Biden says US faces battle to ‘prove democracy works’
By Nicole Gaouette President Joe Biden cast challenges to the US from China, Russia and global shifts in stark terms Thursday, describing “a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” The President underscored that the United States faces an unprecedented array of tests, with Beijing posing what might be the trickiest strategic challenge of all. As global freedoms ebb, groundbreaking technological shifts are disrupting economies and climate change is posing an existential threat, all while Moscow continues challenging the West and an increasingly aggressive Beijing seeks to become — in Biden’s words Thursday — “the
Biden assigning Harris to lead diplomatic efforts in Central America to address immigration
By Kevin Liptak and Jasmine Wright President Joe Biden is tasking Vice President Kamala Harris with overseeing efforts with Central American countries to stem the flow of migrants to the US southern border, the first major issue Biden has assigned directly to his No. 2. “I asked her, the VP, today, because she’s the most qualified person to do it, to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle, and the countries that can help, need help in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border,” Biden told reporters ahead of an immigration
Ford Credit and Ford Motor Company take on Congressional HBCU Partnership Challenge
Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit Company are taking part in the Congressional HBCU Partnership Challenge, which is designed to promote corporate engagement and support for HBCUs. The main goal of the initiative is to help students develop new career opportunities and to improve diversity and inclusion across all industries. Emphasis will also be placed on building stronger relationships with HBCUs and expanding current ones. “We are thrilled to join the HBCU Partnership Challenge,” Ford Credit CEO Marion Harris said. “As part of our commitment to treating customers like family, our company makeup needs to look more like the
One of the largest civil rights cases in history is settled by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has settled a 15-year-old federal discrimination lawsuit. The bill will give $577 million over the next ten years to the state’s four HBCUs — Bowie State University, Coppin State University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Morgan State University. Hogan had previously vetoed a similar bill, attributing his decision to the economic issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He will sign the bill Wednesday afternoon, alongside lawmakers, at Bowie State University. Payments in regard to this settlement, however, will not begin until 2023. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2006 by the NAACP. HBCUs claimed
Biden announces $81 billion for schools as part of Covid-19 relief law
By Betsy Klein President Joe Biden announced the release of $81 billion in funding from the Covid-19 relief law for school reopening Wednesday, part of the administration’s efforts toward getting the majority of schools opened in his first 100 days in office and addressing inequity caused by the pandemic. “I’m really proud to announce that starting today, states will begin receiving nearly $130 billion in school funding that we included in the American Rescue Plan. In fact, $81 billion of those dollars will be arriving today to those schools,” Biden said during a virtual summit on school reopening hosted by
Georgia House set to pass sweeping bill that would restrict voting access
By Kelly Mena, Dianne Gallagher and Pamela Kirkland The GOP-led Georgia House is expected on Thursday to approve a sweeping election bill that would limit voting rights by imposing restrictions like an ID requirement for absentee voting in a state that was key in determining control of the White House and Senate. The passage of SB 202, three days before the end of the 2021 legislative session, will inch the bill one step closer to becoming law as the GOP-led state Legislature hopes to successfully make election changes, part of a national Republican effort that aims to restrict access to
Biden’s heartfelt plea for gun control adds to daunting policy wish list
Analysis by Stephen Collinson Joe Biden’s call for an assault weapons ban and a wave of other gun control measures adds a daunting new policy challenge to a progressive agenda that is already shaping up as the most ambitious by a Democratic president for decades. The President has already passed a $1.9 trillion Covid rescue plan that reflects the reality that his administration will be mostly defined by his ability to conquer the pandemic that has killed more than half a million Americans. What comes next could be even bigger, as CNN reported on Monday that the White House is
Kamala Harris’ campaign trail gun rhetoric meets Biden’s reality
By Jasmine Wright and Maegan Vazquez Presidential candidate Kamala Harris campaigned aggressively on gun control reform — making the case that if Congress couldn’t act to make changes, the president could. A California senator without much to lose as she fought to define herself in the 2020 Democratic primary, Harris at the time made bold claims about presidential power that then-candidate Joe Biden did not agree with and is unlikely as president to take on. Biden on Tuesday urged Senate action on two House-passed bills on background checks and an assault weapons ban in the wake of two mass shootings
Why you may have to wait until next year’s tax season to claim all your stimulus benefits
By Tami Luhby and Katie Lobosco Millions of struggling Americans are already accessing the assistance from the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion relief packagethat President Joe Biden signed earlier this month — including stimulus payments and enhanced unemployment benefits. But not all the aid in the massive law will be available right away. In fact, eligible Americans won’t fully benefit from several of the provisions — such as the new child tax credit — until a year from now, when they file their 2021 tax returns. “We are going to see these waves of relief,” said Kathy Pickering, chief tax officer at
Celebrities join Michelle Obama in urging Americans to support sweeping voting rights bill
By Fredreka Schouten and Devan Cole Former first lady Michelle Obama and a host of celebrities, including Tom Hanks, Tracee Ellis Ross and Kerry Washington, are calling on Americans to encourage their senators to support a sweeping voting rights package that would thwart efforts by Republican state lawmakers to curb access to the ballot box. In an open letter published Tuesday by When We All Vote, a nonpartisan organization committed to voter registration that Obama co-chairs, the former first lady and a slew of celebrity signatories urge “Americans of conscience and goodwill to join us in taking a stand for