Author
Tlaib cites Skylar Herbert as $484B relief bill clears House
Updated, 6:43 a.m., 4/24/20 WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved almost $500 billion in additional COVID-19 relief, the bulk of which is aimed at buoying small businesses after loan funding dried up. The House cleared the $484 billion funding bill along bipartisan lines as some lawmakers returned to Washington for the first […]
Michigan House, Senate candidates raise 1Q cash despite COVID-19 crisis
WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t halted congressional fundraising. With Michigan expected to see some of the closest races for U.S. Senate and House seats in the country this fall, incumbents and their challengers continue to pad their campaign coffers. Wednesday marked the deadline for candidates to report their fundraising totals for the first quarter […]
Trump ousts another watchdog as critics see ‘disturbing pattern’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday ousted the second federal watchdog in the span of five days as congressional Democrats accused him of purging federal employees for political reasons. Trump removed the Defense Department’s Acting Inspector General, Glenn Fine, who had been on the job since early 2016. Last week, Fine had been named by a group of […]
‘Much worse than a cruise ship’: Prisoners’ lives at risk from COVID-19
WASHINGTON — More than 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States. That’s more people than there are living in major U.S. cities like Phoenix and Philadelphia. They’re particularly vulnerable to health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They live in close-quarters. Many are elderly or pregnant. Many also have pre-existing medical conditions that put them […]
Trump blasts new congressional panel policing COVID-19 relief spending
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced plans Thursday to form a new committee charged with overseeing the more than $2 trillion the federal government is spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis will consist of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, Pelosi said, […]
Fear and exhaustion in Detroit, state’s COVID-19 ‘epicenter’
WASHINGTON — Tinae Moore, an emergency department technician at Detroit Medical Center, couldn’t finish her shift last Tuesday. She was experiencing shortness of breath and a fever — which are among the COVID-19 symptoms — so she stopped work early and was tested for coronavirus. She’s been in quarantine, but still doesn’t know her test […]
Updated: Trump signs behemoth $2T COVID-19 response bill
Updated, 3:39 p.m., 3/27/20 with additional comments WASHINGTON — A $2 trillion bill to aid workers, health care providers and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic is poised to become law following its passage in the U.S. House on Friday. President Trump signed it Friday afternoon with a ceremony to which he only invited Republicans. Many […]
Obama stimulus watchdog: ‘Bad guys’ will make play for COVID-19 relief cash
WASHINGTON — Earl Devaney is feeling déjà vu. Devaney, a former longtime federal watchdog, was hired in 2009 to police the distribution of $840 billion in federal stimulus spending for the President Obama administration. He had previously worked for the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. EPA’s environmental enforcement division and as the Interior Department’s inspector general. […]
U.S. Senate COVID-19 aid package passes with Peters’ unemployment extension
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate late Wednesday night approved a $2 trillion spending bill that aims to provide economic relief for workers and businesses and to aid hospitals and states reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The chamber voted 96-0 to pass the bill in an unusual display of bipartisanship, with both of Michigan’s U.S. senators, Gary […]
Michigan Dems want water shutoff ban in $2T coronavirus bill
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers announced the framework for a bipartisan deal on a $2 trillion spending package early Wednesday morning, but specifics of a final bill and a timeline for enactment remain uncertain, as both Republicans and Democrats raised concerns throughout the day. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that he expected the chamber […]
Lawmakers announce $2T federal coronavirus response deal
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate leaders announced a compromise with the White House on a massive $2 trillion spending package that would send checks to Americans and provide aid to small businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The deal was announced early Wednesday morning after days of heated negotiations on Capitol Hill. U.S. Senate Majority Leader […]
Michigan lawmakers brace for coronavirus impacts: ‘The storm is likely to last’
WASHINGTON — Michiganders have tons of questions about what COVID-19 means for their lives and about what the federal government is doing about it. Is it safe to get my mail? Will my social security checks still come through? When are my taxes due? Who can get tested for the illness? Those were just some […]