Voters face ballot initiatives on affirmative action, sex ed, boosting teacher salaries
By Lauraine Genota 10/15/2020 05:02 AM EDT Several states have education measures on the ballot, ranging from affirmative action, sexual health education and taxes to benefit teacher salaries. New taxes would fund salary increases for K-12 teachers and staff, as well as fund universal preschool and other education programs. A couple of the measures would […]
EPA proposes curbing interstate pollution for 12 states’ power plants
By Alex Guillén 10/15/2020 05:11 PM EDT EPA proposed additional restrictions on nitrogen oxide pollution from power plants in 12 states on Thursday in response to a 2019 court ruling that said part of the original Obama-era version was unlawful. The rule will reduce NOx emissions, a precursor for ground-level ozone in downwind states in the East, […]
Ex-Google chief: U.S. must do ‘whatever it takes’ to beat China on AI
By Matthew Choi 10/15/2020 04:26 PM EDT The U.S. needs an urgent national strategy on developing artificial intelligence technology to counter the rising competition from China, said former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. Speaking with reporters Nancy Scola and Mark Scott on Thursday during POLITICO’s AI Summit, Schmidt […]
Millions of workers face jobless benefits cliff with lifeline set to expire
By Eleanor Mueller , Rebecca Rainey 10/14/2020 08:40 PM EDT WASHINGTON — A failure by Congress to enact a new economic relief package would prolong the pain of the coronavirus crisis for many Americans, but those without jobs face a special threat — millions could run out of unemployment benefits altogether by the end of […]
SCOTUS seeks DOJ’s views on interstate coal terminal dispute
By Annie Snider 10/05/2020 12:21 PM EDT Supreme Court justices asked the federal government to weigh in as they contemplate whether to take up an interstate dispute over a proposed massive coal export terminal — a sign justices could be interested in the case. The details: On the first day of its new term, the Supreme Court invited […]
CDC says coronavirus is airborne, but weakens language from earlier warning
By Brianna Ehley 10/05/2020 02:51 PM EDT The CDC on Monday confirmed that the coronavirus is airborne and may be able to infect people who are more than six feet apart, especially indoors with poor ventilation. The agency first said last month that the virus spreads mainly through “aerosols, produced when an infected person coughs, […]
Trump campaign looks to small victories on trade to win the farmer vote
By Ximena Bustillo , Sabrina Rodriguez10/04/2020 07:00 AM EDT Updated: 10/04/2020 07:31 AM EDT President Donald Trump has notched few big wins on trade, but he has scored some incremental victories that help key swing-state constituencies — from Maine lobstermen to Wisconsin dairy farmers and Florida produce growers. And with the election just a month […]
Mnuchin: Administration will simplify small business loan forgiveness
By Zachary Warmbrodt 10/02/2020 04:27 PM EDT The Trump administration will streamline the process for converting coronavirus payroll protection loans into grants, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday, amid growing concern about the small business rescue. In a virtual fireside chat hosted by Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Mnuchin said officials were “working on a solution” for Paycheck Protection Program […]
Census Bureau says count will continue through end of October
By Zach Montellaro 10/02/2020 08:35 PM EDT The Census Bureau said Friday that its count will continue through Oct. 31, yielding after a back-and-forth battle with a federal judge in California. Late last month, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that the decennial count must continue, ordering that the schedule the Census Bureau’s attempt to wrap […]
Pentagon to prepare plan for Congress on boosting U.S. rare earths stockpile
By Jacqueline Feldscher 10/01/2020 12:30 PM EDT The Pentagon on Thursday committed to sending Congress a plan within the next month on how to increase the national stockpile of rare earth minerals and reduce reliance on China. Context: Rare earth minerals are elements and metals are that used in most modern technology from cell phones to […]
