Harris pitches American Jobs Plan during first extended economic speech since becoming VP
By Maegan Vazquez Kamala Harris on Monday delivered her first extended economic speech since becoming vice president, making a pitch for the Biden administration’s infrastructure plan and touting the White House’s accomplishments since President Joe Biden was sworn in. “Help is here and hope is here — and things are looking up. Schools are reopening. Businesses are reopening. Grandparents are seeing their grandchildren in person. We are delivering real, real relief,” Harris told an audience at Guilford Technical Community College in North Carolina. The vice president specifically discussed what the administration’s roughly $2 trillion infrastructure package — the President’s top
Negotiations over Biden’s infrastructure package continue in Congress this week. Here’s what to watch
By Paul LeBlanc and Phil Mattingly, CNN Washington is staring down a bumpy road to infrastructure consensus. The Biden administration’s roughly $2 trillion proposal focused on infrastructure and the climate crisis enters a critical week on Capitol Hill as congressional Republicans wrestle with what a scaled-down counter offer might look like. Complicating the already winding path to bipartisan agreement has been pressure to act on gun violence and police reform, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, all of which threaten to put infrastructure on the back burner. But the White House has continued its overtures to host GOP lawmakers in the
Biden announces troops will leave Afghanistan by September 11: ‘It’s time to end America’s longest war’
By Kevin Liptak President Joe Biden formally announced his decision to end America’s longest war on Wednesday, deeming the prolonged and intractable conflict in Afghanistan no longer aligned with American priorities. Biden said he would withdraw US troops from Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that launched the war in the first place. Those origins had long given way to other objectives, and Biden declared Wednesday that no amount of time or money could solve the problems his three predecessors had tried and failed to fix. “War
House panel advances bill to study reparations for descendants of enslaved Americans
By Daniella Diaz and Veronica Stracqualursi A House committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for descendants of enslaved Americans, a major achievement for advocates of reparations as it marks the first time this bill could have a full House vote on the floor. The House Judiciary Committee late Wednesday night approved H.R. 40 by a vote of 25-17. The measure proposes the creation of a federal commission to study reparations and recommend remedies for the harm caused by slavery and the discriminatory policies that followed abolition. The commission would also consider how
Biden spoke with Obama and Bush ahead of Afghanistan withdrawal announcement
By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein and Jeff Zeleny President Joe Biden spoke with two of his predecessors ahead of his Wednesday announcement that he will withdraw US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, drawing an end to America’s longest war. The separate phone conversations between the President and former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush as Biden prepared to make the announcement underscore the longevity of the conflict, which has spanned four presidential administrations and nearly 20 years. “He values their opinions and wanted them both to hear directly from him about his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan,”
House committee votes to approve bill that would grant DC statehood
By Clare Foran The House Oversight and Reform Committee voted on Wednesday to approve a bill that would grant statehood to Washington, DC, a Democratic priority that faces obstacles for final passage even when the party controls both chambers on Capitol Hill and the White House. The tally was 25-19. “Today is an historic day for our country — and our democracy,” Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney said in her opening remarks ahead of the vote. “For only the second time in a generation, we will vote on whether hundreds of thousands of American citizens will finally have their voices counted
Amazon, Google, GM, Starbucks and hundreds of companies join to oppose voting restrictions
By Jordan Valinsky Hundreds of prominent executives from high-profile companies, including Amazon, Google, BlackRock and Starbucks, signed a statement that opposes discriminatory legislation that makes voting harder. The statement, printed Wednesday in an advertisement in the New York Times, was organized by Ken Chenault and Ken Frazier, two of America’s most prominent Black corporate leaders. The statement called democracy a “beautifully American ideal” and for it to work, “we must ensure the right to vote for all of us.” “We all should feel a responsibility to defend the right to vote and to oppose any discriminatory legislation on measures that
DOJ nominee Kristen Clarke faces Senate as supporters say civil rights chief is badly needed
By Christina Carrega Kristen Clarke, President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, heads to her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday as a groundswell of supporters says there’s an urgency for Clarke to take office and lead the team of federal prosecutors to address recent allegations of unconstitutional acts across the country, including police killings of unarmed people of color. If Clarke, 45, is confirmed, she would be the first Black woman to lead this division since its inception in 1957. But Clarke will first have to make it through Wednesday’s Judiciary Committee hearing, which could
The second couple settles in after a stressful start to their life in Washington
By Kate Bennett Three months into her historic vice presidency, Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, have finally unpacked their suitcases and are enjoying the comforts of their official residence. The unseasonably warm temperatures and sunny spring skies in Washington over the last week have led them on most recent evenings to walk around outdoors and relax on the veranda at One Observatory Circle — something they weren’t able to do as easily at Blair House, the presidential guest home across the street from the White House, where they spent the chilly early days of their life
Biden and Obama to appear in TV special to promote Covid-19 vaccinations
By Kate Sullivan President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama will appear in an hour-long NBC special on Sunday aimed at promoting Covid-19 vaccinations as they hope to convince hesitant Americans to get shots. The special comes as the Biden administration races to get shots in arms and combat vaccine hesitancy, particularly after it was recommended that the US pause the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine over six reported US cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clot. The “Roll Up Your Sleeves” special will air at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday on NBC, according