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CDC to update federal masking guidance in coming weeks
WASHINGTON — The federal government will likely update its guidance on masking and other COVID-19 mitigation efforts in the coming weeks as the omicron surge continues to wane, U.S. public health officials indicated Wednesday. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said at a White House briefing that the agency will continue looking […]
U.S. House panel debates record number of guns found at airport checkpoints
WASHINGTON — U.S. House members wrestled Tuesday with how to address a spike in travelers trying to bring firearms through airport screening points in carry-on bags. During 2021, Transportation Security Administration officers detected 5,972 firearms at checkpoints, 86% of which were loaded. That number was up from the previous record of 4,432 discovered in 2019. The […]
COVID vaccine for kids under 5 delayed until at least April
WASHINGTON — A COVID-19 vaccine for young children will be delayed by at least two months as Pfizer and BioNTech gather more information on a three-dose regimen. The disappointing news for many parents came after the Biden administration earlier had announced it was preparing to get the vaccines out to states as soon as it […]
Schumer, Booker, Wyden ask U.S. Senate colleagues for help on marijuana reform
WASHINGTON — A small but influential group of Democratic senators is asking their colleagues for input on how best to overhaul the federal government’s cannabis laws. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and New Jersey’s Cory Booker released a letter Thursday asking senators whose states have legalized marijuana and those who sit on committees […]
Short-term federal spending patch held up by Tennessee senator over crack pipe controversy
WASHINGTON — Federal government funding runs out in just a week, Congress hasn’t cleared a short-term measure to avoid a shutdown, despite broad bipartisan support — and the latest holdup is over claims the Biden administration wants to pay for crack pipes as part of “safe smoking” kits. The stopgap spending bill passed the U.S. […]
Two U.S. Senate committees back Louisiana’s Shalanda Young as budget director
Two U.S. Senate panels voted Wednesday to send the nomination of Louisiana native Shalanda Young for White House budget director to the floor, setting up a final confirmation vote for the Cabinet-level position. The Budget Committee voted 15-6 in the morning and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-6 in the afternoon, though […]
CDC preps guidance for governors on relaxing COVID rules, but states forge ahead
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing guidance for governors about when to relax masking and other measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, but doesn’t want to release those instructions just yet. Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday it’s too soon to begin rolling back masking and other public health […]
U.S. House passes three-week patch to keep the federal government operating
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a bill Tuesday night that would keep the U.S. government up and running through March 11. The short-term funding bill, the third one of this fiscal year, is designed to give negotiators more time to reach a bipartisan agreement on full-year spending bills — a task they’ve so far […]
McConnell rebukes RNC for saying Jan. 6 attack was ‘legitimate political discourse’
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Republican National Committee erred in censuring two House GOP lawmakers for joining the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The Kentucky Republican rebuked the RNC for referring to the riot as “legitimate political discourse” in the censure resolution. McConnell said […]
House advances marijuana banking bill, though final passage uncertain
WASHINGTON — Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House on Friday cleared a bill with sweeping changes to banking regulations. Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter and Ohio Republican Dave Joyce, co-sponsors of the legislation, said Friday their proposal would allow medical […]
Free at-home COVID tests to be handed out to Medicare beneficiaries this spring
WASHINGTON — Starting this spring, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month at no cost. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday that eligible pharmacies and participating organizations will begin distributing the tests in the coming months to individuals on either original Medicare or in […]
White House plans speedy delivery to states of COVID vaccine for littlest kids
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young children […]