Tag Archives: Democrats

USA Today reports: The House voted Thursday to approve historic legislation that will federally protect same-sex and interracial marriage rights. Passage of the bill moves it to President Joe Biden who is expected to sign it into law. The Respect for Marriage Act, passed by the Senate last week, guarantees federal recognition of any marriage between two people if it was valid …

The Associated Press reports: The House is set to give final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages in federal law, a monumental step in a decadeslong battle for nationwide recognition of such unions that reflects a stunning turnaround in societal attitudes. A law requiring all states to recognize same-sex marriages would come as a a relief for hundreds of …

Speaker Nancy Pelosi writes for the Washington Post: In my first speech on the House floor, I declared that “we must take leadership of course in the crisis of AIDS.” During my first speakership, we erased the egregious “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy from the books — ensuring gay and lesbian Americans can openly serve their country. We advanced justice …

The Arizona Republic reports: Secretary of State Katie Hobbs officially certified the Nov. 8 election results in a ceremony at the Capitol on Monday morning, a routine step in the election process and one that clears the way for lawsuits and recounts in three races to begin. Seated alongside Gov. Doug Ducey, Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Supreme Court Chief …

The New York Times reports: A federal judge in Manhattan dismissed bribery and corruption charges against former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin of New York on Monday, saying prosecutors had failed to demonstrate an explicit quid pro quo in what they had asserted was a scheme to funnel $50,000 in state money to a developer in exchange for campaign contributions. He …

The Washington Post reports: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will host a roundtable with Jewish leaders and White House officials Wednesday to discuss the rise of antisemitism in the United States and efforts to combat hate in the country. Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Harris, is the first Jewish spouse of a vice president. The event has been in the …

Congress Minutes reports: Seventy-three soon-to-be members gathered in the Cannon Caucus room to pick from a box that held slips of paper numbered 1-73. The order of the slips dictates who picks their office first, second and so on. After the member-elect selects their slip, the members then line up to choose their offices — a process that begins in …

Axios reports: A bipartisan group of senators plans to attach significant marijuana legislation to “must-pass” year-end bills, Axios has learned. The group, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has the Justice Department’s blessing for legislation letting cannabis companies access banking institutions, and creating grants for state expungement of past marijuana convictions. In an email reviewed by Axios, the …

The Associated Press reports: In 2022, some 22% of voters claimed no religious affiliation, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. They contributed to voting coalitions that gave Democrats victories in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona. The unaffiliated — often nicknamed the “nones” — voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over …

The Associated Press reports: Democrats voted Friday to remove Iowa as the leadoff state on the presidential nominating calendar and replace it with South Carolina starting in 2024, a dramatic shakeup championed by President Joe Biden to better reflect the party’s deeply diverse electorate. The Democratic National Committee’s rule-making arm made the move to strip Iowa from the position it …

Yet another New York City story about rats: On Wednesday, the city published a job listing for a director of rodent mitigation, which a City Hall spokesperson described as a “rat czar.” Based in City Hall, the individual will report to Meera Joshi, the deputy mayor of operations, and will be paid a salary between $120,000 to $170,000. New York …

The Hill reports: House Democrats on Wednesday elected Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) to serve as vice chair of the caucus next year, solidifying his place as the highest ranking Asian American in Congress. Lieu bested three other lawmakers — Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) — in a closed-ballot vote to secure his spot as the …

The Associated Press reports: The U.S. House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike on Wednesday, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved. The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate. …

CBS News reports: House Democrats elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York as their next party leader in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, ushering in a generational shift as Democrats prepare to relinquish control of the lower chamber in January. Long considered a rising star in the party, the 52-year-old Jeffries will make history as the first Black party leader …

The Associated Press reports: The passage of the legislation with support from both parties is an extraordinary sign of the shifting politics on the issue and a measure of relief for the hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide. Senate Democrats are moving quickly, …

NPR reports: Lawmakers are moving forward with the vote Tuesday afternoon after securing essential Republican support during a procedural vote on Monday. With bipartisan support, the legislation is expected to clear the Senate Tuesday, then head back to the House where it is expected to be passed quickly and sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law. The …

Congress Minutes reports: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber will vote on three GOP amendments to the legislation — one each from Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and James Lankford (Okla.) — on Tuesday before voting on final passage. Lee’s, expanding religious protections, set at a 60-vote threshold. Lankford’s amendment, set at a majority threshold. And Rubio’s, …

The Washington Post reports: Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) died Monday, just weeks after winning reelection to Congress, his office announced. He was 61. McEachin had represented Virginia’s 4th District, which stretches from Richmond to the North Carolina line, since 2017. Before that, he had served nine years as a state senator and eight as a delegate. McEachin had publicly …

The Hill reports: Senators ultimately voted 61-35 to advance the amendment to the Respect for Marriage Act that includes language related to religious liberty and conscience protections under the Constitution and federal law. It would also continues to prohibit polygamous marriage. But the voting was held open for almost two-and-a-half hours as senators wrangled over whether additional amendments could come up …

From the haters at the Heritage Foundation: Ahead of another vote on the so-called Respect for Marriage Act, most of the 12 GOP senators who previously voted for the legislation are refusing to divulge whether they support Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s amendment protecting Americans’ religious freedom. Following the Thanksgiving holiday, the Senate will hold a procedural vote Monday on …