Розділ: Політика
Biden Order Could Change How Colleges Handle Sex Misconduct
In a first step toward reversing a contentious Trump administration policy, President Joe Biden on Monday ordered his administration to review federal rules guiding colleges in their handling of campus sexual assaults. In an executive order, Biden directed the Education Department to examine rules that the Trump administration issued around Title IX, the federal law that forbids sex discrimination in education. Biden directed the agency to “consider suspending, revising or rescinding” any policies that fail to protect students. Biden also signed a second executive order formally establishing the White House Gender Policy Council, which his transition team had announced before he took office. “The policy of this administration is that every individual, every student, is entitled to a fair education — free of sexual violence — and that all involved have access to a fair process,” Jennifer Klein, co-chair and executive director of the Gender Policy Council, told reporters at a White House briefing. The orders were issued on International Women’s Day, a global celebration marking the achievements of women. Trump administrationBoth measures had been expected from Biden, who focused on gender equity during his campaign and previously promised to put an “immediate” end to rules that were finalized last year by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. DeVos’s policy made sweeping changes to the way colleges respond to sexual harassment and assault, with provisions that bolster the rights of the accused and narrow the scope of cases schools are required to address. It was seen as a swing away from Obama-era guidance that focused on protecting victims of sexual misconduct. Among other changes, DeVos’s rules narrowed the definition of sexual harassment, reduced the legal liability of colleges investigating sexual misconduct claims and gave accused students the right to cross-examine their accusers through a representative at live campus hearings. Biden’s order for a review drew praise from civil rights groups that say DeVos’s policy has had a chilling effect on the reporting of sexual assaults, and also from colleges that say the rules are overly prescriptive and burdensome to follow. “This is an important step,” said Shiwali Patel, senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center. “The Title IX rules changes that took place under the Trump administration are incredibly harmful, and they’re still in effect.” Yearslong processAlthough the order sets the stage for a major policy shift, change is unlikely to come quickly. Any effort to rewrite DeVos’s rules would have to go through a federal rule-making process that can take years to complete. It took three years, for example, for DeVos to reverse the Obama guidance and complete her own set of rules. Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education, said Biden’s announcement was welcome but changes very little immediately. “In the meantime, the Trump regulations will remain in place,” Hartle said. Republicans slammed Biden’s move and defended DeVos’s rules. “The right to due process is bigger than partisan politics — it is a cornerstone of American democracy,” said North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, the ranking Republican on the House Education Committee. “By overturning these stakeholder-vetted, court-supported rules, key protections for victims and the due process rights of the accused would be jeopardized.” Some of the most contentious aspects of DeVos’s rules — including the requirement to allow cross-examinations — are expected to be eliminated in the Biden overhaul. But rather than reverting to Obama’s 2011 policies, some legal experts expect Biden to seek a middle ground that equally protects accused students and their accusers. Part of the solution will likely include greater flexibility for schools as they respond to complaints, said Josh Richards, a lawyer who advises universities on Title IX issues. The scope of cases that colleges must address is also likely to be expanded again under the Biden administration, he said. “I don’t think it’s necessary to go to the extent that the DeVos era rules went in importing court-style legal rules to these processes in order to provide a fair process to everyone involved,” Richards said. A rollback of the existing regulation would be a blow to DeVos, who saw it as one of her signature achievements. In a parting letter to Congress in January, she urged lawmakers to “reject any efforts to undercut this important rule for survivors.” Their approval, however, is not needed to create new agency rules. Legal challengesBiden is starting the process even as DeVos’s policy faces ongoing legal challenges. Multiple lawsuits have been filed asking federal courts to strike down the policy, including a new suit filed Monday by a group of high school students in California. A lawsuit by the National Women’s Law Center is scheduled to go to trial in November. While its suit is pending, the law center is urging the Biden administration to issue a directive suspending parts of the policy that are being challenged in court. Dozens of students and sexual assault survivors issued a separate letter on Monday urging Biden to issue immediate guidance that supports the rights of survivors. Gender equity Biden’s other order establishing the Gender Policy Council was issued after Trump disbanded an office specifically focused on women’s issues created during the Obama administration that was called the White House Council on Women and Girls. The new council is tasked with helping push gender equity on the administration’s domestic and foreign policy efforts. Some of the issues the council will focus on include combating sexual harassment, addressing structural barriers to women’s participation in the workforce, decreasing gender wage and wealth gaps, and addressing caregiving issues that have disproportionately affected women. Biden signed the orders hours before delivering a White House address to mark International Women’s Day. He used his speech to celebrate the recent nominations of Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost and Army Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson to serve as combatant commanders. If confirmed by the Senate, they will become just the second and third women to serve as combatant commanders in the military. Biden also used the speech to make the case that more needed to be done to improve conditions for women who serve, including dealing with the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has promised to make addressing the issue a top priority as reports of sexual assault have steadily gone up since 2006, according to Pentagon data. Biden called the problem “nothing less than a threat to our national security.” Vice President Kamala Harris Ahead of Biden’s speech Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris marked International Women’s Day with a virtual address to the European Parliament, while first lady Jill Biden honored nearly two dozen women from around the world for demonstrating courage in pursuit of justice during a State Department ceremony. Harris noted that women have been disproportionately impacted by the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic. Since February 2020, more than 2.3 million have left the workforce, putting women’s labor force participation rate at 57%, the lowest it has been since 1988, according to a National Women’s Law Center analysis. “Simply put, our world does not work for women as it should,” Harris said.
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By Polityk | 03/09/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden to Sign Executive Orders on Equity, Campus Sexual Assault Policies on International Women’s Day
President Joe Biden is signing two executive orders Monday to create a Gender Policy Council and review Trump-era changes to college campus sexual assault policies. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Chief of Staff to the First Lady Julissa Reynoso watch as Executive Director of the Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein delivers remarks during a daily press briefing at the White House, March 8, 2021.The office will be co-chaired by Jennifer Klein, who worked on women’s issues going back to the Clinton administration, and Julissa Reynoso, first lady Jill Biden’s chief of staff. The second order will reverse polices on college campus sexual assault and harassment that were issued last year by Trump’s education secretary Betsy DeVos.Biden’s order, directed at the Department of Education, orders it to review all regulations, especially DeVos’ regulation under Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in a school or education program that receives federal money. The administration said the goal is to ensure students are guaranteed an education free from sexual violence.
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By Polityk | 03/09/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Fifth Republican Senator Announced He Will Not Seek Reelection
A fifth Republican senator has announced he will not seek re-election.The latest is Roy Blunt, 71, from Missouri who announced Monday on Twitter that he will not run in 2022.”After 14 general election victories — three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections — I won’t be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year,” Blunt said in a video he posted on Twitter.Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) have all announced that they will retire at the end of their current terms.No Senate Democrats have announced retirement plans so far, although California will hold an election in 2022 to fill the seat vacated by Kamala Harris before she became vice president. The seat is currently held by Alex Padilla, who was appointed by California’s governor.
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By Polityk | 03/09/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Supreme Court Dumps Last of Trump’s Election Appeals
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday disposed of the last of three cases brought to the justices by former President Donald Trump challenging his election loss, bringing a muted end to his futile quest in the courts to hold onto power.The court without comment rejected Trump’s appeal challenging thousands of absentee ballots filed in Wisconsin, an election battleground that the Republican businessman-turned-politician lost to Democrat Joe Biden by more than 20,000 votes. Biden became president on Jan. 20.It was the last of three petitions filed at the Supreme Court near the end of Trump’s presidency that the justices declined to take up. The court on Feb. 22 turned away Trump’s other two appeals – a second Wisconsin challenge and one relating to voting in Pennsylvania, another pivotal state Trump lost. Lower courts previously had ruled against Trump in those three cases.It already was clear that the high court, which includes three justices appointed by Trump, had no intention to intervene in the cases and others filed by his allies because it did not act before Congress on Jan. 6 certified Biden’s victory. That formal certification was interrupted when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol.In the Wisconsin case, Trump sued two days after the state had certified its election results. He challenged several Wisconsin election policies including one allowing the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both a federal judge and the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the claims, noting in part that Trump had waited too long to sue.Courts around the country rejected the cases brought by Trump and his allies, sometimes in colorful terms. A judge put it this way in November in rejecting a Trump challenge in Pennsylvania: “This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together.”Trump has made – and continues to make – false claims that the Nov. 3 presidential election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud and irregularities. Republicans are now seizing on those same unsubstantiated allegations in an effort to impose new voting restrictions in numerous states.The Supreme Court on Monday also turned away another election-related case filed by Trump ally Lin Wood, who had asked the justices to block the Jan. 5 Senate runoff elections in Georgia. The court never acted on the request and Democrats won both races, giving them narrow control of the Senate.
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By Polityk | 03/08/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Senator Joe Manchin Plays Key Role on Vital Legislation
A key centrist U.S. Democratic lawmaker, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, helped broker passage of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, but declared Sunday that he remains opposed to eliminating the filibuster in the Senate to ease passage other progressive legislation. In the politically divided chamber, with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, Manchin played a center-stage role in shaping the virus relief aid. He agreed to keep the $300-a-week national government payments to jobless workers at their current level rather than raise the figure to $400 and to cut off tax relief for the unemployed if they had annual family income above $150,000. “We targeted where help was needed,” Manchin told CNN. “This is one tremendous piece of legislation. It’s going to help a lot of people.”Key Facts About the $1.9T COVID Bill Legislation still needs final passage in House, president’s signature But until Manchin reached agreement with his more progressive Democratic allies in the Senate who wanted bigger financial assistance for the unemployed, passage of the relief aid remained in doubt. The House of Representatives is expected to approve the Senate version of the relief package in the coming days and send it to Biden for his signature, his first major legislative victory since taking office in January. No Republican voted for the legislation in either chamber. In the Senate, that left Manchin, perhaps the most conservative of the 50-member Democratic caucus, with an outsized role in reaching agreement with his fellow Democrats even as he rejected overtures from Republican lawmakers to join them in approving a much-reduced coronavirus spending package.”My Republican friends are my friends. They’re not my enemies,” he told the “Fox News Sunday” show. “And my Democrats are my colleagues, they’re not my enemies either. That’s my caucus.”But Manchin told Sunday talk shows he maintains his opposition to ending the legislative filibuster in the Senate, which some progressive Democrats want to do away with in order push through Biden’s legislative agenda on 51-50 votes if need be, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill50-49 vote falls along party lines in 100-member chamber While simple majorities are enough to approve legislation in the House, 60 votes are often necessary in the Senate to end debate on controversial issues and move forward to a vote. If the filibuster is eliminated to thwart opponents from blocking key legislation, a Democratic majority, as is currently the case with the Harris tie-breaking vote, could pass legislation with a simple majority.Manchin, however, says he won’t accede to other Democrats wanting to change the Senate rules to end use of the filibuster, although he is open to make it more difficult to use, such as renewing the tradition from years past when filibustering lawmakers were required to hold the floor during Senate debates by speaking for hours without a recess. “I’d make it harder to get rid of the filibuster, I’m supporting the filibuster, I’m going to continue to support the filibuster,” Manchin said on Fox. “I think it defines who we are as a Senate. I’ll make it harder to get rid of it, but it should be painful if you want to use it.”Manchin noted that in recent years it has become much easier to use the filibuster.”It really should be painful, and we’ve made it more comfortable,” he said.The rules of Senate debate could come into play in the coming weeks over several Biden initiatives, including debate over a House-approved measure that would set national standards for the conduct of elections that Republicans oppose and whether to raise the U.S. minimum wage for workers from $7.25 an hour to $15.Manchin on CNN said there is “not one senator opposed to increasing the minimum wage,” although the debate centers on by how much and how quickly low-wage workers would be paid more. But a Biden bid to gradually raise the wage to $15 an hour was stripped from the coronavirus relief deal when several Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the provision.
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By Polityk | 03/08/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Senator Joe Manchin Play Key Role on Vital Legislation
A key centrist U.S. Democratic lawmaker, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, helped broker passage of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, but declared Sunday that he remains opposed to eliminating the filibuster in the Senate to ease passage other progressive legislation. In the politically divided chamber, with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, Manchin played a center-stage role in shaping the virus relief aid. He agreed to keep the $300-a-week national government payments to jobless workers at their current level rather than raise the figure to $400 and to cut off tax relief for the unemployed if they had annual family income above $150,000. “We targeted where help was needed,” Manchin told CNN. “This is one tremendous piece of legislation. It’s going to help a lot of people.”Key Facts About the $1.9T COVID Bill Legislation still needs final passage in House, president’s signature But until Manchin reached agreement with his more progressive Democratic allies in the Senate who wanted bigger financial assistance for the unemployed, passage of the relief aid remained in doubt. The House of Representatives is expected to approve the Senate version of the relief package in the coming days and send it to Biden for his signature, his first major legislative victory since taking office in January. No Republican voted for the legislation in either chamber. In the Senate, that left Manchin, perhaps the most conservative of the 50-member Democratic caucus, with an outsized role in reaching agreement with his fellow Democrats even as he rejected overtures from Republican lawmakers to join them in approving a much-reduced coronavirus spending package.”My Republican friends are my friends. They’re not my enemies,” he told the “Fox News Sunday” show. “And my Democrats are my colleagues, they’re not my enemies either. That’s my caucus.”But Manchin told Sunday talk shows he maintains his opposition to ending the legislative filibuster in the Senate, which some progressive Democrats want to do away with in order push through Biden’s legislative agenda on 51-50 votes if need be, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill50-49 vote falls along party lines in 100-member chamber While simple majorities are enough to approve legislation in the House, 60 votes are often necessary in the Senate to end debate on controversial issues and move forward to a vote. If the filibuster is eliminated to thwart opponents from blocking key legislation, a Democratic majority, as is currently the case with the Harris tie-breaking vote, could pass legislation with a simple majority.Manchin, however, says he won’t accede to other Democrats wanting to change the Senate rules to end use of the filibuster, although he is open to make it more difficult to use, such as renewing the tradition from years past when filibustering lawmakers were required to hold the floor during Senate debates by speaking for hours without a recess. “I’d make it harder to get rid of the filibuster, I’m supporting the filibuster, I’m going to continue to support the filibuster,” Manchin said on Fox. “I think it defines who we are as a Senate. I’ll make it harder to get rid of it, but it should be painful if you want to use it.”Manchin noted that in recent years it has become much easier to use the filibuster.”It really should be painful, and we’ve made it more comfortable,” he said.The rules of Senate debate could come into play in the coming weeks over several Biden initiatives, including debate over a House-approved measure that would set national standards for the conduct of elections that Republicans oppose and whether to raise the U.S. minimum wage for workers from $7.25 an hour to $15.Manchin on CNN said there is “not one senator opposed to increasing the minimum wage,” although the debate centers on by how much and how quickly low-wage workers would be paid more. But a Biden bid to gradually raise the wage to $15 an hour was stripped from the coronavirus relief deal when several Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the provision.
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By Polityk | 03/08/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden Orders Further US Voting Access
U.S. President Joe Biden directed federal agencies Sunday to take modest steps to promote voting access even as a major congressional fight looms over balloting rights across the country. Biden ordered the government agencies to expand access to voter registration and election information and told the agency heads to devise plans to give several million federal employees time off to vote or volunteer as nonpartisan poll workers. The U.S. leader signed the executive order on the 56th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the 1965 incident in which about 600 civil rights activists were beaten by Alabama state troopers as they tried to march for voting rights in the small city of Selma. The attack was a turning point in the civil rights movement in the United States and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act later in 1965. “Every eligible voter should be able to vote and have it counted,” Biden said in pre-taped remarks aired at Sunday’s Martin and Coretta King Unity Breakfast. “If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.” This year’s breakfast, at Wallace Community College, was billed as a drive-in event because of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden’s action follows last week’s passage in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives of sweeping voting rights measures that would set national standards for how elections are conducted in the U.S., overriding a disparate set of rules that vary widely throughout the 50 states. Key Facts About the $1.9T COVID Bill Legislation still needs final passage in House, president’s signature The measure cleared the House on a near party-line 220-210 vote, but Republicans broadly oppose it. In the evenly divided Senate, with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, Democrats supporting the legislation will likely need at least 10 Republican votes to end any filibuster against it. With the pandemic sweeping the country last year, numerous states eased voting rules so people could cast ballots before the official November 3 Election Day or by absentee ballots without stating any reason. But after Biden won the election, Republican lawmakers in states Biden carried are now trying to enact legislation that would curb voting access for future elections, such as by banning voting on the Sundays leading up to Election Day, when Black churches often organize “Souls to the Polls” events after services. Some of the proposals would limit early voting or mail-in balloting. More than 250 restrictive voting proposals have been introduced in 43 states. The House-approved measure, however, would do the opposite, codifying national rules that would require automatic voter registration when people register for other government identification, such as a driver’s license. Early voting would be required for at least 15 days before Election Day. Independent commissions, not made up of lawmakers, would draw boundaries for legislative districts to prevent either party from drawing districts to their advantage. The names of political donors would have to be disclosed. Presidential candidates would have to disclose their tax returns, which Biden’s immediate predecessor, Donald Trump, never did although he said he would. Democrats say the bill will help curb attempts to limit voting in the U.S., while Republicans say it is an unwanted federal interference in the traditional state-by-state control over U.S. elections. In his Sunday remarks, Biden said, “In 2020 — our very democracy on the line — even in the midst of a pandemic – more Americans voted than ever before,” more than 159 million people. Even so, Biden said, “Instead of celebrating this powerful demonstration of voting — we have seen an unprecedented insurrection in our Capitol and a brutal attack on our democracy on January 6th. A never-before-seen effort to ignore, undermine and undo the will of the people.” Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to upend Biden’s victory as lawmakers were certifying his win. The rioters smashed windows, ransacked congressional offices and scuffled with police in mayhem that left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer. More than 300 of the rioters have been arrested as the investigation continues.
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By Polityk | 03/08/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Trump Demands 3 Republican Groups Stop Using His Name in Fundraising
Former President Donald Trump has clashed again with his Republican Party, demanding that three Republican groups stop using his name and likeness for fundraising, a Trump adviser said Saturday.The adviser, confirming a report in Politico, said lawyers for Trump on Friday had sent cease-and-desist letters to the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Campaign and National Republican Senate Campaign, asking them to stop using his name and likeness on fundraising emails and merchandise.The adviser said Trump is sensitive to the use of his name and likeness for branding purposes and was irked that the three groups have supported Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats in voting to impeach him over the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump protesters.Trump is using his Save America SuperPAC to raise money in part to help handpicked Republican candidates in the 2022 congressional elections. Some of them are expected to challenge Republican incumbents.Trump has waged a war of words with establishment Republicans, some of whom he feels betrayed him by joining Democrats in impeaching him.Trump, now living at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, dangled the possibility of running for president again in 2024 when he addressed a conference of conservatives last Sunday.In that speech, he singled out Republicans Senators Mitt Romney and Pat Toomey and House lawmakers Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, suggesting he would support candidates who opposed them in Republican primaries.Still, Trump has committed to helping Republicans try to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in 2022 congressional elections that will be a first referendum on the leadership of Democratic President Joe Biden.
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By Polityk | 03/07/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Cruz Puts Hold on Biden’s CIA Pick Burns Over Nord Stream 2 Pipeline
Republican Senator Ted Cruz has placed a hold on President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency to pressure the administration to put tough sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project.The Senate Intelligence Committee this week backed William Burns, a former ambassador to Russia, by a unanimous vote. Burns has been confirmed by the Senate for five previous jobs in 33 years and is expected to eventually be approved by the full Senate.FILE – Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Feb. 26, 2021, in Orlando, Fla.The hold, placed Friday, is a delaying tactic as the Texas senator pressures the administration to sanction ships and companies helping Russia’s state energy company Gazprom build the $11 billion pipeline to take gas under the Baltic Sea to Europe via Germany.”I’ll release my hold when the Biden admin meets its legal obligation to report and sanction the ships and companies building [Russia President Vladimir] Putin’s pipeline,” Cruz wrote on Twitter. The move was first reported by Bloomberg.After a year’s delay caused by sanctions, Gazprom is racing to finish the pipeline, which analysts expect could happen by September. A second vessel, the Akademik Cherskiy, has joined the construction site off Denmark.President Joe Biden believes the pipeline is a “bad deal for Europe,” the White House has said. The pipeline would bypass Ukraine, depriving it of lucrative transit fees, and could undermine its efforts against Russian aggression.”It’s hard to see how delaying the confirmation of a CIA director who enjoys strong bipartisan support makes Americans safer,” said Biden transition spokesperson Andrew Bates. “Biden has been clear that Nord Stream 2 is a bad idea and plays into Russia’s hands.”U.S. lawmakers from both parties who oppose the project believe about 15 ships are helping to build the pipeline. But the State Department last month sanctioned only one ship in a report to Congress required by sanctions law.Forty Republican senators said in a letter to Biden this week that the sanction against the Fortuna vessel would not stop the pipeline, which as of February had about 75 miles (120 km) left to go off Denmark and 19 miles (30 km) off Germany.The State Department is set to submit to Congress another report on Nord Stream 2 on May 16, which could contain more sanctions, though spokesman Ned Price has said sanctions are only “one of many tools” that can be used.
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By Polityk | 03/07/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
America’s Patchwork of Election Laws Under Scrutiny
The Democrat-led U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill that would greatly expand access to voting in federal elections. Even though Senate passage is highly unlikely, Democrats are underscoring their commitment to making voting easier at a time when Republicans seek to limit voting access in many states.The bill was labeled House Resolution 1 in order to signal its importance to Democrats’ agenda, and it passed with no Republican support. Also known as the For the People Act, it would force sweeping changes to state election laws, with the aim of making it easier for eligible voters to cast a ballot.Among other things, H.R. 1 would create an automatic voter registration system and limit the ability of state officials to purge voters from the system. It would also require states to make early voting available and block limits on mail-in voting. In addition, it would require that congressional districts be drawn by non-partisan commissions to prevent state legislatures from drawing districts that unfairly disadvantage one party, a practice known as gerrymandering.Access versus integrityBeyond measures aimed specifically at access to the ballot, the bill would attempt to reduce the power of big-money donors to influence elections by requiring politically active organizations to disclose the sources of their funding and by creating a federal system of matching grants that would allow lawmakers to campaign without relying on high-dollar donations. It would also strengthen ethics enforcement and election oversight.Democrats promote the bill as what they deem a common-sense effort to ensure that all eligible voters in the United States are able to cast a ballot if they want to. They point to hundreds of bills introduced by Republicans in state legislatures across the country that are explicitly aimed at making it more difficult to vote. Republicans ramped up what they refer to as “election integrity” efforts in the wake of the 2020 election, in which enormous voter turnout helped Democrats take control of the White House and the Senate, thanks to the tie-breaking vote of the vice president, while preserving control of the House, albeit with a slimmer margin.The same day that the House passed H.R. 1, a group of 20 states’ attorneys general, all Republicans, sent a letter to congressional leaders arguing that the bill is constitutionally flawed and suggested that it is meant to favor Democrats.“Despite recent calls for political unity, the Act takes a one-sided approach to governing and usurps states’ authority over elections,” they wrote. In the event the bill becomes law, they promised legal challenges, writing, “[W]e will seek legal remedies to protect the Constitution, the sovereignty of all states, our elections, and the rights of our citizens.”Defining citizenshipAmerica’s patchwork of election laws that differ from state to state – and partisan battles over those laws – may seem odd to the citizens of other large democracies. Why hasn’t America settled on uniform rules for registering voters and casting ballots? Why do so many laws seem to diverge from the goal of maximizing voter participation?“The sovereignty of the [nation] state and defining the boundaries of who’s included under the government, under the rule of law, is one of the most important aspects of being a state,” said Jennifer N. Victor, a professor of political science at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.Victor sees a contradiction inherent in the U.S. system. Whether a person is a citizen of the United States is determined by federal law, and the right to vote is, theoretically, established at the same time as citizenship. But because the U.S. conducts elections at the state level, and gives states the authority to control access to the ballot, states also have the ability to limit some Americans’ access to that essential right of citizenship.Republicans maintain laws limiting voting access aim to protect election integrity and prevent voter fraud. They reject accusations that they seek to make it harder for Democratic-leaning constituencies to cast ballots.“The job of the state government committee is to ensure election integrity. You make improvements, and that’s exactly what we are doing here,” said Republican State Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Iowa, where a bill recently passed the state legislature limiting early and absentee balloting.Victor rejects such arguments.“There’s a part of me that wants to say it’s a disingenuous argument, because what a lot of folks hear in those discussions about integrity is that they are seeking to define who gets to participate easily,” she said. “Who has to prove that they have a right to participate, and who is sort of assumed that they have the right to participate? Of course, all of those questions get very wrapped up in the history of racial discrimination in the United States and assumptions about who is more American than others.”How did we get here?So, why is world’s oldest constitutional democracy so wrapped up in fights over voting rights?”It comes down to a few things about the American Constitution that are different from most other democracies and most other constitutions,” said Todd Eberly, professor of government and political science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “One is the fact that our Constitution recognizes that states … also have some sovereign powers. And our Constitution basically tells the states, ‘Your legislators are supposed to choose the time, the place, and the manner in which elections are held.'”In that respect, Eberly said, the United States is quite different from other large democracies, even those that have a degree of federalism built in, like Canada, Australia, and Germany.”In most of the other countries that have adopted constitutions that recognize some degree of what we call federalism, there is a deference towards the national authority. If you think about the timing — when our constitution was written and ratified — we were specifically trying to avoid a central power. That is not necessarily the case for the federal democracies that have come since then. The truth of the matter is, our constitution makes legislating and setting national goals very, very difficult. And that was something that other countries sought to try to avoid.”
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By Polityk | 03/06/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Democratic Senators Seek to Pass $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Bill
Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate are hoping to pass a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill before Monday after making a series of late changes to the bill to shore up support from party members.With Republicans united in their opposition to the cost of the relief bill, Democrats have no votes to spare in the equally divided 50-50 chamber and must receive the support of all their members, which would then allow Vice President Kamala Harris to cast the deciding vote.Democratic party leaders reached a deal with moderate Democrat Joe Manchin late Friday over an unemployment compensation provision in the bill after hours of negotiations. Democrats reduced the proposed $400 weekly emergency unemployment benefits to $300 a week and included a tax break for most people receiving unemployment to win Manchin’s support.The White House says President Joe Biden supports the compromise agreement on unemployment benefits.Republicans had also tried to win support from Manchin for their own unemployment insurance proposals, leading to a nine-hour logjam Friday that stalled action on the bill.Democratic leaders in the Senate have a fine line to walk to win the support of both moderates, like Manchin, who want to rein in the costs of the bill, and progressives who want to include more government spending into the legislation. They also cannot afford to lose the support of Democrats in the House, who passed their own version of the legislation last month and control that chamber by a mere 10 votes.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 10 MB480p | 14 MB540p | 18 MB720p | 39 MB1080p | 73 MBOriginal | 220 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioEarlier in the week, Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden agreed in a concession to moderates to tighten the eligibility for a proposal to send most Americans direct payments of $1,400. The new provision completely phases out the payments for individuals who earn more than $80,000, far lower than the amount outlined in the House bill.In addition to the direct payments, the relief legislation also provides money for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, and helps business sectors hurt by the pandemic’s economic fallout, such as the restaurant and airline industries. It also provides tax breaks to lower wage earners and families with children and gives financial aid to small businesses.Democrats argue the measures are needed to revive the economy and to fight the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 522,000 lives in the United States. Republicans, who largely backed previous COVID-19 spending, say another $1.9 trillion is simply too expensive.A federal minimum hourly wage increases from $7.25 to $15 proposed by Democrats was dropped from the Senate bill after the parliamentarian in the Senate — the chamber’s adviser on the interpretation of its rules and procedures — said the proposal did not meet special chamber rules governing debate.Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed an amendment to the relief bill Friday to add the wage hike back into the legislation, but it fell far short of the 60 votes needed to overrule the Senate parliamentarian’s decision. Senators voted 58-42 against the increase, with eight Democrats voting against the proposal.Democrats have pledged to continue working for a minimum wage increase in legislation separate from the COVID-19 aid bill.The relief bill is next expected to face a slew of amendments, mostly by Republican opponents. While most of the amendments are likely to fail, some could force Democrats to take politically difficult votes.Democrats are pushing the relief bill through the Senate under special rules that bypass the traditional filibuster, which requires 60 votes to move legislation forward. Under the special rules, Democrats would not need any Republican votes if they remain united.Passage of the bill would give Biden his first major legislative victory since entering office on Jan. 20.
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By Polityk | 03/06/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden Immigration Changes Raise Hopes, Concerns on US-Mexico Border
On the day U.S. President Joe Biden took office, he began dismantling former President Donald Trump’s policies at the southern U.S.-Mexico border. Biden rescinded Trump’s declaration of a national emergency, suspended construction of Trump’s controversial border wall, and vowed to end governmental practices of migrant family separation and rapid-fire deportations. The abrupt shift in policy almost overnight changed conditions and migrant expectations along the border – renewing hope for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Mexico and Central America of a return to more porous borders and pathways to legal status. But it also raised the concern of law enforcement officials and residents about a return of caravans, chaos and potential for violence.FILE – Tents used by migrants seeking asylum in the United States line an entrance to the border crossing, in Tijuana, Mexico, March 1, 2021.Border policy changes accelerated dramatically this week as reports surfaced the Biden administration intends to release most parents and children seeking asylum within 72 hours of their arrival in the U.S. Rapid processing would include COVID-19 testing and criminal background checks. The new policy marks a dramatic shift from Trump and Obama administration protocols where families could be detained for up to 21 days. The change is likely to spur even more arrivals of unaccompanied minors and migrant families this year, according to a senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. Still in place, however, is a Trump administration policy that cites the coronavirus pandemic and public health as a reason to deport migrants attempting to enter the country at the border without due process. Children attempting to cross the border by themselves had been the exception. They can only be detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for up to three days before another agency looks for a sponsor for the child while awaiting immigration proceedings. Rising numbers at border On March 1, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sought to assure reporters that there was no crisis at the border, just “challenges that we are managing” with existing resources. FILE – Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a press briefing at the White House, March 1, 2021.But the reality on the ground is quite different from the optimistic picture Mayorkas was painting. The number of people attempting to cross the border has steadily increased since April 2020. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say worsening economic conditions in Central and South America, exacerbated by the pandemic and natural disasters, are some of the factors that lead people to make the dangerous trip.Border Angels, the San Diego-based humanitarian organization, reports an increase of families from Mexico migrating north due to drug cartel activity. Central Americans, Haitians and people from African countries are also seeking asylum in the U.S. Asylum-seekers who desire to enter the U.S. “need to wait. It takes time to rebuild the system from scratch,” Mayorkas said, telling reporters at a White House press briefing that under the Trump administration, the immigration system had been “gutted.” In January 2021, CPB officers encountered close to 7,500 families attempting to cross into the U.S., compared to just over 4,700 in October 2020. The number of children and single adults arrested for crossing has also increased. FILE – Migrants are detained by a U.S. Border Patrol agent as they turn themselves in to request asylum, after crossing into El Paso, Texas, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Feb. 9, 2021.In late February, in the Rio Grande Valley sector of Texas, Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings posted on Twitter that more than 500 people, consisting mostly of families and unaccompanied children, tried to cross the border in a 24-hour period. The level of Asylum-seekers who were a part of the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols, are processed at the San Ysidro, California, port of entry. (Screen grab from DoD video)“About a quarter came back after being rejected,” he said, “and the other quarter is what is really concerning to us, because we think that maybe they are trying (to cross the border) through the desert.”U.S. officials have been working with humanitarian organizations to begin processing the approximately 25,000 people in the MPP program. Beginning February 19, the first group of 25 people who had been waiting in Mexico entered the U.S. in San Diego, California. Mayorkas said officials are increasing the number of ports that are processing asylum-seekers as well as the number of people being processed. “From what we see, in what their policies suggest is a much more humane and protection-focused policy. This includes recognition of various forms of persecution, recognizing things such as gang violence and domestic violence,” said Ellen Beattie, senior director of program quality and innovation at the International Rescue Committee. A task force is working on reuniting families separated under the Trump administration. If the families reunite in the U.S., the Biden administration is exploring lawful pathways for them to remain in the country. Other than asylum-seekers While agents are seeing an increase of families and unaccompanied children attempting to cross or being smuggled across the border, they also see more serious criminal activity. Border patrol agents said a combination of a border wall, manpower and technology will help them to do their jobs. In February alone, agents in the Texas Rio Grande Sector have uncovered hundreds of pounds of drugs, such as cocaine, as well as arrested convicted sex offenders trying to reenter the U.S. Texas rancher Chloe Wilson has seen a “significant increase in traffic” in the area where she lives in Southwest Texas more than 100 kilometers from the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as on her family’s properties near the border. FILE – Border patrol agents surround what they said was about 140 pounds of marijuana which was abandoned by smugglers in La Joya, Texas, Nov. 7, 2019.“These are criminals that are hauling drugs, people and children. These are not good people that are coming across. They’re in full military fatigues and work boots. These people are prepared. It’s not just people seeking asylum. It’s men carrying cocaine and marijuana. We see them during the day and throughout the night,” said Wilson, who added she had witnessed mainly men with backpacks and guns.She said criminal elements from south of the Texas border are not limited to the border areas but are traveling deep into Texas. The right time Mayra Flores, a U.S. citizen originally from Mexico, is the wife of a border patrol agent. She sees the increase in migrants trying to cross the border and fears for the border patrol agents as well as her community in South Texas. She says the cartels profit from smuggling people across the border and endanger migrants trying to cross. “Cameron County and Hidalgo County (Texas), we have one of the highest poverty rates in the United States … they don’t have the resources” to absorb the new migrants at a time when many places in the U.S. are still facing unemployment rates due to the coronavirus, Flores said. “We need to decrease the COVID-19 situation here in South Texas,” said Flores, who has decided to run for U.S. Congress. “It’s putting our border patrol agents at risk, it’s putting everyone at risk. It’s putting our community at risk.” Department of Homeland Security said asylum-seekers are being tested for COVID-19 before they are allowed to enter the U.S. However, news outlet Noticias Telemundo Investiga reported some migrants in Brownsville, Texas, who were planning to travel to other parts of the country, had tested positive for COVID-19 after being released by Border Patrol. “No time is a good time for an asylum-seeker,” said Vino Pajanor, chief executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. “During COVID, it is tough. Yes, many of us and our fellow colleagues and fellow countrymen have lost their jobs, but that doesn’t mean that we have to shut ourselves and say we’re not going to give you hope,” Pajanor said, referring to the people seeking asylum in the U.S. Note to readers: The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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By Polityk | 03/06/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Democrats Split on Jobless Benefits, Slow Relief Bill in Senate
Democrats laid aside one battle over boosting the minimum wage but promptly descended into another internal fight Friday as the party haltingly tried moving its $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill through the Senate.Hours after asserting they’d reached a deal between party moderates and progressives over renewing emergency unemployment benefits, lawmakers said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., now preferred a less generous Republican version of the payments.Manchin is probably the chamber’s most conservative Democratic, and a kingmaker in a 50-50 Senate that leaves his party without a vote to spare. With Democrats’ scanty majorities — they have a mere 10-vote House edge — the party can’t tilt too far to the center without losing progressive support.The episode tossed fresh complications into the Democrats’ drive to give quick approval to a relief bill that is President Joe Biden’s top legislative goal. And while they still seemed likely to pass the package, the problem underscored the headaches confronting party leaders over the next two years as they try moving their agenda through Congress with such slender margins.Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 5, 2020.”I don’t know where he is,” said No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin of Illinois, when asked for Manchin’s latest stance on jobless benefits. Asked if Democrats could simply accept the GOP’s version, Durbin said, “We don’t want to. We want to get this wrapped up.”That was a reference to a need to move the overall relief bill once again through the House, which has a large number of liberal Democrats and approved an initial version of the legislation last weekend that the Senate has since changed.The relief legislation, aimed at battling the killer pandemic and nursing the staggered economy back to health, will provide direct payments of up to $1,400 to most Americans. There’s also money for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, help for schools and the airline industry, tax breaks for lower-earners and families with children, and subsidies for health insurance.The package faces a solid wall of GOP opposition.The Senate voted 51-50 Thursday to begin debating the legislation, prevailing only with Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote. That nail-biter and a host of eleventh-hour deals Democratic leaders were cutting with rank-and-file lawmakers reflected the delicate task of moving the measure through the precariously divided chamber.The House version of the massive relief package provides $400 weekly emergency unemployment benefits — on top of regular state payments — through August.In a compromise with moderates revealed earlier Friday, Senate Democrats said that would be reduced to $300 weekly but extended until early October. The plan, sponsored by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., would also reduce taxes on unemployment benefits.But later, lawmakers said Manchin preferred an alternative by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, that would provide $300 weekly benefits until mid-July.Manchin has been a leading voice trying to rein the relief bill’s costs. Democratic leaders were trying to reach some agreement with Manchin, and his office did not return requests for comment.Senator John Thune (R-SD) holds a sign, which refers to the spending for the coronavirus relief bill, while speaking at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Oct. 20, 2020.”I feel bad for Joe Manchin. I hope the Geneva Convention applies to him,” No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Thune of South Dakota told reporters about the pressure on the West Virginian.Before the unemployment benefits drama began, senators voted 58-42 to kill a top progressive priority, a gradual increase in the current $7.25 hourly minimum wage to $15 over five years.Eight Democrats voted against the proposal, suggesting that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other progressives vowing to continue the effort in coming months will face a difficult fight.As Democrats struggled to resolve their unemployment benefits problem, all work on the Senate floor ceased. Six hours after the minimum wage roll call began, it hadn’t been formally gaveled to a close.Once Democrats solve that problem, the Senate next faces a mountain of amendments, mostly by GOP opponents, virtually all destined to fail but designed to force Democrats to take politically awkward votes.Republicans say the overall bill is a liberal spend-fest that ignores that growing numbers of vaccinations and signs of a stirring economy suggest that the twin crises are easing.”Our country is already set for a roaring recovery,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in part citing an unexpectedly strong report on job creation. “Democrats inherited a tide that was already turning.”Democrats reject that, citing the 10 million jobs the economy has lost during the pandemic and numerous people still struggling to buy food and pay rent.FILE – Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., listens on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 6, 2020.”If you just look at a big number you say, ‘Oh, everything’s getting a little better,'” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “It’s not for the lower half of America. It’s not.”In an encouraging sign for Biden, a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 70% of Americans support his handling of the pandemic, including a noteworthy 44% of Republicans.Friday’s gridlock over unemployment benefits gridlock wasn’t the first delay. On Thursday Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., forced the chamber’s clerks to read aloud the entire 628-page relief bill, an exhausting task that took staffers 10 hours and 44 minutes and ended shortly after 2 a.m. EST.Democrats made a host of other late changes to the bill, designed to nail down support. They ranged from extra money for food programs and federal subsidies for health care for workers who lose jobs to funds for rural health care and language assuring minimum amounts of money for smaller states.In another late bargain that satisfied moderates, Biden and Senate Democrats agreed Wednesday to tighten eligibility for the direct checks to individuals. The new provision completely phases out the $1,400 payments for individuals earning at least $80,000 and couples making $160,000, well lower than the original ceilings.
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By Polityk | 03/06/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Americans Largely Back Biden’s Virus Response, Poll Finds
Joe Biden is enjoying an early presidential honeymoon, with 60% of Americans approving of his job performance thus far and even more backing his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
At a moment of deep political polarization in America, support for Biden’s pandemic response extends across party lines. Overall, 70% of Americans back the Democratic president’s handling of the virus response, including 44% of Republicans.
Still, Biden faces more skepticism from Americans on the economy, which has been battered by the pandemic. Fifty-five percent of Americans approve of Biden’s approach to the economy thus far, and 63% say the U.S. economy is in poor shape, the AP-NORC survey shows. Republicans are also less likely to back Biden on the economy than they are on the pandemic, with just 17% supporting his fiscal stewardship.
Less than two months into his presidency, Biden has made the pandemic his central focus, urging Americans to follow stringent social distancing and mask guidelines and vowing to speed up distribution of critical vaccines. He’s also argued that until the spread of the virus is under control, the economy won’t fully recover.
To address financial shortfalls in the meantime, he’s asking Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan that would provide direct payments to millions of Americans and surge funds into state and local governments.
The measure has already passed the House. But Biden is having to make compromises to keep all Democratic senators in support of the measure, including agreeing this week to narrow eligibility for $1,400 stimulus checks. In a concession to moderate Democratic senators, Biden agreed that individuals making more than $80,000 annually and couples making more than $160,000 won’t receive any benefits. Biden’s original proposal extended the stimulus funds to Americans with higher annual wages.
The administration estimates that 158.5 million households will still receive checks under the Senate compromise.
The prospect of a pandemic relief bill is welcome news to John Villegas, 58, an Illinois Democrat who supports Biden’s handling of both the virus response and the economy.
“With the closure of so many businesses, there are a lot of people suffering,” said Villegas, who called Biden’s approach a “180-degree shift” from his predecessor, Donald Trump.
Trump argued that the U.S. economy couldn’t afford the hit that came from enacting restrictions on business and travel. The worst fears of economists were averted as Republican-led states followed Trump’s lead and resisted restrictions, but COVID-19 cases skyrocketed. More than 520,000 people have died in the United States from the virus over the past year.
Despite their differing approaches to managing the economy during the pandemic, Biden’s approval ratings on the economy are similar to Trump’s, whose handling of the economy since the virus took hold was consistently backed by about half of Americans. The key difference: That level of support made the economy Trump’s strongest issue, while it’s a relative weakness for Biden compared with Americans’ views of his handling of the pandemic and other issues.
In a reflection of the partisanship that continues to rage in the U.S., many Americans’ views of the economy have flipped since the new president was inaugurated. In December, 67% of Republicans and just 15% of Democrats described the economy as good. Now, 35% of Republicans and 41% of Democrats describe the economy positively. There’s been little change in overall growth or unemployment over that time.
Biden’s handling of the pandemic may well determine the course of his presidency and the political capital he has to pursue significant legislation on other matters. Democrats are working urgently to tee up bills addressing infrastructure investment, policing reforms and voting rights.
Biden has also vowed to tackle climate change and build on the sprawling health insurance measure signed into law when he served as Barack Obama’s vice president.
His promises of action have garnered him solid approval ratings on some of those fronts. For example, about 6 in 10 Americans say they approve of Biden’s handling of health care and race relations.
Overall, 48% of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction, compared with 37% who said that in December. The poll also shows that 43% of Americans expect things in the country overall to get better in the next year, while 34% think things will get worse and 23% think they will remain about the same.
Biden himself has been purposefully cautious in predicting when life in the U.S. will return to a pre-pandemic normal. Even as he promises that the U.S. will have enough vaccine supply for all Americans by the end of May, he’s said it could be the end of the year or early 2022 before Americans can stop wearing masks or fully return to normal activities.
His team’s goal in setting expectations? Under promise, then over deliver.
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By Polityk | 03/06/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
After Trump Boon, Brazil Frets About What Biden Might Do
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was among of former President Donald Trump’s most outspoken ideological allies when Trump was in office. Now, with President Joe Biden in the White House, many in Brazil are expecting changes that some dread and others welcome. For VOA, Edgar Maciel reports from Sao Paulo.
Camera: Edgar Maciel Producer: Marcus Harton
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By Polityk | 03/05/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
AP-NORC Poll: Americans Largely Back Biden’s Virus Response
Joe Biden is enjoying an early presidential honeymoon, with 60% of Americans approving of his job performance thus far and even more backing his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
At a moment of deep political polarization in America, support for Biden’s pandemic response extends across party lines. Overall, 70% of Americans back the Democratic president’s handling of the virus response, including 44% of Republicans.
Still, Biden faces more skepticism from Americans on the economy, which has been battered by the pandemic. Fifty-five percent of Americans approve of Biden’s approach to the economy thus far, and 63% say the U.S. economy is in poor shape, the AP-NORC survey shows. Republicans are also less likely to back Biden on the economy than they are on the pandemic, with just 17% supporting his fiscal stewardship.
Less than two months into his presidency, Biden has made the pandemic his central focus, urging Americans to follow stringent social distancing and mask guidelines and vowing to speed up distribution of critical vaccines. He’s also argued that until the spread of the virus is under control, the economy won’t fully recover.
To address financial shortfalls in the meantime, he’s asking Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan that would provide direct payments to millions of Americans and surge funds into state and local governments.
The measure has already passed the House. But Biden is having to make compromises to keep all Democratic senators in support of the measure, including agreeing this week to narrow eligibility for $1,400 stimulus checks. In a concession to moderate Democratic senators, Biden agreed that individuals making more than $80,000 annually and couples making more than $160,000 won’t receive any benefits. Biden’s original proposal extended the stimulus funds to Americans with higher annual wages.
The administration estimates that 158.5 million households will still receive checks under the Senate compromise.
The prospect of a pandemic relief bill is welcome news to John Villegas, 58, an Illinois Democrat who supports Biden’s handling of both the virus response and the economy.
“With the closure of so many businesses, there are a lot of people suffering,” said Villegas, who called Biden’s approach a “180-degree shift” from his predecessor, Donald Trump.
Trump argued that the U.S. economy couldn’t afford the hit that came from enacting restrictions on business and travel. The worst fears of economists were averted as Republican-led states followed Trump’s lead and resisted restrictions, but COVID-19 cases skyrocketed. More than 520,000 people have died in the United States from the virus over the past year.
Despite their differing approaches to managing the economy during the pandemic, Biden’s approval ratings on the economy are similar to Trump’s, whose handling of the economy since the virus took hold was consistently backed by about half of Americans. The key difference: That level of support made the economy Trump’s strongest issue, while it’s a relative weakness for Biden compared with Americans’ views of his handling of the pandemic and other issues.
In a reflection of the partisanship that continues to rage in the U.S., many Americans’ views of the economy have flipped since the new president was inaugurated. In December, 67% of Republicans and just 15% of Democrats described the economy as good. Now, 35% of Republicans and 41% of Democrats describe the economy positively. There’s been little change in overall growth or unemployment over that time.
Biden’s handling of the pandemic may well determine the course of his presidency and the political capital he has to pursue significant legislation on other matters. Democrats are working urgently to tee up bills addressing infrastructure investment, policing reforms and voting rights.
Biden has also vowed to tackle climate change and build on the sprawling health insurance measure signed into law when he served as Barack Obama’s vice president.
His promises of action have garnered him solid approval ratings on some of those fronts. For example, about 6 in 10 Americans say they approve of Biden’s handling of health care and race relations.
Overall, 48% of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction, compared with 37% who said that in December. The poll also shows that 43% of Americans expect things in the country overall to get better in the next year, while 34% think things will get worse and 23% think they will remain about the same.
Biden himself has been purposefully cautious in predicting when life in the U.S. will return to a pre-pandemic normal. Even as he promises that the U.S. will have enough vaccine supply for all Americans by the end of May, he’s said it could be the end of the year or early 2022 before Americans can stop wearing masks or fully return to normal activities.
His team’s goal in setting expectations? Under promise, then over deliver.
…
By Polityk | 03/05/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Brazil Braces for Big Changes in its US Relations
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was among of former President Donald Trump’s most outspoken ideological allies when Trump was in office. Now, with President Joe Biden in the White House, many in Brazil are expecting changes that some dread and others welcome. For VOA, Edgar Maciel reports from Sao Paulo.
Camera: Edgar Maciel Producer: Marcus Harton
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By Polityk | 03/05/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Senate Begins Considering Democrats’ $1.9 Trillion Virus Relief Bill
The Senate voted Thursday to begin debating a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, after Democrats made 11th-hour changes aimed at ensuring they could pull President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority through the precariously divided chamber. Democrats were hoping for Senate approval of the package before next week, in time for the House to sign off and get the measure to Biden quickly. They were encountering opposition from Republicans arguing that the measure’s massive price tag ignored promising signs that the pandemic and wounded economy were turning around. Democratic leaders made over a dozen late changes in their package, reflecting their need to cement unanimous support from all their senators — plus Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote — to succeed in the 50-50 chamber. It is widely expected the Senate will approve the bill and the House will whisk it to Biden for his signature by mid-March, handing him a crucial early legislative victory. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to break the tie on a procedural vote as the Senate works on the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 4, 2021.The Senate’s 51-50 vote to start debating the package, with Harris putting the Democrats over the top, underscored how they were navigating the package through Congress with virtually no margin for error. In the House their majority is 10 votes. The bill, aimed at battling the killer virus and nursing the staggered economy back to health, will provide direct payments of $1,400 to vast numbers of Americans. There is also money for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, help for schools and the airline industry, tax breaks for lower earners and families with children, and subsidies for health insurance. FILE – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Jan. 26, 2021.”The time is now to move forward with big, bold, strong relief,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The new provisions would have the government cover the entire cost of health care for some workers who lose jobs, up from its 85% share; boost spending for rural health care and capital projects; expand tax credits for student loans and start-up companies; and steer specific amounts of aid to smaller states. The details were provided by a Senate Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the decisions. Even with the late revisions, there was a good chance that lawmakers will make yet another one and vote to pare back the bill’s $400 weekly emergency unemployment benefits to $300. That potential change could also extend those emergency payments another month, through September. It was described by aides and a lobbyist who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations. Support from moderatesBiden and Senate leaders had agreed Wednesday to retain the $400 weekly jobless payments included in the version of the relief bill the House approved Saturday. The reduction to $300 — which seemed likely to occur once the Senate begins a “vote-a-rama” on scores of amendments later this week — seemed to reflect a need to secure support from moderate Democrats. FILE – Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks during her weekly press conference at the U.S. Capitol, Feb. 18, 2021.It also left House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the task of keeping her chamber’s numerous progressives on board. Liberals already suffered a blow when their No. 1 priority — a federal minimum wage increase to $15 hourly that was included in the House package — was booted from the bill in the Senate for violating the chamber’s rules and for lack of moderates’ support. In another bargain that satisfied moderates, Biden and Senate Democrats agreed Wednesday to tighten eligibility for the direct checks to individuals. The new provision completely phases out the $1,400 payments for individuals earning at least $80,000 and couples making $160,000, well lower than the original ceilings. “My hope is they don’t screw around with it too much,” Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said of the Senate in an interview. “If they do, there could be some problems.” Congress wants to send the bill to Biden before March 14, when a previous round of emergency benefits for people tossed out of work by the pandemic expires. Republican delaysAs soon as the Senate began considering the bill, Republican Congressman Ron Johnson of Wisconsin forced the chamber’s clerks to begin reading the entire 628-page measure aloud. He said earlier that he was doing it to “shine the light on this abusive and obscene amount of money.” FILE – Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., speaks during a hearing at the U.S. Capitol, March 3, 2021,Schumer said Johnson would “accomplish little more than a few sore throats for the Senate clerks.” Asked about Republican delays, Biden told reporters he has talked to Republican lawmakers and added, “We’re keeping everybody informed.” Biden met last month with Republican senators who offered a plan one-third the size of the Democrats’ proposal, and there have been no signs since of serious talks. Johnson’s move, which would take many hours to complete, pointed to a larger Republican argument: Democrats were ramming an overpriced bill through that disregarded that growing numbers of vaccinations and other signs suggesting the country’s pandemic ordeal is beginning to ease. State of economy The economic recovery began to stall late last year as the virus surged, causing a shortfall in hiring in recent months. Employers added just 49,000 jobs in January and cut 227,000 jobs in December.Economists estimate that the February employment report being released Friday will show gains of 175,000, not nearly enough to swiftly recover the nearly 10 million jobs lost to the pandemic-induced recession. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates economic growth will exceed 4% this year without Biden’s rescue package. Republicans cite that as evidence the economy is pointed upward, but Democrats say a strong economic stimulus is still needed to prevent a relapse. “It’s a crisis that is still very much with us, and it is deadly, deadly serious,” Schumer said.
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By Polityk | 03/05/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Senate Nears Vote on $1.9 Trillion Biden COVID Aid Package
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this weekend on a massive new round of coronavirus aid addressing the ongoing economic and health crises caused by the pandemic. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more on the impact of that aid. Produced by: Katherine Gypson Camera: Adam Greenbaum
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By Polityk | 03/05/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Security Tightened Amid ‘Possible’ Militia Plot to Breach US Capitol
The U.S. Capitol Police Department says it is taking seriously intelligence about a possible plot by a militia group to breach the Capitol on Thursday.“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” the Capitol Police said in a statement. “Our department is working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol.”The building where Congress meets has been protected with the help of National Guard troops and surrounded by an extended security perimeter with tall fencing since a Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.That mob breached the Capitol as members of Congress met to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump.Thursday’s date is connected to a far-right conspiracy theory that Trump, who has repeatedly falsely claimed mass voter fraud cost him the election, would return to power on March 4. That date was inauguration day for U.S. presidents until 1933, when it was moved to Jan. 20.Earlier this week, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned local law enforcement officials in a joint intelligence bulletin that a group of militia extremists had discussed encouraging people to travel to Washington and try to take control of the Capitol.The threats prompted the House of Representatives to cancel its Thursday session. The Senate is scheduled to meet.Ahead of possible election-related protests on the Hill tomorrow https://t.co/GHZLdnpWer— Katherine Gypson (@kgyp) March 4, 2021Lawmakers have held several hearings about what was known before the Jan. 6 attack and how local and federal agencies responded.The Justice Department has charged more than 300 people with taking part in the siege that left five people, including a Capitol Police officer, dead.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Inspector General Finds Misuse of Office by Elaine Chao at Transportation Dept
The Transportation Department’s watchdog asked the Justice Department to criminally investigate Elaine Chao late last year after it determined she had misused her office when she was transportation secretary under President Donald Trump but was rebuffed, according to a report released Wednesday.
The report said the Justice Department’s criminal and public integrity divisions declined in December to take up the case for criminal prosecution following the inspector general’s findings that Chao inappropriately used her staff and office for personal tasks and to promote a shipping business owned by Chao’s father and sisters. That company does extensive business with China.
A formal investigation into potential misuses of position was warranted,'' deputy inspector general Mitch Behm wrote in a letter to lawmakers.Asian audiences welcome and respond positively to actions by the secretary that include her father in activities when appropriate,” that memo said.
Chao, the wife of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, stepped down from her job early this year in the last weeks of the Trump administration, citing her disapproval over the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by Trump's supporters.Chao has denied wrongdoing. In the report released Wednesday, she did not specifically respond to allegations, instead providing a September 2020 memo that argued promoting her family was an appropriate part of her official duties at the department.
The watchdog report cited several instances that raised ethical concerns. In one, Chao instructed political appointees in the department to contact the Homeland Security Department to check personally on the status of a work permit application for a student who was a recipient of her family’s philanthropic foundation.
Chao also made extensive plans for an official trip to China in November 2017 – before she canceled it – that would have included stops at places that had received support from her family’s business, the New York-based Foremost Group. According to department emails, Chao directed her staff to include her relatives in the official events and high-level meetings during the trip.
Above all, let's keep (the Secretary) happy, one of the department’s employees wrote to another staffer regarding Chao’s father. If Dr. Chao is happy, then we should be flying with a feather in our hat.''may be ethical and/or administrative issues” but no evidence to support possible criminal charges.
The report found that Chao also directed the department's public affairs staff to assist her father in the marketing of his personal biography and to edit his Wikipedia page, and used staff to check on repairs of an item at a store for her father.
The IG report said Justice Department officials ultimately declined to take up a criminal review, saying there
As a result, the inspector general’s office said in the report it was now closing its investigation based on the lack of prosecutorial interest'' from the Justice Department.Public servants, especially those responsible for leading tens of thousands of other public servants, must know that they serve the public and not their family’s private commercial interests,” he said.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House transportation committee, who requested the investigation, expressed disappointment that the review was not completed and released while Chao was still in office.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Capitol Police Tighten Security as Thursday Threat Looms
The U.S. Capitol Police Department says it is taking seriously intelligence about a possible plot by a militia group to breach the Capitol on Thursday.“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” the Capitol Police said in a statement. “Our department is working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol.”The building where Congress meets has been protected with the help of National Guard troops and surrounded by an extended security perimeter with tall fencing since a Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.That mob breached the Capitol as members of Congress met to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump.Thursday’s date is connected to a far-right conspiracy theory that Trump, who has repeatedly falsely claimed mass voter fraud cost him the election, would return to power on March 4. That date was inauguration day for U.S. presidents until 1933, when it was moved to Jan. 20.Earlier this week, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned local law enforcement officials in a joint intelligence bulletin that a group of militia extremists had discussed encouraging people to travel to Washington and try to take control of the Capitol.The threats prompted the House of Representatives to cancel its Thursday session. The Senate is scheduled to meet.Ahead of possible election-related protests on the Hill tomorrow https://t.co/GHZLdnpWer— Katherine Gypson (@kgyp) March 4, 2021Lawmakers have held several hearings about what was known before the Jan. 6 attack and how local and federal agencies responded.The Justice Department has charged more than 300 people with taking part in the siege that left five people, including a Capitol Police officer, dead.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Republicans Want to Reshape US Election Laws After Record 2020 Turnout
Months after record-high U.S. voter turnout propelled Democrats to victory in the 2020 elections, giving them control of the White House and both houses of Congress, Republicans are attempting to reshape election laws in state legislatures across the nation.In state after state, Republicans seek to limit opportunities for early and absentee balloting that Americans flocked to last year — Democratic voters in particular.In America’s heartland, Iowa is among the first examples of the trend.More than 2 million Iowans were registered to vote in the 2020 general election, a record in a state with a population of just over 3.1 million.Of 1.7 million ballots ultimately cast in Iowa last November, more than 1 million were submitted through the mail as absentee ballots — also a record — as many voters shunned the polls during a pandemic.Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, won Iowa but lost the national election to Democrat Joe Biden.Now Republicans, who control Iowa’s state legislature, have passed a bill limiting early, in-person voting and shortening the time allotted for absentee ballot submissions. Republicans argue that expanded use of both could invite fraudulent balloting even if no evidence of widespread fraud emerged from the 2020 elections.’You make improvements’“The question I get most often is, ‘Why?’” Iowa State Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican, told fellow lawmakers during debate over the legislation in late February. “Why are we doing an election bill? ‘Do you not think that we had a successful 2020 election?’ I do. ‘Do you think that Iowa is rife with election fraud this last election?’ I do not. But the job of the state government committee is to ensure election integrity. You make improvements, and that’s exactly what we are doing here today.”What Republicans promote as preventing potential voter fraud, Democrats see as voter suppression that would disproportionately impact minorities and other Democratic-leaning groups that sometimes struggle to get to the polls on Election Day.“Iowans oppose this legislation and want us to make sure that it is easy to vote and hard to cheat,” State Rep. Eric Gjerde, a Democrat, explained to his colleagues during the legislative session ahead of voting on the measures. “We want to make the freedom to vote as easy as possible for every single Iowa voter. I have many constituents who work multiple jobs and are parents and need the flexibility to vote when they have the time.”Democrats failed to defeat the Republican effort in Iowa, and the bill passed both houses of the state legislature with unified majority Republican backing.Iowa is not alone, and Democrats are sounding the alarm.At a recent hearing in Washington, newly elected Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff said legislation advancing in his state would disproportionately deter voting by minorities.Ossoff said the legislation “would make it harder for Georgians to vote, for example, to end Sunday early voting, which is used heavily by Black and working-class voters.”’No rationale for it’Election observers say Georgia and Iowa are among dozens of states where Republicans seek to rewrite voting laws. They add that the timing, immediately after Democratic electoral victories, is no coincidence.“It’s pretty widespread,” said Michelle Kanter Cohen, senior counsel at the Fair Election Center, who spoke to VOA during a recent Skype interview. “It’s not surprising to me having worked in this area of voting rights for some time to see a backlash against a high turnout election.”The Fair Election Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization addressing voting rights and election registration reform. Kanter Cohen said she has a hard time understanding many of the current changes under consideration in state legislatures.“There’s no rationale for it being given that makes any sense,” she told VOA. “It’s not as if there was, for example, a problem with the polls being open until 9 instead of 8. In fact, voters who work a long day may only be able to vote at that time.”Others say the end result of Republicans’ efforts is hard to predict.“A lot of things that are meant to objectively suppress the vote have instead angered people who then showed up in record numbers,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director at Votebeat, an independent, nonpartisan news organization covering election integrity.Huseman said some of the proposed reforms are practical, not problematic.“There are a lot of states, for example, whose deadlines for requesting absentee ballots were unrealistically close to the election. So, election administrators just didn’t have time to get those ballots out the door and have voters return them,” she told VOA during a recent Skype interview. “But there is certainly no need to change broad swaths of the election system that we have now. You see states that are overcorrecting from perceived but not real problems from the 2020 election in order to satisfy the most extreme part of their base.”Voting reforms in Iowa await the signature of that state’s Republican governor, the first in what Huseman said could be a wave of voting changes in multiple states ahead of the 2022 U.S. midterm elections that could determine how much of Biden’s agenda in the second half of his term in office becomes law.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Senate Democrats Delay Introduction of Biden’s $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Aid Bill
The U.S. Senate delayed the start of debate on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill until at least Thursday after reaching a deal to phase out $1,400 payments to higher-income Americans in a compromise with moderate Democratic senators.The Democratic-controlled Senate is hoping for a final vote later in the week on passage of Biden’s top legislative priority. Before the bill hits the chamber floor, Democrats are negotiating limits to a measure Republicans have attacked as wasteful.The Senate will reconvene at noon (1700 GMT) on Thursday, said Sen. Dick Durbin, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat. The House of Representatives canceled its Thursday session after the Capitol Police warned of a possible attack on the building by a militia group.Senate officials did not respond to questions about whether their security plans would change.Senate Democrats said the coronavirus stimulus proposal, which would block Americans earning $80,000 per year or more and couples earning $160,000 or more from receiving the $1,400 payments, was a good solution.The income cutoff had been higher — $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for couples filing jointly — in the version of the legislation passed by the Democratic-led House.Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat, told reporters: “I’m very pleased with the discussions and dialogues and some changes that have been agreed upon.” But he said he did not know the fate of another change he sought, to scale back enhanced unemployment benefits to $300 a week from $400.The compromise would mean about 9 million fewer households would get direct payments than did so in the last round of stimulus.The 100-seat Senate, where control is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, will at some point consider a motion to begin 20 hours of debate on the sweeping legislation. That vote could be an early indicator of how much Republican opposition the package faces.The bill would pay for vaccines and medical supplies, boost jobless assistance and send a new round of emergency financial aid to households, small businesses and state and local governments. Democrats aim to get it to Biden to sign into law before March 14, when some current benefits expire.”The plan that we are going to vote on this week is going to provide real, robust relief for all of us,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have denounced the bill. On Wednesday, McConnell called it a “vast catalog of liberal spending” and a partisan “smorgasbord of borrowed money” packed with “crazy provisions” unrelated to the pandemic, which has killed more than 517,000 Americans and left millions more jobless.But a new Morning Consult/Politico poll showed strong bipartisan support for the measure, despite the Republican attacks. It said 77% of all voters and 59% of Republicans backed the plan.Republicans threaten delayRepublicans said they would take steps to drag out work on the legislation. Sen. Ron Johnson said he would insist that the entire bill, hundreds of pages long, be read to the Senate at the start of the debate, instead of the usual practice of just reading the title. That alone could take 10 hours, he said.In an interview with Wisconsin’s 1130 WISN News/Talk radio, Johnson also said he intended to keep offering amendments to the bill.Democrats have been seeking to sort out a welter of competing ideas as they seek to advance the bill.A minimum wage increase sought by Biden was ruled out last week. The Senate parliamentarian said it could not be included in the package while the Democrats are using a special procedure that allows them to pass the bill with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation in the chamber.Democrats have shown no interest in dropping another partisan sticking point: $350 billion in aid for state and local governments, which face rising costs and uncertain tax revenues because of the pandemic.Once the Senate votes on the bill, the House would then have to sign off on the changes before Biden can sign it into law.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Blinken Says US Will Not Use Military to Promote Democracy
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration would promote democracy abroad but not through costly military interventions, which he said had failed in the past. Blinken’s comments came Wednesday as he outlined President Joe Biden’s foreign policy objectives, as VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Ending Mask Mandates Reflects ‘Neanderthal Thinking,’ Biden Says
U.S. President Joe Biden, while expressing frustration, has limited power to overrule decisions by state governors who are ending mask mandates and lifting other restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.”I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden told a small group of reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office when asked about Republican governors in Texas and Mississippi casting off restrictions and allowing businesses to reopen at full capacity.As the nation makes progress with vaccinations, “the last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, ‘Everything’s fine. Take off your mask. Forget it,’ ” added the president, a Democrat. “It still matters.”During the previous administration of Republican President Donald Trump, who downplayed the severity of COVID-19 despite eventually becoming infected himself, not wearing a mask became a political statement.Since taking office in January, Biden and top federal health officials repeatedly have emphasized mask wearing and social distancing while the country escalates the number of Americans being vaccinated against the virus.He noted during Wednesday’s brief interaction with reporters that he carries a card with the updated number of people in the country who have died because of the coronavirus.“As of yesterday, we had lost 511,874 Americans. We’re going to lose thousands more,” said Biden. “We’ll not have everybody vaccinated until sometime in the summer.”The president, urging people to frequently wash their hands, wear masks and maintain social distancing, added, “And I know you all know that I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew it.”FILE – In this image from video, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky speaks during a briefing on the Biden administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington.Earlier Wednesday, Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that “now is not the time” to lift COVID-19 restrictions.” Her comment came a day after Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared his state “100% open.”Texas, the second most populous state in the country, ranks 47th out of 50 for COVID-19 vaccinations per capita.At a virtual news briefing for the White House COVID-19 response, Walensky said the next month or two would be pivotal in deciding the trajectory of the pandemic.While infection rates across the country have been leveling off, COVID-19 variants such as the highly transmissible so-called British strain are poised to surge, threatening to destroy what progress has been made, Walensky said.FILE – Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signs legislation at the Governor’s Mansion in Jackson, June 30, 2020.In Mississippi on Tuesday, Governor Tate Reeves followed Texas’ move and lifted his state’s mask mandate and business restrictions.Under the U.S. Constitution and because of Supreme Court decisions, states — not the federal government — have primary authority to control the spread of dangerous diseases within their jurisdictions.“A federalist system means that the central government, the United States government, is a government of limited powers, and the states retain police powers, which historically has included public health,” explained Meryl Chertoff, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University in Washington.The Commerce Clause, which gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, does allow the federal government to order quarantines and impose other health measures to prevent the spread of diseases from foreign countries, as well as between states. But that authority has never been affirmed by the courts, according to the American Bar Association.A year ago, at the start of the pandemic, Trump said he had discussed “a national lockdown” with advisers to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Several days later, he dismissed the idea.“I think it was a political decision to leave these decisions to the governors in order to be able to allocate praise and blame,” Chertoff, the executive director of the Georgetown Project on State and Local Government Policy and Law, told VOA.Some authorities desired a powerful federal response, but an unprecedented executive order would likely have been challenged in the courts on constitutional grounds.FILE – Tenants’ rights advocates march from the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, Jan. 13, 2021, in Boston. The protest called on the then-incoming Biden administration to extend the eviction moratorium initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Courts are currently considering the constitutionality of evictions amid the pandemic, which had been ordered halted by the CDC, a federal agency.“This is relevant to the mask mandates because it suggests that the courts are now starting to consider whether under provisions of the Public Health Services Act of 1944 … the authority of the federal government to act with respect to emergency public health situations is broader than has been previously acknowledged,” said Chertoff.She cautioned that those who want the president and the executive branch to have “a more muscular set of tools” to deal with an unprecedented public health crisis need to consider that once the federal government has such tools, “they will be around not just for the next four years, but for the next 40 years.”
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By Polityk | 03/04/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
