White House news

• Garland mocks House Oversight Committee over raucous contempt hearing

  23-05-2024 23:56 via thehill.com
  
  Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday took a quick jab at the House Oversight Committee for devolving into highly publicized chaos last week during a markup to hold him in contempt of Congress.
  When asked Thursday if he watched the Oversight Committee's hearing last week, Garland quipped, "I caught part of that hearing on 'Saturday Night Live.'"
  Nearly an hour of disorder unfolded during the contempt markup when Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) cl
  
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• Republicans press Johnson for farm bill vote, warning of looming 'crisis'

  26-09-2024 17:42 via thehill.com
  
  Dozens of House Republicans are calling on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to schedule a vote on a farm bill before the end of the year.That timeline is essential: Funding from the stopgap farm bill passed last year after the 2018 version expired is set to run out at the end of December.If that happens, American farm policy will be thrown back into the days of the New Deal — a stark and disruptive change that will upend much of the foundation the modern agriculture sector is bu
  
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• Higgins walks back comments calling Haitians 'thugs'

  26-09-2024 17:08 via thehill.com
  
  Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) on Thursday morning walked back his comments calling Haitians "thugs" after backlash from both sides of the aisle.“You never want to intentionally hurt someone’s feelings, and that post was intended for Haitian gangs, you understand?" Higgins told reporters. “Not for, I mean, Haiti as a country, not at all. And the unintended impact that was expressed very sincerely from one of my colleagues very graciously, that touched me as a gentleman.”On Wed
  
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• Biden pledges $8 billion for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky meeting

  26-09-2024 14:47 via thehill.com
  
  President Biden on Thursday announced an estimated $8 billion in aid for Ukraine, drawing down billions of dollars in military stockpiles from the Pentagon that were at risk of expiring on Sep. 30, providing an additional Patriot air defense battery and expanding training for F-16 pilots. The announcement comes ahead of a Thursday meeting between Biden and Vice President Harris and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. The Ukrainian president, following participation at the
  
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• Vance, Walz face potential game-changing moment with VP debate

  26-09-2024 12:00 via thehill.com
  
  Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) are set to take to the debate stage next week at a critical moment in the presidential race, with more than a month to go before Election Day and polls showing a razor-tight race.Both men face pressure to perform well, with Vance looking to make up lost ground after former President Trump’s rocky debate against Vice President Harris earlier this month and as he faces growing scrutiny over his controversial remarks. Meanwhile,
  
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• Harris holds 8-point lead over Trump in Virginia: Poll

  26-09-2024 12:00 via thehill.com
  
  Vice President Harris holds a comfortable lead in the presidential race in Virginia, according to a new poll from Emerson College/The Hill/WAVY-TV 10/WVBT FOX43. Fifty-two percent of likely Virginia voters said if the election were held today they would vote for Harris, while 44 percent said the same about Trump. Four percent said they were either undecided or supporting someone else. The latest polling marks a significant shift from the last Emerson College poll out of Virginia, which
  
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• Exiting GOP bullish it will have full control of government soon

  26-09-2024 12:00 via thehill.com
  
  Republicans are leaving Washington projecting confidence about their chances of returning to the Capitol in November knowing they'll have full control of government in 2025. Republicans in their final legislative days before heading home for the final weeks of a frantic campaign said they are confident the House GOP will retain its majority and that former President Trump, who is locked in a tight race with Vice President Harris, will emerge victorious.If anything, Republicans are even more
  
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• Effort to force vote on Social Security bill stirs unrest in House GOP 

  26-09-2024 12:00 via thehill.com
  
  A group of House Republicans is making a rare move that would force a vote on a bill to reform aspects of Social Security, stirring unrest in the conference.The bill at the heart of the push, also dubbed the Social Security Fairness Act, seeks to do away with the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), a proposal that backers on both sides of the aisle argue is long overdue.The bill enjoys support from more than 100 House Republicans
  
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• Biden to sign executive order focused on 3D printed guns, school shooter drills

  26-09-2024 11:00 via thehill.com
  
  President Biden on Thursday will sign a new executive order on gun violence prevention, aiming to crack down on 3D printed guns and to improve active shooter drills at the nation's schools.The president and Vice President Harris will both give remarks on the new orders, which will be their first joint event on gun violence prevention since Biden asked Harris to oversee the newly-formed Office of Gun Violence Prevention a year ago.The first part of the order will focus on emerging firearm threats
  
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• US leads call for Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire

  26-09-2024 04:21 via thehill.com
  
  The Biden administration, along with partners in Europe and the Middle East, are calling for Israel and Hezbollah to accept a 21-day cease-fire, releasing a joint statement Wednesday night calling the escalation of war “intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation.”The statement was signed by the U.S., Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar. The 21-day proposed truce is aimed a
  
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• 5 takeaways from Harris's MSNBC interview with Stephanie Ruhle

  26-09-2024 03:07 via thehill.com
  
  Vice President Harris sat down with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle on Wednesday, during which she fielded questions on her economic agenda, former President Trump’s economic plans, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D).The interview on MSNBC was a friendly forum for Harris, who has been under pressure to ramp up her media presence. Harris sat down with Ruhle in Pittsburgh, following an economic-focused speech where she laid out a framework for her manufacturing agenda.Here are f
  
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• 10 Democrats vote to censure Biden officials over Afghanistan withdrawal

  26-09-2024 03:07 via thehill.com
  
  The House on Wednesday voted in favor of legislationto condemn multiple Biden administration officials over the Afghanistan withdrawal of 2021 -- and 10 of those who voted in favor were Democrats.Among those censured in the bill were President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The vote on the legislation was mostly split along party lines, but 10 Democrats voted with Republicans for the bill’s passage in a 219-194 vote. E
  
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• Trio of sex scandals create unwelcome September surprises for GOP

  25-09-2024 23:57 via thehill.com
  
  A trio of sex scandals are becoming September surprises for Republicans, creating unnecessary distractions as the party seeks to win control of the White House and Congress this fall.It’s unclear if any of the controversies will trip up the GOP as former President Trump seeks to retake the presidency, Senate Republicans work to retake their majority and House Republicans look to grow their slender advantage.But none of the scandals are welcome, and all could have unexpected ramifications a
  
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• CBC calls for GOP lawmaker to be censured for post attacking Haitians as 'thugs'

  25-09-2024 23:43 via thehill.com
  
  The Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday called for Rep. Clay Higgins to be censured for a since-deleted social media post in which the Louisiana Republican criticized Haitian migrants. CBC Chair Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and other Democrats took to the House floor to call for a censure in an extensive and at-times heated back and forth with Republicans.“I hope that every member of this body understands that no person, particularly those who contribute to communities — who are
  
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• House votes to censure Biden officials for Afghanistan withdrawal

  25-09-2024 23:14 via thehill.com
  
  Republicans on Wednesday approved legislation condemning a number of Biden administration officials for the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, casting it as an accountability measure for the failed exit.The bill censures both President Biden and Vice President Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for their role in the withdrawal, along with 11 other current and former officials. Ten Democrats joined Republicans to pass the bill with a 219-194 vot
  
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• Raimondo criticized for saying voters should 'extinguish' Trump

  25-09-2024 23:05 via thehill.com
  
  U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo drew backlash from the right on Wednesday for remarking that voters should "extinguish" former President Trump, though she later clarified when asked if she meant the former president should be voted down in November. "I don’t know how we have gotten here, but we sure as hell have to get out of here and get Kamala in the White House," Raimondo said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe,” which noted the secretary was appearing in her per
  
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• Raimondo criticized for calling to 'extinguish,' 'banish' Trump from politics by voting him out

  25-09-2024 23:05 via thehill.com
  
  U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo drew backlash from the right on Wednesday for remarking that voters should "extinguish" former President Trump, though she later clarified when asked if she meant the former president should be voted down in November. "I don’t know how we have gotten here, but we sure as hell have to get out of here and get Kamala in the White House," Raimondo said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe,” which noted the secretary was appearing in her per
  
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• House passes stopgap bill to avert government shutdown

  25-09-2024 22:34 via thehill.com
  
  The House on Wednesday approved a three-month government funding bill to avoid an end-of-the-month shutdown, sending the package to the Senate for consideration.The chamber cleared the legislation — which would fund the government at current levels until Dec. 20 — in an 341-82 vote. The Senate is expected to pass the stopgap Wednesday night then dispatch it to President Biden’s desk for his signature ahead of the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.The legislation also include
  
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• Secret Service investigating misconduct allegation against agent

  25-09-2024 22:29 via thehill.com
  
  The U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday it is investigating a misconduct allegation against one of its employees and has placed them on leave.“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” the agency said in a statement to The Hill. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards. The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”Th
  
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• Ocasio-Cortez calls on Eric Adams to resign

  25-09-2024 22:15 via thehill.com
  
  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) urged New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign in a social media post Wednesday, claiming that the investigations, resignations and vacancies surrounding his administration are "threatening" the ability of the government to function."I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City. The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administr
  
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• Democrats introduce ObamaCare tax credit extension bill, setting up fight with GOP

  25-09-2024 21:59 via thehill.com
  
  Congressional Democrats on Wednesday introduced a bicameral bill to extend enhanced subsidies that help make the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) insurance plans cheaper, the official opening shot in what will likely be the next major fight over the law.The legislation from Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), as well as a companion House bill from Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), would make the enhanced tax subsidies permanent.  The enhanced subsidies increase financial
  
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• Speaker Johnson demands Ukrainian ambassador be fired as GOP probes Zelensky visit

  25-09-2024 21:56 via thehill.com
  
  Comments from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sparked a second day of ire from GOP figures, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) demanding he fire the country's ambassador to the U.S. while a House panel launched an investigation after suggesting a recent appearance by Zelensky amounted to election meddling.House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) Wednesday morning launched an inquiry into Zelensky’s trip to Pennsylvania, suggesting a visit to a factory that supplies munitions to the
  
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• Watch live: Biden holds event focused on support for Ukraine

  25-09-2024 20:30 via thehill.com
  
  President Biden is slated to host an event Wednesday afternoon in New York City with world leaders to launch a joint declaration of support for Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction amid its ongoing war with Russia.The event comes a day after Biden gave his final address before the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) where he reaffirmed his commitment to Ukraine. In his message, he pressed other allies to stand up for the war-torn country.“The good news is, [Russian President Vladimir Putin&rsquo
  
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• Trump makes last-minute push for alternative stopgap with voting provisions

  25-09-2024 20:14 via thehill.com
  
  Former President Trump is making a last-minute push for House Republicans to adopt a short-term government funding package that includes language pertaining to voting, multiple sources told The Hill. Such legislation would differ from Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) current plan and complicate efforts to prevent a government shutdown next week. Trump made calls to multiple House Republicans who voted against a previous stopgap bill — which paired a six-month continuing reso
  
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• Jeffries bashes Trump, GOP on SALT

  25-09-2024 19:48 via thehill.com
  
  House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday went after former President Trump for reversing course on a popular tax break, noting that Republicans had imposed the same cap on state and local tax deductions that Trump now says he wants to abolish.“It's interesting to me that Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans in the House and the Senate imposed a draconian cap on the state and local tax deduction that has cost middle class Americans thousands of dollars in increased t
  
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• Chemical leak from Ohio railcar spurs evacuations

  25-09-2024 18:40 via thehill.com
  
  A railcar in Ohio started leaking chemical fumes on Tuesday, prompting officials to issue an evacuation ordinance that remains in effect.
  Authorities said a train in Whitewater Township of Hamilton County, Ohio started leaking styrene, a toxic and flammable chemical, from the pressure release valve at around 1 p.m. Tuesday."First responders and environmental response contractors were mobilized to the scene, and the local fire department began cooling the tank car with water, which lasted through
  
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• Biden on Trump: ‘Not a lot of social redeeming value there’

  25-09-2024 18:35 via thehill.com
  
  President Biden on Wednesday called former President Trump "unusual" during an appearance on "The View" when questioned about Trump blaming Biden's rhetoric for two recent assassination attempts.
  “I think he is the most unusual president,” Biden said, in response to a question by Joy Behar in which she called Trump's characterization of Biden "unbelievable."“Look, Trump is, uh, um,” Biden began to respond. “Not a lot of social redeeming value there. He really does n
  
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• SpaceX rebukes FAA chief’s safety criticism

  25-09-2024 18:25 via thehill.com
  
  Elon Musk’s SpaceX pushed back against testimony from FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, claiming “every statement” he made Tuesday about the aerospace company’s alleged safety violations was “incorrect.”In a letter to Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who sits on the House Transportation Committee, a senior executive with SpaceX wrote it is “deeply concerning” Whitaker “does not appear to have accurate information immediately available
  
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• Pennsylvania poll reveals tight presidential race, inflation a key concern

  25-09-2024 18:05 via thehill.com
  
  Vice President Harris narrowly leads former President Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, according to a new poll released by Monmouth University Wednesday.Data showed that 40 percent of voters in the Keystone State said they will definitely vote for Harris, compared to 38 percent who said the same of Trump. Eight percent said they would probably vote for the vice president, while seven percent said they would probably vote for the former president, according to the poll.Meanwhile,
  
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• London mayor says 'the rest of the world is watching' ahead of US election

  25-09-2024 16:00 via thehill.com
  
  London Mayor Sadiq Khan said world leaders are closely watching the U.S. presidential election between former President Trump and Vice President Harris, stressing the global implications of its outcome.“What I’d say in a respectful way to Americans is: I don’t think you realize that the rest of the world is watching because we’ve got skin in the game,” he said Tuesday in an interview with Politico.Khan, who has clashed with the former president in the past, compared
  
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