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House backs measure to overturn Biden auto emissions rule that Republicans say would force EV sales
Read full article: House backs measure to overturn Biden auto emissions rule that Republicans say would force EV salesThe Republican-controlled House approved a resolution Friday that would overturn a new Biden administration rule on automobile emissions that Republicans say would force Americans to buy unaffordable electric vehicles they don’t want.
An Olympic-sized fight erupts among anti-doping officials, and it's just getting started
Read full article: An Olympic-sized fight erupts among anti-doping officials, and it's just getting startedGlobal regulators hinted at sanctioning America’s drug-fighting watchdog, a suggestion that further ratchets up tensions between those in charge of keeping sports clean.
House backs bills to roll back energy efficiency standards for refrigerators, dishwashers
Read full article: House backs bills to roll back energy efficiency standards for refrigerators, dishwashersHouse Republicans have approved two bills rolling back Energy Department efficiency standards for home refrigerators and dishwashers.
EPA awards $1 billion to clean up toxic waste in third cash infusion for Superfund program
Read full article: EPA awards $1 billion to clean up toxic waste in third cash infusion for Superfund programThe Environmental Protection Agency says 25 toxic waste sites in 15 states will be cleaned up as part of a $1 billion infusion to the federal Superfund program.
EPA sets out rules for proposed 'methane fee' for waste generated by oil and natural gas companies
Read full article: EPA sets out rules for proposed 'methane fee' for waste generated by oil and natural gas companiesOil and natural gas companies would have to pay a fee for methane emissions that exceed certain levels under a new rule proposed by the Biden administration.
Bill coming to Congress would ban Orbeez, other water beads over child injuries
Read full article: Bill coming to Congress would ban Orbeez, other water beads over child injuriesA bill coming to Congress this week would seek to ban a popular children’s toy as the number of children ending up in the hospital from the product grows.
Congress urged to revive long-stalled debate about regulating self-driving vehicles
Read full article: Congress urged to revive long-stalled debate about regulating self-driving vehiclesAdvocates for the self-driving vehicle industry are asking Congress to expand their ability to test and eventually sell autonomous cars and trucks.
Congress wants to hear what Twitter whistleblower has to say
Read full article: Congress wants to hear what Twitter whistleblower has to sayU.S. lawmakers are anxious to hear from Twitter’s former security chief, who has alarmed Washington with allegations that the influential social network misled regulators about its cyber defenses and efforts to control fake accounts.
Democrats accuse oil companies of 'rip off' on gas prices
Read full article: Democrats accuse oil companies of 'rip off' on gas pricesHouse Democrats are accusing oil companies of “ripping off the American people” and putting profits before production as Americans suffer from higher gasoline prices amid the war in Ukraine.
Haugen urges lawmakers to avert impasse on social media laws
Read full article: Haugen urges lawmakers to avert impasse on social media lawsEx-Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen implored lawmakers to avoid falling into the usual congressional stalemate as they weigh proposals to curb abuses in social media platforms by limiting the companies’ free-speech protections against legal liability.
Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget bill
Read full article: Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget billTwo congressional aides say Democrats have made significant progress on adding compromise provisions curbing prescription drug prices to their massive social and environment package.
Medicare evaluating coverage for $56,000 Alzheimer's drug
Read full article: Medicare evaluating coverage for $56,000 Alzheimer's drugMedicare is launching a formal process to decide whether to cover the new Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, whose $56,000-a-year price tag and unproven benefits have prompted widespread criticism and a congressional investigation.
Leading Dems seek input on 'public option' health care plan
Read full article: Leading Dems seek input on 'public option' health care planTwo leading congressional Democrats are calling for ideas on a “public option” health insurance plan, a campaign promise of President Joe Biden’s that faces long odds politically.
The Latest: Twitter grilled about blocking a NY Post article
Read full article: The Latest: Twitter grilled about blocking a NY Post articleScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The latest news from a House committee questioning the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter. ___2:30 p.m.Rep. Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, raised the long-running conservative talking point that Twitter, Facebook and Google are biased against conservative viewpoints and censor material based on political or religious viewpoints. Scalise highlighted Twitter’s blocking of a New York Post article on Hunter Biden, which CEO Jack Dorsey said was a mistake that the company corrected within 24 hours. AdThis would include product vice presidents of integrity, trust and safety and vice presidents of platform policy — at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (rather than Google, which owns YouTube) and perhaps an upstart like TikTok. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Sundar Pichai, CEO of YouTube parent Google, are facing questioning at a hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
COVID-19 law sparks dialogue on nursing home alternatives
Read full article: COVID-19 law sparks dialogue on nursing home alternativesNow, the COVID-19 relief bill is offering states a generous funding boost for home- and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalizing disabled people. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)WASHINGTON – With the memory of the pandemic's toll in nursing homes still raw, the COVID-19 relief law is offering states a generous funding boost for home- and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalizing disabled people. As it has grown to cover about 1 in 5 Americans, it's also become the nation's default long-term care program, although qualifying is often an arduous process. While the federal government requires state Medicaid programs to cover nursing home care for low-income people, that's not the case for home- and community-based support services. For now, states and advocates for the disabled are awaiting guidance from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on how the money in the COVID-19 law can be spent.
Twitter bans Trump, citing risk of violent incitement
Read full article: Twitter bans Trump, citing risk of violent incitementThis Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 image shows the suspended Twitter account of President Donald Trump. On Friday, the social media company permanently suspended Trump from its platform, citing "risk of further incitement of violence." (AP Photo/Tali Arbel)Twitter banned President Donald Trump's account Friday, citing “the risk of further incitement of violence" following the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. On Thursday, Facebook suspended Trump's account through Jan. 20 and possibly indefinitely. Twitter merely suspended Trump's account for 12 hours after he posted a video that repeated false claims about election fraud and praised the rioters who stormed the Capitol.
Trump tries to revive stalled election-eve drug discounts
Read full article: Trump tries to revive stalled election-eve drug discountsFILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is trying to revive the president's stalled election-eve plan to send millions of Medicare recipients a $200 prescription discount card. White House spokesman Judd Deere confirmed the administration is continuing to move forward. “It’s simply good policy, and demonstrates President Trump is continuing to deliver on his promises to our nation’s seniors to lower drug prices." Pallone dismissed the latest White House push.
Trump's election-eve drug discounts for seniors get snagged
Read full article: Trump's election-eve drug discounts for seniors get snaggedA White House official had no comment on the status of the prescription cards, which Trump announced with a flourish last month during a health care speech in Charlotte, N.C. We will provide more information about the prescription drug cards soon.”One administration official said the odds are 75-25 the plan will not happen. Among them:— The White House asserted that Medicare could legally send out the discount cards under its authority to conduct “demonstration programs” testing new ideas. The $200 would test if extra cash made seniors more likely to stay on their medications and avoid costly hospitalizations. “It would do relatively little for seniors with truly catastrophic prescription drug expenses,” she said.
House backs bill to boost 'clean energy,' enhance efficiency
Read full article: House backs bill to boost 'clean energy,' enhance efficiency(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON – The House has approved a modest bill to promote “clean energy” and increase energy efficiency while phasing out the use of coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators that are considered a major driver of global warming. The House approved the bill, 220-185, Thursday, sending it to the Senate, where a separate energy bill is pending. The Senate bill, like the House measure, would phase out hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, that are used as coolants, after an internal dispute among Senate Republicans was resolved earlier this month. It also boosts electric cars and programs to finance clean energy projects. House Republicans disputed that, saying the bill would cost more than $135 billion while including no serious reforms.
Stopgap bill to prevent shutdown held up over farm funding
Read full article: Stopgap bill to prevent shutdown held up over farm fundingThe measure needs to be passed by the end of the budget year on Sept. 30 to prevent a shutdown of nonessential government functions. As previously announced, the bill does not contain COVID-19 relief, leaving that issue in all likelihood for a post-election lame duck session — or for the next administration. The House is slated to pass the stopgap funding bill — called a continuing resolution, or CR in Washington-speak — next week. Earlier this week, Pelosi said the House would stay in session until a COVID-19 deal was reached. Instead, lawmakers appear likely to leave Washington next week and be on 24 hours' notice to return if there is a coronavirus relief deal to vote on.
Stopgap bill to prevent shutdown held up over farm funding
Read full article: Stopgap bill to prevent shutdown held up over farm fundingThe measure needs to be passed by the end of the budget year on Sept. 30 to prevent a shutdown of nonessential government functions. As previously announced, the bill does not contain COVID-19 relief, leaving that issue in all likelihood for a post-election lame duck session — or for the next administration. The House is slated to pass the stopgap funding bill — called a continuing resolution, or CR in Washington-speak — next week. Earlier this week, Pelosi said the House would stay in session until a COVID-19 deal was reached. Instead, lawmakers appear likely to leave Washington next week and be on 24 hours' notice to return if there is a coronavirus relief deal to vote on.
House panel approves bill to combat doping in horse racing
Read full article: House panel approves bill to combat doping in horse racing(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON A key House committee on Wednesday gave bipartisan approval to legislation to create national standards for the horse racing industry to prevent fatalities and discourage illegal medication practices. The Senate's top Republican said he would press to pass the bill before the year is out. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act" comes after the racing industry has been hit by a series of doping scandals and a rash of fatal breakdowns in recent years. The legislation is aimed at empowering an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority with federal recognition and enforcement power to set uniform standards for medication, track safety, and testing of horses for PEDs. In recent years, tragedies on the track, medication scandals and an inconsistent patchwork of regulations have cast clouds over the future, McConnell said in a floor speech.
Fauci to testify at a fraught time for US pandemic response
Read full article: Fauci to testify at a fraught time for US pandemic responseWASHINGTON With coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations, Dr. Anthony Fauci returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday at a fraught moment in the nation's pandemic response. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump's comment on testing, suggesting it wasn't meant to be taken literally. Fauci has recently warned that the U.S. is still in the first wave of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House.
Outcry as some nursing homes try to grab stimulus checks
Read full article: Outcry as some nursing homes try to grab stimulus checks(Leah Millis/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON Compounding the hardships of the coronavirus, some nursing homes have demanded that low-income residents turn over their $1,200 economic stimulus checks, a cash grab lawmakers want to halt. Low-income Medicaid recipients must not be coerced into wrongly handing over their checks for fear of being kicked out of their homes, wrote Neal and Pallone. We are not aware of widespread issues with resident stimulus funds," the American Health Care Association said in a statement. Generally, a Medicaid recipients taxable income is taken into account in determining their eligibility for the program. CMS chief Seema Verma tweeted on Tuesday that nursing homes engaging in this behavior will be subject to enforcement action.