‘This is extortion’: Broward bows to state pressure to open schools
By Andrew Atterbury 10/01/2020 05:21 PM EDT TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Classrooms in Broward County will open their doors on Oct. 9 after the school board bowed to a deadline from Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, who had threatened to withhold funding if campuses weren’t open by his deadline. The local board, which governs one of […]
Velázquez blasts SBA for ‘obstruction’ in probe of massive aid programs
he speed in which the SBA was expected to deliver the large amount of aid in a short period of time after the economy began to shut down in March. Between the two programs, the SBA has provided about $729 billion to help businesses hurt by the pandemic, according to the GAO. More than 57 […]
Congress notches another conservation bill win
By Anthony Adragna 10/01/2020 05:19 PM EDT The House passed legislation by voice vote on Thursday authorizing $1.1 billion in conservation programs, including significant investments in the Chesapeake Bay and wetlands conservation. Passage of the bill, America’s Conservation Enhancement Act S. 3051 (116), marks another significant boost for conservation efforts, which have emerged as a rare […]
EPA policy change could ease rules for thousands of polluters
By Alex Guillén 10/01/2020 03:55 PM EDT EPA finalized a regulation on Thursday cementing a policy shift that could ease the air pollution requirements for thousands of industrial facilities, saving companies tens of millions of dollars but potentially opening the door to increased emissions. Background: Thousands of facilities are required to meet regulations regarding nearly 200 hazardous air […]
‘Acceptable carnage’: Big school districts wrestle with reopening
By Andrew Atterbury , Nicole Gaudiano , Mackenzie Mays , Juan Perez Jr. , Madina Touré 09/30/2020 12:59 PM EDT Months into a pandemic that cut short one school year for most students and is on the verge of destroying a second, the country’s largest school districts are still grappling with how to get back into the […]
U.S. bars palm oil imports from large Malaysian producer
By Doug Palmer09/30/2020 11:41 AM EDT Updated: 09/30/2020 06:02 PM EDT U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday it was barring imports of palm oil from a large Malaysian producer because of evidence the oil is produced with forced labor. Why CBP took the step: The order against FGV Holdings Berhad and its subsidiaries and joint […]
Trump signs stopgap spending measure to avert a shutdown
By Caitlin Emma09/30/2020 06:18 PM EDT Updated: 10/01/2020 07:08 AM EDT President Donald Trump signed a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown early Thursday morning after briefly missing the midnight deadline for his signature, averting an unlikely but potentially disastrous scenario that would kneecap federal agencies in the weeks before the presidential election. […]
House approves stopgap spending measure to avert shutdown
By Sarah Ferris , Caitlin Emma , Heather Caygle09/22/2020 11:38 AM EDT Updated: 09/22/2020 09:01 PM EDT The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted to extend federal funding through Dec. 11, while punting the threat of a government shutdown until after the presidential election. The bipartisan vote comes hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven […]
Senate confirms Democratic EEOC Commissioner, restoring full panel
By Rebecca Rainey 09/23/2020 06:00 PM EDT The Senate on Wednesday voted 54-42 to confirm Jocelyn Samuels to serve as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The upper chamber’s confirmation of Samuels for a Democratic seat, following the approval of two GOP EEOC nominees on Tuesday, means the agency will have a full […]
Trump preparing executive orders on health care this week
By Susannah Luthi , Daniel Lippman , Dan Diamond 09/22/2020 02:51 PM EDT Updated: 09/22/2020 03:03 PM EDT President Donald Trump is planning to announce a series of executive actions on health care as soon as Thursday, as he tries to shore up his record on an issue that’s been a drag on his reelection […]
