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Embattled FL lawmakers in Congress stockpile cash ahead of November showdowns
WASHINGTON — Targeted incumbents from Florida’s U.S. congressional delegation were padding their war chests as the election year kicked off. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape for politicians in Florida and across the country as many have been forced to cut back on active fundraising and campaigning. But the most recent campaign finance reports […]
U.S. Congress clears $484 billion relief bill as lawmakers pledge future aid for states
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved nearly $500 billion in additional COVID-19 relief, the bulk of which is aimed at buoying small businesses after loan funding dried up. The House cleared the $484 billion funding bill along bipartisan lines as some lawmakers returned to Washington for the first time since March. The […]
‘Much worse than a cruise ship’: Prisoners’ lives at risk from COVID-19
WASHINGTON — More than 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States. That’s more people than there are living in major U.S. cities like Phoenix and Philadelphia or the combined total population of Florida’s four largest cities. They’re particularly vulnerable to health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They live in close quarters. Many […]
New congressional panel to police COVID-19 relief spending
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced plans Thursday to form a new committee charged with overseeing the more than $2 trillion the federal government is spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis will consist of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, Pelosi said, […]
FL Dems in Congress: Gov. DeSantis halted COVID-19 briefings
WASHINGTON — Florida Democrats are accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis of stonewalling members of Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic as they’re pressing the governor to take more drastic steps to curb the spread of the virus. State officials held briefings for the Florida congressional delegation at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, […]
Behemoth $2 trillion COVID-19 response bill clears U.S. House, heads to Trump
UPDATE: President Donald Trump just signed the massive aid package late Friday afternoon, writing in a tweet: Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump “I just signed the CARES Act, the single biggest economic relief package in American History – twice as large as any relief bill ever enacted. At $2.2 Trillion Dollars, this bill will deliver urgently-needed […]
Obama stimulus watchdog: ‘Bad guys’ will make play for COVID-19 relief cash
WASHINGTON — Earl Devaney is feeling déjà vu. Devaney, a former longtime federal watchdog, was hired in 2009 to police the distribution of $840 billion in federal stimulus spending for the Obama administration. He had previously worked for the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. EPA’s environmental enforcement division and as the Interior Department’s inspector general. Now happily […]
Pandemic spurs U.S. Senate to pass historic aid package
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate late Wednesday night approved a $2 trillion spending bill that aims to provide economic relief for workers and businesses and to aid hospitals and states reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The chamber voted 96-0 to pass the bill in an unusual display of bipartisanship. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who tested […]
Lawmakers announce $2 trillion coronavirus response deal
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate leaders announced a compromise with the White House on a massive $2 trillion spending package that would send checks to Americans and provide aid to small businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The deal was announced early Wednesday morning after days of heated negotiations on Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch […]
U.S. Senate votes to ax DeVos student loan policy
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to overturn a controversial regulation from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that her critics say hurts defrauded student loan borrowers. Senate Democrats forced the vote under the Congressional Review Act, a law that allows Congress to overturn federal rules within 60 days after they’re finalized. The U.S. House in […]
Top health officials warn of coronavirus: ‘It’s going to get worse’
WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials painted a dire picture of the novel coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday, warning members of Congress that the public health crisis is far from over. “Is the worst yet to come?” House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious […]
Congress rebukes Trump’s bid to slash CDC funding amid outbreak
WASHINGTON — U.S. House lawmakers resoundingly rebuffed a Trump administration request to cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid the coronavirus crisis. CDC Director Robert Redfield testified Tuesday before the House Appropriations Committee, where Republicans and Democrats alike said Congress won’t comply with the budget cuts requested in Trump’s fiscal year […]