Portman among 47 GOP senators to sign letter to Iran WASHINGTON — In a move Democrats denounced as trying to sabotage the Obama administration’s foreign policy, Sen. Rob Portman and 46 other Senate Republicans yesterday warned Iran’s leadership that any agreement to limit Tehran’s apparent efforts to build a nuclear bomb would need Senate approval to stay in effect beyond 2016. More
Coalition on immigration bill clears first tests The bipartisan coalition behind a contentious overhaul of immigration laws stuck together on a critical early series of test votes Thursday, turning back challenges from conservative critics as the Senate Judiciary Committee refined legislation to secure the nation's borders and offer eventual citizenship to millions living illegally in the United States. More
Republicans to back Obama's student loan plan House Republicans are willing to give President Barack Obama a rare win, the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee said Thursday in outlining a deal that would let college students avoid a costly hike on their student loans. More
GOP boycotts health care advisory board House and Senate Republican leaders told President Barack Obama Thursday that they will refuse to nominate candidates to serve on an advisory board that is to play a role in holding down Medicare costs under the new health care act. More
Obama signs legislation ending FAA furloughs President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill to end furloughs of air traffic controllers. The furloughs stemmed from the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts that started taking effect in March. Millions of air travelers were affected recently by delayed flights across the country because of the furloughs. More
Jack Ryan’s Mission To Free the Real Estate Market What would possess a man who amassed a small fortune as a pre- and post-IPO partner at the world’s most prestigious investment bank to forgo a typical transition to a life of corporate board sinecures ... 05/4/2024 - 12:07 am | View Link
Dan Haar: Lawmakers will give UConn an extra $100M. Here's what that means UConn will still need to cut spending and raise revenue. It has a long-term plan for doing that. Jeffrey Geoghegan, the chief money guy, explains. 05/3/2024 - 5:46 am | View Link
Schumer Says Foreign Aid Victory Shows Congress Isn’t Broken The majority leader says the measure to help Ukraine and other recent bipartisan efforts show there is a path to success on Capitol Hill. But deep partisan differences and institutional problems ... 04/26/2024 - 3:58 am | View Link
Joe Biden says $95bn foreign aid bill will 'make the world safer' President Joe Biden has said that a new $95 billion package to support countries including Ukraine and Israel will help “make the world safer”. The signing of the bill, which also includes assistance ... 04/24/2024 - 10:02 am | View Link
Biden signs Ukraine aid, TikTok ban package after Republican battle President Joe Biden signed a hard-fought bill into law on Wednesday that provides billions of dollars of new U.S. aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, notching a rare bipartisan victory for the ... 04/24/2024 - 9:13 am | View Link
On Saturday, Fox News reported the launch of the Fair Election Fund, an apparently right-wing nonprofit that says it has a $5 million budget aimed at exposing election fraud.
The project promises to pay election workers, organizers, and concerned citizens who have witnessed election fraud firsthand to share their stories. “Your voice could be what helps preserve our democracy,” its site reads.
Bruce Praet is a well-known name in law enforcement, especially across California. He co-founded a company called Lexipol that contracts with more than 95 percent of police departments in the state and offers its clients trainings and ready-made policies.
In one of Praet’s training webinars, posted online, he offers a piece of advice that policing experts have called inhumane.
Both approaches on construction defects reform appear headed for early deaths
Two bills to address construction defects appear destined to doom in the final days of the legislative session.
Senate Bill 106 was aimed at creating a middle ground between lawsuits and the chance for builders to remedy problems in condo and home construction, with the ultimate goal of lowering insurance costs and spurring more building.
This story was originally published by Capital & Main.
August Pfluger, an Air Force veteran and member of the House, representing a small district in West Texas, isn’t exactly a household name on the national political scene, with little press coverage in the last two months outside a recent Fox News appearance.
But he is the country’s top recipient of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry—out of all federal candidates, including President Biden, Donald Trump and Texas Sen.
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
The high intelligence levels of orangutans have long been recognized, partly due to their practical skills such as using tools to crack nuts and forage for insects. But new research suggests the primate has another handy skill in its repertoire: applying medicinal herbs.
Researchers say they have observed a male Sumatran orangutan treating an open facial wound with sap and chewed leaves from a plant known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
It is not the first time wild animals have been spotted self-medicating: Among other examples, Bornean orangutans have been seen rubbing their arms and legs with chewed leaves from a plant used by humans to treat sore muscles, while chimpanzees have been recorded chewing plants known to treat worm infections and applying insects to wounds.
However, the new discovery is the first time a wild animal has been observed treating open wounds with a substance known to have medicinal properties.
“In the chimpanzee case they used insects and unfortunately it was never found out whether these insects really promote wound healing.