Congressional Republicans’ effort to pin blame for the lack of bipartisanship over the American Rescue Plan on President Joe Biden has failed badly.
A Pew Research Center poll released on Tuesday found that 57 percent of Americans believe the Biden administration made a “good faith effort” to work with Republicans on the mammoth pandemic relief legislation. Forty percent said they did not believe the administration had made such an effort.
Among Democrats, the number of those polled who answered yes to the question was unsurprisingly high — 87 percent. Among Republicans, that figure was much lower, at just 23 percent. Continue reading.
After speaking at a white nationalist “America First” conference recently, the Arizona congressman appears to be doubling down on his support of the group.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) posted on Twitter the motto of a white nationalist group on Sunday, a little over a week after delivering the keynote address at the group’s conference in Florida.
“#AmericaFirst,” Gosar tweeted above a meme showing a cartoon of what appears to be a sex worker leaning into a man’s car and saying, “$50 WHATEVER YOU WANT BABY.”
The man sitting in the car replies: “CAN YOU … TELL EVERYONE AMERICA FIRST IS INEVITABLE.” Continue reading.
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) received a dressing down from Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) on Wednesday after making a speech on the House floor stating that Black Lives Matter supporters don’t support “traditional” families.
During his allotted time, Grothman stated, “I know it’s a group that doesn’t like the old-fashioned family,” when talking about the BLM movement, an apparent reference to language on a Black Lives Matters website about disrupting “the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure by supporting each other as extended families.”
That brought out a sharp response from Plaskett who admonished her Republican colleague to not leave the floor until she responded to him. Continue reading.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) released a new, virtual tourof the U.S. Capitol and surrounding landmarks. The Capitol complex has been closed for in-person tours since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and interest in the history and symbolism of the Capitol Building has piqued since the January 6th insurrection.
“Showing my fellow Minnesotans around the Capitol is one of my favorite things to do,” said Phillips. “Even though we can’t travel or be together right now, it’s as important as ever to appreciate the artwork, architecture, and American history in these hallowed halls. As our nation reels from the devastating events of January 6th, I invite all of my constituents to join me on a tour through this monument to our democracy.”
Phillips, a self-described history buff, hosts the virtual tour and highlights Minnesota’s ties to America’s “temple of democracy”for thousands of Minnesotans who have had to cancel their travel plans.Viewers will follow Rep. Phillips to statues commemorating Minnesota heroes Maria Sanford and Henry Mower Rice. Phillips also tours the Senate Fountain, constructed of Minnesota granite, and a memorial honoring Vietnam Veterans from our state. Other highlights of the tour include visits to the Congressman’s office, National Statuary Hall, and the breathtaking Capitol Rotunda – the very place desecrated by a violent mob two short months ago.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA– Today, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, his $1.9 trillion COVID relief and stimulus bill, into law. The wide-ranging and incredibly popular bill contains numerous important measures to combatting COVID-19 and helping the American people build back better from the pandemic, including:
$1,400 relief checks for most Americans
Extended unemployment insurance of $300 per week through early September
Child tax credits of up to $3,600
More than $15 billion for vaccine distribution
Roughly $50 billion for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing
On Tuesday, members of the U.S. House of Representatives debated a union organizing bill. One of the Democratic congressmen speaking out in favor of it was Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who passionately told his colleagues that legislation to “help the damn workers” in the U.S. is long overdue.
Ryan explained, “One of the earlier speakers said this is the most dramatic change in labor law in 80 years. And I say, ‘Thank God! In the late ’70s, a CEO made 35 times the worker. Today, it’s 3 or 400 times the worker. And our friends on the other side (are) running around with their hair on fire.”
Raising his voice even more, Ryan added, “Heaven forbid we should pass something that’s going to help the damn workers in the United States of America! Heaven forbid we tilt the balance that has been going in the wrong direction for 50 years! We talk about pensions, you complain. We talk about the minimum wage increase, you complain. We talk about giving them the right to organize, you complain. But if we were passing a tax cut here, you would all be getting in line to vote yes for it.” Continue reading.
I’m checking in after a momentous week – and I’m not referring to the amazing March weather we’re enjoying, though, that feels pretty momentous too.
Help is on the Way
Over the weekend, the Senate amended and passed President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, a comprehensive COVID relief package that will get vaccines in arms, money in pockets, children in schools, and workers in jobs. Like most Americans, I believe it’s in our common interest to tackle the public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic with bold solutions. Congress must meet the moment, which is why I’ll be voting to send the Senate’s version of the American Rescue Package to President Biden’s desk when it comes back to the House of Representatives for a final vote today.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) included the U.S. territory of Guam when listing foreign nations that she says are receiving American tax dollars.
Greene made the comments on February 27, the second day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, in Orlando, Florida, in one of the event’s side sessions.
“We believe our hard-earned tax dollars should just go for America. Not for, what? China, Russia, the Middle East, Guam, whatever, wherever,” said Greene. Continue reading.
The U.S. Justice Department arrested another alleged associate of the anti-government Oath Keepers militia on charges he took part in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, 6, and a judge granted him bail on Monday, rejecting government requests to keep him detained.
According to court papers, Roberto Minuta, 36, who owns a tattoo shop in Newburgh, New York, “berated and taunted” U.S. Capitol Police while clad in military-style gear, then attacked the Capitol and disrupted Congress as it was certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory.
Minuta later deleted a Facebook account to “conceal his involvement in these offenses,” the court papers said. Continue reading.
The House voted 220-211 on Wednesday to approve the Senate’s revised version of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, sending the bill to Biden’s desk to be signed.
Why it matters: The passage of the “American Rescue Plan” is the first — and potentially defining — legislative victory of Biden’s presidency, marking a key milestone in his pledge to steer the U.S. out of the coronavirus crisis.
The big picture: The package is being touted by Democrats as one of the most consequential anti-poverty bills of the modern era, with the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center projecting that it will boost incomes for the poorest 20% of Americans by 20%. Continue reading.
