Page 3 - Us Congress

Irritated with WADA, US Congress may give govt authority to stop payments

A bipartisan group of lawmakers looking for reforms at the World Anti-Doping Agency reintroduced a bill that would give the White House permanent authority to withhold money from the drug-fighting agency. The Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act would make permanent an already temporary ability to hold back the money. It would put more teeth behind the government's recent decision not to pay $3.6 million to WADA a move WADA said would cost the U.S. its seat on one of its top policymaking boards. The federal government has long been critical of WADA. The agency's handling of a doping case involving Chinese swimmers who were allowed to compete despite testing positive reignited tensions that have simmered since the Russian doping scandal erupted in 2014. My colleagues and I have a message for WADA, the IOC, and any other international organization who tries to strong-arm the United States: we are calling your bluff, and we won't be silenced in our mission to promo

Trump suspends foreign assistance programmes for 90 days pending reviews

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday temporarily suspending all US foreign assistance programmes for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether they are aligned with his policy goals. It was not immediately clear how much assistance would initially be affected by the order as funding for many programs has already been appropriated by Congress and is obligated to be spent, if not already spent. The order, among many Trump signed on his first day back in office, said the foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values and serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries. Consequently, Trump declared that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United ...

TikTok's fight against shut down gains support from key US lawmakers

Trump's incoming national security adviser said the new Republican administration will keep the social media app used by 170 million Americans alive in the US if there is a viable deal

Krishnamoorthi leads resolution for Tamil language, heritage month in US

The resolution highlights the significance of Tamil language, one of the world's oldest languages, spoken by over 80 million people globally

Look forward to more Indian American members in US Congress: Lawmakers

Celebrating the largest representation of the community in the history of the US Congress, Indian American lawmakers on Friday said that they are looking forward to welcoming more Indian American members of Congress in the future. When I first took office in 2013, I was the only Indian American member of Congress and the third ever in our nation's history, said Congressman Dr Ami Bera, the senior-most Indian American lawmaker in the House of Representatives. Since that day, I have been committed to ensuring we grow our representation in Congress. In the past decade, I am proud to be joined by incredible Indian American colleagues from around the country -- Representatives Jayapal, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi and Thanedar, he said. With the swearing-in of the 119th Congress, our cohort has grown to a record six members with the election of Representative Subramanyam in Virginia. I look forward to welcoming even more Indian American Members of Congress in the future! Bera said, days after

Jimmy Carter eulogised by Harris, congressional leaders at US Capitol

Nearly 44 years after Jimmy Carter left the nation's capital in humbling defeat, the 39th president returned to Washington for three days of state funeral rites starting Tuesday. Carter's remains, which had been lying in repose at the Carter Presidential Centre since Saturday, left the Atlanta campus Tuesday morning, accompanied by his children and extended family. Special Air Mission 39 departed Dobbins Air Reserve Base north of Atlanta and arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. A motorcade carried the casket into Washington for a final journey to the Capitol, where members of Congress will pay their respects. In Georgia, eight military pallbearers held Carter's casket as cannons fired on the tarmac nearby. They carried it to a vehicle that lifted it to the passenger compartment of the aircraft, the iconic blue and white Boeing 747 variant that is known as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board. Carter never travelled as president on the jet, which first flew as Ai

Biden govt informs Congress of planned $8 bn weapons sale to Israel

The State Department has informed Congress of a planned USD 8 billion weapons sale to Israel, US officials say, as the American ally presses forward with its war against Hamas in Gaza. Some of the arms in the package could be sent through current US stocks but the majority would take a year or several years to deliver, according to two US officials Saturday who spoke on condition of anonymity because the notification to Congress hasn't been formally sent. The sale includes medium-range air-to-air missiles to help Israel defend against airborne threats, 155 mm projectile artillery shells for long-range targeting, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles, 500-pound bombs and more. The weapons package would add to a record of at least USD 17.9 billion in military aid that the US has provided Israel since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, launched the war. The Biden administration has faced criticism over mounting deaths of Palestinian civilians. There have been demonstrations on college campuses

Here's how Congress will certify Trump's electoral college victory on Jan 6

The congressional joint session to count electoral votes on Monday is expected to be much less eventful than the certification four years ago that was interrupted by a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump who tried to stop the count and overturn the results of an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. This time, Trump is returning to office after winning the 2024 election that began with Biden as his party's nominee and ended with Vice President Kamala Harris atop the ticket. She will preside over the certification of her own loss, fulfilling the constitutional role in the same way that Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, did after the violence subsided on January 6, 2021. Usually a routine affair, the congressional joint session on January 6 every four years is the final step in reaffirming a presidential election after the Electoral College officially elects the winner in December. The meeting is required by the Constitution and includes several distinct ...

Speaker Mike Johnson faces crucial vote as new US Congress convenes

The new Congress has opened with one major task at hand the election of the House speaker. Newly-elected lawmakers are in place at the US Capitol but current Speaker Mike Johnson's weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival but President-elect Donald Trump's ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power in Washington. With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday's congressional certification of Trump's 2024 election victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power. "We don't have time for drama, Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol. The Louisiana Republican said the speaker election is not just about one person but about moving forward with the America First agenda". And he had a renew

Trump endorses Mike Johnson to stay on as Speaker despite funding turmoil

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson, providing crucial backing for the Louisiana Republican as he prepares for what is expected to be another contentious speakership race this week. Trump said in a post on his social media platform that Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man and said he will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement," he wrote. Johnson thanked Trump for the endorsement and added, The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let's get to work! The signal of support from Trump comes despite his frustration with a spending deal Johnson pushed through the House days before Christmas that failed to achieve his central goal of raising the debt limit. But other Republicans have been less forgiving. Far-right criticism over the spending ordeal has left Johnson's continued leadership of the incoming GOP majority once again in jeopardy. Though a deal was reached,

US House Ethics report accuses Matt Gaetz of sex crimes, drug use in office

The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of regularly paying women, including a 17-year-old girl, for sex and purchasing and using illicit drugs all while the Florida Republican was a member of Congress. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz, now 42, took part in while representing Florida's western panhandle. The findings conclude that he violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office. The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress, the report states. The report brings to a close a nearly five-year investigation into Gaetz. Its release comes after at least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the panel earlier this month in a secret vo

Elon Musk killed US congressional spending bill, made false claims

President-elect Donald Trump's billionaire ally Elon Musk played a key role this week in killing a bipartisan funding proposal that would have prevented a government shutdown, railing against the plan in a torrent of more than 100 X posts that included multiple false claims. The X owner, an unelected figure, not only used his outsize influence on the platform to help sway Congress, he did so without regard for the facts and gave a preview of the role he could play in government over the next four years. Trump has got himself a handful with Musk, John Mark Hansen, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, said in an email. Trump's done this kind of thing before, blowing up a bill at the last minute. This time, though, it looks like he was afraid of Musk upstaging him. Now there's a new social media bully in town, pushing the champion social media bully around. Hansen added: We'll see what Musk's influence is when he runs up against reality like when he proposes

US Congress passes funding bill, averting govt shutdown; Biden to sign soon

Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year. House Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted Congress would meet our obligations and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day's outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures start now. The House approved Johnson's new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34. The Senate worked into the night to pass it, 85-11, just past the deadline. At midnight, the White House said it had ceased shutdown preparations. This is a good outcome for the country, Johnson said after the House vote, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect was certainly happy .

US Congress approves funding bill hours before govt shutdown deadline

Hours to go before a midnight government shutdown, the House approved a new plan late Friday from Speaker Mike Johnson that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but drops President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year. Johnson insisted Congress would "meet our obligations" and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day's outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal -- if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures "start now". The bill was approved 366-34, and now goes to the Senate, for expected quick passage. "We are excited about this outcome," Johnson said afterward, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect "was certainly happy about this outcome, as well". It was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to achieve one of the basic requirements of the .

Republicans in US Congress mount third attempt to fund govt, shutdown looms

Republicans might break up elements that had previously been bundled together, according to a source familiar with internal discussions. That could see the House holding separate votes

Bald eagle: Icon of freedom, now officially America's national bird

For nearly 250 years, the bald eagle has represented self-reliance and virtue for Americans-and it is now finally getting its due

Friday midnight deadline looms for US Congress to prevent govt shutdown

Congress has until midnight Friday to come up with a way to fund the government or federal agencies will shut down, meaning hundreds of thousands of federal employees could be sent home or stay on the job without pay just ahead of the holidays. Republicans abandoned a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a shutdown after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk came out against it. Trump told House Speaker Mike Johnson to essentially renegotiate the deal days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. Here's what to know about a possible government shutdown, what agencies would be affected and how long it could last: What does it mean if the government shuts down? A government shutdown happens when Congress doesn't pass legislation either temporarily or more permanently funding the government, and such a measure isn't signed by the president. When would a government shutdown start? If Congress doesn't approve a continuing resolution or more permanent spendin

Government shutdown at risk as Trump's demands put Speaker Johnson in bind

A government shutdown at risk, House Speaker Mike Johnson is fighting to figure out how to meet President-elect Donald Trump's sudden demands and keep his own job while federal offices are being told to prepare to shutter operations ahead of Friday's midnight deadline. Trump said early Thursday that Johnson will easily remain speaker for the next Congress if he acts decisively and tough in coming up with a new plan to also increase the debt limit, a stunning request just before the Christmas holidays that has put the beleaguered speaker in a bind. And if not, the president-elect warned of trouble ahead for Johnson and Republicans in Congress. Anybody that supports a bill that doesn't take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible, Trump told Fox News Digital. The chaotic turn of events, coming days before Friday's midnight deadline to fund the government and as lawmakers were preparing to head home for the

US Congress has 2 days to avert shutdown after Trump rejects spending bill

Trump pressured his fellow Republicans in Congress to reject a stopgap bill to keep the government funded past the deadline of midnight

Donald Trump opposes stopgap funding, warns GOP on debt ceiling demand

Donald Trump on Wednesday - just days before federal funding is set to expire - said he wanted lawmakers to include an increase to the debt ceiling in the package