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State bans on abortion don’t apply to emergency health care, White House reminds providers
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration reminded doctors and other health care providers Monday that a federal law protects them if they provide abortion services to save a patient’s life or health in emergency situations — regardless of what state laws say. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in a letter that the Emergency […]
As abortion crisis engulfs red states, advocates press White House for a bolder plan
WASHINGTON — Frustrated abortion rights advocates are imploring President Joe Biden to make sweeping moves to protect abortion access, saying now is the time for Democrats to be bold as Republican-led states rapidly implement restrictions and outright bans. Stymied in the U.S. Senate by the filibuster, congressional Democrats are highly unlikely to approve legislation that […]
Biden unveils executive order on abortion access, cites case of 10-year-old Ohio rape survivor
Editor’s note: This article was updated after the president’s speech Friday. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly been criticized as slow to respond to a widely expected U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended the nationwide right to an abortion, signed an executive order Friday that could preserve some access to abortion in states where the […]
Medicare prescription drug negotiation plan advanced by U.S. Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats have reached a tentative agreement to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs in the Medicare program, the first step in passing a long-stalled package that’s expected to include tax and climate change provisions as well. The deal, brokered between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin […]
Will it be Maryland or Virginia? Feds near a verdict on new FBI headquarters
WASHINGTON — Maryland and Virginia politicians vying for the prize of a new FBI headquarters have just a few months left before a crucial federal government decision. The U.S. General Services Administration is expected to pick the best of three locations as soon as September, ending nearly two decades of advocacy, confusion and frustration across […]
U.S. Supreme Court overturns right to abortion in landmark decision
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that established abortion as a constitutional right. The decision by five of the Court’s nine justices will allow each state to set its own abortion laws, leading to a patchwork of access throughout the country. The result is expected to […]
Access to abortion for members of the military expanded in Pentagon spending bill
WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress are pushing to increase access to abortion for members of the military, concerned that a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could end the constitutional right will harm troops. The U.S. House’s annual funding bill for the Defense Department would require the Pentagon to provide leave to troops and civilian employees […]
Biden pitches a summer gas tax holiday as price hovers around $5 a gallon
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday called on Congress and state legislatures to provide a temporary reprieve from gas taxes — but members of his own party and Republicans appeared opposed, making it look unlikely on the federal level. In addition, many state legislatures are out of session for the year and aren’t expected […]
In a first, 2 rooms in U.S. Capitol named for women who served in the Senate
WASHINGTON — The first woman joined Congress more than a century ago, but not until this month have any of the 540 rooms in the U.S. Capitol been officially named for women who served in the U.S. Senate. Following a dedication ceremony last week, Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, the first woman elected to both […]
FDA greenlights emergency use of COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized emergency use of two COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, moving the country one step closer to having shots for all age groups. The decision leaves just one hurdle, a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before parents can begin getting […]
U.S. Senate passes landmark legislation to aid veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange
WASHINGTON — U.S. soldiers deployed to bases in Afghanistan and Iraq often lived and worked alongside large pits where batteries, plastics, rubber, chemicals and other garbage would be lit on fire with jet fuel. The legacy of those burn pits followed thousands of military members back to the United States, where they have suffered from […]
FDA outside advisers recommend Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Parents of children under 5 are one step closer to being able to vaccinate their young kids against COVID-19 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s outside vaccine panel recommended emergency use authorizations of two COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday. The 21-person Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the FDA […]