Texas GOP consolidates power in new congressional maps as Senate again fails to act on voting rights
By Eric Bradner, With Texas Republicans bolstering their congressional majorities in new maps they approved this week, Senate Republicans in Washington, DC, on Wednesday blocked yet another voting rights bill that would crack down on those kinds of gerrymanders. The maps that Texas state legislators approved this week under the once-a-decade redistricting process would consolidate the power of White voters and eliminate political competition in the state’s rapidly changing suburbs. The number of majority-White districts would increase, even though the growing Hispanic population is almost entirely responsible for Texas gaining two seats in the US House in the reapportionment process. Under the maps
How Biden’s infrastructure bill could help prevent the next supply chain crisis
By Katie Lobosco, There’s no quick fix for the current pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, but the bipartisan infrastructure bill currently held up in Congress would help prepare the complicated system to handle the next disruption. The legislation calls for major federal investments in each step of the US freight network: Inland waterways and rail used for transporting goods and produce, highways and bridges traveled heavily by truck drivers as well as the nation’s seaside ports, the biggest of which is currently facing a record backlog of shipping containers sitting on scores of ships waiting off the coast. Altogether, the bill would provide up to $78 billion over
White House under pressure to act on voting rights, but it’s not ready to blow up the filibuster
By Jeremy Herb, Kevin Liptak and Fredreka Schouten, The White House is under mounting pressure to get results on voting rights legislation, but sources tell CNN the Biden administration still isn’t ready to try to jam it through the Senate by force — even though the Senate’s latest voting bill is expected to falter yet again on Wednesday. Instead of using their slim majority to force the bill through by changing the rules, the current White House plan is for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to step up the public-facing part of their campaign — either to gain enough
Biden discusses $1.9 trillion top line for economic package and tells Democrats free community college is out
By Manu Raju, Phil Mattingly and Kaitlan Collins, President Joe Biden informed House progressives Tuesday afternoon that the final bill to expand the social safety net is expected to drop tuition-free community college, a major White House priority, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. And the President discussed a $1.75 to $1.9 trillion price tag for the sweeping spending package, according to a person familiar with the talks. While the number is not finalized, it is far closer to West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin’s $1.5 trillion top line than progressives’ number, which was $3.5 trillion. Moreover, he indicated that the
Kamala Harris came in to solve issues in Central America. But the problem is now much bigger.
By Priscilla Alvarez, When President Joe Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to address the reasons people migrate to the US southern border, her focus was on addressing problems in Central America. But seven months later, it’s migrants arriving from even farther away in South America who are overwhelming the administration, leaving the White House with a larger problem that officials are still looking for ways to solve. The recent surge of Haitians into Del Rio, Texas, underscored the immense challenge of tackling migratory flows that are constantly changing. As efforts were launched in the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to set
Capitol Hill Democrats face tough choices over major economic package in pivotal week ahead
By Clare Foran, With a debt limit crisis averted for now, the Democratic Party’s effort to finalize a sweeping economic package to expand the social safety net will be front-and-center on Capitol Hill this week. Democrats must make a series of hard decisions over how much they are willing to spend on the package and what will be included, a challenge made more difficult amid persistent and stark divisions between progressives and moderates. If the party can’t reach consensus, a key pillar of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda is at risk of falling apart. Also at risk is a separate $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.
House approves debt ceiling extension through early December
By Clare Foran and Kristin Wilson, The House of Representatives approved an extension of the nation’s debt limit through early December after the Senate passed the stopgap measure last week in a bid to avert a catastrophic default and economic disaster. Now that the Democratic-controlled House has passed the short-term extension, it is cleared for President Joe Biden’s signature. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned lawmakers that the federal government would likely run out of cash by October 18 unless Congress raised the debt ceiling, setting up a ticking clock and high stakes. Congress may not even have had that long to act since
Senate votes to extend debt ceiling through early December
By Clare Foran and Ali Zaslav, The Senate voted 50-48 Thursday evening to extend the nation’s debt limit through early December after Democrats and Republicans reached a deal to avert economic disaster following weeks of partisan deadlock over the issue. The House will next have to approve the extension before it can be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said late Thursday that the House will convene on Tuesday to vote on the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday morning that a deal had been reached, paving the way for the final vote
Democrats are serious about potentially changing Senate filibuster rules to avoid default
By Lauren Fox, The country is on the precipice of a financial calamity and Democrats are on the verge of potentially altering the contours of the Senate with a potential one-time rules change that would enable them to pass a debt ceiling increase well ahead of the October 18 deadline. It’s a strategy that Democratic leaders have been socializing since last week in the caucus, but the idea got a serious boost on Tuesday night when President Joe Biden said it’s “a real possibility” that Democrats would establish a carveout of the filibuster rules to let the debt ceiling be increased by a
Black voters were central to Terry McAuliffe winning Virginia in 2013. Will they help him again?
By Eva McKend, Back in 2013, Terry McAuliffe won a majority of Black voters when he sought — and ultimately won — the top office in Virginia. As he vies for a second term as the Commonwealth’s governor, he wants to do it again. With less than a month to go in the election, McAuliffe and Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin are locked in a competitive race in a state Joe Biden carried by 10 points last year. The outcome of this year’s contest will be closely watched inside and outside the Commonwealth for clues about the mood of the electorate heading into the