Author: Alan Fram
-
$2T bill stalled, Senate Dems seem ready to move on for now
—
by
WASHINGTON • Democrats’ vast social and environment package was stuck in the Senate Thursday as leaders’ hopes for an accord with holdout Sen. Joe Manchin and approval of their flagship domestic measure in the year’s waning days seemed all but dead. After a closed-door lunch among Senate Democrats, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told reporters that…
-
Beyond Manchin: Dems’ $2T bill faces Senate gauntlet
—
by
WASHINGTON • It took half a year but Democrats have driven President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion package of social and climate initiatives through the House. It gets no easier in the Senate, where painful Republican amendments, restrictive rules and Joe Manchin await. Facing unbroken GOP opposition, Democrats finally reached agreement among themselves and eased the…
-
House moves toward OK of Biden’s $1.85T spending bill
—
by
WASHINGTON • A divided House moved toward passage Thursday of Democrats’ expansive social and environment bill as new cost estimates from Congress’ top fiscal analyst suggested that moderate lawmakers’ spending and deficit worries would be calmed, moving President Joe Biden closer to a badly needed victory. Final debate on the long-delayed legislation came after the…
-
House moves toward OK of Dems’ $1.85T spending bill
—
by
WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided House moved toward passage Thursday of Democrats’ expansive social and environment bill as new cost estimates from Congress’ top fiscal analyst suggested that moderate lawmakers’ spending and deficit worries would be calmed, moving President Joe Biden closer to a badly needed victory. Final debate on the long-delayed legislation came after…
-
Biden touts his $2 trillion spending plan
—
by
SCRANTON, Pa. • President Joe Biden traveled to his hometown Wednesday to highlight the middle class values of his $2 trillion domestic spending package, now scaled back but still an unprecedented attempt to expand social services for millions and tackle the rising threat of climate change. The president was upbeat that agreement among Democrats on…
-
Big pressure on Biden, Dems to trim $3.5T federal overhaul
—
by
WASHINGTON • Pressure mounting, President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress strained Tuesday to trim back his $3.5 trillion government overhaul to win support from two key holdout senators ahead of make-or-break deadlines for votes. Child care subsidies could be offered for several years, or just a few. Funding to expand dental, vision and hearing…
-
House Dems begin moving parts of Biden $3.5T domestic plans
—
by
WASHINGTON • House Democrats began pushing plans for providing paid family and medical leave, easing climate change and bolstering education through House committees Thursday as they battled Republicans and among themselves over President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion vision for reshaping federal priorities. Five committees worked on their slices of the 10-year proposal, early steps in…
-
Top Dems leave door open to trimming Biden’s $3.5T price tag
—
by
WASHINGTON • Congress’ two top Democrats seemed to leave the door open Wednesday to reducing the $3.5 trillion price tag of President Joe Biden’s plan to boost social and environment programs, illustrating party divisions they will spend weeks trying to resolve. The leaders seemed to suggest what many lawmakers and analysts have long predicted and…
-
Bipartisan policing deal unlikely this week in blow to talks
—
by
WASHINGTON • Congressional bargainers are likely to miss their latest deadline for completing a bipartisan deal on overhauling police practices, lawmakers and aides said Thursday, 13 months after George Floyd’s killing and with the shadow of next year’s elections lengthening over Congress’ work. Despite a “June or bust” goal set by chief GOP negotiator Sen.…
-
Liz Cheney’s GOP post in peril as Trump endorses replacement
—
by
WASHINGTON • No. 3 House Republican Liz Cheney was clinging to her post Wednesday as party leaders lined up behind an heir apparent, signaling that fallout over her clashes with former President Donald Trump was becoming too much for her to overcome. Trump issued a statement giving his “COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement” to Rep. Elise…