed assistance for Ukraine will end Wednesday when he signs into law a $95 billion war aid measure that also includes support for Israel, Taiwan and other allies. Biden is expected to quickly approve the transfer of an initial aid package of about $1 billion in military assistance — the first tranche from about $61 billion allocated for Ukraine, according to U.S. officials.
8 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Rep. Summer Lee fends off a primary challenge in a race that tested Democratic sentiment over Israel
NBC News projects that Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive member of the “Squad,” defeated fellow Democrat Bhavini Patel in Pennsylvania’s 12th District primary.
5 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Bob Casey and Dave McCormick advance to the general election in Pennsylvania, setting up a key race for Senate control
Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick are officially set to face off in Pennsylvania’s Senate race this fall after winning their primaries.
6 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
What to listen for during Supreme Court arguments on Donald Trump and presidential immunity
The Supreme Court hears arguments Thursday over whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a case charging him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. It's a historic day for the court, with the justices having an opportunity to decide once and for all whether former presidents can be prosecuted for official acts they take while in the White House. The court marshal will bang the gavel at 10 a.m. EDT and Chief Justice John Roberts will announce soon aft
4 min read - USAssociated Press
A conservative quest to limit diversity programs gains momentum in states
A conservative quest to limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives is gaining momentum in state capitals and college governing boards, with officials in about one-third of the states now taking some sort of action against it. Tennessee became the latest when the Republican governor this week signed legislation that would prohibit banks and other financial institutions from considering a customer's participation — or lack thereof — in “diversity, equity and inclusion training” or “social
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Arizona Democrats attempt to repeal the state’s 19th century abortion ban
For a third straight week, Democrats at the Arizona Legislature are attempting Wednesday to repeal the state's near-total ban on abortions, again spotlighting an issue that has put Republicans on the defensive in a battleground state for the presidential election. Republicans have used procedural votes to block earlier repeal efforts, each time drawing condemnation from Democratic President Joe Biden, who has made his support for abortion access central to his campaign for reelection. Arizona
3 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Biden tries to navigate the Israel-Hamas war protests roiling college campuses
Student protests over the war in Gaza have created a new and unpredictable challenge for President Joe Biden as he resists calls to cut off U.S. support for Israel while trying to hold together the coalition of voters he'll need for reelection. The protests at Columbia University in New York and other campuses have captured global media attention and resurfaced questions about Biden’s lagging support from young voters. At best for Biden, the protests are a passing distraction while the White H
7 min read - WorldAssociated Press
A look at what's in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House
A look at what's in the $95 billion package passed by the Senate on Tuesday that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. President Joe Biden has promised to sign the package Wednesday. The overall amount provided to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons would be $13.8 billion.
1 min read - PoliticsThe Guardian
Senate passes bill banning TikTok if parent company does not sell it
Bill gives app owner, ByteDance, a year to divest, and while Biden is expected to sign it, the company plans to fight it
3 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
These 18 senators voted against Ukraine and Israel aid
The foreign aid package, which included a bill to force a sale of TikTok, easily cleared the Senate and now heads to Biden's desk.
2 min read - PoliticsThe Guardian
Biden and Trump clinch Pennsylvania primaries shortly after polls close
Nikki Haley got 21% despite not being on the ballot, indicating level of Republican discontent with Trump
5 min read - PoliticsThe Guardian
US Senate passes $95bn in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
The Senate, in a bipartisan super-majority, overwhelmingly voted to advance the measure, which Joe Biden is expected to sign
5 min read - PoliticsHuffPost
Lawmakers Hope TikTok Is Just The Start Of Push To Rein In Social Media Harms
Legislators in Congress have introduced a bunch of proposals for addressing online harms, but it’s not clear if they’ll move.
6 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
Senate passes bill that could ban TikTok in the US
Once President Joe Biden signs it into law, as he's said he will, ByteDance will have 270 days to sell TikTok to an American company.
2 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that’s expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who rely on the short-form video app for income. The TikTok legislation was included as part of a larger $95 billion package that provides foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel and was passed 79-18. It now goes to President Joe Bi
6 min read - USNBC News
Tennessee legislators pass bill that would let teachers carry guns in schools
The bill's passage in the Republican-led Legislature comes a year after a shooter opened fire and killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville.
2 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Expelled former Rep. George Santos ends his independent bid for Congress
Former New York Rep. George Santos announced Tuesday that he was ending his independent campaign for a seat in Congress.
2 min read - BusinessNBC News
Biden administration bans noncompete agreements, setting up legal showdown with business groups
The Biden administration has issued a nationwide ban on the ability of employers to make their workers sign noncompete agreements, a move regulators said would help boost employee pay but which is set to be challenged in court by business groups.
3 min read - USAssociated Press
Mississippi lawmakers haggle over possible Medicaid expansion as their legislative session nears end
Top Mississippi lawmakers started negotiating Tuesday on what could become a landmark plan to expand Medicaid coverage to tens of thousands of people in one of the poorest states in the U.S. Mississippi is among the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid coverage to people who work low-wage jobs that don't provide private health insurance. Expansion is getting its first serious discussion in the Mississippi Capitol this year because the new House speaker, Republican Jason White, says it is
3 min read - USReuters
Tennessee lawmakers pass bill allowing teachers to carry guns in schools
Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow the state's teachers to carry concealed handguns at school, as protesters yelled their opposition from the gallery. The bill was approved in a 68-28 vote in the Republican-dominated Tennessee House. Tennessee has seen heated debate over gun laws since last year's shooting at a Nashville school left three children and three adult staffers dead.
2 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Moderate Republicans prepare to fend off challenges from the right: From the Politics Desk
Moderate House Republican lawmakers are preparing to fend off primary challenges from the right in the coming weeks, including tonight in Pennsylvania.
7 min read - USNBC News
'Total disbelief': Friends shocked by man setting himself on fire outside Trump trial, say he was kind but troubled
When Doug Johnson received a text that his friend Maxwell Azzarello died after setting himself on fire in New York City outside of Donald Trump's hush money trial, he didn't believe it.
6 min read - PoliticsNBC News
'One person responsible for this nightmare': Biden pins Florida 6-week abortion ban on Trump
The Biden campaign sees Florida's abortion law, and a November referendum, as helping the president's chances in a state won by Trump in the last two elections.
3 min read - PoliticsNBC News
McConnell says Tucker Carlson and Trump's waffling delayed crucial Ukraine aid
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell celebrated new U.S. aid to Ukraine while blaming Tucker Carlon and Donald Trump's waffling for delaying it.
4 min read - USAssociated Press
Tennessee GOP-led Senate spikes bill seeking to ban LGBTQ+ Pride flags in schools
A bill designed to ban LGBTQ+ Pride flags in Tennessee public school classrooms was spiked Tuesday after it failed to attract enough support in the GOP-controlled Senate. The proposal had easily cleared the Republican-dominant House nearly two months prior after the bill's sponsor said he had parents complain about “political flags” in classrooms. “There were some parents in my district that felt like there were flags being displayed in the public school classroom that did not coincide with th
2 min read - USAssociated Press
Federal money eyed for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota
Supporters of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota are cheering new federal legislation to help build the library and to showcase artifacts of the 26th president, who as a young man hunted and ranched in the state during its territorial days. Last week, North Dakota's three-member, all-Republican congressional delegation announced the bill to “authorize funding for the Library’s continued construction and go towards ensuring the preservation of President Roosevelt’s histo
3 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Dean Phillips gains his first delegates. Here’s why they’ll likely vote for Biden at the convention
Former presidential candidate Dean Phillips will receive at least three of Ohio's delegates to the Democratic National Convention even though he has dropped out of the race and endorsed President Joe Biden. The president locked up the Democratic nomination on March 12 and so far has won 99% of convention delegates, a sign that even some of the more organized efforts to oppose him haven't gained traction with the party's voters. Party rules also make it nearly impossible at this point in the pr
4 min read - PoliticsReuters
Factbox-Biden administration races to safeguard environmental rules from congressional axe
Agency rules completed and in the Federal Register before May 22, 2024 will not be subject to the Congressional Review Act, a law that enables a new Congress to nullify recently enacted regulations with a simple majority. Over the last few weeks, the Biden administration has announced a steady stream of final rules to carry out some of its most ambitious plans like spurring adoption of electric vehicles and protecting public lands for conservation. In the coming days, agencies will push out ot
2 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Biden adminstration finalizes rule to grant overtime for millions more salaried workers
The Biden administration has finalized a new rule set to make millions of more salaried workers eligible for overtime pay in the U.S. Starting July 1, employers will be required pay overtime to salaried workers who make less than $43,888 a year in certain executive, administrative and professional roles, the Labor Department said Tuesday.
3 min read - USAssociated Press
Tennessee lawmakers pass bill to allow armed teachers, a year after deadly Nashville shooting
Protesters chanted “Blood on your hands” at Tennessee House Republicans on Tuesday after they passed a bill that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds, and bar parents and other teachers from knowing who was armed. The 68-28 vote in favor of the bill sent it to Republican Gov. Bill Lee for consideration. If he signs it into law, it would be the biggest expansion of gun access in the state since last year's deadly shooting at a private elementa
4 min read - PoliticsHuffPost
Mitch McConnell Blames Tucker Carlson For The GOP’s ‘Demonization of Ukraine’
The far-right political commentator has “ended up where he should've been all along, which is interviewing Vladimir Putin," charged the Senate GOP leader.
2 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Live primary results: Pennsylvania presidential and Senate races
Tuesday's Pennsylvania primaries will cement the lineup for a high-stakes U.S. Senate race between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick, a contest that is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and could help decide control of the Senate next year. Casey, seeking his fourth term, is perhaps Pennsylvania's best-known politician and a stalwart of the presidential swing state's Democratic Party — the son of a former two-term governor and Pennsylvania’s long
5 min read - USAssociated Press
Houston-area program to give $500 monthly payments to some residents on hold after Texas lawsuit
The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Harris County, which includes Houston, to put on hold a guaranteed income program that would provide $500 monthly cash payments to roughly 2,000 residents. The program has become a target of Republican Texas Attorney General Paxton, who has accused local Democratic leaders of trying to “score political points” through the initiative and filed a lawsuit this month in an effort to block its implementation. The program is the latest rift between state an
3 min read - PoliticsYahoo News
Trump trial updates: Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker details efforts to help Trump's 2016 campaign
In what amounted to incredibly damning testimony, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker laid out the 2015 deal he reached with Donald Trump “to help the campaign.”
3 min read - BusinessAssociated Press
New federal rule would bar 'noncompete' agreements for most employees
U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency Tuesday, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court. The Federal Trade Commission voted Tuesday 3-2 to ban measures known as noncompete agreements, which bar workers from jumping to or starting competing companies for a prescribed period of time. The Biden administration has taken aim at noncompete measures, which are commonly associated with high-level exe
4 min read - USAssociated Press
Transgender Louisianans lost their ally in the governor's seat. Now they're girding for a fight
As transgender people in Louisiana watched surrounding states in the deeply conservative South implement a slew of laws targeting nearly every facet of their lives in recent years, they counted on their ally in the governor’s office to keep their home a relative oasis. Former Gov. John Bel Edwards, the only statewide elected Democrat at the time, was indeed able to block most of the bills. Edwards has been replaced by Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican backed by former President Donald Trump who h
5 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
Hush-money judge repeatedly bench-slaps Donald Trump's lawyer over gag violations: 'You're losing all credibility!'
A judge verbally excoriated a defense lawyer for Donald Trump during the Manhattan hush-money trial on Tuesday.
7 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Pentagon set to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine once Biden signs bill
The Pentagon is poised to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday as the Senate moved ahead on long-awaited legislation to fund the weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces in the war. The decision comes after months of frustration, as bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The $95 billion foreign aid pac
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Biden's Morehouse graduation invitation is sparking backlash, complicating election-year appearance
President Joe Biden will be the commencement speaker at Morehouse College in Georgia, giving the Democrat a key spotlight on one of the nation’s preeminent historically Black campuses but potentially exposing him to uncomfortable protests as he seeks reelection against former President Donald Trump. The White House confirmed Tuesday that Biden would speak May 19 at the alma mater of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and then address the graduating class at the United States Military Aca
7 min read
