DC BUREAU
Our Washington, D.C., bureau reports on congressional delegations and key Supreme Court and administrative decisions that affect our state.
STAFF
Jane directs national coverage, managing staff and freelance reporters in the nation’s capital and assigning and editing state-specific daily and enterprise stories.
Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections, and campaign finance.
Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.
STORIES
Federal data shows states still lag in getting aid to struggling renters. How is Pa. doing?
Pa. ranked fifth nationally in the rental aid paid out in June, pushing out more than $45M
U.S. House passes PFAS bill regulating ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
(*This story was updated at 12:03 p.m. on Thursday, 7/22/21, to correctly note that U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-18th District, was marked ‘non-voting’ on the PFAS bill.) WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Wednesday passed bipartisan legislation that would regulate toxic chemicals found in drinking water, as well as designate two types of those toxic chemicals […]
As Congress tries to regulate ‘forever chemicals,’ local water systems push back
Local water utilities worried about getting hit with lawsuits and high cleanup costs are stepping up their lobbying of Congress as lawmakers move to regulate toxic chemicals found in drinking water.
‘Our democracy is in peril’: Women risk arrest in voting rights protest in D.C.
U.S. Capitol Police arrested about 100 women for civil disobedience at the march outside the U.S. Supreme Court's ornate building on Capitol Hill on Monday, 7/19/21.
U.S. House to vote on next week on expanding PFAS regulation impacting Pa., other states, backers say
“These manufacturers that make tens of billions of dollars selling this chemical, they ought to be the ones paying for cleanup. It should not be borne by the taxpayer, anybody else,” U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said.
Schumer: Congress should legalize weed on the federal level
The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate says decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level is a change that’s “long overdue,” and that he’s prioritizing that effort amid a growing number of states legalizing cannabis.
Ahead of Biden’s Philly speech, anti-poverty advocates urge Congress to act on voting rights, minimum wage, filibuster
“This is not just a Black civil rights issue,” The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the co-chairman of the Poor People’s Campaign, said. “It’s also an issue for everyone who cares about democracy. Our democracy is at stake.”
CDC study finds racial, regional disparities as schools in Pa., elsewhere, reopened for in-person learning
The highest racial disparities were in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where on average, students of color were 21 percent and 23 percent less likely to have access to full-time, in-person learning.
‘We all have to do better’: White House urges locals to boost eviction diversion programs
Officials and advocates at Wednesday’s forum urged several policy reforms that they said can make a significant difference for renters and landlords.
Pa.’s U.S. House Republicans split on vote to remove statues of Confederate leaders, bust of Dred Scott author
The effort is the latest move by congressional Democrats to undo Confederate symbols on Capitol Hill and other federal property.
U.S. House panel approves legislation to clean up toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in Pa., nationwide
The bill includes an annual $200 million grant to water utilities and wastewater facilities to treat PFAS over four years.
Senate Democrats’ voting rights push stalls in the face of GOP opposition; Pa.’s Toomey votes to block
As of May 14, state Republican legislators have introduced 389 bills with restrictive voting provisions across 48 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.