With Roe overturned, Congress readies for a fight — and a defense
“We’re working on something along those lines,” Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) told reporters about plans to pass a nationwide ban on abortion. refused to say if there should exceptions for rape, incest or the health of the mother, or if House Republicans should legislate on the issue. “The Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) on Friday also called on Congress to codify abortions protections. The duo have been working with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) since the Democratic bill to ensure abortion protections failed last month.
washingtonpost.comFrustration shows through as Congress grills social media CEOs yet again
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey were the three witnesses before two subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee at the joint hearing. Several times throughout the hearing, lawmakers attempted to conserve their time by asking "yes or no" questions, to which the CEOs consistently answered in full sentences. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., the ranking member of the full committee, set the tone in her opening remarks. McMorris Rodgers and several other Republicans talked about the mental health implications of social media on kids and the how their safety could be jeopardized on the platforms. She also said it's not enough to put the onus on parents to set up controls for their children.
cnbc.comRep. Herrera Beutler in middle of impeachment trial turmoil
(Al Drago/Pool via AP, File)VANCOUVER, Wash. – Jaime Herrera Beutler has spent a decade in Congress as a low-key moderate Republican who largely avoided heated partisan battles. Herrera Beutler has worked to help other families facing long-term medical crises and has pushed legislation to make child care more affordable. Like other Republicans who broke with Trump, Herrera Beutler was condemned by her local and state party. Herrera Beutler said people should not be surprised by her recent statements surrounding impeachment and her conversation with McCarthy. ___This story has been corrected to reflect that Herrera Beutler represents Washington's 3rd Congressional District.
Biden: 'We can't wait any longer' to address climate crisis
President Joe Biden signs an executive order on climate change, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. “We can’t wait any longer'' to address the climate crisis, Biden said Wednesday at the White House. “When I think of climate change and the answers to it, I think of jobs,'' Biden said. Former Secretary of State John Kerry, now Biden's climate envoy, said oil, gas and coal workers “have been fed a false narrative'' that ”somehow, dealing with climate is coming at their expense. Biden also directed U.S. agencies to use science and evidence-based decision-making in federal rules and announced a U.S.-hosted climate leaders summit on Earth Day, April 22.
Several GOP senators will no longer object to Electoral College votes after rioters storm Capitol
Those claims were further fanned by more than a dozen GOP senators and dozens more Republican House members who had indicated they planned to object to certifying votes in key battleground states. Earlier in the day, the rioters interrupted the procedural meeting to count the electoral votes when they breached the Capitol building, sending lawmakers into hiding. Later, when protesters stormed the Capitol building, Cruz admonished on Twitter, "Those storming the Capitol need to stop NOW. Other senators who were expected to object to the Electoral College votes shared statements on Twitter that condemned the violence, with many praising the Capitol police. Other Republicans who are allies of Trump but hadn't gone so far as to support objecting to the Electoral College votes also condemned the chaos on Capitol Hill Wednesday night.
cnbc.comUS: Snake River dams will not be removed to save salmon
SPOKANE, Wash. The U.S. government announced Friday that four huge dams on the Snake River in Washington state will not be removed to help endangered salmon migrate to the ocean. The federal failure to remove the dams despite clear supporting science is a disaster for our endangered salmon and orcas, said Sophia Ressler of the Center for Biological Diversity. The Pacific Northwest population of orcas also called killer whales was placed on the endangered species list in 2005. Snake River sockeye were the first species in the Columbia River Basin listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1991. On the way to the ocean, juvenile salmon can get chewed up in the dams turbines.
Lawmakers kick the can down the road on discussing the most contentious issues of privacy legislation
First is preemption: the question of whether a federal law should override state laws, which Republicans tend to favor to create consistency for businesses. These issues could prolong the debate over a federal law, leaving tech companies with greater uncertainty around how they'll need to change their businesses to comply with a growing set of state privacy laws. Stronger than CaliforniaWhen it comes to the most divisive issues around digital privacy law, some lawmakers are opting to push them off. The thinking goes: Make a strong enough bill and those issues will be easier to resolve. "Are there areas where states can fill gaps and go beyond what a federal bill would be?
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