Biden administration extends federal eviction ban through July
By Anna Bahney and Kevin Liptak The Biden administration extended the federal ban on evictions that was set to expire at the end of June by a month. This is intended to be the final extension of the eviction moratorium, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the order. The extension, signed by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, comes as vaccination rates slow and the effects of the pandemic continue to linger. The moratorium aims to keep people in their homes and out of crowded settings — like homeless shelters — as a way to help stop
Democrats urge Biden to extend student loan pause until April 2022
By Katie Lobosco Key Democratic lawmakers are calling on President Joe Biden to extend the pandemic-related student loan payment pause another six months beyond October — or until the economy reaches pre-pandemic employment levels, whichever is longer. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts led a group of more than 60 other Democrats in asking the President in a letter sent Wednesday to push back the restart date, warning it could “create a significant drag on our economic recovery.” As of now, federal student loan borrowers will have to resume payments on October 1 after an
Biden: ‘We have a deal’ on infrastructure with bipartisan group of senators
By Kate Sullivan and Phil Mattingly President Joe Biden said Thursday he has agreed to a deal on infrastructure with a bipartisan group of senators after White House officials and the senators had a massive breakthrough the night before in their infrastructure negotiations. Both Republican and Democratic senators said Wednesday evening there was an agreement reached with White House officials and 10 senators on a bipartisan infrastructure deal. And on Thursday afternoon, Biden said he had signed off on the agreement. “To answer your direct question, we have a deal,” he said. Though hurdles remain — it’s unclear if the proposal will have enough support from GOP
Why the infrastructure deal is so important for Joe Biden
Analysis by Stephen Collinson President Joe Biden will validate a foundational pillar of his presidency on Thursday — a quest to court Republicans across Congress’ poisoned divides — if he signs off on a hard won bipartisan infrastructure deal. Biden’s patience seems to have delivered a Senate compromise on the issue that would cut against the prevailing stalemate on Capitol Hill. A parallel and exhaustive set of talks on police reform in the wake of the George Floyd murder last year also faces an end-of-day test seen by key players as crucial ahead of a looming Senate recess. Senators emerged from another marathon infrastructure
House progressives demand action after voting rights bill fails
By Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer and Lauren Fox Now that Senate Republicans blocked the path forward on a monumental ethics reform and elections bill, progressives are frustrated, openly calling for an end to the filibuster even as key moderates have made clear they won’t be changing it. “I do think it would be a mistake to not give it another try. Personally, I believe even with the resistance in our own caucus to ending the filibuster, I think the filibuster’s days are numbered,” Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico told CNN. “Nothing makes that case better than the abuse of voting rights we
Kamala Harris to make first trip to the border as vice president this week
By Jasmine Wright, Priscilla Alvarez and Jeremy Diamond Vice President Kamala Harris will head to the US-Mexico border on Friday, her office confirmed, following weeks of criticism that she hasn’t visited the area despite being tasked by the Biden administration with trying to stem the flow of migration from Central America. The upcoming trip to El Paso, Texas, comes as Harris has been dogged by Republican criticism of her absence at the border after being asked by President Joe Biden to lead diplomatic relations in the Northern Triangle in an attempt to alleviate the tide of migration over the southern border. In a
Senators say deal reached on infrastructure proposal as bipartisan agenda faces make-or-break moment
By Lauren Fox, Manu Raju, Ted Barrett and Jessica Dean Senators on both sides of the aisle said Wednesday evening there’s an agreement with White House officials and 10 senators on a bipartisan infrastructure deal, with senators planning to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday to discuss it. The development amounted to a significant breakthrough that could pave the way for passage of a chunk of Biden’s domestic agenda — but there are many hurdles and many landmines ahead. The details have still not been written — and liberal Democrats have scoffed at what they
Democrats plot next steps on new election rules with a focus on Georgia
By Manu Raju Senate Democrats, stymied in their push to mandate a major revamp of election laws, are beginning to map out their next steps to draw attention to the issue and to put the focus on a critical battleground state: Georgia. The Democratic-led Senate Rules Committee plans to move ahead with a series of hearings, including in Georgia, calling for passage of new legislation — as well as to spotlight Republican-led efforts at the state level to enact restrictive measures in the wake of the growth of mail-in voting during the 2020 election season. At the center of the
Senate Republicans block signature Democratic election bill in key test vote
By Clare Foran and Lauren Fox Senate Democrats suffered a loss on Tuesday when Republican opposition sunk their signature voting and election bill during a key test vote, underscoring the limits of the party’s power with the narrowest possible Senate majority. A procedural vote to open debate on the legislation was defeated by a tally of 50-50, falling short of the 60 votes needed to succeed. Democrats were united in favor of the vote after securing support from Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, but Republicans were united against it, causing the measure to fail to advance. Democratic senators have
Biden set to announce his gun crime prevention and public safety strategy as White House looks to tackle crime surge
By Maegan Vazquez President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce a comprehensive strategy on violent crime prevention — with a particular emphasis on gun crimes — amid a nationwide surge in violent crime that’s emerged as an area of concern for the White House. Biden is expected to address recent spikes in shootings, armed robberies and vicious assaults when he announces the details of the crime prevention strategy Wednesday afternoon during a speech at the White House. He’ll meet with state and local leaders ahead of his remarks. Biden plans to sign executive actions with a particular focus on tamping