Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recessed the Senate on Thursday, tanking the possibility of a new relief bill.WASHINGTON — The US Senate adjourned for a month Thursday, further signaling there will be no coronavirus relief package passed this summer, nearly three weeks after .Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled the next Senate vote for Tuesday, Sept. 8. The House had already recessed for the summer. If a deal on a aid package is reached before then, lawmakers will be given at least 24 hours' notice to get to Washington to vote.As things stand, that seems unlikely. Talks between...…Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recessed the Senate on Thursday, tanking the possibility of a new relief bill.WASHINGTON — The US Senate adjourned for a month Thursday, further signaling there will be no coronavirus relief package passed this summer, nearly three weeks after .Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled the next Senate vote for Tuesday, Sept. 8. The House had already recessed for the summer. If a deal on a aid package is reached before then, lawmakers will be given at least 24 hours' notice to get to Washington to vote.As things stand, that seems unlikely. Talks between...WW…

“I think Fauci has become emblematic of what tribe you’re in and what side you’re on in a political civil war,” said Sen. Ted Cruz.WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are backing Anthony Fauci, saying they have full confidence in his expertise. But they’re largely staying silent on the attacks to his credibility from inside the White House, with some senators brushing off the smears as fair game.BuzzFeed News asked a cross section of more than a dozen Republican senators about Fauci, ranging from party leaders to moderates to more hardline conservatives. He received unanimous support.In recent...…“I think Fauci has become emblematic of what tribe you’re in and what side you’re on in a political civil war,” said Sen. Ted Cruz.WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are backing Anthony Fauci, saying they have full confidence in his expertise. But they’re largely staying silent on the attacks to his credibility from inside the White House, with some senators brushing off the smears as fair game.BuzzFeed News asked a cross section of more than a dozen Republican senators about Fauci, ranging from party leaders to moderates to more hardline conservatives. He received unanimous support.In recent...WW…

Payday loan interest rates can top 600%. Tuesday’s rule allows payday lenders to approve people without considering if they can afford to pay them back.WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released Tuesday that makes it easier for payday lenders to give out high-interest loans to people who may not be able to repay them.The CFPB rule undoes an Obama-era requirement that payday lenders must first assess whether someone taking out a loan can actually afford to repay it. Essentially, it would have put the same onus on payday lenders that banks have for giving out long-term...…Payday loan interest rates can top 600%. Tuesday’s rule allows payday lenders to approve people without considering if they can afford to pay them back.WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released Tuesday that makes it easier for payday lenders to give out high-interest loans to people who may not be able to repay them.The CFPB rule undoes an Obama-era requirement that payday lenders must first assess whether someone taking out a loan can actually afford to repay it. Essentially, it would have put the same onus on payday lenders that banks have for giving out long-term...WW…

LGBTQ activists may have already won the battle over what sex discrimination laws mean, but now they expect the Trump administration to weaken the laws with religious freedom exemptions.The Supreme Court gave LGBTQ activists a historic victory this month in the employment case of Bostock v. Clayton County, but it also may have set up the next major legal battle between civil rights and religious freedom.The court decision came just days after the Trump administration that doctors, hospitals, insurers, and other health providers could deny services to trans people. That move came when the...…LGBTQ activists may have already won the battle over what sex discrimination laws mean, but now they expect the Trump administration to weaken the laws with religious freedom exemptions.The Supreme Court gave LGBTQ activists a historic victory this month in the employment case of Bostock v. Clayton County, but it also may have set up the next major legal battle between civil rights and religious freedom.The court decision came just days after the Trump administration that doctors, hospitals, insurers, and other health providers could deny services to trans people. That move came when the...WW…

The president is following through on his threat to "strongly regulate" social media companies.The Trump administration is proposing to change liability law to make it harder for social media platforms to censor content that is hateful or objectionable but not specifically illegal.A released Wednesday is the formal follow-through on the president's threats to “strongly regulate” social media companies over his belief that they censor conservative voices. But the proposed changes, if passed by Congress, could also make it harder for social media sites to crack down on hateful or offensive...…The president is following through on his threat to "strongly regulate" social media companies.The Trump administration is proposing to change liability law to make it harder for social media platforms to censor content that is hateful or objectionable but not specifically illegal.A released Wednesday is the formal follow-through on the president's threats to “strongly regulate” social media companies over his belief that they censor conservative voices. But the proposed changes, if passed by Congress, could also make it harder for social media sites to crack down on hateful or offensive...WW…

Should you go to work and risk contact with sick people, or stay home and risk losing your SNAP benefits? Many people may face this choice as the White House refuses to postpone its controversial rule change.WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to enact strict work requirements on people who use food stamps despite the coronavirus pandemic — a move that could result in hundreds of thousands of people losing their eligibility for the program.People could soon be forced to work public-facing jobs when they should stay home or else risk losing access to the...…Should you go to work and risk contact with sick people, or stay home and risk losing your SNAP benefits? Many people may face this choice as the White House refuses to postpone its controversial rule change.WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to enact strict work requirements on people who use food stamps despite the coronavirus pandemic — a move that could result in hundreds of thousands of people losing their eligibility for the program.People could soon be forced to work public-facing jobs when they should stay home or else risk losing access to the...WW…

The two parties are miles apart on what to do in the next wave of coronavirus relief. Republicans say they do not expect anything to pass for a long time.BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans rejected a new aid bill from House Democrats Tuesday, putting Congress at a standstill that is unlikely to end anytime soon, as . Republicans say it is too soon to tell what, if any, additional relief is needed as the pandemic...…The two parties are miles apart on what to do in the next wave of coronavirus relief. Republicans say they do not expect anything to pass for a long time.BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans rejected a new aid bill from House Democrats Tuesday, putting Congress at a standstill that is unlikely to end anytime soon, as . Republicans say it is too soon to tell what, if any, additional relief is needed as the pandemic...WW…

“There is no playbook. There are no established best practices. This uncertainty is impacting our decisions.”BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .WASHINGTON — As states reopen, nonessential workers across the country can be summoned back to work, but there are no federal rules protecting them and their ability to sue over unsafe work conditions could soon be severely limited.The Trump administration has not enacted any health and safety rules to govern...…“There is no playbook. There are no established best practices. This uncertainty is impacting our decisions.”BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .WASHINGTON — As states reopen, nonessential workers across the country can be summoned back to work, but there are no federal rules protecting them and their ability to sue over unsafe work conditions could soon be severely limited.The Trump administration has not enacted any health and safety rules to govern...WW…