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COVID vaccine for kids under 5 delayed until at least April
WASHINGTON — A COVID-19 vaccine for young children will be delayed by at least two months as Pfizer and BioNTech gather more information on a three-dose regimen. The disappointing news for many parents came after the Biden administration earlier had announced it was preparing to get the vaccines out to states as soon as it […]
Short-term federal spending patch held up by Tennessee senator over crack pipe controversy
WASHINGTON — Federal government funding runs out in just a week, Congress hasn’t cleared a short-term measure to avoid a shutdown, despite broad bipartisan support — and the latest holdup is over claims the Biden administration wants to pay for crack pipes as part of “safe smoking” kits. The stopgap spending bill passed the U.S. […]
CDC preps guidance for governors on relaxing COVID rules, but states forge ahead
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing guidance for governors about when to relax masking and other measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, but doesn’t want to release those instructions just yet. Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that it’s too soon to begin rolling back masking and other public […]
U.S. House passes three-week patch to keep the federal government operating
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a bill Tuesday night that would keep the U.S. government up and running through March 11. The short-term funding bill, the third one of this fiscal year, is designed to give negotiators more time to reach a bipartisan agreement on full-year spending bills — a task they’ve so far been unable […]
McConnell rebukes RNC for saying Jan. 6 attack was ‘legitimate political discourse’
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Republican National Committee erred in censuring two House GOP lawmakers for joining the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The Kentucky Republican rebuked the RNC for referring to the riot as “legitimate political discourse” in the censure resolution. McConnell said […]
House advances marijuana banking bill, though final passage uncertain
WASHINGTON — Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House on Friday cleared a bill with sweeping changes to banking regulations. Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter and Ohio Republican Dave Joyce, co-sponsors of the legislation, said Friday their proposal would allow medical […]
Free at-home COVID tests to be handed out to Medicare beneficiaries this spring
WASHINGTON — Starting this spring, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month at no cost. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday that eligible pharmacies and participating organizations will begin distributing the tests in the coming months to individuals on either original Medicare or in […]
White House plans speedy delivery to states of COVID vaccine for littlest kids
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young children […]
U.S. sending 2,000 North Carolina-based troops to Europe amid Russia-Ukraine tensions
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is preparing to deploy thousands of soldiers to Europe in the coming days, though those troops aren’t expected to fight in Ukraine should Russia attack that country. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that 1,000 soldiers based in Germany will move to Romania and that 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg […]
Federal OK sought for two-dose COVID vaccine for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday asked the federal government to begin the approval process for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5. The companies said in a joint statement they began the rolling submission process for an emergency use authorization at the request of the Food and Drug Administration “in response to […]
Governors attempt to bridge deep political divides in big D.C. meeting
WASHINGTON — Governors of both parties from throughout the United States met in the nation’s capitol during the weekend to try to speak on a unified front about what their states need from the federal government. But the waters were muddied by governors’ clearly divided political views about two major issues of the moment — […]
Biden vows to nominate first Black woman to Supreme Court by end of February
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer formally announced his retirement Thursday, giving President Joe Biden his first, and possibly only, opportunity to make a nomination for the lifetime appointment. At the White House, Biden said he will make his decision by the end of February and recommitted to nominating the court’s first Black female […]