During the pandemic, Democrats changed the child tax credit and cut childhood poverty in half. Now there's new hope for making those changes permanent, but there are skeptics.
Most American families must work and earn paychecks to support themselves, but many of the wealthiest Americans are able to live off unrealized gains thanks to a tax loophole that Republicans refuse to fix.
The president’s actions will not release any federal prisoners, but will lift barriers to housing, employment, and educational opportunities for those convicted of the offenses.
While the pay bump will affect the 94,540 active duty service members in North Carolina, this year’s National Defense Authorization Act is just the latest example of the increasingly partisan landscape of modern American politics.
If a shutdown occurs, travelers could face delays at airports, millions of workers would go without paychecks, and public safety, disaster preparedness and response, and food and safety inspections could also be affected.
It usually takes 218 votes—a simple majority of the 435 members of the House—to become House Speaker, but due to two vacancies, only 217 votes are currently needed. For more than two weeks though, Republicans have failed to agree on a new leader, leaving the federal government paralyzed.
“[These] charges are taking real money out of the pockets of American families. These junk fees can add up to hundreds of dollars, weighing down family budgets, making it harder to pay family bills,” President Biden said on Wednesday.
The PACT Act removed the need for certain veterans to prove a service connection if they are diagnosed with certain cancers or respiratory conditions and sped up the process of receiving benefits.
The White House wants to end corporate practices that it says wastes consumers’ time and money, such as forcing customers to wait on hold for refunds, placing unnecessary barriers on canceling subscriptions, and making it difficult to access or submit health insurance claims.
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance proposed more than doubling the federal child tax credit to $5,000 over the weekend, but recently missed the chance to vote for an expanded credit—an effort his fellow Senate Republicans blocked.
“Governors like him know what it takes to get the job done, and he will be an outstanding vice president, doubling down on his work to support middle class families, protect reproductive freedom, and safeguard our democracy,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Cooper did not quite have the same national name recognition as others on the list, like Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania or Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, but he would have made a lot of sense.
Harris and President Biden are calling on Congress to establish term limits and a more binding, enforceable code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. “These popular reforms will help to restore confidence in the Court, strengthen our democracy, and ensure no one is above the law,” Harris said.