Must-pass defense bill ensnared in culture wars

Jul 14, 2023
The House teed up a Senate showdown after passing the appropriations bill with amendments banning diversity training and other programs.
The House, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, voted along party lines to pass the National Defense Authorization Act.
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We have a debt ceiling deal. So what happens next?

Jun 2, 2023
Now, agencies and Congress need to figure out how to implement the thing.
Congress will soon have to turn broad spending limits into actual appropriations bills for the next fiscal year.
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Is Washington finally getting serious about the debt ceiling?

Every day there's a warning about how catastrophic a default on the national debt would be. What's it going to take to avoid that?
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
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Congress hasn't had the best record of regulating new tech. Could AI be different?

May 16, 2023
Generative artificial intelligence is advancing quickly, and it's not clear if legislators and regulators can keep up.
Samuel Altman, CEO of OpenAI, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the use and regulation of artificial intelligence.
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Congress is looking at changes to Medicare. Hospitals aren't thrilled

A little-known payment change could save the federal government $150 billion over the next 10 years.
Right now, there are cases where Medicare pays hospitals more than double what it pays independent doctors for the same care.
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Yellen: U.S. could hit debt limit as soon as June 1

May 1, 2023
The treasury secretary urges Congress to protect nation’s “full faith and credit” by raising the government’s borrowing authority.
In a letter to House and Senate leaders, the treasury secretary urged Congress “to protect the full faith and credit of the United States by acting as soon as possible.”
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Amtrak wants $3.6 billion in subsidies. It probably won't get all of that

Mar 31, 2023
It's asking for 50% more funding than it received for the current fiscal year.
The rail service provider asked for a whopping $3.6 billion this fiscal year from Congress, which is more than it has ever gotten in its 50-plus years.
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For public good, not for profit.

Moderna will charge around $130 for its COVID vaccine — and Congress isn't too happy

Mar 22, 2023
But the pharma company promised that individuals won't pay the full amount.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel listens to Sen. Bernie Sanders during a committee hearing on the price of COVID vaccines.
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Biden's budget and GOP response offer up a sneak preview of next year's campaign issues

Mar 10, 2023
The budget is a policy document, but this one's also a campaign document.
President Biden talks about his proposed FY2024 federal budget during an event in Philadelphia on March 9.
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Buckle up for a big economics week in Washington

Mar 6, 2023
Fed Chair Jerome Powell testifies on Capitol Hill tomorrow and Wednesday. President Biden is set to release a budget outline on Thursday, and we get February jobs numbers this Friday.
Above, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies to Congress in June. He's slated to appear before lawmakers again this week to discuss the central bank's activities and a range of economic issues.
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