ROSA DELAURO

The Senate has passed a stopgap spending bill that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18 after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates.

President Joe Biden has signed into law the stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government running through Feb. 18.

he Senate passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18.

The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18.

Some GOP senators said they would not support an expedited vote on the spending measure without also taking up a vote that would prevent funding for enforcement of a vaccine mandate for large employers. The Republican leadership urged members to vote no; the lone GOP vote for the bill came from Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger. Before the House acted, Biden said he had spoken with Senate leaders and he played down fears of a shutdown. The House vote sent the measure to the Senate. Separately, some health care providers protested the stopgap spending measure.

The House passed a bill Thursday that funds the government through Feb. 18 and avoids a short-term shutdown after midnight Friday.

The House passed a bill Thursday that funds the government through Feb. 18 and avoids a short-term shutdown after midnight Friday.

The Republican leadership urged members to vote no; the lone GOP vote for the bill came from Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger. “Make no mistake, a vote against this continuing resolution is a vote to shut government down," DeLauro said during the House debate. Before the House acted, President Joe Biden said he had spoken with Senate leaders and he played down fears of a shutdown. “Let's be clear, if there is a shutdown, it will be a Republican, anti-vaccine shutdown," Schumer said. For some Republicans, the court cases and lawmakers' fears about a potentially disruptive shutdown are factors against engaging in a high-stakes shutdown.

The measure now heads to the Senate, where prospects for quick passage are in doubt ahead of a Friday deadline. A few Republicans have said they'd object to fast-tracking the bill.

President Joe Biden said he has spoken with Senate leaders and he played down fears of a shutdown. “There is a plan in place unless somebody decides to be totally erratic, and I don’t think that will happen," Biden said. Political backlash over the administration's vaccine mandates has been building for months. The administration has also put in place policies requiring millions of federal employees and federal contractors, including military troops, to be fully vaccinated. Separately, some health care providers are protesting the stopgap spending measure.

The bill funds the government through February 18, and includes $7 billion to held resettle Afghan refugees.

The House Appropriations Committee reached agreement on the spending bill, but some hurdles remain.

The House Appropriations Committee reached agreement on the spending bill, but some hurdles remain.

It would extend spending to Feb. 18, keeping it at current levels, though $7 billion is included to support Afghanistan evacuees. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats are prepared to support the funding bill and urged Republicans not to engage in shutdown politics. Political backlash over the Biden administration's coronavirus vaccine mandates has been building for months. Courts have been knocking back the Biden administration's vaccine mandates — including a ruling this week blocking enforcement of a requirement for some health care workers. On Wednesday, one Republican, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, made the case to his colleagues to link the effort to halt the vaccine mandates to the spending bill during a private lunch meeting at the Capitol.

The House struck a deal to prevent a government shutdown, but the funding bill could face opposition in the Senate.

Women — and some men — in Congress have been fighting for government child care assistance for almost 80 years.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who was elected in 1992 as a self described “mom in tennis shoes,” has been fighting for paid family and medical leave for decades.

Child Tax Credit FILE - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., holds a news conference to talk about the benefits of the Child Tax Credit, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 15, 2021. President Joe Biden and leading Democratic lawmakers have been fighting to make permanent a child tax credit that would give families at least $300 a month per child. The steady evolution of the child tax credit reflects a fundamental split on how lawmakers think about human nature. The convergence ultimately led to the 1997 overhaul of welfare that established a $500 tax credit for children. Researchers at Columbia University have found that the expanded child tax credit payments that began in July had no impact on labor and that models claiming otherwise are overly simplified.

President Joe Biden and leading Democratic lawmakers, including Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, have been fighting to make permanent a child tax credit that would give families at least $300 a month per child.

This month, the Treasury Department distributed more than $15 billion in payments to families of 61 million children.

The president floated a briefer extension of child tax credits, but some senior Democrats are calling it a "missed opportunity" to support families.

Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON — (AP) —The House overwhelming passed a bill Thursday to provide $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system as Democrats moved to quash criticism from Republicans that their party is wavering in support of Israel. Democrats initially sought to put the Iron Dome funding in legislation this week to fund the government past Sept. 30, but removed it after some members of the caucus objected. The U.S. began financially supporting Israel’s development of the Iron Dome system about a decade ago and has provided about $1.6 billion for its production and maintenance, according to the Congressional Research Service. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets fired into Israel. She said the money represented an “absurd and unjustifiable” increase in funding for the Iron Dome.

The House has overwhelming passed legislation to provide funding for Israel’s missile defense system.

Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the measure Tuesday night by a party-line vote of 220-211. Backed by the White House, the Democratic leaders pushed the package to approval at a time of great uncertainty in Congress. There has been a flurry of outreach from the White House to Democrats on Capitol Hill, and Biden himself was given a call sheet of lawmakers to cajole. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., according to a White House official familiar with the calls and granted anonymity to discuss them. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised a Sept. 27 vote on the companion $1 trillion bill of public works projects that has already passed the Senate.

President Joe Biden has met with Democrats from the House and Senate as Congress works to bridge party divisions over his big $3.5 trillion “build back better” agenda.

The federal government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, midnight next Thursday. Backed by the White House, Democratic congressional leaders pushed ahead at a time of great uncertainty in Congress. He said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it's their problem to find the votes. “The debt ceiling will be raised as it always should be, but it will be raised by the Democrats,” McConnell said. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., two key centrist votes, according to a White House official familiar with the calls and granted anonymity to discuss them.

The federal government faces a shutdown if funding stops at the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year, midnight next Thursday. At the same time, the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted. “Since Democrats decided to go it alone, they will not get Senate Republicans’ help with raising the debt limit. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi implored colleagues in a letter late Monday to move swiftly toward reconciling differences, ahead of deadlines to vote on the package. And centrists won't vote for the broader package unless they are assured the bipartisan bill will also be included.

The government faces a shutdown if it can't pass more funding by the end of the month.

At the same time, the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if the borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted. The temporary spending bill unveiled Tuesday would fund the government through Dec. 3. “Since Democrats decided to go it alone, they will not get Senate Republicans’ help with raising the debt limit. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi implored colleagues in a letter late Monday to move swiftly toward reconciling differences, ahead of deadlines to vote on the package. But centrists won't vote for the broader package unless they are assured the bipartisan bill will also be included.

The House has approved legislation to fund the government, suspend its borrowing limit and provide federal disaster and refugee aid.

A bipartisan proposal in the U.S. House would ban the farming of mink fur in the United States in an effort to stem possible mutations of the coronavirus.

Dan Riffle's tweet was in response to a letter, led by Ocasio-Cortez, calling for a budget increase among House offices in order to pay staffers more.

Earmarks were banished from Congress over a decade ago, but the funding for lawmakers' pet projects is marking a sudden return.

By a razor-thin margin, the House approved $1.9B to bolster U.S. Capitol security, but Senate Republicans called for a "pause" to study details.

Capitol Breach Denialism FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, people shelter in the House chamber as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Three Democrats voted against the spending bill and three voted "present" as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders lobbied their own members during the vote to ensure passage. The legislation to form the commission passed much more easily on Wednesday, with 35 Republicans joining all Democrats to vote for it. Many of them said lawmakers should be spending money on border security, not Capitol security. The delays in sending the Guard to the Capitol have been blamed in part for the failure to contain the violence.

Capitol Breach Denialism FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, people shelter in the House chamber as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The two measures now face an uncertain outcome in the evenly divided Senate as most Republicans objected to both — and as some liberal Democrats opposed the security money. Many of them said they should be spending money on border security, not Capitol security. Democrats said they, too, are uneasy with many of the military-like measures, but say they have little choice but to protect the building. The delays in sending the Guard to the Capitol have been blamed in part for the failure to contain the violence.

The House has narrowly approved $1.9 billion to fortify the Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Thompson is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and negotiated a bipartisan bill outlining a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The bill passed the House on Wednesday 252-175, with 35 Republicans voting with Democrats in support of the commission, defying Trump and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy. Both men claimed the bill was partisan, even though membership of the proposed commission would be evenly split between the parties. House Republicans booted Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney from their leadership last week for her criticism of Trump’s false claims, installing a Trump loyalist in her place. Like in the House, some Senate Republicans have suggested they will support the legislation.

The House has voted to create an independent commission on the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, sending the legislation to an uncertain future in the Senate as Republican leaders work to stop a bipartisan investigation that is opposed by former President Donald Trump.

The head of the House Appropriations Committee proposes $1.9 billion in emergency spending to beef up Capitol security after the Jan. 6 riot.

The Capitol Police force was hurt by inadequate intelligence gathering ahead of the January 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol.

President Joe Biden couldn’t get everything he wanted into his own $1.8 trillion families plan.

The House passed the Paycheck Fairness Act on Thursday, which aims to decrease the gender wage gap.

House Republicans narrowly voted Wednesday, March 17, to allow their members to seek earmarks under certain conditions, making a clean break from a decade-long ban against seeking money for specific projects back home. Scott Applewhite, File)WASHINGTON – House Republicans narrowly voted Wednesday to allow their members to seek earmarks under certain conditions, making a clean break from a decade-long ban against seeking money for specific projects back home. The 102-84 vote changes the party's internal rules and allows Republicans to join the Democratic House majority as it puts in place a new process for earmarks in spending and transportation bills. “I think members here know what’s most important about what’s going on in their district, not Biden,” McCarthy said. Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that even if Republicans and Democrats start requesting earmarks for local projects in future bills, he will not participate.

A dirty word for many Republicans is making the rounds on Capitol Hill -- earmarks. It's a question that's vexing Republicans as they consider whether to join a Democratic push to revive earmarks, the much-maligned practice where lawmakers direct federal spending to a specific project or institution back home. Democratic appropriators in the House see a solution and are proposing a revamped process allowing lawmakers to submit public requests for “community project funding” in federal spending bills. The ranking Republican on the committee, Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri, said earmarks would not increase the amount of money spent in a bill. “That’s something I feel pretty strongly about.”Norman worries that earmarks would be used to entice Republicans to vote for bills with expensive price tags.

(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The massive coronavirus relief plan making its way to President Joe Biden’s desk includes a plan to temporarily raise the child tax credit that could end up permanently changing the way the country deals with child poverty. The American Rescue Plan, expected to receive final approval this week, temporarily raises the child tax credit, now at a maximum of $2,000, to as much as $3,600 per child annually. Indeed, Biden himself told House Democrats during a private call last week that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child. That's the case made by some Republican lawmakers in offering an alternative to the Biden proposal. Because the benefit currently expires after a year, the Biden plan essentially creates a potential fiscal cliff for child poverty.

(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The massive coronavirus relief plan making its way to President Joe Biden’s desk includes a plan to temporarily raise the child tax credit that could end up permanently changing the way the country deals with child poverty. The American Rescue Plan, expected to receive final approval this week, temporarily raises the child tax credit, now at a maximum of $2,000, to as much as $3,600 per child annually. Indeed, Biden himself told House Democrats during a private call last week that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child. That's the case made by some Republican lawmakers in offering an alternative to the Biden proposal. Because the benefit currently expires after a year, the Biden plan essentially creates a potential fiscal cliff for child poverty.

Less than three weeks into his presidency, Biden has declared that vanquishing the virus and resuscitating the economy are his top priorities. AdHouse Education and Labor Committee Democrats also previewed their plans Monday. Couples who make up to $150,000 would be entitled to $2,800 relief payments, which would gradually diminish and fully disappear for those earning $200,000. Biden has said he will not allow the per-person payments to fall below $1,400 but has indicated flexibility on the income thresholds. A federal law known as COBRA already allows them to temporarily keep their old employer’s health plan, but they typically have to pay prohibitively high premiums.

The price needs to be weighed against the heavy cost that child poverty imposes on society, said Hilary Hoynes, a UC Berkeley economist and expert on poverty. AdvertisementCutting child poverty would create additional “benefits to society, and the benefits can be quite large,” Hoynes said. Plans for expanded child payments have had bipartisan support — at least in theory. In a Senate speech last week, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) cited child payments as an issue on which Republicans and the administration might cooperate. “The expansion of the child tax credit will be permanent.”

Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of his injuries sustained while engaging rioters at the CapitolWASHINGTON – The police were badly outnumbered. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died Thursday night from injuries suffered during the riot. Another disturbing video shows a bloodied police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. In one stunning video, a lone police officer tries to hold off a mob of demonstrators from cracking into the lobby. Still, the riot — and Sicknick's death — focused renewed attention on Capitol Police, a force of more than 2,300 officers and civilian employees that protects the Capitol, lawmakers, staff and visitors.

Trump initially requested $2.5 billion, with much of that coming from previously appropriated funds. New York states confirmed coronavirus cases have doubled to 22, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell said the legislation will provide $11.5 million to help her states health department respond to the crisis. The money to fight coronavirus includes over $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, test kits and medical treatments. Besides dispatching money throughout the United States, the bill approved by Congress also would provide for low-interest federal loans to businesses affected by a coronavirus outbreak.

A man in a face mask rides the subway in Manhattan, New York City, after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed in New York, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew KellyA Senate vote would follow House passage of the legislation on Wednesday, 415-2. The money to fight coronavirus includes over $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, test kits and medical treatments. Another $2.2 billion would aid public health activities on prevention, preparedness and response to outbreaks. The funding bill moving through Congress also would provide for low-interest federal loans to businesses affected by a coronavirus outbreak.

Getty Images(CNN) - While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, there are some House Democrats who aren't fully on board yet. As the list of House Democrats who support the opening of an impeachment inquiry has climbed in recent days, these are the 40 House Democrats who have not made public statements in support of starting an impeachment inquiry or have only posited conditional support for it. Rep. Terri Sewell of AlabamaRep. Tom O'Halleran of ArizonaRep. Mike Thompson of CaliforniaRep. Josh Harder of CaliforniaRep. Ed Perlmutter of ColoradoRep. Rosa DeLauro of ConnecticutRep. Al Lawson of FloridaRep. Stephanie Murphy of FloridaRep. Frederica Wilson of FloridaRep. Donna Shalala of FloridaRep. Lucy McBath of GeorgiaRep. Ed Case of HawaiiRep. Tulsi Gabbard of HawaiiRep. Dan Lipinski of IllinoisRep. Cheri Bustos of IllinoisRep. Pete Visclosky of IndianaRep. Sharice Davids of KansasRep. Jared Golden of MaineRep. Stephen Lynch of MassachusettsRep. Collin Peterson of MinnesotaRep. Susie Lee of NevadaRep. Steven Horsford of NevadaRep. Jeff Van Drew of New JerseyRep. Andy Kim of New JerseyRep. Xochitl Torres Small of New MexicoRep. Max Rose of New YorkRep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New YorkRep. Anthony Brindisi of New YorkRep. Kendra Horn of OklahomaRep. Kurt Schrader of OregonRep. Susan Wild of PennsylvaniaRep. Conor Lamb of PennsylvaniaRep. Joe Cunningham of South CarolinaRep. Vicente Gonzalez of TexasRep. Henry Cuellar of TexasRep. Sylvia Garcia of TexasRep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of TexasRep. Colin Allred of TexasRep. Ben McAdams of UtahRep. Ron Kind of WisconsinThe-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

The GOALS Act would block federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup which will be hosted, jointly, by Canada, Mexico and the U.S. until the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) pays the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) "fair and equitable wages." The World Cup is over, but the fight for equal compensation on the field continues. Earlier in July, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin introduced a bill that would ban federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup until the USSF pays the women's and men's team equitably. U.S. viewership of the 2019 Women's World Cup final was 22% higher than the 2018 men's final, according to a statement from Fox Sports. The USWNT's lawsuit states that the Women's National Team Player's Association (WNTPA) has proposed a revenue-sharing model, describing a proposal that would tie player compensation to revenue generated by the women's national team for USSF, which the men's national team supports.