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FDA chief cites ‘egregiously unsanitary’ conditions at Michigan baby formula plant
WASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told Congress on Wednesday that he’s found no evidence of intentional delay or malfeasance within the agency — though it took months to act on a whistleblower report of what he called “egregiously unsanitary” conditions at an infant formula plant in Michigan. FDA Commissioner […]
Commission recommends new names for 9 Army bases to end ties to Confederacy
WASHINGTON — The group in charge of renaming military installations that have continued to honor Confederates released its recommendations for nine bases on Tuesday. The Naming Commission, created by Congress in a defense authorization bill, is set to give its final report to the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services committees before Oct. 1, though […]
Congress, White House scramble to ease baby formula shortage
WASHINGTON — Both the Biden administration and Congress moved Wednesday to try to relieve a national infant formula shortage, as the White House invoked the Defense Production Act and the U.S. House approved $28 million for the Food and Drug Administration. President Joe Biden said he would use the law to address the formula shortage, […]
McConnell doesn’t rule out U.S. Senate vote outlawing abortion if GOP takes control
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell isn’t ruling out bringing a nationwide abortion ban up for a vote, should the U.S. Supreme Court end the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy and his party regains the chamber in the November elections. The Kentucky Republican was somewhat reserved last week when repeatedly asked by reporters […]
U.S. Senate to try again on abortion rights after bombshell disclosure of draft opinion
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday pledged a new vote codifying the right to an abortion after publication of a draft court ruling that showed the Supreme Court on track to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision. Democrats, who likely won’t have the votes to advance that bill, also predicted that abortion […]
Jan. 6 panel asks Andy Biggs, other GOP members of the U.S. House to cooperate in probe
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House committee looking into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol sent letters Monday to Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Ronny Jackson of Texas, asking them to share information about meetings and conversations they had in the days and weeks leading up to the insurrection. “The […]
U.S. to lend and lease military supplies to Ukraine under bill cleared by Congress
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to use the framework of a World War II-era program to allow the federal government to lend and lease military equipment to Ukraine as it resists Russia’s invasion, but two Arizona Republicans voted against helping the American ally. The legislation, called the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, […]
Biden asks Congress for $33 billion for Ukraine aid, pleads again for COVID funds
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday asked Congress to approve $33 billion more in funding to help Ukraine fight off a Russian invasion that has lasted more than two months and claimed thousands of lives. Biden also asked U.S. lawmakers to make it easier for the federal government to sell off assets seized from […]
Biden to ask Congress for more Ukraine aid after earlier U.S. funding runs dry
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is preparing to ask Congress for billions more in aid to Ukraine as the war shifts to the Eastern regions of the country, following Russia’s failure to take the capital city of Kyiv. “I’m asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need,” Biden said last week. […]
U.S. House panels probe election disinformation in Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Texas
WASHINGTON — The chairs of two U.S. House committees said Thursday they are asking election officials from four states to detail what they are doing to “counter lies and conspiracy theories and protect the integrity of federal elections.” California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chair of the House Administration Committee, and New York Democratic Rep. Carolyn […]
States rush to revise their abortion laws as a major U.S. Supreme Court decision nears
WASHINGTON — Abortion access throughout the country could soon depend on a patchwork of state laws if a U.S. Supreme Court dominated by conservatives overturns the constitutional right it established nearly 50 years ago. The court’s decision on Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban is expected sometime within the next two months. But state legislatures have been […]
New federal COVID aid delayed after U.S. Senate Republicans insist on immigration debate
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress have departed their offices and hearing rooms on Capitol Hill for a two-week spring recess without passing additional funding to combat the coronavirus, amid a stalemate over immigration policy. Despite reaching a bipartisan agreement Monday for $10 billion for testing, treatments and vaccines, much of it needed in states, the […]