Border Communities and Officials Brace for End of Title 42 as Another Surge of Migrants Breach US Border
The situation at the southern U.S. border is expected to get even worse next week.
US News
US Interest Payments to Cost More Than Entire Defense Budget, $31 Trillion Debt Points to ‘Very Precarious Future’
The Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday it’s raising interest rates by another half point in an effort to stifle America’s crushing inflation problem. While this is smaller than the three quarter-point hikes from the past four Fed meetings, it’s still double the customary quarter-point raise.
US Senate approves legislation to ban Tik Tok on federal government devices
The US Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would ban federal employees from using Tik Tok, the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app, on government devices, the Washington Post reports. The bill will now pass to the House for approval, which would need to be given before the end of the congressional year.
Pro-life groups angered as Associated Press advises writers not to say “late-term abortion” or “fetal heartbeat.”
Pro-life organizations have accused the Associated Press (AP) news agency of misleading the public by advising journalists not to use terms such as “fetal heartbeat” and “late-term abortion,” the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Fed hikes interest rate by half a percentage point, with benchmark rate projected to top out at 5.25%
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point and signaled more tightening next year as it continues to battle high inflation, a fight that’s expected to slow the economy and raise unemployment.
House passes short-term spending bill to avoid government shutdown
The House passed a short-term spending bill on Wednesday that would fund the government for another week while lawmakers make an eleventh hour push to pass a full year-long omnibus package prior to the Dec. 23 deadline.
At least 18 tornadoes sweep across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi; mother and son among 3 killed
Three people, including a mother and son, were killed, and multiple people were hospitalized after a series of tornadoes swept through Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi Tuesday and Wednesday.
US to Pay Pfizer Nearly $2B for More Paxlovid Courses in 2023
The U.S. government agreed to pay Pfizer Inc nearly $2 billion for an additional 3.7 million courses of its COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid, the company said on Tuesday.
DeSantis Declares War on CDC Over COVID-19 Vaccines
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is asking a grand jury to investigate whether Floridians were misled by COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers after claims by his state’s surgeon general that the vaccines could potentially harm those who received it.
Biden Signs ‘Respect For Marriage Act’ Into Law
President Joe Biden signed the “Respect for Marriage Act” into law Tuesday on the South Lawn of the White House, requiring the federal government to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages carried out at the state level.
Federal deficit to pass $3 trillion for second year, economic growth higher than expected
After a year of immense spending during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn, the federal deficit is projected to hit $3 trillion for the second year in a row, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
SEC, Justice Department charge FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department on Tuesday charged the founder and former CEO of the defunct cryptocurrency firm FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, with multiple counts, including defrauding investors.
Congressional lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill banning TikTok in United States
Members of Congress on Tuesday introduced bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok from operating in the United States, citing concerns that the short-video social media platform is being used to spy on Americans.
U.S. tests first successful air-launched hypersonic missile off California coast
The Air Force said Monday that it conducted the first successful test of its air-launched hypersonic missile off the coast of southern California last week.
$857.9 Billion Defense Bill Includes $800 Million for Ukraine
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2023 includes $800 million in assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). The bill is 4,312 pages.
Household wealth dropped by $13.5 trillion from January to September, second-worst destruction on record
American households lost about $6.8 trillion in wealth over the first three quarters of 2022 as the stock market shed more than 25% of its value, the Federal Reserve reported Friday in the government’s quarterly financial accounts.
Schumer: Senate Headed for Short-Term Funding Bill to Prevent Shutdown
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said that the Senate would likely vote on a short-term funding bill to prevent a government shutdown, according to The Hill.
Nationwide winter storm set to bring everything from blizzard conditions to tornadoes
A large winter storm slammed into the western US over the weekend, blanketing mountain areas with heavy snow, and is now set to traverse the nation, threatening dangerous blizzard conditions, strong tornadoes, and flooding this week.
Federal Court Blocks Biden Mandate Forcing Religious Hospitals to Facilitate Gender Transitions
A federal court on Friday blocked a Biden administration mandate that would force religious hospitals and doctors to facilitate gender transitions against their sincerely held moral convictions.
DeSantis says state will ‘hold vaccine manufacturers accountable’ for alleged COVID vax side effects
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the weekend told an assembly that the state plans to hold vaccine manufacturers “accountable” for alleged severe side effects in the COVID-19 vaccine.