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Huge $1.7T spending package passes in U.S. Senate with bipartisan backing
By: Jennifer Shutt and John L. Micek - December 22, 2022
Casting his last vote in Washington, Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, of Pa., opposed the bill.
Congress rolls out $1.7T spending deal in race to Friday deadline
By: Jennifer Shutt - December 20, 2022
House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., want Senate Republicans to block the spending bill.
White House keys in on mayors and mayors-elect for D.C. forum on federal funding
By: Jennifer Shutt - December 15, 2022
Mayors are especially good partners for the White House, a senior White House official said, because they’re “problem solvers.”
Federal marriage protection law is a win, but ‘more work remains,’ Pa. Rep. Benham says in D.C.
By: Jennifer Shutt and John L. Micek - December 14, 2022
At the White House, President Joe Biden signs law extending historic marriage protections to same-sex and interracial couples.
Marriage equality bill heads to Biden’s desk following bipartisan U.S. House vote
By: Jennifer Shutt and John L. Micek - December 8, 2022
The 258-169-1 vote included the backing of 39 Republicans. President Joe Biden plans to sign the bill.
A record-setting number of women will serve in state legislatures in 2023
By: Jennifer Shutt - December 1, 2022
States will have at least 2,376 female lawmakers in 2023, including both women elected in 2022 and holdovers.
U.S. House GOP to keep earmarks for local projects — with some ‘tweaks’
By: Jennifer Shutt - December 1, 2022
Earmarking has become especially important to members of both political parties in the short time it’s been back.
U.S. Senate passes bill protecting same-sex marriage
By: Jennifer Shutt - November 29, 2022
Republicans voted with the chamber's Democrats to approve the landmark measure; It returns to the House.
More than $37B in disaster aid under scrutiny in congressional lame duck
By: Jennifer Shutt - November 29, 2022
The request comes on top of aid requests for COVID-19 relief and assistance to Ukraine.
Thousands of veterans deluge VA with claims for toxic exposure benefits, health care
By: Jennifer Shutt - November 28, 2022
The VA is hiring more employees to provide health care and process applications. But a short-term backlog still is expected.
Nancy Pelosi, first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House, steps down from leadership
By: Jennifer Shutt and John L. Micek - November 17, 2022
Pelosi is 'a mentor to me and has guided our caucus with an unwavering commitment to the American people,' U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean said.
Bill protecting same-sex marriage gains bipartisan support in U.S. Senate; Pa.’s Casey, Toomey split
By: Jennifer Shutt - November 16, 2022
Retiring U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said the bill 'does not provide any meaningful benefit to same-sex marriages that does not already exist.'