Biden Vows to Revive Build Back Better Despite Manchin Blow
By Paul LeBlanc and Manu Raju, President Joe Biden on Tuesday insisted that he and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will “get something done” on the Build Back Better Act after Manchin defied his party by torpedoing the key piece of Biden’s domestic agenda. “Some people think maybe I’m not Irish because I don’t hold a grudge. But I want to get things done,” said Biden, when asked whether the West Virginia Democrat broke a commitment to him. “I still think there’s a possibility of getting Build Back Better done.” The President also told reporters he had been “told (Manchin) was speaking to
Biden suffers twin blows from Manchin and another Covid winter
By Maeve Reston, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin dropped the axe on his party’s agenda on Sunday when he said he would not support President Joe Biden’s economic and climate package just as the White House is bracing for another Covid winter that is likely to further sour the nation’s mood heading into a midterm election year. The West Virginia’s senator’s abrupt move was a sharp break from the White House and it infuriated progressives, who had reluctantly agreed to advance the bipartisan infrastructure deal earlier this year believing that Biden would be able to secure the votes needed to pass the Build Back Better bill in the Senate
Gun Makers Sue NY Over Law Allowing Crime-Linked Lawsuits
By Sonia Moghe, More than a dozen gun industry stakeholders sued the New York State Attorney General, challenging the constitutionality of a state public nuisance law that allows gun manufacturers and distributors to be sued if their products are used in crimes by third parties. The legislation, which was signed into law in July, made New York the first state to clear the way for gun manufacturers, distributors and dealers to face civil lawsuits for how they market and sell firearms. The law was a work-around for the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a federal law that granted immunity
Manchin Opposes Build Back Better, Jeopardizing Climate Plan
By Ella Nilsen, With Sen. Joe Manchin confirming he’s a “no” on President Joe Biden’s social spending package, the fate of the bill’s $550 bill worth of climate and energy provisions — and the President’s climate agenda — are now on the line. In a Sunday statement, the West Virginia senator insisted the clean energy transition is “already well underway” in the US but did not mention the deadly and costly threat climate change poses to Americans. Manchin said that investing billions into clean energy “at a rate that is faster than technology or the markets allow will have catastrophic consequences for
Biden Delays Build Back Better Vote Amid Manchin Talks
By Phil Mattingly, President Joe Biden, in a lengthy statement, implicitly acknowledged ongoing negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin and procedural steps will cause Democrats to miss the Christmas deadline for Senate passage of his $1.75 trillion economic and climate package, noting that Democrats will continue to work together “over the days and weeks ahead” to get the proposal to the Senate floor. “My team and I are having ongoing discussions with Senator Manchin; that work will continue next week,” Biden said in the statement. “It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and finish all the parliamentary and procedural
Biden’s Democracy Summit Highlights Voting Rights Crisis
By Fredreka Schouten, President Joe Biden kicked off the inaugural White House “Summit for Democracy” on Thursday by sounding alarms about challenges to democracy around the globe as authoritarian governments gain ground. But advocates say much more work is needed at home to shore up America’s democracy, nearly a year after a violent attack on the US Capitol aimed at halting the certification of Biden’s victory. In the months since, 19 Republican-controlled states have passed a raft of new laws that restrict access to the ballot, election officials have faced relentless threats of physical violence and former President Donald Trump and his allies have continued to stoke
Kamala Harris Secures $1.2B Investment for Central America
By Jasmine Wright and Priscilla Alvarez, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday  announced a new slate of commitments from the private sector to invest in the Northern Triangle, senior White House officials say, marking the administration’s latest attempt to address the root causes of migration from the region by promoting economic opportunity. The announcement follows an initial agreement, dubbed a “Call to Action,” released in May, that detailed $750 million in commitments from major companies like Microsoft, Mastercard, Chobani, Duolingo, Nespresso, Bancolombia and Davivienda. In response to the months-old call, Nespresso is now working with over 1,200 farmers in the region, according to a
Senate Set to Vote on Debt Limit Increase to Avoid Default
By Clare Foran and Ali Zaslav, The Senate is on track to vote on Tuesday to raise the national debt limit as lawmakers race to avert a catastrophic default ahead of a critical mid-week deadline. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the debt limit could be reached on December 15, leaving Congress little time left to resolve the issue. Once the Senate takes action, the House will next have to approve the same legislation before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. A first-ever default would spark economic disaster and party leaders on both sides of the aisle have
Tornadoes Renew Urgency for Biden’s Climate Change Agenda
By Zachary B. Wolf, The devastation from this weekend’s tornadoes was a stark reminder of the future that awaits humans on this planet, when weird weather is increasingly unpredictable and severe. But President Joe Biden — whose climate change initiatives in his social spending package face an uncertain future in the Senate — has more immediate political problems, including that high gas prices and inflation have eaten into his political power. The existential threat of our lifetime is running, again, into the political realities of our democracy. That the clock is ticking to address climate change has been broadcast on repeat, with increasing intensity. But as those alarm bells ring,
Letitia James Ends NY Governor Bid, Seeks AG Reelection
By Gregory Krieg and Veronica Stracqualursi, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that she is ending her bid for governor of the state and instead running for reelection. “I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James said in a statement Thursday. “There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job.” James entered the race in late October, immediately becoming the leading challenger to moderate Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Democratic lieutenant governor who replaced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo after his resignation this summer in the midst of a sexual
