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.
Washington
A government shutdown could halt flood insurance, delaying thousands of home closings
Congress keeps hitting dead ends in attempts to extend a long-term plan for the federal program that provides flooding coverage for homeowners in the country.
One year into Metro’s Silver Line extension, ridership is modest
Many of the new stations are located in suburban areas where the only way to access them is by driving and parking in a parking garage, an additional daily cost on top of Metro fares.
In wake of shootings, HBCU advocates urge more security resources
On Oct. 3, five people were injured after a shooting on Morgan State’s campus during homecoming festivities. Just four days later, two people were injured after a shooting on Bowie State’s campus, also during homecoming.
Eagle Harbor activists hope federal aid will help boost environmental restoration
James Crudup has vivid memories of traveling to Seagull Beach in Charles County, Maryland, during his teenage years. “I remember that water being just as clear as if we were in Florida…that’s the way it was back then,” Crudup said.…
Trone leads fundraising in U.S. Senate race in Maryland, but trails in individual donations
Trone has outspent Alsobrooks by more than eight times, disbursing $9.7 million so far in the race, according to the FEC reports.
Maryland military facilities probing groundwater for ‘forever chemicals’
Maryland military facilities are in the early stages of remedial investigations into “forever chemicals” that jeopardize drinking water supplies in groundwater after a September report by the Department of Defense identified hundreds of military sites across the country as at risk for such chemicals.
Congress again attempting to address Afghan refugee status
More than two years after the final U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, over 70,000 refugees from that nation are living in a legal limbo that Congress has yet to change. But Bipartisan legislation, known as the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA), was introduced in July in the Senate and the House. It would provide Afghans who sought refuge in the United States with a pathway to apply for permanent legal residency.
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.
Senate panel gives thumbs up to Maryland’s O’Malley as next Social Security commissioner
The Senate Finance Committee voted 17–10 Tuesday to advance to the full Senate the nomination of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to be the next commissioner of the Social Security Administration. O’Malley’s nomination now awaits a confirmation vote by the full Senate. If confirmed, O’Malley would head the federal agency for a term ending in January 2025.