House passes bills to protect abortion access following Roe reversal
The House on Friday passed two bills aimed at protecting access to abortion, marking the chamber’s first legislative attempts at safeguarding the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month. The first bill — the Women’s Health Protection Act — passed in a 219-210 vote, clearing the House for a second time in the past year. The lower chamber
Read MorePuerto Rico status bill introduced in House
Lawmakers in the House introduced a bill that would end Puerto Rico's status as a territory, allowing the island's residents to choose between three status options. The bill, a result of negotiations between lawmakers who supported statehood for the territory and lawmakers who wanted to hold a status convention, was formally introduced by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. "Finding a resolution to Puerto Rico’s political status has been one of my top priorities as Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. But I know
Read MoreWith 9-8-8 mental health hotline about to launch, massive funding gaps remain
On Saturday, 9-8-8 — the new three-digit version of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — will go live, becoming the go-to number to dial during mental health emergencies. But despite significant federal investments, the majority of
Read MoreSo many broken systems, but this one has a fix
In December 2020, with paychecks halted and millions of Americans teetering on the edge of eviction, Congress acted swiftly to pass the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to keep people in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. Despite the quick passage of the bill, every state struggled for months to get the money into the hands of those it was intended to help. This is not the first time the states have failed to meet expe
Read MoreBiden greets Saudi crown prince with fist bump
President Biden greeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a fist bump on Friday ahead of the controversial face-to-face meeting between the two men in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Footage displayed on Saudi state television showed Biden emerging from his limo and fist-bumping the crown prince, who is known by his initials MBS, before the two entered Al Salam Royal Pa
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