GOP counters Biden’s infrastructure plan with $928 billion offer as President’s adviser slams opposition
By Phil Mattingly, Lauren Fox, John Harwood, Betsy Klein and Kate Sullivan Senate Republicans made a $928 billion counteroffer to President Joe Biden’s sweeping infrastructure proposal Thursday morning as one of the President’s closest advisers rallies allies to embrace the White House’s proposals. The group of Senate Republicans negotiating with Biden on infrastructure unveiled their latest infrastructure counter-proposal Thursday morning, just ahead of the latest effort from the President to put the spotlight back on his sweeping economic agenda. The offer falls short of the $1 trillion that Senate Republicans had said Biden was open to during their White House
Garland announces 6 steps DOJ is taking to improve efforts to combat hate crimes
By Christina Carrega The Justice Department is taking six immediate steps to improve its efforts to combat the spike in hate crimes, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in a memo to department employees Thursday, including expanding access to different languages. Thursday’s memo follows a 30-day “expedited review” Garland ordered in March, shortly after he was confirmed, to figure out how the Justice Department could “deploy all the tools at its disposal” to combat hate crimes across the country. That effort came on the heels of a rise in hate crimes and hate incidents, specifically against the Asian American and Pacific
Karine Jean-Pierre becomes first Black woman in 30 years to host daily White House press briefing
By Allie Malloy and Caroline Kelly White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday became the second Black woman in history to hold the daily press briefing Wednesday, saying that while she appreciates the “historic nature” of the moment she also acknowledges that the White House is not about “one person.” “It’s a real honor to be standing here today,” Pierre said of being the first Black woman in 30 years to brief reporters from the James S. Brady briefing room. “I appreciate the historic nature. I really do,” Jean-Pierre added. “But I believe that … being behind
Obama says ‘institutional role’ constrained his comments on Ferguson and Trayvon Martin cases while President
By Paul LeBlanc Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday reflected on the frustration he had felt in office when his “institutional role” limited his ability to comment on federal investigations into the shooting deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. “I went as far as I could just commenting on cases like Trayvon Martin or what was happening in Ferguson because as we discovered, not every president follows this, at least my successor didn’t. But I followed the basic notion that the Justice Department was independent, I could not steer them,” Obama said during a virtual gathering with the My
Senate confirms Kristen Clarke as first Black woman to lead DOJ civil rights division
By Christina Carrega Democrats confirmed Kristen Clarke on Tuesday as the first Black woman to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division, a historic step that came on the anniversary of George Floyd’s killing — and after a vitriolic campaign by Republicans over her stance on policing. The vote was 51-48 with Sen. Susan Collins as the only Republican voting for her confirmation. Clarke’s confirmation breaks barriers in a department that was established in 1957. She was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris at the Justice Department on Tuesday evening. Harris spokesperson Symone Sanders praised Clarke as “a
Biden indicated he could support $1 trillion infrastructure plan, Republicans say, as GOP group prepares new offer
By Manu Raju, Phil Mattingly and Lauren Fox GOP senators say that President Joe Biden has informed them he’d be willing to accept an infrastructure package of around $1 trillion, significantly lower than the White House’s public offer last week. Two key GOP negotiators — Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Roger Wicker of Mississippi — both indicated on Tuesday that Biden has signaled openness to that price tag, a reason why they plan to make a counteroffer around that amount on Thursday, even as there are still sharp disagreements on how to pay for the massive proposal.
Negotiators optimistic for policing overhaul on eve of George Floyd anniversary
By Jessica Dean and Ryan Nobles The two lead Senate negotiators behind legislation to overhaul the nation’s policing laws expressed new optimism Monday, on the eve of a critical milestone President Joe Biden had set to make progress on such a plan, with Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina saying, “I think we can see the end of the tunnel” when it comes to crafting a bipartisan deal. Biden had called on Congress to pass a bill overhauling policing by Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death. The negotiators have maintained they are not adhering to any timelines,
Biden and Harris condemn recent attacks on Jewish community in US and abroad
By Kate Sullivan and Betsy Klein President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday condemned recent attacks toward the Jewish community after several Jewish people were targeted in cities across the US and abroad as tensions flare over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop. I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad — it’s up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor,” Biden tweeted Monday. Harris added later: “The surge in anti-Semitic attacks against the Jewish community in the U.S. and around the world
Biden administration unable to continue $300 weekly pandemic unemployment benefits that GOP governors are slashing
By Jeff Zeleny and Tami Luhby The Labor Department has exhausted its options for continuing to pay an extra $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits to jobless people in the 22 GOP-led states that are ending them early, an administration official told CNN Thursday. Roughly 3.6 million out-of-work Americans will forgo a total of $21.7 billion in benefits as a result of the state actions, according to an analysis by The Century Foundation. Texas, Indiana and South Carolina are among those terminating the pandemic jobless programs early. “There is nothing we can do,” the official said, adding that the
Lawmakers see promise in police reform negotiations as Biden plans meeting with George Floyd’s family
Analysis by Maeve Reston President Joe Biden will mark the solemn anniversary of George Floyd’s death this week by hosting Floyd’s family at the White House, giving the President a fresh chance to pressure lawmakers on Capitol Hill to reach an agreement on police reform legislation. The need for greater accountability in policing has only grown more pronounced in the year since Floyd was killed by a White police officer, who was convicted of murder in April. Egregious cases of police brutality, as well as examples of the disproportionate use of force by police toward Black and Brown people, have