Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 12, 2021

On the night before the 88th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt giving his first “fireside chat” about the banking crisis, President Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. made a case to the nation Thursday night that it could soon put the worst of the pandemic behind it and promised that all adults would be eligible for… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 11, 2021

On the 50th day of the Biden administration, the House approved the final version of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday, handing the new president a significant legislative victory as he works to stabilize an economy still struggling to rebound from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The American Rescue Plan Act,… Read More

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 10, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 9, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 8, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 5, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 4, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 3, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 2, 2021

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

Adam S. Olsen- Washington, D.C.
March 1, 2021

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