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☆ US House panel seeks ban on federal purchases of Chinese drones - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken, January 30, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsNov 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives' China committee will introduce a bill to ban the U.S. government from buying Chinese drones, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Mike Gallagher, the Republican head of the committee, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking Democrat, will introduce the "American Security Drone Act" on Wednesday, the FT report added. The bill was cosigned by Virginia Republican Rob Wittman and Connecticut Democrat Joe Courtney, the FT said, adding that the bill would also bar local and state governments from purchasing Chinese drones with federal grants. The U.S. House of Representatives' China committee did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Gallagher, Virginia Republican Rob Wittman, Joe Courtney, Devika Nair, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . House, Representatives, Financial Times, Republican, FT, China, Virginia Republican, Connecticut, Thomson Locations: China, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Australian PM tells US House speaker he hopes AUKUS legislation passes this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met the new speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and said he hoped the U.S. Congress would pass legislation related to the AUKUS submarine project this year. "We, of course, have important legislation required for AUKUS," Albanese told Johnson at the start of their meeting. "We are certainly hoping that the Congress can pass that legislation this year." Budget wrangling and the lack of a speaker for several weeks until Johnson's appointment interrupted the U.S. legislative process in Congress, and Australian officials have expressed concern about delays in approving legislation needed to move the AUKUS project forward. Officials and experts and say this is important for the success of AUKUS given the need to share U.S. technology both in the submarine project and a second AUKUS pillar involving three-way cooperation on high-tech weaponry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese, Rishi Sunak, Leah Millis, Albanese, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Biden, Mara Karlin, Biden's, Joe Courtney, Courtney, David Brunnstrom, Rod Nickel Organizations: Australian, British, U.S, Naval Base Point, San Diego , California U.S, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . House, Capitol, Republicans, Pentagon, Democratic, Australia Caucus, National Defense, Republican, U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: Australia, United Kingdom, Naval Base Point Loma, San Diego , California, Washington, U.S, United States, Britain, Australia Virginia

☆ Student-loan borrowers eligible for debt cancellation might be 'forced back into repayment' anyway because of their servicer's poor customer service, 6 Democratic senators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Six Democratic lawmakers requested the Education Department look into student-loan company MOHELA. They said they're concerned with paperwork delays that could force borrowers who qualify for PSLF relief back into repayment. Federal student-loan payments are resuming on October 1. "With the restart of repayments, these issues are likely to worsen for borrowers," the lawmakers said in the letter. "Borrowers who are eligible to have their debt cancelled under the PSLF program should not be forced back into repayment due solely to MOHELA's processing delays, which cause difficult financial situations for so many borrowers.

Persons: MOHELA, New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Secretary Miguel Cardona, they've, Angus King, Alex Padilla, Ed Markey, Cory Booker, Cardona, Katie Porter, Joe Courtney, Scott Giles, that's, Scott Buchanan, servicers — Organizations: Democratic, Education Department, Federal, Service, Secretary, Public, MOHELA, Department, Student Loan, — Locations: Wall, Silicon, New Jersey, PSLF, Sens

☆ A student-loan company's 'history of mismanagement' is putting millions of borrowers in public service at risk with payments about to resume, 2 Democratic lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Reps. Katie Porter and Joe Courtney sent a letter to student-loan company MOHELA on Tuesday. They asked how the company is using its resources to manage the Public Service Loan Forgiveness portfolio. Borrowers have reported difficulty getting help from MOHELA during the payment pause. On Tuesday, Reps. Katie Porter and Joe Courtney sent a letter to Scott Giles, the CEO of student-loan company MOHELA, which manages the Public Service Loan Forgiveness portfolio. Nelnet, another student-loan company, announced in March that it was cutting its call center hours and laying off 550 employees likely due to budget constraints.

Persons: Katie Porter, Joe Courtney, MOHELA, haven't, Scott Giles, Joe Biden's, Porter, Courtney, Giles, Nelnet, — Organizations: Public, Service, Democratic, MOHELA, Joe Biden's Education Department, Department, —, Education Department Locations: MOHELA, Wall, Silicon, PSLF

☆ Student-loan borrowers' interest rates would be 'immediately eliminated' if Democratic lawmakers' new bill is passed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A pair of Democrats introduced a bill to eliminate interest on existing federal student loan balances. "Thanks to this fix, 43 million Americans with existing federally held student loans would see their interest rates immediately eliminated," the press release said. The federal government should not exacerbate the problem by making money off borrowers' federal student loans," Courtney said in a statement. This legislation comes as interest on student-loan payments is beginning to accrue again in September, with borrowers resuming payments one month later. People should not be incurring interest during this 12-month on-ramp period, so I highly urge the administration to consider suspending those interest payments."

Persons: Joe Courtney, Vermont Sen, Peter Welch, Courtney, SCOTUS, Biden's, Pell, Virginia Foxx, Joe Biden's, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez Organizations: Service, Democratic, Connecticut, Republican, Federal Assistance, FAIR, New York Rep Locations: Wall, Silicon, Vermont, Alexandria

☆ Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney faces off against Republican state Rep. Mike France in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Joe Courtney is running against Republican state Rep. Mike France in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District. The 2nd District takes up almost the entire eastern part of the state and covers more than 60 cities and towns. Longtime Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney faces off against Republican state Rep. Mike France in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District. Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District candidatesCourtney, first elected in 2006 in what was one of the tightest congressional races of that year, chairs the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces. Voting history for Connecticut's 2nd Congressional DistrictConnecticut's 2nd Congressional District takes up almost the entire eastern part of the state and covers more than 60 cities and towns, including Griswold, Killingly, Plainfield, and Norwich.

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