Eric Lander is the last of the Cabinet nominees who hasn’t been confirmed. His time at Harvard, where he met the convicted sex offender, is part of the reason why.Matt Slocum/AP PhotoPresident Joe Biden’s nomination of Eric Lander to be his top science adviser has been delayed in part because of a Democratic senator’s concerns about meetings Lander and his colleagues had with Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier who was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 before his apparent suicide.Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has wanted more clarity on the...…Eric Lander is the last of the Cabinet nominees who hasn’t been confirmed. His time at Harvard, where he met the convicted sex offender, is part of the reason why.Matt Slocum/AP PhotoPresident Joe Biden’s nomination of Eric Lander to be his top science adviser has been delayed in part because of a Democratic senator’s concerns about meetings Lander and his colleagues had with Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier who was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 before his apparent suicide.Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has wanted more clarity on the...WW…

Passing it would go a long way toward defusing partisan tensions over the filibuster that have simmered since President Joe Biden took office.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday that the chamber would take up the bill this week and that two bipartisan amendments would be added. | Jose Luis Magana/AP PhotoSenators are closing in on an agreement to pass legislation to stem the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, according to multiple aides in both parties.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday that the chamber would take up the bill this week and that...…Passing it would go a long way toward defusing partisan tensions over the filibuster that have simmered since President Joe Biden took office.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday that the chamber would take up the bill this week and that two bipartisan amendments would be added. | Jose Luis Magana/AP PhotoSenators are closing in on an agreement to pass legislation to stem the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, according to multiple aides in both parties.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday that the chamber would take up the bill this week and that...WW…

The measure would increase the court's size to 13.Democrats in Congress are set to introduce legislation to expand the size of the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13. | Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesHouse and Senate Democrats will introduce legislation Thursday to expand the number of Supreme Court justices to 13 from nine, drawing more attention to the debate surrounding court reform.The bill, led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), is the first legislation in recent years designed to add seats to the high court, and its introduction comes as progressive...…The measure would increase the court's size to 13.Democrats in Congress are set to introduce legislation to expand the size of the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13. | Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesHouse and Senate Democrats will introduce legislation Thursday to expand the number of Supreme Court justices to 13 from nine, drawing more attention to the debate surrounding court reform.The bill, led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), is the first legislation in recent years designed to add seats to the high court, and its introduction comes as progressive...WW…

Neither Democratic lawmakers nor President Joe Biden is putting overt retirement pressure on the Supreme Court justice — yet, anyway.Even as some liberal groups boot up a “Breyer Retire” campaign, the Democratic Party is sensitive to the justice’s predicament. | Steven Senn/AP PhotoDemocrats are grappling with judicial déja vu: an aging liberal Supreme Court justice, a paper-thin Senate majority and activist pressure to swing the bench leftward.Justice Stephen Breyer is 82 and Democrats are a single Senate seat away from ceding control back to Republicans. It’s a familiar and uncomfortable...…Neither Democratic lawmakers nor President Joe Biden is putting overt retirement pressure on the Supreme Court justice — yet, anyway.Even as some liberal groups boot up a “Breyer Retire” campaign, the Democratic Party is sensitive to the justice’s predicament. | Steven Senn/AP PhotoDemocrats are grappling with judicial déja vu: an aging liberal Supreme Court justice, a paper-thin Senate majority and activist pressure to swing the bench leftward.Justice Stephen Breyer is 82 and Democrats are a single Senate seat away from ceding control back to Republicans. It’s a familiar and uncomfortable...WW…

No final decision has been made, but some Republicans see it as an overreach and others think it's just a messaging bill.Volunteers of Main Street Patrol connect their walkie-talkie apps before walking up and down the streets of Flushing on April 4 in New York. From coast-to-coast, Asian American groups were already doing more than digital activism, including patrolling, escorting, and chaperoning in Asian communities. | Brittainy Newman/AP PhotoSenate Republicans are weighing whether to mount the first official filibuster of the new Congress — a move that would re-ignite debate over...…No final decision has been made, but some Republicans see it as an overreach and others think it's just a messaging bill.Volunteers of Main Street Patrol connect their walkie-talkie apps before walking up and down the streets of Flushing on April 4 in New York. From coast-to-coast, Asian American groups were already doing more than digital activism, including patrolling, escorting, and chaperoning in Asian communities. | Brittainy Newman/AP PhotoSenate Republicans are weighing whether to mount the first official filibuster of the new Congress — a move that would re-ignite debate over...WW…

The president says he wants to work with Republicans but has found it's much easier to sidestep them.President Joe Biden delivers a speech on infrastructure spending March 31 at Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center in Pittsburgh. | Evan Vucci/AP PhotoJoe Biden’s campaign promise to work with the GOP is crashing into his political reality: It’s easier to just go around the Republican Party and pass his agenda with Democratic votes.As Biden presses a fresh multitrillion-dollar proposal to spend new tax revenue on manufacturing, infrastructure and health care, the president and his party are...…The president says he wants to work with Republicans but has found it's much easier to sidestep them.President Joe Biden delivers a speech on infrastructure spending March 31 at Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center in Pittsburgh. | Evan Vucci/AP PhotoJoe Biden’s campaign promise to work with the GOP is crashing into his political reality: It’s easier to just go around the Republican Party and pass his agenda with Democratic votes.As Biden presses a fresh multitrillion-dollar proposal to spend new tax revenue on manufacturing, infrastructure and health care, the president and his party are...WW…

This week will bring the president close to the pace of approvals during the early days of Trump and Obama.Judge Merrick Garland is expected to be confirmed Wednesday as the next attorney general. | Drew Angerer/Pool via APAfter slow early progress on approving President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees, the Senate is finally on track to catch up to its pace of confirmations at the beginning of the Trump and Obama administrations.With Donald Trump’s impeachment trial over and Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed, the Senate is spending this week on a confirmation blitz. The...…This week will bring the president close to the pace of approvals during the early days of Trump and Obama.Judge Merrick Garland is expected to be confirmed Wednesday as the next attorney general. | Drew Angerer/Pool via APAfter slow early progress on approving President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees, the Senate is finally on track to catch up to its pace of confirmations at the beginning of the Trump and Obama administrations.With Donald Trump’s impeachment trial over and Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed, the Senate is spending this week on a confirmation blitz. The...WW…

Republicans are planning to make life as excruciating as possible ahead of passage.Senate Democrats required an appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris to cast a tie-breaking vote on the relief package. | Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesSenate Democrats muscled through the votes to begin consideration of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Thursday afternoon, putting the party on course to clinch a new stimulus law well before its official March 14 deadline.But Republicans are setting up a grueling debate that appears likely to carry the partisan battle into the...…Republicans are planning to make life as excruciating as possible ahead of passage.Senate Democrats required an appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris to cast a tie-breaking vote on the relief package. | Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesSenate Democrats muscled through the votes to begin consideration of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Thursday afternoon, putting the party on course to clinch a new stimulus law well before its official March 14 deadline.But Republicans are setting up a grueling debate that appears likely to carry the partisan battle into the...WW…

Cotton said that Garland refused “to answer basic questions” in his written answers on immigration, the death penalty and guns.Sen. Tom Cotton listens during a hearing for Judge Merrick Garland. | Demetrius Freeman/AP PhotoSen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) will slow down the confirmation of Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Justice.In a series of tweets Wednesday evening, Cotton said that Garland refused “to answer basic questions” in his written answers on immigration, the death penalty and guns.“Ensuring the Senate has time to debate these issues and get answers...…Cotton said that Garland refused “to answer basic questions” in his written answers on immigration, the death penalty and guns.Sen. Tom Cotton listens during a hearing for Judge Merrick Garland. | Demetrius Freeman/AP PhotoSen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) will slow down the confirmation of Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Justice.In a series of tweets Wednesday evening, Cotton said that Garland refused “to answer basic questions” in his written answers on immigration, the death penalty and guns.“Ensuring the Senate has time to debate these issues and get answers...WW…

GOP leaders had heavily signaled that their entire 50-member conference would stay unified against her.Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. | Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP, PoolSen. Lisa Murkowski voted Wednesday to confirm Vanita Gupta to the No. 3 position at the Justice Department, blowing up her party’s effort to make Democrats solely own the confirmation.Senate Republicans against Gupta, describing her as a “radical” who would defund the police. They’ve also criticized her past statements on...…GOP leaders had heavily signaled that their entire 50-member conference would stay unified against her.Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. | Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP, PoolSen. Lisa Murkowski voted Wednesday to confirm Vanita Gupta to the No. 3 position at the Justice Department, blowing up her party’s effort to make Democrats solely own the confirmation.Senate Republicans against Gupta, describing her as a “radical” who would defund the police. They’ve also criticized her past statements on...WW…