Author

Jacob Fischler

Jacob Fischler

Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

Attempt to help states ease banking for marijuana businesses stumbles in Congress

By: - December 8, 2022

There are now few avenues to pass marijuana measures seen as boons to states where the drug is legal before year's end.

U.S. House votes to avert calamitous rail strike, but Senate prospects murky

By: - November 30, 2022

It's unclear if there are enough Republican votes in the upper chamber to add a paid sick leave provision.

Democrats projected to retain U.S. Senate control after winning Nevada seat

By: - November 12, 2022

Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada will win reelection, according to Associated Press projections late Saturday, ensuring Democrats will remain in the majority next year no matter what happens in a runoff election in Georgia next month.  After days of vote counting, U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Cortez Masto were both […]

Recreational marijuana use will be legal in 21 states after ballot measures pass

By: - November 10, 2022

Maryland and Missouri will bring the list of states where recreational marijuana use is legal to 21. Pennsylvania has not passed a bill.

(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Which party controls Congress? It could be days or weeks before we know

By: and - November 10, 2022

Routine legislation could become a bigger challenge for a divided Congress, should that be the final election outcome.

The U.S. Capitol. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

No GOP ‘wave,’ but Republicans could still gain control of U.S. House

By: , and - November 9, 2022

The exact size of the Republican majority won’t be known until more races are called. Some races may not be known for days.

An image of a mock gallows on the grounds of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is shown during a House committee hearing. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Jan. 6 panel issues subpoena to Trump demanding his testimony

By: - October 21, 2022

The subpoena asks for communications with any members of Congress, and names U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District.

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee John Fetterman (L) and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mehmet Oz (R) Campaign file photos

The battle for control of Congress: Abortion, inflation, crime and Biden

By: , and - October 9, 2022

Pennsylvania's closely watched U.S. Senate race could determine control of the chamber.

Biden to pardon all federal offenses for simple marijuana possession, review criminalization

By: , and - October 6, 2022

'Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,' Biden said.

OLDER PERSON COMPUTER ART

USDA to spend $500M extending high-speed internet to rural America

By: - September 26, 2022

The current funding stream was targeted to upgrade existing infrastructure, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

Abortion rights advocates. (Photo by Astrid Riecken/Getty Images).

‘Crisis pregnancy centers’ that oppose abortion questioned by U.S. Senate Democrats

By: - September 21, 2022

The centers collect sensitive data from patients, presenting troubling new complications as states move to increase penalties for abortions.

A third of U.S. House Dems, including Pa., oppose Manchin permitting deal in stopgap spending bill

By: - September 12, 2022

Pa. U.S. Reps. Dwight Evans, Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon are among the opposition.