‘It Has To Stop’: Biden Takes Initial Action On Guns, Calls On Congress To Do More
WASHINGTON – Declaring U.S. gun violence an “epidemic” and “an international embarrassment,” President Biden outlined actions to regulate certain firearms and to try to prevent gun violence after a spate of mass shootings in recent weeks and pressure from advocates. “This is an epidemic, for God’s sake, and it has to stop,” Biden said. Biden made […]
Biden Unveils What He Calls A ‘Once-In-A-Generation’ Infrastructure Proposal
PITTSBURGH – The country’s infrastructure is badly in need of repair, both major parties agree. But for years they haven’t been able to agree on a proposal, or how to pay for it. In Pittsburgh on Wednesday, President Biden detailed a $2 trillion package that he said would lead to “transformational progress.” Biden said this is “not a […]
Biden Makes 1st Judicial Nominations, Including A Supreme Court Contender
WASHINGTON – President Biden announced his first judicial nominations Tuesday, including Ketanji Brown Jackson for the U.S. Court of Appeals seat vacated by Merrick Garland when he became U.S. attorney general. Jackson is considered a potential Supreme Court contender. In a statement, the White House said Biden would nominate 10 “individuals to serve as Federal Circuit […]
200 Million: Biden Issues New Vaccine Goal During His 1st Press Conference
WASHINGTON – President Biden is doubling his original COVID-19 vaccination goal to 200 million shots in arms by his 100th day in office — which is about a month from now — he said in the first news conference of his presidency on Thursday. When he entered office, Biden said his goal was 100 million vaccine […]
Biden Urges Immediate Action From Senate On Gun Bills After Colorado Shooting
WASHINGTON – President Biden said Tuesday that he and first lady Jill Biden were “devastated” by Monday’s shooting in Boulder, Colo., and called on the Senate to pass to gun bills passed by the House earlier this month that would tighten gun laws. Acknowledging there is more to confirm about the shooter’s weapons and motivation, Biden […]
Marty Walsh, Boston Mayor With Union Roots, Confirmed As Labor Secretary At Key Time
WASHINGTON – Marty Walsh, the two-term mayor of Boston, was confirmed as the Labor secretary by the Senate in a 68-29 vote on Monday, becoming the first union leader to run the department in over four decades. Walsh will become the head of the Labor Department at a critical time, as the pandemic has left millions […]
Deb Haaland Confirmed As First Native American Interior Secretary
WASHINGTON – Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico’s Laguna Pueblo, has become the first Native American cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The Senate voted 51-40 Monday to confirm the Democratic Congresswoman to lead the Interior Department, an agency that will play a crucial role in the Biden administration’s ambitious efforts to combat climate change and […]
Biden Sets May 1 Target To Have All Adults Vaccine-Eligible
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is outlining his plan to make all adult Americans eligible for vaccination by May 1 and get the nation back “closer to normal” by the Fourth of July. Biden is addressing the nation Thursday evening, one year into the coronavirus pandemic. He said of the virus, which has killed more […]
Biden’s First 50 Days: Where He Stands On Key Promises
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden laid out an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days in office, promising swift action on everything from climate change to immigration reform to the coronavirus pandemic. On his 50th day in office, on Wednesday, his administration celebrated congressional passage of his massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package. The bill […]
Senate Confirms Ohio Rep. Fudge As Housing Secretary
WASHINGTON — The Senate has confirmed Marcia Fudge to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This places the longtime Ohio lawmaker in charge of the agency just as Congress is poised to pass new benefits for renters and homeowners who have suffered economic losses amid the coronavirus pandemic. Fudge, who has represented parts […]
Senate Confirms Merrick Garland To Be US Attorney General
WASHINGTON — The Senate has confirmed Merrick Garland to be the next U.S. attorney general with a strong bipartisan vote, placing the widely-respected, veteran judge in the post as President Joe Biden has vowed to restore the Justice Department’s reputation for independence. Democrats have praised Garland, a federal appeals court judge who was snubbed by […]
House Gives Final Approval To $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package
The bill will deliver a new round of aid to Americans almost a year after the pandemic first upended daily life in the United States.
DOL Watchdog: OSHA’s Virtual Inspections During Pandemic Likely Led To Dangerous Workplaces
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s decision during the COVID-19 pandemic to conduct many inspections virtually — instead of onsite — risked worker safety, the U.S. Department of Labor’s inspector general concluded in an audit report released Tuesday. The report does not specifically mention OSHA’s enforcement at meatpacking plants, which quickly became COVID-19 hotspots last year, but […]
Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package
The package delivers a new round of financial assistance to Americans grappling with the impact of the pandemic. The House will need to vote on the final version.
Biden Says U.S. Will Have Vaccine Supply For All Adults By May, Prioritizes Teachers
WASHINGTON – President Biden said on Tuesday that the U.S. will produce enough vaccines for every adult in the U.S. by the end of May, while making a fresh push to vaccinate school staff over the next month. “We’re now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end […]