House approves trans athlete ban for girls and women's teams
Transgender athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth was male would be barred from competing on girls or women’s sports teams at federally supported schools and colleges under legislation pushed through by House Republicans on Thursday.
COVID-19 bill must drop minimum wage hike, arbiter decides
Republicans solidly oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs. In the wake of the decision, Democratic leaders were likely to face unrest from rank-and-file lawmakers, who have long had differences over the federal minimum wage. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have voiced opposition to including the minimum wage hike in the relief bill, and other moderates have expressed concerns, too. “House Democrats believe that the minimum wage hike is necessary. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have state minimum wages that exceed the federal $7.25 hourly floor, with only the District of Columbia currently requiring a $15 minimum.
How a leading anti-Trump group ignored a crisis in its ranks
In this Jan. 20, 2016 file photo, John Weaver is shown on a campaign bus in Bow, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)WASHINGTON – Last June, the Lincoln Project was on a high. Of the $90 million Lincoln Project has raised, more than $50 million has gone to firms controlled by the group's leaders. Others used the money earned during their time with Lincoln Project to refinance homes, or purchase a new one. AdAt least two Lincoln Project employees were targeted last year, including an intern who was finishing law school, and a communications staffer.
Police tighten Congress security in era of rising threats
In this Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021 photo, riot fencing and razor wire reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Eileen Putman)WASHINGTON – The House’s chief law enforcement officer is tightening security for traveling lawmakers as Congress reassesses safety in an era when threats against members were surging even before Donald Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol. Congress' 535 members travel frequently between their homes and the capital, and many have said they feel vulnerable in their districts and when they travel. The House members asked for tightened security procedures. President Joe Biden is in “close touch” with Pelosi about congressional security, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
AP Exclusive: MLB suspends political donations after DC riot
The National Football League said it will reconsider its donations but did not commit to suspending them. “We are re-evaluating our political giving policies through the Gridiron PAC,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the AP in a statement Wednesday. Others, like MLB, have postponed political giving to both political parties altogether. The Office of The Commissioner of Major League Baseball Political Action Committee has donated $669,375 to Senate and House candidates since the 2016 election cycle, with 52.4% of that money going to Republican candidates, according to The Center for Responsive Politics. Since the 2016 election cycle, MLB has made contributions to two senators and nine representatives who were among those opposing certification of Biden's victory.
GOP's focus on Trump leaves scant room for Congress hopefuls
This isnt a party convention, its a Trump convention, said Rory Cooper, a Republican strategist and former congressional staffer who opposes Trump. If Republicans lose the Senate in November, we should look back at this week as a lost opportunity to introduce the country to more GOP congressional candidates. Scalise made no direct reference to the GOP's faint hopes of regaining the House majority in November's elections. Sean Parnell, a GOP challenger for a Democratic-held seat in western Pennsylvania, didnt specifically ask listeners to award Republicans House control. The inattention to the GOP's congressional efforts might have changed Wednesday when Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, delivered prime-time remarks.
WHAT TO WATCH: Pence, Conway and protest pushback at RNC
Pence, whose future political aspirations could hinge on November, has campaigned aggressively for the president. Pence has helped steer the White House response to the coronavirus, leading a task force and frequently working with the nations governors. The GOP convention has mentioned the virus far less than Democrats did last week, but Pence could throw it back into focus if he speaks about the work hes led. Conway, whose husband has become an outspoken Trump critic, says she is stepping away to spend more time with her family. Clarence Henderson, a civil rights activist from the 1960s, is expected to speak on the true meaning of peaceful protest."