Lawmakers reached a tentative funding agreement but now face a countdown to avoid a shutdown

The House went back to work Wednesday and reached an agreement in budget discussions, but with a deadline of Friday at midnight lawmakers are now looking to buy time to pass the bill through both chambers.

Reproductive rights advocates urge Congress to recognize women’s economic burdens

With ever-changing laws on reproductive rights across the country, advocates are urging Congress to recognize the economic burdens women face when trying to access reproductive healthcare, especially in states where it is restricted.

Despite efforts to remove them, Confederates and segregationists live on in Capitol statues

Reminders of the oppression that African Americans suffered are still on display in the United States Capitol, taking the form of 12 statues of figures affiliated with the Confederate States of America and post-Civil War segregation.

Experts urge senators to act in the fight against financial fraud

WASHINGTON – Americans are reporting fewer frauds since a peak in 2021. However, experts at a Thursday Senate hearing said scammers are only getting better at extracting more money from their victims. Witnesses and senators agreed that action is needed…

House Republicans advance bill targeting Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has advanced a Republican-sponsored bill that includes measures repealing key aspects of the Biden administration’s plans to make college more affordable. The College Cost Reduction Act, introduced by the panel’s chairwoman, Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, passed on a party-line 22-19 vote.

Lawmakers propose reforms to Peace Corps amid budget uncertainty

For decades, the Peace Corps has been championed as a hallmark of cultural exchange and international service. In recent years, the agency has also faced problems with mental health discrimination, sexual assault and racial bias. Some reforms are included in bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last summer.

Lawmakers take aim at social media disinformation

Many Americans support tech companies intervening to block disinformation, according to a 2023 survey.

Victims of DC crime speak out in House Judiciary hearing

WASHINGTON – House Republicans call out Democratic D.C. leadership and hold a hearing for crime victims, including a local restaurant owner who was assaulted in front of his son. A D.C. congresswoman spoke out against the hearing, condemning GOP involvement…

Raskin leads effort to recognize Banned Books Week

Instances of book banning increased by 33% from the 2021-2022 school year to the 2022-2023 school year, according to the nonprofit PEN America.

In Washington, Zelenskyy makes pleas to Congress and the White House for more aid

President Joe Biden last month requested $40 billion from Congress in emergency spending, including $24 billion for Ukraine.