On the 50th day of President Joe Biden’s administration, the House is poised to send the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill to President Biden for his signature, providing an economic boost that will last long after $1,400 stimulus checks start arriving in Americans’ accounts and mailboxes this month. With four days until supplemental unemployment benefits… Read More
The Senate has just sent the COVID relief bill it passed on Saturday back to the House and the Rules Committee plans to meet today at noon to prepare the bill for a floor vote Wednesday after Senate officials took longer than expected to send over the necessary paperwork. House Democratic leadership vowed a one-day… Read More
After the Senate remained in session for more than 24 hours of marathon votes through Friday night, the COVID relief package passed Saturday in a 50-49 vote, entirely along party lines. Senate Republicans sought to amend the legislation but Senate Democrats largely stuck together to defeat any major changes to the bill, one of the… Read More
The U.S. economy added 379,000 jobs in February beating economists’ estimates of 210,000, and indicating that one year into the pandemic, the labor market is finally showing signs of recovery. In the first full monthly employment report under President Joe Biden, the unemployment rate fell to 6.2 percent, from 6.3 percent in January, according to… Read More
The House is out until next week, a decision made yesterday in light of a possible plot to attack the Capitol today inspired by the pro-Trump conspiracy theory known as QAnon. Intelligence analysts had spent weeks tracking online chatter by some QAnon adherents who have latched on to March 4th, the original inauguration date set… Read More
President Joe Biden has agreed to moderate Democrats’ demands to narrow eligibility for stimulus checks, but rejected a push to trim extra unemployment benefits, as he tries to win support for his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. Individuals earning over $80,000 now won’t qualify for the direct payments, compared with a $100,000 cap in the… Read More
The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. and resumed consideration of the nomination of Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to be Secretary of Commerce and at 2:15pm the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination. Following disposition of the Raimondo nomination, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of… Read More
The House approved a massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, advancing President Joe Biden’s top agenda item and providing more resources to schools and businesses, boosting funding for vaccinations and testing, and granting financial relief to Americans across the country. Democrats passed the measure early Saturday morning in a party-line vote, with Republicans united against… Read More
The Senate parliamentarian ruled Thursday that Democrats can’t include the $15 per hour minimum wage hike in the COVID-19 economic relief package, the American Rescue Plan. Senate Democrats including Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), had argued it could be included in the budget reconciliation process. There are strict rules for utilizing the budget reconciliation process, such… Read More
A busy day on Capitol Hill today on both sides of the dome. The Senate convened at 11 a.m. and at noon, the Senate will resume considering Jennifer Granholm as President Joe Biden’s Energy Secretary. The Senate voted 67-32 Wednesday afternoon to end debate on the nomination of the former Michigan governor teeing up a… Read More
