State Unemployment Agencies Could Take Months To Adapt To WH Proposal, Memos Show The National Association of State Workforce Agencies tells lawmakers on Capitol Hill that it would take most states 8-20 weeks to move to a modified system of awarding benefits.Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET Ancient state unemployment systems that struggled to handle the first round of COVID-19 relief payments could take months or more to adopt a White House proposal for modifying the benefits, according to memos obtained by NPR. Such a lag could mean that the roughly 30 million people currently collecting...…State Unemployment Agencies Could Take Months To Adapt To WH Proposal, Memos Show The National Association of State Workforce Agencies tells lawmakers on Capitol Hill that it would take most states 8-20 weeks to move to a modified system of awarding benefits.Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET Ancient state unemployment systems that struggled to handle the first round of COVID-19 relief payments could take months or more to adopt a White House proposal for modifying the benefits, according to memos obtained by NPR. Such a lag could mean that the roughly 30 million people currently collecting...WW…

House Approves $3 Trillion Proposal For New Coronavirus Aid The House approved the massive package with aid to states, local governments, individuals. Senate Republicans already dismissed the proposal and it's unclear when parties will reach bipartisan deal.House lawmakers on Friday approved a Democratic proposal to provide $3 trillion in coronavirus relief that would include a new wave of help for state and local governments, workers and families. The House voted 208 to 199 — largely along party lines — to pass the measure. The size of the bill represents the biggest ever proposed and it...…House Approves $3 Trillion Proposal For New Coronavirus Aid The House approved the massive package with aid to states, local governments, individuals. Senate Republicans already dismissed the proposal and it's unclear when parties will reach bipartisan deal.House lawmakers on Friday approved a Democratic proposal to provide $3 trillion in coronavirus relief that would include a new wave of help for state and local governments, workers and families. The House voted 208 to 199 — largely along party lines — to pass the measure. The size of the bill represents the biggest ever proposed and it...WW…

Bernie Sanders To Stay In The Race Despite Losses In a press conference, the Vermont senator acknowledged calls for him to drop his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination but said he plans to debate former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday.Updated at 1:43 p.m. ET Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is planning to stay in the 2020 Democratic presidential race despite another disappointing primary night. Two weeks ago, Sanders was the unlikely front-runner for the nomination. Now former Vice President Joe Biden has consolidated support so rapidly, and won so many states, that Sanders is...…Bernie Sanders To Stay In The Race Despite Losses In a press conference, the Vermont senator acknowledged calls for him to drop his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination but said he plans to debate former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday.Updated at 1:43 p.m. ET Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is planning to stay in the 2020 Democratic presidential race despite another disappointing primary night. Two weeks ago, Sanders was the unlikely front-runner for the nomination. Now former Vice President Joe Biden has consolidated support so rapidly, and won so many states, that Sanders is...WW…

Congress Approves Budget, Paving the Way For Biden's COVID-19 Relief Congressional committees now move to the next stage of finalizing the details of President Biden's $1.9 trillion bill. Democrats are using a process that can pass the legislation on a party-line vote.Updated at 2:31 p.m. ET The House quickly approved a budget resolution intended to speed the drafting of President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The Senate approved the same budget resolution early Friday morning. With the Senate evenly divided, Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote. Democrats are...…Congress Approves Budget, Paving the Way For Biden's COVID-19 Relief Congressional committees now move to the next stage of finalizing the details of President Biden's $1.9 trillion bill. Democrats are using a process that can pass the legislation on a party-line vote.Updated at 2:31 p.m. ET The House quickly approved a budget resolution intended to speed the drafting of President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The Senate approved the same budget resolution early Friday morning. With the Senate evenly divided, Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote. Democrats are...WW…

Trump Signs $484 Billion Coronavirus Bill For Small Businesses It is the fourth measure approved by Congress in less than two months to combat the pandemic. This one, totaling $484 billion, will supply fresh funding to a new small business lending program.Updated at on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET President Trump on Friday signed Congress' latest coronavirus economic relief package, which includes additional aid to small businesses and hospitals. The measure passed overwhelmingly in the House on Thursday — 388-5, with one lawmaker voting present. The five lawmakers who voted against the package...…Trump Signs $484 Billion Coronavirus Bill For Small Businesses It is the fourth measure approved by Congress in less than two months to combat the pandemic. This one, totaling $484 billion, will supply fresh funding to a new small business lending program.Updated at on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET President Trump on Friday signed Congress' latest coronavirus economic relief package, which includes additional aid to small businesses and hospitals. The measure passed overwhelmingly in the House on Thursday — 388-5, with one lawmaker voting present. The five lawmakers who voted against the package...WW…

Sanders And Top Progressives Push To Make College Free For Most Americans They are introducing legislation that would eliminate tuition and fees at public, four-year institutions for those from families earning up to $125,000 and make community college free for everyone.Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., are introducing legislation Wednesday that would make higher education free for most Americans by imposing new taxes on many Wall Street transactions. The legislation would eliminate tuition and fees at public,...…Sanders And Top Progressives Push To Make College Free For Most Americans They are introducing legislation that would eliminate tuition and fees at public, four-year institutions for those from families earning up to $125,000 and make community college free for everyone.Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., are introducing legislation Wednesday that would make higher education free for most Americans by imposing new taxes on many Wall Street transactions. The legislation would eliminate tuition and fees at public,...WW…

Democrats Get Boost With New Senate Parliamentarian Ruling The decision from the nonpartisan parliamentarian means Democrats could advance more of President Biden's agenda without the support of Republicans.A new decision from the U.S. Senate's nonpartisan means Democrats could advance more of President Biden's agenda without the support of Republicans. The official's interpretation of Senate budget rules would allow the use of the more than once in a fiscal year, and it is viewed by Democrats as a possible strategy for moving top policy priorities with a simple majority, since getting the...…Democrats Get Boost With New Senate Parliamentarian Ruling The decision from the nonpartisan parliamentarian means Democrats could advance more of President Biden's agenda without the support of Republicans.A new decision from the U.S. Senate's nonpartisan means Democrats could advance more of President Biden's agenda without the support of Republicans. The official's interpretation of Senate budget rules would allow the use of the more than once in a fiscal year, and it is viewed by Democrats as a possible strategy for moving top policy priorities with a simple majority, since getting the...WW…

Democrats Say The Fight To Abolish The Filibuster Is About Protecting Civil Rights Democrats say voter protections, police reform, climate change — virtually the entire Biden agenda — will be abandoned if the Senate does not abolish the filibuster.Heard onToggle more optionsDemocrats say voter protections, police reform, climate change — virtually the entire Biden agenda — will be abandoned if the Senate does not abolish the filibuster.AILSA CHANG, HOST:Voting rights, police reform, climate change - that's virtually the entire Biden agenda. And that is what some Democrats say will be...…Democrats Say The Fight To Abolish The Filibuster Is About Protecting Civil Rights Democrats say voter protections, police reform, climate change — virtually the entire Biden agenda — will be abandoned if the Senate does not abolish the filibuster.Heard onToggle more optionsDemocrats say voter protections, police reform, climate change — virtually the entire Biden agenda — will be abandoned if the Senate does not abolish the filibuster.AILSA CHANG, HOST:Voting rights, police reform, climate change - that's virtually the entire Biden agenda. And that is what some Democrats say will be...WW…

How Bernie Sanders Hopes To Reshape A 'Rigged' Tax System Sanders will introduce legislation Thursday to restore the corporate tax rate to 35% and add a new progressive tax on the estates of the wealthiest Americans.Toggle more optionsSenate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is turning the committee best known for writing budgets that never become law into a vetting ground for progressive policy. Sanders views his new jurisdiction as a broad mandate that "essentially in one way or another, touches the lives of every American." In keeping with that vision, Sanders will...…How Bernie Sanders Hopes To Reshape A 'Rigged' Tax System Sanders will introduce legislation Thursday to restore the corporate tax rate to 35% and add a new progressive tax on the estates of the wealthiest Americans.Toggle more optionsSenate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is turning the committee best known for writing budgets that never become law into a vetting ground for progressive policy. Sanders views his new jurisdiction as a broad mandate that "essentially in one way or another, touches the lives of every American." In keeping with that vision, Sanders will...WW…

McConnell Says Next Coronavirus Aid Bill Will Be The Last : Coronavirus Updates The next round of coronavirus aid will be narrowly focused and will not extend federal unemployment assistance, the Senate majority leader says.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects Senate Republicans will begin considering proposals for a "fourth and final" coronavirus response bill to address the needs of the country "in about a month." McConnell said the bill will be narrowly crafted and will focus in particular on jobs and schools. He said there could be funding for small businesses and...…McConnell Says Next Coronavirus Aid Bill Will Be The Last : Coronavirus Updates The next round of coronavirus aid will be narrowly focused and will not extend federal unemployment assistance, the Senate majority leader says.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects Senate Republicans will begin considering proposals for a "fourth and final" coronavirus response bill to address the needs of the country "in about a month." McConnell said the bill will be narrowly crafted and will focus in particular on jobs and schools. He said there could be funding for small businesses and...WW…