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☆ US Senate Republicans go after Biden's labor nominee for stance on Uber, Lyft, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Julie Su speaks at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on her nomination to be Labor Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. She needs at least 50 votes in a Senate where Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority. Industry groups that represent companies employing gig labor have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose her nomination. Cassidy also accused her of eliminating independent contracting during her tenure as Biden's deputy secretary of labor. It is not a given that all Senate Democrats will support Su.

☆ Biden considering launching re-election bid on Tuesday, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A Tuesday announcement by Biden, 80, would come four years to the day after his 2020 campaign launch. Biden is the oldest person to have occupied the White House and would be 86 at the end of a second four-year term. The White House and the Democratic National Committee declined to comment. Biden is expected to meet next week with top volunteer fundraisers from his last campaign. Biden is expected to remind voters of these actions, while lauding his handling of the pandemic economic recovery, especially the strength of the U.S. labor market.

☆ Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin Fail to Attract Small Donors for Potential Re-Election Campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Julie Bykowicz | Anthony Debarros | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin have mutual donors with ties to the group No Labels, which supports centrist politicians. Photo: Ash Ponders for The Wall Street Journal; Reginald Mathalone/NurPhoto/ZUMA PressWASHINGTON—Small donors have largely abandoned Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin as they have strayed from the Democratic Party, although they are attracting larger donors with ties to a centrist organization, new fundraising reports show. Ms. Sinema of Arizona and Mr. Manchin of West Virginia each raised less than 1% of their campaign money between Jan. 1 and March 31 from donors who gave $200 or less. Those are among the lowest percentages in the Senate—and well below their previous grassroots fundraising levels, Federal Election Commission filings show.

☆ Telling Dianne Feinstein to resign is sexist and 'unprecedented,' women Democratic senators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But Democratic women in the Senate say gender is playing a role in how her absence is being handled. But women Democratic senators told Insider at the Capitol on Wednesday that they believe sexism is at play and that the chamber's longest-serving Democrat is being held to an unfair standard because she is a woman. More recently, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was recently absent from the chamber for six weeks as he sought treatment for clinical depression. "I think it's important for Senator Feinstein to do what is what is best for her," said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. "I just believe that it's not somebody else's assessment to make; it's her assessment to make," said Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

☆ SEC's Gensler in congressional hot seat today over climate change and crypto
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission this morning. That's because SEC Chair Gary Gensler has aroused the ire of many in corporate America over his 50+ list of new regulatory proposals the SEC is scheduled to vote on this year. "Chair Gensler has identified a range of 50-55 regulatory priorities since the start of his tenure, and has already proposed twice as many rules as his predecessor in just half the time." "The vast majority of crypto tokens are securities," Gensler declared in his written testimony to the House Financial Services Committee. "SEC Chair Gensler is long overdue to testify before the House Financial Services Committee," Rep. French Hill (R.-Ark), Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said in a statement released to CNBC.

☆ Joe Manchin’s Faux Betrayal and an Endless Green Bill of Goods
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Who knows if West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin truly believed the Inflation Reduction Act would reduce the deficit. Either way, he bought a green bill of goods. Several recent independent studies show that the law’s climate spending will cost trillions of dollars—many multiples more than Democrats claimed—and most of it will go to the affluent. A Goldman Sachs report last month estimated the law’s climate spending would cost $1.2 trillion over the next decade—three times as much as the Congressional Budget Office estimated last summer. One reason is the law’s sundry green-energy tax credits are uncapped, and most are available to businesses that pay little or no tax.

☆ From GE to Siemens, the wind energy industry hopes billions in losses are about to end
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The wind farm includes 132 2-megawatt Gamesa G80 wind turbines along 12 miles of the Allegheny Front. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIt's been a tough couple of years for the U.S. wind energy industry. Although 2023 is expected to remain sluggish, GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Energy and Vestas Wind Systems, the leading makers of wind turbines — outside of China, which has built the world's largest wind energy infrastructure — and their suppliers are banking on growth over the next decade, particularly in the nascent offshore wind niche. "The wind energy market is stuck in this very strange paradox right now," said Aaron Barr, an industry analyst at Wood Mackenzie. Comparatively, the U.S. offshore wind industry is just ramping up after years of delays in permitting, environmental approvals and power purchasing agreements with utilities that buy wind energy.

☆ Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego recently outraised Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in what could be the most unpredictable Senate race of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego outraised Independent Kyrsten Sinema in the first quarter of 2023. Gallego's campaign reported raising $3.74 million, while Sinema raised $2.1 million, per the FEC. The Grand Canyon State could potentially boast the most competitive Senate race in the US next year. The outcome of a competitive three-way Arizona race could very well determine control of the Senate. And the race would also be held with the concurrent presidential election, which could feature a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

☆ Private school vouchers are shaping up to be huge part of the 2024 election as GOP candidates work to 'one up' each other on the issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The GOP movement toward "school choice" is gaining momentum in many states. GOP presidential candidates have promised to send more public money to private schools. While battles over how classrooms should teach about race and LGBTQ topics have fired up the GOP base, the expansion of school vouchers is taking hold in red states. Spar said vouchers amounted to "using taxpayer money to go to private schools and home schools with practically no accountability." As Congress then turned its attention toward COVID pandemic relief, at least one bill that didn't pass had funding for private schools and homeschooling.

☆ Florida House passes six-week abortion ban backed by DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Florida House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that would ban most abortions after six weeks, when many women don't know they are pregnant. The bill would only take effect if the state's existing 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge that is before the state Supreme Court. "Today we stand for life, we stand with mothers, and we stand with Florida families," said Persons-Mulicka. A recent survey suggests the six-week abortion ban isn't popular among Florida residents. The Biden administration will ask the Supreme Court to intervene, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday.

☆ A federal judge has blocked Biden's clean water rule in 24 states
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Biden administration rule that would expand federal protections for hundreds of thousands of rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and other waterways in 24 states. The Biden administration's clean water rule, issued in 2022, repealed a Trump-era rule that federal courts rejected and that environmental groups argued left waterways open to pollution. White House officials and environmental groups have argued that loosening federal water protections would harm sources of safe drinking water across the country. The rule applies federal protections to wetlands, tributaries and other waters that have a connection to navigable waters, and it doesn't impose a specific distance for when adjacent wetlands are protected. West Virginia and 23 other Republican-led states sued the EPA and other federal agencies in February, alleging the rule violates the U.S. Constitution.

☆ I ditched a big city for a $5,000 fixer-upper with 8 bedrooms in a small town. It's nice to live in a place where people don't treat each other like strangers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

John Nichols moved to Huntington, West Virginia, in 2021 after growing tired of Chicago. Katie thought that living in West Virginia would be nice because the weather was much warmer than it was in Chicago. In West Virginia, there's no traffic and everyone is friendly — I haven't heard a horn honk since I moved to the state. The Nichols' house in Huntington, West Virginia. I think aspects like these are making West Virginia more popular, especially for people who have had enough of big city life.

☆ These are the 9 most expensive states to start a business—No. 1 isn't New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Louisiana, the ranking's third-most expensive state, has the least amount of commercial space available per 100,000 people of any state. It also has a relative dearth of available talent: Louisiana is bottom three among all U.S. states in terms of labor force participation rate, at 69.2%, and only 26.4% of its post-college-age workers have at least a bachelor's degree. And the state's business environment appears to leave something to be desired. Its business survival rate of 0.54 is the country's fifth-worst, according to 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Something like labor force participation rate may be less obvious: Having a large population of eligible workers at your disposal can save you time and money when recruiting new employees.

☆ U.S. judge blocks Biden clean water rule in 24 states
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - A federal judge in North Dakota on Wednesday temporarily blocked implementation of a Biden administration rule establishing protections for seasonal streams and wetlands in 24 states, according to court documents. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the states' request for a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the United States rule, which was finalized in December. In the order, Hovland said the states would "expend unrecoverable resources complying with a rule unlikely to withstand judicial scrutiny." An EPA spokesperson said the agency is reviewing Wednesday’s ruling and called the Biden administration rule “the best interpretation” of the Clean Water Act. In Congress, Republicans led an effort to repeal the water rule last month, with limited support from across the aisle including four Senate Democrats and independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

☆ Federal judge blocks Biden clean water rule in 24 states
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 12 (Reuters) - A federal judge in North Dakota on Wednesday temporarily blocked implementation of a Biden administration rule establishing protections for seasonal streams and wetlands in 24 states, according to court documents. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the states' request for a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the United States rule, which was finalized in December. In the order, Hovland said the states would "expend unrecoverable resources complying with a rule unlikely to withstand judicial scrutiny." West Virginia and 23 other Republican-led states sued the EPA in February, alleging the rule violates the U.S. Constitution and sows confusion for landowners. Reporting by Clark Mindock and Nichola Groom; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Juul settlement: E-cigarette maker to pay $462 million in several states for marketing nicotine for youth vaping
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Juul Labs Inc. will pay $462 million for its role in the youth vaping surge. The settlement includes restrictions on Juul's marketing and distribution of vaping products. Like some other settlements reached by Juul, this latest includes restrictions on the marketing and distribution of the company's vaping products. For example, it is barred from any direct or indirect marketing that targets youth, which includes anyone under age 35. The spokesperson added that underage use of Juul products has declined by 95% since 2019 based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey.

☆ Juul to pay $462 million to six states in its largest settlement ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Juul Labs, the e-cigarette maker, is paying $462 million to six US states and DC in the largest multi-state settlement yet for the troubled company that has been accused of contributing to the rise of vaping among youth. Based on responses to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 14.1% of high school students and 3.3% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes within the previous 30 days. California is getting $175.8 million, Illinois is getting $67.6 million, Massachusetts is getting $41.7 million, Colorado is getting $31.7 million, New Mexico is getting $17 million and District of Columbia is getting $15 million. West Virginia said on Monday that Juul is paying $7.9 million for similar accusations of marketing toward youth. Last summer, the FDA ordered Juul products to be removed from the US market.

☆ Juul to pay $462 million to settle youth vaping claims from six states, D.C.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Juul will pay $462 million to settle claims by six states and Washington D.C. that the vaping company marketed its addictive e-cigarettes to underage teens, five Democratic attorneys general announced Wednesday. The states that reached the settlement with Juul are New York, California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Illinois and Colorado. New York will get $112.7 million over an eight-year period, which will support underage vaping abatement programs across the state. The FDA also ordered Juul to stop selling its vaping products last June. It added that youth use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe.

☆ Florida's fight over Safe Haven 'baby boxes' are part of a larger culture war over abortion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Safe Haven Baby Boxes let distressed moms safely and anonymously surrender unwanted newborns instead of dumping them in trash cans or worse. About 145 Safe Haven baby boxes were installed throughout nine states since 2016, and similar bills were recently approved or signed in four other states. About 145 boxes have been installed since the first in 2016, with 25 newborns surrendered through one, Safe Haven Baby Boxes says. Safe Haven Baby Boxes says the average response time is two minutes. A Safe Haven trains fire departments and hospitals on how to implement the current law.

☆ Battle over Biden labor nominee Julie Su heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Julie Su applauds while being nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden to serve as the Labor secretary during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 1, 2023. Crucial senators in Montana, West Virginia and Arizona, who voted for Su to become deputy Labor Secretary in 2021, are on the fence about her confirmation for the top job. The AFL-CIO will target Montana, West Virginia, Arizona and Maine, communicating support for Su to its members to get them to contact their state senators. A spokesperson for Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins said she does not support Su's nomination. She voted no on Su's deputy secretary nomination in 2021, as did all Republicans.

☆ Juul settles lawsuit with West Virginia for $7.9 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —West Virginia has settled a lawsuit with e-cigarette maker Juul Labs for a total of $7.9 million, the state’s attorney general announced Monday. The company was accused of unfair, deceptive acts or practices in the advertising and marketing of Juul products in the state, specifically targeting teenagers. The lawsuit claimed Juul targeted these users through social media, influencer marketing and fashion bloggers and celebrities popular with teenagers. “This settlement puts companies like Juul in check to not copy big tobacco’s playbook and gear marketing strategies toward underage people,” West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said. Last summer, the FDA ordered Juul products to be removed from the US market.

☆ Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey announces re-election bid for fourth term
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Summer Concepcion | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., on Monday announced he will seek a fourth term in the battleground state next year as Democrats fight to keep their Senate majority. "I'm running for re-election because with so much on the line for Pennsylvania's working families, I want to keep delivering results for Pennsylvania," Casey said in a statement announcing his re-election campaign. No other candidates for the 2024 Pennsylvania Senate race have been officially announced. During his time in the Senate, Casey has joined Republicans and other Democrats to negotiate bipartisan bills. Casey, who has long held anti-abortion views, had a complicated stance on the government's role in abortion rights.

☆ Here are all of the Republican elected officials backing Trump's 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Michael Burgess — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team. Eli Crane — the Arizona freshman tweeted his support for Trump's 2024 bid the night of his announcement. Barry Moore — the Alabama congressman endorsed Trump in a radio interview in December, citing the former president's "experience level." 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November. Roger Williams — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team.

☆ AOC says 'a lot' of House Dems would cast 'disingenuous' yes votes for Medicare for All if it came to floor because they 'know that it's going to a graveyard' in the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued some Democrats don't sincerely support Medicare for All. She said the Senate's 60-vote filibuster lets them to rhetorically support it but not fight for it. She argued dismantling the filibuster is the "precursor" to passing progressive priorities. The most recent House version of the bill, introduced in 2021, garnered 123 co-sponsorships — more than half of the House Democratic Caucus at the time. Filibuster frustrationsThe filibuster stymied Democrats during the first two years of the Biden administration when they held slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

☆ Supreme Court Rejects West Virginia’s Attempt to Ban Transgender Girl From Girls’ Track Team
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Jess Bravin | Louise Radnofsky | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Becky Pepper-Jackson runs on the girls’ cross-country and track teams at a middle school in Bridgeport, W.Va.WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court rejected West Virginia’s emergency request to bar a 12-year-old transgender girl from competing on her middle school’s girls’ track team while litigation over the relevant state’s law proceeds in lower courts. The case is the first involving transgender athletes to reach the justices, and the court’s emergency order is far from its last word on the subject. Nearly 20 states have passed laws restricting transgender girls from participating in female event categories.

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