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Senate chairman demands answers from emergency rooms that denied care to pregnant patients
Read full article: Senate chairman demands answers from emergency rooms that denied care to pregnant patientsHospitals are facing questions about why they denied care to pregnant patients and whether state abortion bans have influenced how they treat those patients.
Justice Clarence Thomas took undisclosed 2010 trip with GOP megadonor, Democratic senator finds
Read full article: Justice Clarence Thomas took undisclosed 2010 trip with GOP megadonor, Democratic senator findsThe Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee says Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to publicly disclose additional travel on GOP megadonor Harlan Crow’s private jet.
Senate rejects legislation that would expand child tax credit and restore business tax breaks
Read full article: Senate rejects legislation that would expand child tax credit and restore business tax breaksSenators are heading home for the month after failing to advance a bill to expand the child tax credit and restore some business tax breaks.
US senators call out Big Tech's new approach to poaching talent, products from smaller AI startups
Read full article: US senators call out Big Tech's new approach to poaching talent, products from smaller AI startupsThree U.S. Senators are calling for action against a new practice big technology companies are using to swallow up the talent and products of innovative AI startups without formally acquiring them.
Senate report finds parts made with China's forced labor in cars by BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and VW
Read full article: Senate report finds parts made with China's forced labor in cars by BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and VWA Senate inquiry has found BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen have bought parts made by a Chinese company sanctioned under a 2021 law for using forced labor.
State governments looking to protect health-related data as it's used in abortion battle
Read full article: State governments looking to protect health-related data as it's used in abortion battleState governments across the U.S. are adopting or considering laws that would block the sale of personal health data or information about who visits sensitive sites such as sexual health facilities.
A COVID-era program is awash in fraud. Ending it could help Congress expand the child tax credit
Read full article: A COVID-era program is awash in fraud. Ending it could help Congress expand the child tax creditCongress is racing to wind down a tax break meant to encourage businesses to keep workers on the payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lawmakers announce bipartisan effort to enhance child tax credit, revive tax breaks for businesses
Read full article: Lawmakers announce bipartisan effort to enhance child tax credit, revive tax breaks for businessesAccording to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, there are “many things” for both Republicans and Democrats to celebrate in a new bipartisan tax package.
Apple now requires court orders in U.S. to access push notification data
Read full article: Apple now requires court orders in U.S. to access push notification dataApple is now requiring that U.S. law enforcement agencies obtain a court order for information on its customers’ push notifications — the alerts iPhone apps send users that can reveal a lot about their online activity.
Marijuana recommendation from Health Dept. hailed by senators as first step to easing restrictions
Read full article: Marijuana recommendation from Health Dept. hailed by senators as first step to easing restrictionsThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has delivered a recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration on marijuana policy, and Senate leaders are hailing it as a first step toward easing federal restrictions on the drug.
Report: 119K people hurt by riot-control weapons since 2015
Read full article: Report: 119K people hurt by riot-control weapons since 2015More than 119,000 people have been injured by tear gas and other chemical irritants around the world since 2015 and some 2,000 suffered injuries from “less lethal” impact projectiles.
US officials make case for renewing FISA surveillance powers
Read full article: US officials make case for renewing FISA surveillance powersBiden administration officials are urging Congress to renew a surveillance program the U.S. government has long seen as vital in countering overseas threats of terrorism, cyberattacks and espionage operations.
EXPLAINER: US-European differences on climate law persist
Read full article: EXPLAINER: US-European differences on climate law persistPresident Joe Biden is trying to allay concerns raised by French President Emmanuel Macron about a clean energy law that benefits electric vehicles and other products made in North America.
Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemes
Read full article: Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemesWith Medicare’s open enrollment underway, health experts are warning older adults about an uptick in misleading marketing tactics that might lead some to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans that don’t cover their doctors or prescriptions and drive up their out-of-pocket costs.
US gathered intel on Oregon protesters, report shows
Read full article: US gathered intel on Oregon protesters, report showsU.S. Department of Homeland Security officials under then-President Donald Trump compiled intelligence dossiers on people who were arrested at Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon.
Tougher IRS enforcement central to Dem economic package
Read full article: Tougher IRS enforcement central to Dem economic packageOne of Washington’s favorite punching bags, the Internal Revenue Service, may finally get the resources it’s been asking Congress for if Democrats get their economic package focused on energy and health care over the finish line.
Democrats say they've reached agreement on economic package
Read full article: Democrats say they've reached agreement on economic packageSenate Democrats say they have reached an accord on changes to their marquee economic legislation, clearing the major hurdle to pushing one of President Joe Biden’s leading election-year priorities through the chamber in coming days.
Biden vowing 'strong' climate action despite dual setbacks
Read full article: Biden vowing 'strong' climate action despite dual setbacksPresident Joe Biden is promising “strong executive action” to combat climate change, despite setbacks that have restricted his ability to regulate carbon emissions and boost clean energy such as wind and solar power.
Sept. 11 families plan protest as LIV tees off in Oregon
Read full article: Sept. 11 families plan protest as LIV tees off in OregonLIV Golf’s first U.S. event was set to begin Thursday, with a group of survivors and families who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 terror attacks planning to gather at a nearby park to speak out against the Saudi Arabia-funded tour.
Koepka cites injuries, family for joining Saudi-backed tour
Read full article: Koepka cites injuries, family for joining Saudi-backed tourFour months after suggesting those who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series were sellouts, Brooks Koepka explained Tuesday that he simply changed his mind.
After Roe, Dems seek probe of tech's use of personal data
Read full article: After Roe, Dems seek probe of tech's use of personal dataFour Democratic lawmakers are asking federal regulators to investigate Apple and Google for allegedly deceiving mobile phone users by collecting and selling their personal data.
Labor shortage compounds federal firefighters' staffing woes
Read full article: Labor shortage compounds federal firefighters' staffing woesFirefighter groups are applauding steps taken by the Biden administration this week to temporarily raise wages for the men and women on the front lines of the nation’s largest wildfires.
With Roe in doubt, some fear tech surveillance of pregnancy
Read full article: With Roe in doubt, some fear tech surveillance of pregnancyCompanies that collect data from the digital clues people leave online often know their most sensitive health information _ gleaned from web searches, health apps and location trackers.
Congress votes to suspend Russia trade status, enact oil ban
Read full article: Congress votes to suspend Russia trade status, enact oil banCongress has overwhelmingly voted to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and ban the importation of its oil, ratcheting up the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine amid reports of atrocities.
Justices decide for themselves when to step aside from cases
Read full article: Justices decide for themselves when to step aside from casesReports that the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas implored Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff to act to overturn the 2020 election results have put a spotlight on how justices decide whether to step aside from a case.
Senators issue bipartisan call to restore donors' tax breaks
Read full article: Senators issue bipartisan call to restore donors' tax breaksBoth Democratic and Republican lawmakers called Thursday for restoring the charitable deduction for donors who don’t itemize their taxes, a priority for nonprofits nationwide, but a key senator was noncommittal on the question of whether to support legislation designed to boost payout from foundations and donor-advised funds.
Please hold: Pricey way to jump IRS phone line at tax time
Read full article: Please hold: Pricey way to jump IRS phone line at tax timeAt a time when calls to the IRS have reached record levels, a private company lets those who are willing to pay jump to the front of the line to get their phone calls answered.
IRS to end use of facial recognition to identify taxpayers
Read full article: IRS to end use of facial recognition to identify taxpayersThe IRS sys it will stop using facial recognition technology to authenticate people who create online accounts after the practice came under criticism from privacy advocates and lawmakers.
Looking for evidence? Trust us, Biden administration says
Read full article: Looking for evidence? Trust us, Biden administration saysPresident Joe Biden's administration has refused to share evidence for national security claims in recent days, and officials have even accused reporters of buying into foreign propaganda.
FBI confirms it bought spyware from Israel's NSO Group
Read full article: FBI confirms it bought spyware from Israel's NSO GroupThe FBI has confirmed purchasing NSO Group's powerful spyware tool Pegasus, whose chronic abuse to hack journalists, dissidents and human rights activists has long been established.
Manchin hits Dems' $2T bill as too costly, talks to Biden
Read full article: Manchin hits Dems' $2T bill as too costly, talks to BidenSen. Joe Manchin is signaling anew Monday that he’s still not ready to back his party’s $2 trillion social and environment legislation as party leaders scramble for a pathway to advance the long-stalled package — preferably by Christmas.
AP seeks answers from US gov't on tracking of journalists
Read full article: AP seeks answers from US gov't on tracking of journalistsThe Associated Press is seeking answers from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter.
$56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for now
Read full article: $56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for nowA new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer’s medication that’s leading to one of the biggest increases ever in Medicare premiums is highlighting the limitations of President Joe Biden’s strategy for curbing prescription drug costs.
Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battle
Read full article: Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battleWorkers and families with private health insurance would reap savings on prescription drugs from a little-noticed provision in President Joe Biden's social agenda bill.
Native American confirmed as head of National Park Service
Read full article: Native American confirmed as head of National Park ServiceThe U.S. Senate has unanimously approved the nomination of Charles “Chuck” Sams III as National Park Service director, which will make him the first Native American to lead the agency that oversees more than 131,000 square miles of parks and other landmarks.
Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on Manchin
Read full article: Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on ManchinDemocrats say they have sealed a deal to lower pharmaceutical drug costs for most older Americans as part of President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.75 trillion domestic proposal.
Half its original size, Biden's big plan in race to finish
Read full article: Half its original size, Biden's big plan in race to finishPresident Joe Biden’s big domestic policy bill is now half its original size and being pulled apart and reconfigured as Democrats edge closer to satisfying their most reluctant lawmakers.
Democrats see tax 'framework' to pay for huge $3.5T package
Read full article: Democrats see tax 'framework' to pay for huge $3.5T packageTop congressional Democrats say they and the White House have agreed to a framework of tax options to pay for their emerging $3.5 trillion social and environment bill.
Beware of budget gimmicks in push for massive spending deals
Read full article: Beware of budget gimmicks in push for massive spending dealsSenators negotiating two colossal bills that would deliver more than $4 trillion for infrastructure, health care, environment and other initiatives keep insisting both bills will be fully paid for.
Priest outed via Grindr app highlights rampant data tracking
Read full article: Priest outed via Grindr app highlights rampant data trackingWhen a religious publication used smartphone app data to deduce the sexual orientation of a high-ranking Roman Catholic official, it exposed a problem that goes far beyond a debate over church doctrine and priestly celibacy.
New infrastructure deal must focus on climate, activists say
Read full article: New infrastructure deal must focus on climate, activists sayClimate activists and their Democratic allies in Congress are pressing with renewed urgency for huge investments to slow global warming after a bipartisan infrastructure plan cut out some of President Joe Biden’s key climate initiatives.
Amid clamor to increase prescribed burns, obstacles await
Read full article: Amid clamor to increase prescribed burns, obstacles awaitSix decades after University of California forestry professor Harold Biswell experimented with prescribed burns and was treated with ridicule, he is seen as someone whose ideas could save the U.S. West’s forests and ease wildfire dangers.
Biden objects to raising gas tax to pay for infrastructure
Read full article: Biden objects to raising gas tax to pay for infrastructureThe White House is making clear that President Joe Biden is opposed to letting the federal gasoline tax rise at the rate of inflation to help pay for an infrastructure package that a bipartisan group of 21 senators is trying to craft.
Impatient Democrats prepare to go-it-alone on infrastructure
Read full article: Impatient Democrats prepare to go-it-alone on infrastructureDemocratic leaders are laying the groundwork for a go-it-alone approach on President Joe Biden's big jobs and families infrastructure plan even as the White House continues negotiating with Republicans on a scaled-back $1 trillion proposal.
Senate confirms Brooks-LaSure to run health care programs
Read full article: Senate confirms Brooks-LaSure to run health care programsThe Senate has confirmed President Joe Biden’s pick to run U.S. health insurance programs, putting in place a key player who’ll carry out his strategy for expanding affordable coverage and reining in prescription drug costs.
SolarWinds hacking campaign puts Microsoft in the hot seat
Read full article: SolarWinds hacking campaign puts Microsoft in the hot seatThe sprawling hacking campaign came to be known as SolarWinds, for the company whose software update was seeded by Russian intelligence agents with malware to penetrate government and private networks.
Lawmakers press Big Tech CEOs on speech responsibility
Read full article: Lawmakers press Big Tech CEOs on speech responsibilityRepublicans raised long-running conservative grievances, unproven, that the platforms are biased against conservative viewpoints and censor material based on political or religious viewpoints. There is increasing support in Congress for legislation to rein in Big Tech companies. The tech CEOs defended the legal shield under Section 230, saying it has helped make the internet the forum of free expression that it is today. Trump enjoyed special treatment on Facebook and Twitter until January, despite spreading misinformation, pushing false claims of voting fraud, and promulgating hate. The tech blog Gizmodo eventually revealed the device was a “BlockClock” that shows the latest prices of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Lawmakers: Require nursing homes to disclose vaccine data
Read full article: Lawmakers: Require nursing homes to disclose vaccine dataNursing homes have to publicly disclose their vaccination rates for flu and pneumonia, but theres no similar mandate for COVID-19 shots. Nursing homes have been required since last May to regularly report cases and deaths among residents and staff to the government. Nursing homes are again allowing loved ones to visit, and hugs are included. The main nursing home industry trade group, the American Health Care Association, says it supports disclosure of vaccination data. Wyden and Crapo said current government policy that encourages nursing homes to voluntarily report vaccination data to the government has only led to “limited participation by the industry.”The government should require nursing homes to break down vaccination data by race and ethnicity, given disparities in vaccine acceptance.
Democrats muscle ahead with Biden's health secretary pick
Read full article: Democrats muscle ahead with Biden's health secretary pickPresident Joe Bidens pick for health secretary is taking heat for his defense of abortion rights from a tag team of Republicans looking to define him and the new administration as out of the mainstream. Becerra now serves as California’s attorney general and previously represented the Los Angeles area for more than 20 years in the U.S. House. Republicans voiced concern about Becerra’s record in support of abortion rights. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Becerra as attorney general “aggressively crusaded in favor of abortion” and repeatedly inserted California into abortion litigation involving other states. Perceptions changed after Becerra was appointed California attorney general in 2017.
GOP takes aim at Biden's health care pick on abortion rights
Read full article: GOP takes aim at Biden's health care pick on abortion rightsPresident Joe Bidens pick for health secretary is taking heat for his defense of abortion rights from a tag team of Republicans looking to define him and the new administration as out of the mainstream. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s pick for health secretary is taking heat from Republicans for his actions in support of abortion rights. By a show of force, they're trying to deny a president who supports abortion rights his choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services with the coronavirus pandemic still untamed. Becerra, 63, was a reliable Democratic vote for abortion rights during more than 20 years representing a Los Angeles-area district in the U.S. House. She disagrees with his support for abortion rights but finds common ground elsewhere.
Biden urges Senate Dems to rally behind $1.9T virus bill
Read full article: Biden urges Senate Dems to rally behind $1.9T virus bill“He said we need to pass this bill and pass it soon. The Senate bill was expected to largely mirror the House-approved package, with the most glaring divergence the Senate's dropping of language boosting the federal minimum wage to $15 hourly. Schumer said Senate debate would commence as soon as Wednesday and predicted, “We'll have the votes we need to pass the bill." Progressives, though, were still smarting over the virtual certainty that the Senate bill will lack the minimum wage boost, up from $7.25 hourly locked in since 2009. The funding was removed after some Republican lawmakers had criticized it as an example of a wasteful spending item that should not be part of the COVID relief bill.
Minimum wage hike all but dead in big COVID relief bill
Read full article: Minimum wage hike all but dead in big COVID relief billActivists appeal for a $15 minimum wage near the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill being prepped in Congress includes a provision that over five years would hike the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. AdThe overall relief bill is Biden’s biggest early legislative priority. AdSenate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he wanted Democrats to ignore the parliamentarian's ruling blocking the minimum wage increase. But Sanders, the Senate's lead sponsor of the hike to $15, said he'd force a vote on an amendment restoring the minimum wage increase anyway.
Biden hails House passage of $1.9T virus bill, now to Senate
Read full article: Biden hails House passage of $1.9T virus bill, now to Senate“We have no time to waste,” Biden said at the White House after the House passage early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.