DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Eclipse flights swarm airports: 'We had to close the runway to park planes'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An airplane passes during a partial solar eclipse seen from Queens, New York City, U.S., April 8, 2024. Monday's solar eclipse is giving some of the country's smaller airports their moment in the sun. The Federal Aviation Administration reported arriving flights at airports from Burlington, Vermont, to southern Illinois were briefly halted Monday morning ahead of the total eclipse. The best views of the solar eclipse in the U.S. span from Texas through Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio to northwestern New York and Maine, according to NASA. "We had to close the runway to park planes," Alyssa Connell, head of operations at Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro, Illinois, told CNBC.

Persons: Alyssa Connell, Patrick Leahy, Dave Carman, It's, Carman Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, FAA, Southern Illinois Airport, CNBC, International Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Burlington , Vermont, Illinois, Texas, Illinois , Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Maine, Murphysboro , Illinois, Vermont

WASHINGTON — Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Tuesday became the first female Senate president pro tempore, the second-highest-ranking position in the chamber. The president pro tempore ranks second under the president of the Senate — the vice president — and presides over the floor in the vice president's absence. Since the mid-20th century, the president pro tempore has been the senior member of the majority party out of tradition. "Making history today: Senator Patty Murray is now the Senate President Pro Tempore, the first woman in the history of the U.S. Senate to hold this title!" Murray succeeds Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., 82, as president pro tempore, who retired from Congress at the end of the year after serving in the Senate since 1975.

WASHINGTON — Patrick Leahy was swept into the Senate nearly a half-century ago in the wake of the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon’s resignation and pardon. Ron Frehm / APSen. Leahy take photos on the inaugural stand during Barack Obama's presidential inauguration at the Capitol on Jan. 21, 2013. Let’s stay here and vote where we can be seen.”Sen. Leahy, D-Vt., walks to the Senate Chamber on Jan. 6, 2021. Ira Schwarz / APSupreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor is sworn in by committee chairman Sen. Leahy, D-Vt., during her confirmation hearing in 2009 in Washington. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., in the Senate subway.

☆ West backs Nigeria's war on extremists, and backs off on human rights
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +21 min

“While respect for human rights is unquestionably a high priority, we have many other equities at stake,” McCulley wrote. He said the focus on human rights had sent relations between the two countries into the “lowest ebb” in his three years there. Nigeria’s human rights record wasn’t only a moral issue – it was a legal one. Working under these laws provided “openings to incentivise and institutionalise” human rights protections within the Nigerian military, the State Department said. The pact also noted that London and Abuja had agreed on an “enhanced human rights dialogue” to ensure compliance with international rights standards.

Its failure to pass a funding bill on time, which is becoming a norm, meant that the government had to function on temporary extensions of last year's funding levels, which Democrats and Republicans alike say poses threats to national security. House Republicans oppose the bill, arguing it is too bloated and was crafted in secrecy among top congressional leaders. The 4,155-page bill was passed on Thursday in the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 68-29. The legislation would provide the Defense Department with a record $858 billion, up from $740 billion last year. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way," Zelenskiy, told a joint meeting of Congress.

[1/2] The U.S. Capitol is seen as Congress continues work on passing a $1.66 trillion government funding bill in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueWASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday will vote on a $1.66 trillion government funding bill that provides more money for Ukraine's defense, restricts the Chinese-owned TikTok app and reforms presidential election certification, a top Democrat said. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer said the lower chamber would not take up the legislation until Friday morning as it performed some final legislative actions to pass it. "As soon as we get the document ... we will proceed as quickly as possible," he said on the House floor. House Republicans wanted to delay negotiations on the full-year legislation until early next year, after they take the majority.

☆ Democrats fret as Biden tries to bolster re-election case touting legislative wins
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Peter Nicholas | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carol-Lee-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

WASHINGTON — As 2022 draws to a close, President Joe Biden plans to give an upbeat national address Thursday afternoon with a unifying message. Biden would be traveling the country touting reduced insulin prices and new road projects, while House Republicans hold hearings into obscure conspiracy theories. The first is Biden runs and loses, perhaps to a younger Republican opponent who eclipses Trump as the new GOP favorite. His top aides have been meeting privately with left-leaning interest groups urging them to go out and showcase Biden’s record. “President Biden became the first president since FDR in 1934 to not lose a single incumbent United States Senate seat” in the midterms, Donilon wrote.

☆ Senate passes $1.7 trillion government funding bill, teeing up House vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a $1.7 trillion government funding bill on Thursday, sending the legislation to the House, where it is expected to pass in time to beat a Friday night deadline to avert a partial federal government shutdown. The 4,155-page bill will provide $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary programs, and $858 billion in defense funding, according to summary released earlier this week by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The total includes funds to replenish Pentagon stockpiles of weapons the U.S. sent sent to Ukraine, along with additional aid for NATO allies. The Senate vote came one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington and delivered an historic speech to a special joint meeting of Congress. Dressed in military fatigues and boots, he urged lawmakers to keep funding his country's "war of independence" against invading Russian forces.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress were moving forward with a $1.66 trillion government funding bill, scrambling to pass a measure, which includes record military spending, before temporary funding runs out on Friday. The total funding proposed by the sweeping bill, released early on Tuesday, is up from the approximately $1.5 trillion the previous year. This money would be on top of the record $858 billion in military spending for the year, which is up from last year's $740 billion and also exceeds Biden's request. On the non-defense side of the ledger, the bill's negotiators have set funding at $800 billion, a $68 billion increase over the previous year. This was the second year in a row Congress included funding for hundreds of largely unrelated projects requested by individual lawmakers.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress were moving forward with a $1.66 trillion government funding bill, scrambling to pass the measure, which includes record military spending, before temporary funding runs out at the end of the week. The total funding proposed by the bill is up from the approximately $1.5 trillion appropriated the previous year. Democrats and Republicans alike had aimed to tuck as many legislative wish-list items as possible into the "omnibus" bill funding the government through the end of this fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2023, without derailing the whole package. Negotiators worked through the weekend to put the finishing touches on the bill, which still could be amended by the full House or Senate. Among the most significant add-ons is the bipartisan Electoral Count Act, which overhauls and clarifies Congress' certification process for presidential elections.

☆ Lawmakers Boost Military, Domestic Spending in Omnibus Bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Siobhan Hughes | Lindsay Wise | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy said the bill ‘directly invests in providing relief from the burden of inflation on the American people.’WASHINGTON—Lawmakers early Tuesday unveiled a wide-ranging spending bill for fiscal 2023 with sharp increases in military and domestic funding, kicking off a sprint to pass the bill before Christmas in the last act of the Democratic-controlled Congress. The bill, the product of months of behind-the-scenes haggling, also carries an additional $44.9 billion in aid to help Ukraine and North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, $40.6 billion for disasters such as drought and hurricanes, as well as funds earmarked for projects in lawmakers’ home districts. It includes changes to the 1887 Electoral Count Act that would make it harder to block the certification of a presidential election, widens a ban on TikTok on government devices, and extends a Dec. 27 deadline for Boeing Co. to secure federal safety approvals for two new versions of the 737 MAX airplane.

It could be the last major bill that passes this year before Republicans seize control of the House on Jan. 3. He has pressured GOP lawmakers to vote against it, forcing Democrats to supply most of the votes to pass it in the House. Capitol Hill leaders decided to attach the election bill and Ukraine aid to ease the process of passage, on the belief that the combined package has the votes to pass. For Republicans, one incentive to pass the bill now is that it funds the military at a higher level than the nondefense budget. “This is a strong outcome for Republicans,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said, arguing that the GOP persuaded Democrats to back down on their long-standing demand for “parity” between the two pots of money.

☆ Lawmakers Boost Military, Domestic Spending in $1.65 Trillion Omnibus Bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Siobhan Hughes | Lindsay Wise | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy said the bill ‘directly invests in providing relief from the burden of inflation on the American people.’WASHINGTON—Lawmakers early Tuesday unveiled a wide-ranging, $1.65 trillion spending bill for fiscal 2023 with sharp increases in military and domestic funding, kicking off a sprint to pass the bill before Christmas in the last act of the Democratic-controlled Congress. The bill, the product of months of behind-the-scenes haggling, also carries an additional $44.9 billion in aid to help Ukraine and North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, $40.6 billion for disasters such as drought and hurricanes, as well as funds earmarked for projects in lawmakers’ home districts. It includes changes to the 1887 Electoral Count Act that would make it harder to block the certification of a presidential election, widens a ban on TikTok on government devices, and extends a Dec. 27 deadline for Boeing Co. to secure federal safety approvals for two new versions of the 737 MAX airplane.

☆ U.S. wrongly revoked Oppenheimer security clearance: Biden admin
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration on Friday reversed a 1954 decision by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to revoke the security clearance of Robert Oppenheimer, known as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his work on the Manhattan Project. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a written order that the since-dissolved AEC acted out of political motives when it revoked Oppenheimer’s security clearance nearly 70 years ago. He oversaw the first atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert, code-named “Trinity,” before the weapons were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following the war, Oppenheimer opposed nuclear proliferation and development of the hydrogen bomb, stances that Granholm suggested in her order led the AEC to revoke his security clearance. of Energy Granholm for vacating the AEC’s flawed 1954 decision to revoke Robt Oppenheimer’s security clearance,” Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said on Twitter.

☆ Biden admin says U.S. wrongly revoked Oppenheimer's security clearance in 1954
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Friday reversed a 1954 decision by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to revoke the security clearance of Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb" for his work on the Manhattan Project. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a written order that the since-dissolved AEC acted out of political motives when it revoked Oppenheimer's security clearance nearly 70 years ago. He oversaw the first atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert, code-named "Trinity", before the weapons were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following the war, Oppenheimer opposed nuclear proliferation and development of the hydrogen bomb, stances that Granholm suggested in her order led the AEC to revoke his security clearance. of Energy Granholm for vacating the AEC’s flawed 1954 decision to revoke Robt Oppenheimer’s security clearance," Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said on Twitter.

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to pass a one-week stopgap bill to temporarily avert a government shutdown as congressional leaders finish work on a full-year government funding package. Just nine House Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus to vote for the measure, an indication of the narrow margins House Democrats will face in trying to pass the full-year funding bill. On Tuesday, Capitol Hill leaders reached agreement on a bipartisan framework for a massive government funding bill to address modern needs and prevent federal agencies from functioning on autopilot, as they have for months awaiting congressional action. To become law, the bill requires a simple majority in the House and at least 10 Republicans to break a filibuster in the Democratic-led Senate. His leadership team was also encouraging GOP members to vote the stopgap bill down this week.

☆ Congressional negotiators reach bipartisan agreement on framework for funding deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Congressional leaders reached a bipartisan deal Tuesday on the framework for a massive government funding package they hope to pass before the holidays. "The pain of inflation is real, and it is being felt across the federal government and by American families right now. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is the vice chair of the Senate Appropriation Committee. “If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by December 23rd," Shelby said. Funding is set to expire Friday, but senators had been eyeing a one-week stopgap bill to push the deadline back to Dec. 23 to give negotiators more time to pursue a full-year funding agreement.

"If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by Dec. 23," Shelby said in a statement. The full-year "omnibus" bill is also expected to contain new emergency funds to aid Ukraine in its battle against Russian forces. It also is expected to fold in an unrelated bill reforming the way Congress certifies U.S. presidential elections. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had said his Republicans want work on the omnibus bill wrapped up by Dec. 22. Any negotiations on the funding bill would get more complicated next year, when Republicans take majority control of the House.

☆ There is a spending outline in Congress. Now what?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Tuesday night’s announcement that Senate and House negotiators secured an agreement on the omnibus spending bill framework is a big deal. A framework is not legislation and taking an outline and appropriating millions of dollars to every single department across the US government is always a big undertaking. Who was missing from negotiationsIt is notable that the statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy on Tuesday night didn’t offer many details as to what the spending outline looked like. The statement also didn’t include any reference to House Republicans – because they were largely absent from these talks. Democrats wanted to act now while they had control of the House, Senate and White House and they had maximum power over negotiations.

☆ House to vote on stopgap bill to avert shutdown at end of the week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Clare Foran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The House is expected to vote late on Wednesday to pass a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown at the end of this week with funding currently set to expire on Friday at midnight. The stopgap measure will extend funding for another week – until Friday, December 23 – to give congressional negotiators time to finalize a broader, full-year government funding deal with new topline spending levels. After the House approves the stopgap bill, the Senate will next need to take it up before it can go to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. On Wednesday, Shelby said the top line is about $1.7 trillion, but would not elaborate. Shelby said the exact allocations to the different government agencies are still being negotiated.

CNN —Top congressional negotiators announced Tuesday evening that an agreement had been reached for a framework that should allow lawmakers to complete a sweeping full-year government funding package. The comments from McCarthy may even add more urgency to the effort to reach a deal before the new Congress convenes. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin warned about the prospects of the government funding fight moving into next year. If a broader bipartisan deal does come together, it would be poised to pass both chambers. The lawmakers are hoping to include the provision in the government spending bill that Congress is scrambling to craft.

The NDAA is expected to get a vote in the Senate this week and be approved with bipartisan support. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has told reporters the two sides are roughly $26 billion apart. Or it could extend the shutdown deadline into the next Congress, which will convene on January 3, and when Republicans take control of the House. That change in majority in the House would dramatically alter the dynamic for negotiations and likely make it far harder to reach a broader funding deal. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, outlined the argument for his party in his own floor remarks on Thursday.

☆ U.S. Congress creeps toward deadline to pass $1.5 trillion funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A man walks past the U.S. Capitol building as a government shutdown looms in Washington, U.S., September 30, 2021. Over the weekend, behind-the-scenes efforts made progress toward a deal on an "omnibus" spending bill. That prompted Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy to pull back from a plan to introduce a Democratic-written funding bill this week. "Chairman Leahy feels that sufficient progress in negotiations took place over the weekend to delay the introduction of the omnibus appropriations bill for the time being. But it was promptly attacked by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

WASHINGTON—A top Senate Democrat said that his party planned to introduce an omnibus spending bill on Monday, aiming to pressure Republicans to accept a deal or risk an alternative that would freeze government spending at current levels for the full year and cut off the ability to reallocate money in military and other programs. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.) said that the measure would provide defense funding at the level Congress is authorizing in its separate defense policy bill—some $858 billion, or roughly a 10% increase—while also paying for what he called a needed increase to nondefense programs.

☆ Democrats in U.S. Congress aim to pressure Republicans with go-it-alone funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Congress has until Dec. 16 to either pass an "omnibus" bill funding the government through Sept. 30, 2023, or a shorter "continuing resolution" to avoid a partial government shutdown. Some conservative Republicans have urged a short-term bill, to delay talks on a full-year bill into January when they will have a stronger negotiating position. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell drew a hard line in opposition. For the last several years, Congress has appropriated government funding that was roughly evenly split between defense and non-defense programs. If the Democrats' effort fail in the Senate next week, Congress might have to resort to a stop-gap funding bill that simply extends current funding levels.

Search resuls for: "Patrick Leahy"

25 mentions found