Rep. Brenda Lawrence Won’t Seek Reelection in 2022
By Shawna Mizelle, Democratic Rep. Brenda Lawrence of Michigan announced on Tuesday that she will not seek reelection to the House this year after four terms representing Michigan’s 14th District, becoming the 25th House Democrat to announce they’re leaving at the end of this term. “Today, after reflecting on my journey — and oh, my goodness, what a journey — and having conversations with my family, I am announcing that I will not be seeking reelection to Congress,” Lawrence said in a video posted to Twitter. “I’m incredibly grateful for the people of Michigan’s 14th Congressional District who have placed their
Biden Faces Major Challenges as 2022 Begins in Washington
By Kevin Liptak, President Joe Biden will return to the White House from an abbreviated winter break facing a set of hurdles that will test his political, diplomatic and management skills at a trying moment for his presidency. The raging pandemic, a crisis with Russia and uncertainty surrounding his prized domestic priorities all await Biden in the new year. Determined to reset after a series of struggles — and to recalibrate expectations that some of his allies believe were unrealistic — the President is hopeful the coming weeks can provide much-needed momentum as another election cycle dawns. Biden spent much of his time away from
Joe Manchin’s Filibuster Stance Stalls Voting Rights Bill
By John Harwood In 1947, the year Joe Manchin was born, the US Senate killed voting-rights legislation — again. The “gravedigger,” liberal Democrats complained, was filibuster rules empowering its opponents. Today, as 74-year-old Manchin serves his second Senate term, the chamber stands poised to bury his voting rights proposal the same way. But this time there’s a twist: The West Virginia Democrat, by continuing to support the filibuster, himself serves as sponsor and gravedigger alike. That incongruity keeps alive a continuing closed-door effort by fellow Democrats and the White House to change Manchin’s mind on the filibuster. Even those involved concede it’s a long shot. But
Manchin Halts Biden’s $1.75T Plan, Key Benefits in Jeopardy
By Tami Luhby and Katie Lobosco, No more monthly payments for tens of millions of families. No universal pre-kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds. No health insurance for more than 2 million low-income Americans. No funneling of billions of dollars into clean energy initiatives. The end of negotiations between President Joe Biden and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia means that these and a multitude of other provisions to strengthen the nation’s safety net won’t happen — at least not soon. The fate of the Democrats’ $1.75 trillion spending plan is now uncertain. Manchin announced on Sunday that he would not support the current version of the legislation, halting
“Race-Blind” Maps Face Legal Tests in TX and NC
By Tierney Sneed, In states like Texas and North Carolina, Republican lawmakers in charge of redrawing the political maps for the next decade say that the new plans are “race blind.” Their opponents in court say that the claim is implausible and one that, in some situations, is at odds with the Voting Rights Act. Several lawsuits, including from the Justice Department, allege that the maps drawn after the 2020 census discriminate against voters of color. Between a 2013 Supreme Court decision that scaled back the federal government’s role in monitoring redistricting and a 2019 ruling that said partisan gerrymanders could not be
Faith Leaders Urge Biden, Senate to Pass Voting Rights Now
By Chandelis Duster, More than 800 faith leaders are urging President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats to pass voting rights legislation in 2022, writing in a letter released Thursday that the issue needs to be the administration’s “number-one priority” after measures stalled in the Senate. “We cannot be clearer: you must act now to protect every American’s freedom to vote without interference and with confidence that their ballot will be counted and honored,” the leaders said in a letter that was obtained by CNN and later released publicly on Thursday. “Passing comprehensive voting rights legislation must be the number-one priority of the administration and
White House Confirms Harris as Biden’s 2024 Running Mate
By Jasmine Wright and Allie Malloy, CNN White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Vice President Kamala Harris would be President Joe Biden’s running mate should he run for reelection. “Yes, he does,” Jean-Pierre told reporters when asked if Biden would keep Harris as his running mate, adding: “There’s no change.” Jean-Pierre would not comment on possible conversations between Biden and Harris on any possible reelection plans telling reporters: “I can’t speak to a conversation that the vice president and the president had. I can only … reiterate what (White House press secretary) Jen (Psaki) has
Biden Backs Filibuster Exception to Pass Voting Rights Bill
By Kyle Blaine, President Joe Biden says he supports making an exception to the Senate filibuster rules in order to pass voting rights legislation. “If the only thing standing between getting voting rights legislation passed and not getting passed is the filibuster, I support making the exception of voting rights for the filibuster,” Biden told ABC News’ David Muir in an interview that aired Thursday morning. It’s the most direct answer Biden has given on his position on the filibuster and voting rights. CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked Biden at a CNN town hall in October, “When it comes to voting rights, just
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