Senator sweeps through region
Kirk Billingsley, owner of Big Fish Cider Co. in Monterey, introduces Sen. Mark Warner Friday. Warner touted infrastructure achievements in broadband internet and took questions from citizens in a three-day tour that included Highland, Bath, and Alleghany counties. (Recorder photo by Tammy Minnigh) ALLEGHENY HIGHLANDS — In a sweeping tour of the Allegheny Highlands, Sen.
therecorderonline.comStudent-loan borrowers who combined their debts with a current or former spouse just took a 'huge step' toward relief, Democratic senator says
Law prohibits student-loan borrowers from separating combined debt with a spouse, even after divorce. Sen. Mark Warner's bill would change that.
news.yahoo.comFour states receive first allocations of $10B broadband fund
More than half a billion dollars in federal funding will be sent to four U.S. states to expand broadband access as part of a sweeping national effort to bring affordable service to rural and low-income Americans, the U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday. Louisiana, New Hampshire, Virginia and West Virginia are the first to benefit from this aspect of the $10 billion Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, which is expected to bring internet service to 200,000 homes and businesses in the four states.
news.yahoo.comU.S. bracing for cyberattack risks as Russia-Ukraine conflict persists
The United States is on high alert for cyberattacks, leaving many Americans uneasy about their safety online. Since the conflict with Russia began, reports say Ukraine has already faced cyberattacks, including banks and government agencies being targeted
Vaccine refusals in intelligence agencies raise GOP concerns
Thousands of intelligence officers could soon face dismissal for failing to comply with the U.S. government’s vaccine mandate, leading to concerns from Republican lawmakers about potentially hurting agencies considered critical to national security.
Warner threatens to vote against $3.5 trillion bill over housing assistance for black families
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is warning that he could vote against the $3.5 trillion budget package, if more money isn’t added for housing assistance to close the racial wealth gap in the current House version of the bill, Axios has learned.Why it matters: Warner’s threat is another indication that the proposal will face a variety of obstacles before the House and Senate can agree to a top line number, how that money is spent on specific programs — and how to pay for it all.Stay on top of the latest
news.yahoo.comSenate Democrats promise probe into chaotic Afghan withdrawal
Senate Democrats on Monday promised that they would investigate how and why the U.S. military departure from Afghanistan was bungled, even as most in President Biden’s party said that they supported his decision to pull American troops out of the country.
news.yahoo.comSenators race to seal infrastructure deal as pressure mounts
Senators are racing to seal a bipartisan infrastructure deal as soon as Monday, as pressure is mounting on all sides to show progress on President Joe Biden's top priority. Heading into a make-or-break week, key senators and staff spent the weekend trying to reach a final agreement. One major roadblock is how much money should go to public transit.
news.yahoo.comSenators race to overcome final snags in infrastructure deal
Lawmakers racing to seal a bipartisan infrastructure deal early this coming week are hitting a major roadblock over how much money should go to public transit, the group’s lead Republican negotiator said Sunday. As discussions continued through the weekend, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said both sides were “about 90% of the way there” on an agreement. “We have one issue outstanding, and we’re not getting much response from the Democrats on it,” he said.
news.yahoo.comRepublican senators claim “tentative” bipartisan infrastructure deal
Republican senators emerged from a series of closed-door, bipartisan talks Thursday boasting of reaching a "tentative" deal on infrastructure, yet their Democratic counterparts wouldn't go that far. Why it matters: Members of the s0-called G20 group of 20 senators appear to be the last, best hope for a bipartisan agreement, but the split in where the talks stand highlights the ongoing gulf between the parties on roads, bridges and more.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insight
news.yahoo.comWilliam Burns wins Senate confirmation as next CIA director
Washington — The Senate unanimously confirmed William Burns as the next director of the CIA on Thursday, weeks after the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced his nomination. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines also welcomed Burns' confirmation. William Burns speaks during his confirmation hearing to be director of the CIA before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. CIA) nominee for U.S. President Joe Biden, speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. CIA Deputy Director David Cohen has served as the agency's acting director.
cbsnews.comVirginia Senator Mark Warner on Biden's supply chain executive order
Virginia Senator Mark Warner on Biden's supply chain executive order Senator Mark Warner joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss President Biden's latest executive order to strengthen American supply chains. He also weighed in on the growing domination of big tech companies and next week's Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the SolarWinds hack.
cbsnews.comSen. Warner introduces Section 230 bill that would make it easier to sue social media platforms
A new Democratic bill would make it easier for targets of harassment to sue social media platforms that host abusive or harmful content. The "SAFE TECH Act," led by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and backed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, would amend the shield that protects tech platforms from liability for their users' posts. Instead, the SAFE TECH Act would clarify that Section 230 immunity would not apply in several cases. The SAFE TECH Act, on the other hand, opens up the ways platforms can be sued for hosting certain types of content.
cnbc.comMcConnell shoots down bipartisan $900 billion coronavirus stimulus plan as stalemate drags on
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected a proposed bipartisan coronavirus stimulus package Tuesday amid months of congressional inaction on curbing the economic damage from the outbreak. "We just don't have time to waste time," he told reporters in response to the roughly $908 billion plan put together by bipartisan members of the GOP-controlled Senate and Democratic-held House. It would put $16 billion into vaccine distribution, testing and contact tracing, funnel $82 billion into education, and put $45 billion into transportation. Pelosi and McConnell have not yielded ground from their respective $2.2 trillion and $500 billion aid bills. Mnuchin also said he would look over the bipartisan plan put out Tuesday, according to Pelosi.
cnbc.comCongress has failed to pass Big Tech legislation in 4 years leading up to the next election
New microtargeting billsRep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., introduced even bolder legislation focused on digital ads earlier this year. It will indefinitely suspend election ads after polls close on Nov. 3 and ban ads seeking to delegitimize election results. Many Democrats believe individuals should have the right to sue companies they believe violate their digital privacy rights. Lawmakers have introduced several bills in both the House and Senate attempting to address digital privacy rights, but the gulf remains. Eshoo, who introduced a privacy bill in the House last year with Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., is already looking past the current legislative session for her digital privacy bill.
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