DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ US House panel looks to revive stalled self-driving legislation -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives panel will hold a July 26 hearing as lawmakers look to jump start long-stalled efforts to pass legislation to speed adoption of self-driving cars. The Energy Commerce subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce confirmed to Reuters it was holding a hearing titled “Self-Driving Vehicle Legislative Framework: Enhancing Safety, Improving Lives and Mobility, and Beating China." The panel will consider separate draft legislation from Representative Bob Latta, a Republican and Representative Debbie Dingell, a Democrat. In order to ensure Americans can reap the benefits of self-driving vehicles, we must enact a comprehensive national law that establishes a pathway to safe deployment". Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would soon decide on a petition filed by General Motors' (GM.N) Cruise self-driving technology unit seeking permission to deploy up to 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually without human controls.

Persons: Bob Latta, Debbie Dingell, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Gus Bilirakis, John Bozzella, Gary Shapiro, Mark Riccobono, Pete Buttigieg, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Alex Richardson Organizations: U.S . House, Energy, Innovation, Commerce, Reuters, Mobility, Republican, House Energy, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, Consumer Technology, National Federation of, Blind, Traffic Safety Administration, General Motors, Thomson Locations: America, China

Star fund manager Zhang Kun, who manages nearly 90 billion yuan for Guangzhou-based E Fund Management, has seen his flagship 56 billion yuan Blue Chip Selected Mixed Fund lose 8% so far this year. The fund soared 95% in 2020 which attracted significant subscriptions and helped Zhang become China's first so-called "100 billion fund manager". Another high profile fund manager, Ge Lan at Lombarda China Fund Management, saw her flagship 28 billion yuan healthcare fund retreat 7% in 2021 and 23% in 2022, after a nearly 100% gain in 2020. "Not just mutual funds, the overall fund issuance is difficult, as this is closely connected with the economic situation," Steve Chen, partner of Shanghai-based hedge fund manager MX Capital. To boost market sentiment, some mutual funds announced fee cuts or started to purchase their own fund shares recently.

Persons: Thomas Peter HONG, Jiao Jinyuan, Zhang Kun, Zhang, Ge Lan, Emily Gao, Steve Chen, Debbie Dai, Dai, China Asset’s Jiao, Summer Zhen, Sumeet Chatterjee, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Z, Ben Advisors, CSI, China Asset Management, Star, E Fund Management, China Fund Management, MX Capital, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Thomas Peter HONG KONG, Guangzhou, Shanghai

☆ Sen. Bernie Sanders renews push for Medicare for All to end 'totally broken' health-care system
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

This week, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is renewing his push for a new approach — Medicare for All — that he touted as a presidential candidate. "The current health-care system in the United States is totally broken," Sanders said Tuesday at a Capitol Hill event. Medicare for All would create a single-payer program, which would allow one source to collect all health-care fees and pay all health-care costs. "It is long overdue for us to end the international embarrassment of the United States being the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care to all of its people," Sanders said. "Now is the time for a Medicare for All single-payer program."

☆ Time for daily talks between Biden, Republicans on debt, moderate Democrat says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prominent moderate U.S. House of Representatives Democrat said Friday that it is time for President Joe Biden to begin daily talks with Republicans on government spending and debt, to avoid a calamitous default. REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzRepresentative Josh Gottheimer rejected Republican demands to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling only in exchange for deep spending cuts. “It’s critically important that all the parties sit down at the White House with the president and start having these conversations. That’s not negotiable,” Biden said on Wednesday, the day House Republicans narrowly passed their own legislation this week to lift the debt ceiling in exchange for sharp spending cuts. Gottheimer said it doesn’t matter whether the debt ceiling is considered together with spending and deficits or looked at separately.

☆ Here's an exclusive look at the 20-slide pitch deck generative AI startup Regie.ai used to raise $6 million from OpenAI-backer Khosla Ventures
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Regie.ai is a generative AI startup that automates content creation and management for sales teams. Check out the 20-slide deck that landed Regie $6 million in Series A funding from Khosla Ventures. Together, the two founded Regie.ai, a generative AI startup that automates content creation and management for sales teams. Regie signed its term sheet with Khosla Ventures in October 2022, as excitement around generative AI started to pick up, Sridhar said. Here's an exclusive look at the 20-slide pitch deck Regie.ai used to raise $6 million in Series A funding from Open-AI backer Khosla Ventures:

Biden has said he intends to run for re-election but has not confirmed plans to do so. The hundreds of party faithful who gathered for the president's address shouted "four more years," as Biden took the stage. 'DON'T RUN JOE'At the DNC meeting, members are expected this weekend to overwhelmingly approve a reshaped 2024 primary calendar selected by Biden. The expected approval shows Biden's grip on the party and would make it even harder for a rival Democrat to mount a campaign to unseat Biden. Trump has already launched his 2024 campaign but is expected to face a primary challenge, including from his former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley.

☆ Democrats make South Carolina first presidential primary voting state
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

South Carolina will now kick things off for Democrats, with Michigan — and potentially Georgia — joining the early states in the biggest shakeup of the presidential primary in years, while Nevada will go second. "The Democratic Party looks like America," Harrison added, "And so does this proposal." Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said the removal of Iowa will expose the party to charges that they have "turned their back on Iowa and rural America." New Hampshire Democrats have asked for more time to try to come up with a solution, but most Democrats say the writing on the wall and expect there will be no solution to the impasse. "Y'all, for far too long, our party's nominating calendar has not reflected this country looks like," said Georgia Rep. Nikema Williams, who is also the chairwoman of the state Democratic Party.

PHILADELPHIA/WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Establishment Democrats gathered this weekend in Philadelphia have one message for U.S. President Joe Biden as he weighs running for a second term: Run, Joe, run. Biden has said he intends to run for re-election but has not confirmed plans to do so. At the DNC meeting, members are expected this weekend to overwhelmingly approve a reshaped 2024 primary calendar selected by Biden. "Joe Biden has repeatedly said he plans to seek renomination," RootsAction political director Sam Rosenthal said. Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan, a competitive state Biden won in 2020, said that while there were "no divisive issues" in the party, Democrats needed to do a better job of talking to voters.

☆ C-SPAN gave us ‘America’s Hottest TV Drama’ as McCarthy struggled to become House speaker. Lawmakers aren’t so sure that’s a good thing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But she's also wary of the cost that could come with giving C-SPAN cameras free reign to film lawmakers on the House floor, particularly given the lightning-rod role she's come to occupy within American politics. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz talks to Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in the House Chamber on January 5, 2023. Rep. Nancy Pelosi reading a New Yorker article about Kevin McCarthy on the House floor on January 4, 2023. "The original argument was, if you insert cameras, the behavior of the members changed," said Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California. But Lofgren said she was supportive of permanently allowing C-SPAN cameras into the chamber, arguing in essence that the cat's already out of the bag.

☆ MTG confronted Boebert in the bathroom, accusing her of taking millions from McCarthy but refusing to vote for him: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Greene accused Boebert of taking money from Kevin McCarthy but not voting for him, sources said. The argument reportedly took place on the day of the first ballot to select the House speaker. One source said that Greene confronted Boebert as she was coming out of a bathroom stall. Greene accused Boebert of taking money from McCarthy for her re-election bid but then not backing him in the House speaker race, the source said, per The Beast. The bathroom disagreement ended with Boebert running out of the bathroom "like a little schoolgirl," the first source told The Beast, adding that Boebert told Greene before leaving the bathroom: "Don't be ugly."

The Democrats’ 2024 Senate map was already going to be tough, and it got a little bit harder now that Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced Thursday she would not run for re-election. Michigan is one of the five states President Biden won in 2020 by less than 4 percentage points where the Democrats currently have a seat up for re-election next year. And there are three more Democratic seats up in 2024 in states that Trump won. In other 2024 news:Gallego makes more moves: Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is making high-profile hires as he considers a Senate bid, Politico reports. Chris Sununu told Fox News “a lot of folks” want him to run for president and took a swipe at Florida Republican Gov.

☆ A PE firm that's built its brand on high-profile sports deals is broadening its scope
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But one firm that's already well established in the space is looking to quietly diversify itself beyond the pitch. With seemingly everyone interested in sports these days, Cardinale is smart to want to hedge his firm. The crypto exchange also agreed to pay $50 million to improve how it vets customers and transactions. Mala Gaonkar's hedge fund just made its long-awaited debut. SurgoCap Partners entered the fray this week with $1.8 billion in capital, making it the biggest launch of a women-led hedge fund, Bloomberg reports.

☆ Rep. Ted Lieu reflects on becoming the highest-ranking Asian American ever in House Democratic leadership
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., who recently became the first Asian American to be elected vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, took a moment to reflect with NBC News on how he got there. “It’s actually more of a recognition by my colleagues of the growing importance of the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,” he said. In two decades the Asian American electorate surged 139%, according to Pew Research. The congressman added that beyond Asian Americans, his win also showcases the power of a broad collective. “If you look at what the House Democratic Caucus did, it was, I feel, remarkable.

Shortly before Pelosi’s announcement Thursday that she was stepping down, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff signaled he would not run for House leadership and would focus his efforts on a future Senate bid instead. 2 leadership post, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal of Washington decided to run for another term leading her caucus of roughly 100 House liberals. Aguilar originally had his eyes set on the assistant leader position, but Clyburn’s move forced him to run for caucus chair. 4 and Democratic Caucus chair will move up to No. That left Rep. Joe Neguse, 38, who had been campaigning behind the scenes for months for caucus chair, as the odd man out.

"For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Caucus that I so deeply respect," Pelosi, 82, said in her floor speech. “Pelosi and Hoyer showed a lot of grace in stepping aside,” one younger Democratic lawmaker told NBC News. Meg Kinnard / AP fileAguilar said Friday he is now running for Democratic Caucus chairman. Under that scenario, Aguilar's caucus chair role would move up to No. But with Clyburn going for the assistant job and Aguilar entering the race for caucus chair, Neguse could find himself the odd man out.

☆ Democrats’ next big fight: Which state goes first in the 2024 presidential primary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Seitz-Wald-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alex Seitz-Wald | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

With Iowa facing possible eviction from the early states, many expect Democrats to elevate a Midwest state. The DNC’s rules and bylaws committee is scheduled to meet in early December in Washington to discuss the presidential primary schedule. The old system began with caucuses in Iowa, went to the New Hampshire primary, then Nevada and finally South Carolina. This week, Nevada Democrats attempted to leverage their party’s midterm performance into an early state slot — including Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory that decided the Senate majority. A Democrat working on Nevada’s push said the DNC has laid out criteria for early state consideration and voter access is a top concern.

☆ What comes next if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decides to step down as top Democrat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to give a speech on her political future around 12pm ET. With House Republicans set to take control of the chamber in January, Democrat will be in the minority, and the party's top official will be the House Minority Leader. "We're focused right now on welcoming our new members," said Jeffries at a press conference on Tuesday, declining to elaborate further on the future of Democratic House leadership. Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado, elected to the House in 2018, has announced his intention to serve as caucus chair. And several candidates are vying for vice caucus chair, including Reps. Ted Lieu of California, Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Joyce Beatty of Ohio, and Madeline Dean of Pennsylvania.

☆ What comes next now that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has decided to step down as top Democrat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is likely to become the next top Democrat. That decision tees up a race to succeed Pelosi and fill out the rest of the Democratic leadership team. With House Republicans set to take control of the chamber in January, Democrat will be in the minority, and the party's top official will be the House Minority Leader. Jeffries, currently the party's caucus chair, is widely known to be pursuing the post, but has publicly remained quiet about his plans. "We're focused right now on welcoming our new members," said Jeffries at a press conference on Tuesday, declining to elaborate further on the future of Democratic House leadership.

Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she will not be seeking re-election as House Democratic leader. Dozens of politicians, Republican and Democratic alike, expressed their gratitude for Pelosi's leadership. President Joe Biden greets Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, before Biden addressed the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference in Philadelphia earlier this year. "Nancy Pelosi's historic ascension to become the first woman Speaker of the House will forever inspire our nation on the power of possibility," he said. "Look I've been on both sides of Nancy Pelosi, it's much more pleasant when you're on the good side of her.

☆ Meet a couple who bought 19 properties in 4 years, retired at 40 and built a net worth of $1.5 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Debbie and Chris Emick. These days, between a mix of investments, savings and real estate holdings, Debbie and Chris, now 43, boast a net worth of about $1.5 million. Debbie and Chris Emick. The Emick family. Chris Emick

WASHINGTON — Americans were still waiting Friday to learn which party will control the House and Senate next year. Three days after final ballots were cast in the 2022 midterm elections, more than two dozen House races have not yet been called, with a number of them in California and other areas in the western half of the country. Republicans have a better chance of winning a majority in the House, though the Democrats still have a chance to retain control. As of Friday morning, Republicans have won 211 seats, Democrats have won 197 and 27 races remain uncalled. The Senate also hangs in the balance, as results in key races in Arizona and Nevada have not been decided.

☆ The GOP has Paul Pelosi’s blood on its hands
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Arick Wierson | Arick Wierson Is A Six-Time Emmy Award-Winning Television Producer | A Former Senior Aide To Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He Advises Political | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The whole thing highlights how while the suspect, David DePape, may have invaded the Pelosi home, the GOP also bears its share of responsibility for it. It would be a mistake not to see how DePape was radicalized (at least in part) by a right-wing media that does the bidding of a Republican Party. Although some Republicans, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, did the right thing and publicly condemned the attack on Paul Pelosi, others on the right jumped at the chance to get some digs in. Following the attack on Paul Pelosi, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), said it best: “Somebody is going to die.” That’s very well what could have happened last week at the Pelosi residence. I came here to have a little chat with his wife,” DePape said he told Paul Pelosi, according to the memo.

☆ Self-driving cars face uncertain path to U.S. deployment
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Legislation in Congress has been stalled for more than five years over how to amend regulations to encompass self-driving cars, including the scope of consumer and legal protections. And U.S. regulators have given no indication when they might act on petitions to initially approve a few thousand self-driving cars on U.S. roads without steering wheels or brake pedals. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said this month he has "very high hopes for the theoretical possibility that self-driving cars and high-tech cars will save thousands and thousands of lives because human beings have a basically murderous track record as drivers of cars. Some in the industry and in Washington also see developing self-driving vehicle technology as a competitive issue. Last year the agency directed all automakers and tech companies to promptly report crashes involving self-driving vehicles.

House Democrats have unified as they fight to retain their fragile majority in next month’s midterms. But given Biden’s unpopularity and the GOP lead on the generic congressional ballot (which asks only which party people would support), the more likely scenario is a bad election night for House Democrats. If Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn head for the exits, the leadership matchups become pretty clear. Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on Sept. 20. The Massachusetts Democrat has significant support from fellow female members and has stayed close to the Black, Hispanic and Asian caucuses — big voting blocs in the diverse 220-member Democratic Caucus.

☆ Rep. Debbie Dingell suspects Trump posed as a Washington Post reporter in a 2019 call with her: book
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Debbie Dingell suspects Trump may have posed as a reporter to call her, per a forthcoming book. In "Confidence Man," NYT reporter Maggie Haberman detailed how Dingell thought the caller sounded like Trump. In late 2019, Trump suggested that Dingell's late husband, the veteran Rep. John Dingell of Michigan who died in 2019 at age 92, was in hell. Thank you so much sir," Trump said of Debbie Dingell's supposed reaction, before slipping in the dig, "Maybe he's looking up, I don't know." That same day, Debbie Dingell voted to move forward with Trump's first impeachment trial.

Search resuls for: "Debbie D"

25 mentions found