House will be mostly absent until mid-November
The House will be in session just three weeks between now and Nov. 16, Democratic leaders announced Monday.
US News
Seattle City Council votes to scale back police department funding as officer pay on chopping block
The Seattle City Council approved steep cuts to the city’s police department but avoided the 50% scale back in funding social justice activists had sought.
Johnson subpoenas FBI in review of Russia probe origin
The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Monday subpoenaed the FBI and Director Christopher Wray as part of its broad review into the origins of the Russia investigation, Fox News has learned.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) launches campaign for mass clemency as systemic response to racist incarceration
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is launching a years-long campaign for the clemency and release of 50,000 prisoners as a means to address “decades of racist, punitive, and degrading incarceration,” Fox News reported last week. “The Redemption Campaign” will be lobbying state governors to grant mass clemency to “older incarcerated people,” “people convicted of drug distribution and possession offenses,” “people incarcerated for technical probation or parole violations,” and people who would have received a lesser sentence if convicted under current laws.
End of July jobless rate remained high, although lower than forecast
Although the number of employment claims at the end of July was over 1 million for the 20th straight week, it was also the lowest number of new claims since the US was struck by COVID-19 in March, the Washington Examiner reports. The end of July saw 1.2 million claims when economists had forecast there would be 1.42 million.
Trump signs executive actions after Congress stalls on coronavirus relief
President Trump signed multiple executive measures after Congress failed to pass another coronavirus relief bill.
Third of Americans would say ‘no’ to COVID vaccine – even if it was free
More than a third of Americans say they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine right now, even if were free and FDA-approved, according to a new Gallup poll.
Economy added 1.8M jobs in July, adding to record gains in wake of pandemic destruction
The economy gained 1.8 million jobs in July, lowering the unemployment rate to 10.2%, the Labor Department reported on Friday, as robust jobs growth has apparently slowed.
Riot declared after Portland protesters set police union building on fire
Police in Portland, Oregon, declared another riot after local and state officials requested federal officers withdraw from the state.
2020 Atlantic hurricane season has broken records, NOAA now says there may be more storms than names
Nine named storms already in the books have broken records for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, but government forecasters said Thursday that even stormier conditions are on the horizon that could push the limit on traditional storm names.
‘See You in Court’: ACLU Files Nearly 400 Cases Versus Trump
The day after Donald Trump’s election in November 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union posted a message to him on its website: “See you in court.”
Portland mayor unleashes police on violent demonstrations
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who for weeks had blamed President Trump for fueling riots in his Oregon city, on Thursday acknowledged that the violence has continued even after the federal presence was curtailed, and told peaceful protesters to stay home.
New York attorney general files lawsuit seeking dissolution of National Rifle Association
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit Thursday that seeks to have the National Rifle Association dissolved, saying the gun rights organization has been engaging in “illegal conduct” by funneling charitable donations to its leaders.
Trump to sign executive orders cutting payroll tax and extending jobless benefits
President Trump announced that he planned to sign executive actions that the White House is drafting to address expired unemployment insurance and to suspend payroll taxes, as congressional negotiations for coronavirus aid continue to drag on.
Nevada Sent More Than 200K Mail-In Primary Ballots to Wrong Addresses
More than one-sixth of the mail-in ballots sent to voters in Nevada’s largest county during the 2020 primary went to outdated addresses, according to a new watchdog report.
Facebook Removes President Trump Post Over Virus “Misinformation”
Social media giant Facebook confirmed Wednesday that it removed President Donald Trump’s post of a Fox News television interview in which he claimed that children are “almost immune” from COVID-19.
Trump signs law assigning $3 billion a year for conservation
Following overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support for the measure, on Tuesday President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act that will assign $3 billion a year to conservation, outdoor recreation, and maintenance of national parks and other public lands, USA News reports.
Minneapolis commission expected to approve proposal to replace police department with public safety department
A majority in a Minneapolis commission is expected to support a City Council proposal Wednesday to dismantle the city’s Police Department and replace it with a new “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention,” the Washington Times reports. If the amendment proceeds to a ballot in November, voters will be given the last word. The proposal follows the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
Poll finds American parents are split along party lines on their views of COVID-19
A new Gallup poll has shown American parents are divided along party lines when it comes to their views on the coronavirus pandemic, its effect on their children and on whether schools should reopen, the Washington Times reports. Among its findings, the poll showed that 85% of parents who identify as Democrats and 29% who identify as Republicans are concerned their child might contract COVID-19.
Trump and Pence Endorse Absentee Ballots, But Warn Universal Mail-In Ballots Are a ‘Disaster’
In separate appearances on Monday, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence made it clear they support absentee voting, but not universal mail-in voting, where states “take millions of ballots and send them all over the place,” in Trump’s words.