Politics
USA TODAYPresident Biden renews call to ban assault weapons, singling out guns used in deadly Nashville shooting
President Joe Biden pointed out that the shooting suspect, a 28-year-old woman, used two "assault-type" weapons, according to Nashville police.
ReutersUS lawmakers make new push to bar convicted violent passengers from flights
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday will make a new push for legislation to bar passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flights after a series of recent high-profile incidents. Three lawmakers said on Monday they plan to reintroduce the "Protection from Abusive Passengers Act," saying the enhanced penalty is a strong deterrent and needed to improve aviation worker and passenger safety and "minimize disruptions to the national aviation system and restore confidence in air travel." Senator Jack Reed and Representative Eric Swalwell, both Democrats, and Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick are introducing the bill after a series of incidents aboard airplanes.
Yahoo NewsDeSantis 'parental rights' push leads to pulled civil rights film, ousted principal
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s restrictive education policies and push for “parental rights” have resulted in multiple books being banned from public schools. This month, fallout ensued when a civil rights film was pulled for review and a principal was forced out over a piece of classical art.
ReutersAfter SVB sale, White House says banking system is 'safe'
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House said on Monday that the U.S. banking system is safe despite stress on some institutions after two American banks collapsed, ratcheting up fears of a contagion that prompted U.S. officials to respond. Asked whether the worst of the banking crisis was behind the country after failed Silicon Valley was purchased with the aid of a government backstop, the White House's top spokesperson said Americans should not worry. "Because of the decisive actions that we have seen ... from our administration, the banking regulators and also the Treasury Department, the banking system is safe," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
ReutersTrump N.Y. grand jury hears from former National Enquirer publisher again -source
(Reuters) -A former National Enquirer publisher testified on Monday before a Manhattan grand jury hearing evidence about former President Donald Trump's role in a hush-money payment to a porn star, said a person familiar with the matter. David Pecker, who testified in January, came back for about 45 minutes on Monday, the person said. Pecker could not immediately be reached for comment.
The New York TimesNewsom Rolls Back Water Restrictions After Winter Deluge in California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After being soaked by an onslaught of storms that have flooded towns, saturated fields and heaped the Sierra Nevada with a near-record snowpack, Californians are getting relief from a host of drought restrictions that were imposed last year during a historic dry spell. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for some time,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said, stepping out between atmospheric rivers to lift all but about 33 of the more than 80 emergency drought orders he issued since last sp
ReutersBiden to veto Republican energy permitting bill, White House says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden would veto a Republican energy legislation package if it were to pass Congress, citing cost increases that the legislation could lead to, the White House said on Monday. "H.R. 1 (Lower Energy Costs Act) would double the cost of energy efficiency upgrades that families need to reduce household bills and would repeal the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that will cut energy costs and boost economic development in rural and urban communities across the country," the White House said. Republicans plan to bring the legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives, where they hold a slim majority, for a vote this week, Representative Elise Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference, said on Monday.
Associated PressElizabeth Warren running for 3rd US Senate term in 2024
Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced Monday that she will seek a third term in 2024. Warren, a prominent voice for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party and a failed 2020 presidential contender, said she's running for reelection to end corruption in Washington, make the economy work for the middle class and protect democracy. Warren, 73, had more than $2.3 million in her campaign account at the end of 2022, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The New York TimesClash Over Natives’ Graves Inflames Hochul’s Relationship With Tribes
MONTAUK, N.Y. — New York’s Native American tribes fought bitterly with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his efforts to tax their tobacco sales and seize a sizable share of their gambling proceeds, and they blamed him for the deterioration of a stretch of interstate that slices through tribal lands. So when Cuomo resigned in disgrace in 2021, tribal leaders found reason to hope for more amiable relations with his successor, Kathy Hochul, who was born and raised in western New York, not far from the
ReutersBiden holds second democracy summit amid doubts over progress
World leaders will gather virtually this week for the second U.S.-organized Summit for Democracy, an event critics say illustrates the halting progress the Biden administration has made in advancing human rights and democracy as a focus of its foreign policy. Rights advocates have praised the administration for putting a spotlight on democracy, but say there is little evidence the countries joining the summit have made progress on improving their democracies, and that there is no formal mechanism to hold participants to the modest commitments made at the first meeting. The administration has also been reluctant to make the hard choices needed to show it is putting human rights at the heart of its foreign policy, experts said.
ReutersUS Supreme Court inclined to allow law against encouraging illegal immigration
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday appeared inclined to uphold a federal law that made it a crime to encourage illegal immigration, signaling agreement with President Joe Biden's administration that the measure does not violate constitutional free speech protections. The justices heard arguments in the administration's appeal of a lower court's decision in a case from California to strike down the decades-old provision, part of a larger immigration statute, as overly broad because it may criminalize legitimate speech protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. The case involves a man named Helaman Hansen who deceived immigrants through a phony "adult adoption" program and was convicted in 2017 of violating that law and others.
The GuardianMarjorie Taylor Greene led delegation to visit Capitol attack defendants in jail
The Republican extremist high-fived and shook defendants’ hands, calling them ‘political prisoners’
PoliticoJustices poised to uphold federal ban on encouraging illegal immigration
The Biden administration defended the statute as the White House takes heat for its crackdown on asylum seekers.
- USA TODAY
OnPolitics: Joe Biden calls for assault weapons ban after deadly Nashville school shooting
President Joe Biden noted that the suspect had two "assault-type weapons," which are among the weapons he wants Congress to ban.
Associated PressDeSantis signs bill expanding school voucher program
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation to allow all K-12 students in the state to get taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools, continuing a focus on education as he prepares to launch an expected Republican presidential campaign. The law expands Florida's voucher system by eliminating income eligibility limits on the program. Democrats and critics have said the legislation has an unclear price tag, amounts to a subsidy for the wealthy and could harm public schools.
HuffPostRick Scott Suggests 'Automatic Death Penalty' For School Shooters
The Florida Republican pitched the idea after a school shooting Wednesday in which police immediately killed the perpetrator.
The GuardianBiden says gun violence ‘ripping our communities apart’ after Tennessee shooting
President again calls on Congress to pass assault weapons ban, saying we ‘need to do more to protect our schools’
Business InsiderA school shooting victim's protesting parents were hauled out of Congress by Capitol police last week. Now another mass shooting has left 3 adults and 3 more children dead.
Last week, Manuel and Patricia Oliver interrupted a House guns rights hearing and were removed at the request of Republican lawmakers.
HuffPostWoman Interrupts Fox News Broadcast With Passionate Call For Gun Control
The activist urged Congress to take action after the mass shooting at a private Christian grade school in Nashville.
PoliticoBiden renews push to ban assault weapons in wake of Nashville shooting
“I call on Congress again to pass my assault weapon ban. It’s about time we begin to make some progress, but there’s more to learn,” Biden said.
ReutersBiden calls for assault weapons ban after Nashville shooting
U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, the White House said. "I call on Congress again to pass my assault weapons ban."
LA TimesColumn: Trump rips DeSantis on COVID and education — and for once he's telling the truth
Taking aim at Ron DeSantis, his rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump scored direct hits on the pandemic and education.
USA TODAYAnxiety surges as Donald Trump may be indicted soon: Why 2024 is 'the final battle' and 'the big one'
Donald Trump's many legal problems – and calls for protests – have generated new fears of political violence and anxiety about the 2024 election.
ReutersWhite House welcomes Netanyahu delay in judicial overhaul, urges compromise
The United States welcomes the decision on Monday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay a decision on divisive plans for a judicial overhaul until next month, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said. Netanyahu on Monday delayed a decision on bitterly contested plans for a judicial overhaul until next month amid fears that the country's worst national crisis in years could fracture his coalition or escalate into violence. The United States remains concerned about the situation in Israel and President Joe Biden has shared his concerns about a proposed judicial overhaul directly with Netanyahu, the White House said on Monday.
USA TODAYFirst Citizens to acquire Silicon Valley Bank: FDIC news hits as regulators questioned by Congress
Congress will hold two hearings, investigating federal regulators’ response to recent bank failures and what led to the biggest crises since 2008.
The New York TimesHow a Trump Indictment Could Ripple Through the 2024 Race
If Donald Trump is indicted in New York in the coming days as expected, the political and legal bombshell would defy historical precedent, upend the former president’s reality and throw the race for the 2024 Republican nomination into highly uncertain territory. With the grand jury in a Manhattan court expected to return Monday afternoon, and an indictment possible as soon as that day, perhaps the biggest electoral question is whether Trump would continue to rally his supporters in the GOP prima
ReutersBiden invokes Defense Production Act for printed circuit board production
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday invoked the Defense Production Act to spend $50 million on domestic and Canadian production of printed circuit boards, citing the technology's importance to national defense. Printed circuit boards are incorporated into missiles and radars, as well as electronics used for energy and healthcare. Without presidential action under the act, "United States industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the capability for the needed industrial resource, material, or critical technology item in a timely manner," Biden wrote in the memo.
PoliticoBiden finds his limits on Israel
President Joe Biden asked Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to back off a judicial overhaul plan, but that wasn’t what made him think twice.
Associated PressFoes of Kentucky transgender bill push back with radio ads
A well-known Kentucky Republican on Monday blasted the GOP's push for transgender legislation, calling it “a bad look for the party of Abraham Lincoln” in a radio ad coming days before lawmakers could vote to override the Democratic governor's veto of the bill. Former longtime GOP state lawmaker Bob Heleringer evoked Lincoln's memory and words in lashing out against the Republican measure.
USA TODAYUS 'deeply concerned' about judicial reform clash in Israel, suggests compromise, Biden aide says
The Biden administration expressed deep concern after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired an opponent of his judicial reforms, sparking protests.
NBC NewsGOP senators introduce measure to overturn Biden's student debt forgiveness plan
Republican senators unveiled a proposal to revoke President Joe Biden's executive action last year to forgive some federal student loan debt.
Business InsiderDemocrats want to make electric bikes much cheaper by giving you up to $1,500 to buy one
The Inflation Reduction Act provided rebates for electric cars, but not for electric bikes. Advocates say Congress must change that.
USA TODAY'More to do:' Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she will seek a third term in 2024
Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren will run for re-election to the Senate in 2024. She is one of the Democratic Party's most progressive voices.
USA TODAYAs part of ongoing effort to beef up cybersecurity, Biden turns gaze to commercial spyware
President Biden is limiting how the government can use commercial spyware, which poses a growing threat to government workers and information systems.
ReutersGeorgia prosecutors ordered to respond to Trump's effort to quash grand jury report
Georgia prosecutors have until May 1 to respond to former President Donald Trump's effort to quash a grand jury's final report into his alleged attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the U.S. state. Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who presided over the grand jury investigation, issued the order on Monday, two months after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said decisions on whether to charge Trump were "imminent." Last week Trump filed a motion to quash the final report, excerpts of which were made public.
ReutersAt least 50 US govt employees hit with spyware, prompting new rules
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -At least 50 U.S. government staffers stationed in 10 countries were targeted with commercial hacking tools, commonly known as spyware, a senior administration official said, highlighting the growing threat by offensive cyber vendors and prompting the White House to introduce rules to hinder the spying. U.S. President Joseph Biden signed an executive order on Monday to curb the malicious use of digital spy tools around the globe which target U.S. personnel and civil society. The extent of such hacking had not been previously known, but in 2021 Reuters reported that Apple Inc iPhones of at least nine U.S. State Department employees were targeted by an unknown assailant using sophisticated spyware developed by an Israeli company.
Associated PressUS to adopt new restrictions on using commercial spyware
The U.S. government will restrict its use of commercial spyware tools that have been used to surveil human rights activists, journalists and dissidents around the world, under an executive order issued Monday by President Joe Biden. The proliferation of commercial spyware has made powerful tools newly available to smaller countries, but also created what researchers and human-rights activists warn are opportunities for abuse and repression. The White House released the executive order in advance of its second summit for democracy this week.
PoliticoKhanna's pass clarifies California Senate race — and his political future
The ambitious Silicon Valley Democrat is widely believed to be interested in a future presidential bid.
ReutersBiden FAA nominee who withdrew cites 'cheap and unfounded partisan attacks'
President Joe Biden's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who withdrew from consideration said on Monday he did not see a path forward for winning approval. Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said in a statement that he had written to Biden on Friday to withdraw. "I no longer saw a respectful, civil, and viable path forward to Senate confirmation," Washington said on Monday.
ReutersBiden administration issuing new childcare guidance for semiconductor chips subsidy program
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Monday will release new guidance for its $52 billion U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research program detailing how companies seeking major awards must provide affordable high-quality childcare. The Commerce Department plans to begin accepting applications in late June for a $39 billion manufacturing subsidy program. The workforce guidance document seen by Reuters says the Commerce Department is "not requiring or expecting applicants to provide free care" but adds that those seeking funding "should strongly consider defraying the price of care such that it is within reach for low- and medium-income households."
The New York TimesA Republican Spending Problem
As congressional Republicans prepare for a budget showdown later this year with President Joe Biden, they say they will insist on large cuts to federal spending. So far, though, they have left out some pretty important details: What those cuts might be. Republicans have been more willing to talk about what they won’t cut. Party leaders have promised not to touch Medicare and Social Security. Republicans generally oppose reductions in military spending and veterans’ benefits. And neither party ca
USA TODAYTornadoes leave 26 dead, Biden proposes organ transplant system overhaul: 5 Things podcast
Dozens are dead after tornadoes tore through Mississippi, the Biden administration pushes for changes to the organ transplant system: 5 Things podcast
ReutersJapan lawmakers eye ban on TikTok, others if used improperly
TOKYO (Reuters) -A group of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers plans to compile a proposal next month urging the government to ban social networking services such as TikTok if they are used for disinformation campaigns, an LDP lawmaker said on Monday. Many U.S. lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app, alleging the app could be used for data collection, content censorship and harm to children's mental health.
CBS NewsCapitol Police seeking $840 million budget ahead of 2024
If approved, the budget would give Congress' internal police department an annual budget larger than the police departments of several major American cities.
Associated PressDeSantis team welcomes contrast with Trump 'chaos' candidacy
Jim McKee is standing at the end of a line that snakes through five aisles of fiction inside the Books-A-Million store in Florida’s capital city. “Personally, I’d rather see DeSantis win the Republican primary than Trump,” McKee says softly, having to repeat himself to be heard. Indeed, conversations throughout Tallahassee’s book stores, conference rooms, state house offices and sports bars reveal that DeSantis’ allies are gaining confidence as Trump’s legal woes mount.
“American workers are desperate for a break.”
“Workers will have more leisure but at the cost of less efficiency and a lower standard of living.”
“We have more important things to do now than spend our lives making a tiny group of very rich people even richer.”
“Some industries and deeply entrenched work cultures mean the four-day workweek may not be realistic for all employees.”
“While workers have spent the last 50 years steadily producing more and more, real wages have not risen at the same rate.”
