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☆ Factbox: How does the U.S. House of Representatives decide on a speaker?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Members of the U.S. House of Representatives gather for a fourth round of voting for a new House Speaker on the second day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstJan 4 (Reuters) - After winning a slim majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in November's midterm elections, Republicans are trying to elect a speaker. The full House of Representatives votes for the speaker on its first day of a new Congress, which was Tuesday. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the House will continue voting until someone does. The House returned from its winter recess on Tuesday to elect a speaker and swear in newly elected representatives, but no one nominated received enough votes to win, despite three rounds of voting.

☆ U.S. House committee releases Trump tax returns he sought to keep secret
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Donald Trump departs Trump Tower two days after FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach home, in New York City, New york, U.S., August 10, 2022. The nearly 6,000 pages of records include over 2,700 pages of personal returns from Trump and his wife Melania Trump, plus more than 3,000 pages of returns from his businesses. Trump, a businessman who held public office for the first time when he entered the White House in 2017, was the first presidential candidate in decades not to release his tax returns. Neal first requested the returns in 2019, arguing that Congress needed them to determine if legislation on presidential tax returns was warranted. Representative Kevin Brady, the House panel's top Republican, warned that future committee chairmen will have "nearly unlimited" power to make public the tax returns of private citizens, including "political enemies".

☆ U.S. House committee releases Trump tax returns, capping years-long battle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Donald Trump departs Trump Tower two days after FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach home, in New York City, New york, U.S., August 10, 2022. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado//File Photo/File PhotoDec 30 (Reuters) - A Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives committee released six years of former President Donald Trump's tax returns to the public on Friday in an extraordinary move days before Republicans are due to take control of the chamber. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal requested the returns in 2019, arguing that Congress needed them to determine if legislation on presidential tax returns was warranted. Trump, who took office in 2017, was the first presidential candidate in decades not to release his taxes. They show Trump and his wife Melania Trump claimed large deductions and losses and paid little or no income tax in several of those years.

☆ Factbox: Six highlights from testimony released by the Jan. 6 committee
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Since the release of its report last week, the committee has released testimony transcripts highlighting other developments in Trump's White House, before and after the riot. "The president floated the idea and Cipollone said no," McEntee told the committee, referring to Pat Cipollone, former White House counsel. He said something to the effect of, God, no," Hutchinson told the committee, referring to the memo. Originals of all White House documents must be kept for the archives, but copies can be burned. She suspected her former lawyer of leaking her testimony to the press, and telling other Trump-adjacent figures about what she told the committee.

☆ Factbox: Four highlights from testimony released by the Jan. 6 committee
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Since the release of its report last week, the committee has made public transcripts of testimony from various witnesses. BLANKET PARDONSTrump wanted to issue blanket pardons for everyone who participated in the riot, according to testimony from John McEntee, former head of personnel at the White House. "The President floated the idea and Cipollone said no," McEntee told the committee, referring to Pat Cipollone, former White House counsel. Originals of all White House documents must be kept for the archives, but copies can be burned. She suspected her former lawyer of leaking her testimony to the press, and telling other Trump-adjacent figures about what she told the committee.

Anne Donnelly, the district attorney for Nassau County, said the allegations that have surfaced in recent days regarding Santos were serious. "The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning," Donnelly, a Republican, said in a statement. But reporting by the New York Times and other media outlets in recent weeks called into question almost every element of Santos' life story. Among other claims, Santos said he had degrees from New York University and Baruch College, despite neither institution having any record of him attending. In recent days, Santos has apologized for "embellishing" his resume, while defending aspects of the way he had represented himself.

☆ Trump tax returns to be released by U.S. House panel on Friday
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Yuri GripasDec 27 (Reuters) - Former Republican President Donald Trump's redacted tax returns will be made public on Friday, a spokesperson for the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee said on Tuesday. The committee released a report into its findings last week, which said the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) broke its own rules by not auditing Trump for three of the four years of his presidency. The documents to be released on Friday are expected to include Trump's tax returns filed between 2015 and 2021, the years he ran for and served as president. Trump's tax returns were not released alongside last week's report because they contained sensitive information that had to be redacted before publication, committee members said. Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades not to release his tax returns during either of his campaigns for president.

☆ U.S. House administration arm bans TikTok on official devices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 27 (Reuters) - The popular Chinese video app TikTok has been banned from all U.S. House of Representatives-managed devices, according to the House's administration arm, mimicking a law soon to go into effect banning the app from U.S. government devices. The new rule follows a series of moves by U.S. state governments to ban TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd, from government devices. "With the passage of the Omnibus that banned TikTok on executive branch devices, the CAO worked with the Committee on House Administration to implement a similar policy for the House," a spokesperson for the Chief Administrative Officer told Reuters on Tuesday. The message to staff said anyone with TikTok on their device would be contacted about removing it, and future downloads of the app were prohibited. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the new rule.

WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a $1.66 trillion government funding bill that provides record military funding and sends emergency aid to Ukraine, hours before a midnight deadline. "The bipartisan funding bill advances key priorities for our country and caps off a year of historic bipartisan progress for the American people," Biden said. While some of the work was done in a bipartisan manner, that was not the case with Friday's $1.66 trillion funding bill, opposed by House Republican conservatives and some Senate conservatives. They have threatened to oppose any legislation introduced by any of the Senate Republicans who supported the bill. [1/4] 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.

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.

Congress, currently controlled by Biden's Democrats, is expected to approve $44.9 billion more this week in a bill funding the federal government. Zelenskiy stressed as he began his speech that he was addressing both Democrats and Republicans. "No more blank checks to Ukraine," Republican Representative Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter hours before Zelenskiy's visit to Washington. Biggs, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has emerged as the main challenger to House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in the House speakership election, slated for Jan. 3. Gaetz said nothing had changed his opposition to Ukraine aid and, when asked if there was anything compelling in the speech, said, "I loved the fashion choices."

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted on Tuesday to release partially redacted tax filings from former President Donald Trump and said tax authorities had failed to properly scrutinize his returns while he was in office. The House Ways and Means Committee voted to release a summary of Trump's tax returns between 2015 and 2021, the years when he was running for president and serving in the White House, panel members said. Committee chairman Richard Neal, a Democrat, said a redacted summary of Trump's tax returns would be released within days. Trump has said that he cannot release his tax returns because they were being examined by the IRS. Another House committee on Monday asked federal prosecutors to prosecute Trump for sparking the deadly Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted on Tuesday to release partially redacted tax filings from former President Donald Trump, which could lead to more unwelcome scrutiny for the former president as he mounts another White House bid. The House Ways and Means Committee voted to release a summary of Trump's tax returns between 2015 and 2021, the years when he was running for president and serving in the White House, panel members said. Like other committee Republicans, he voted against their release on the grounds that it could set a bad precedent. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstCandidates are not required by law to release their tax returns, but previous presidential hopefuls of both parties have voluntarily done so for several decades. Another House committee on Monday asked federal prosecutors to prosecute Trump for sparking the deadly Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives committee met on Tuesday to decide whether to release publicly details of Donald Trump's tax returns, which could lead to more unwelcome scrutiny for the former president as he mounts another White House bid. Democrats have little time to act, as Trump's Republicans are due to take control of the House in January. Candidates are not required by law to release their tax returns, but previous presidential hopefuls of both parties have voluntarily done so for several decades. Trump's tax returns are still subject to confidentiality restrictions, but Democrats who control the committee could vote to make some details public. Another House committee on Monday asked federal prosecutors to prosecute Trump for sparking the deadly Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

☆ U.S. House Democrats to decide whether to release Trump's tax information
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives committee on Tuesday is due to decide whether to release details of former President Donald Trump's tax returns, after a years-long court fight and just two weeks before their party surrenders power to Republicans. Candidates are not required by law to release their tax returns, but previous presidential hopefuls of both parties have voluntarily done so for several decades. Trump's tax returns are still subject to confidentiality restrictions, but Democrats who control the committee could vote to make some details public. Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee have said they need to see those records to assess whether the Internal Revenue Service is properly auditing presidential tax returns, and to gauge whether new legislation is needed. Another House committee on Monday asked federal prosecutors to charge Trump with obstruction and insurrection for sparking the deadly Capitol attack.

It is a grave federal offense, anchored in the Constitution itself," said Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat on the select committee member, as he announced the charges. "If we are to survive as a nation of laws and democracy, this can never happen again," said Representative Bennie Thompson, the select committee's chairperson, as the meeting began. SEVERAL INVESTIGATIONSThe select committee's work is one of a series of investigations into the riot. The select committee approved its report including the recommendation of charges unanimously, with all of its seven Democrats and two Republicans in favor. Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades to not release his tax returns during either of his campaigns for president.

☆ U.S. Congress aims to pack additional measures into government funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Democrats and Republicans alike aim to tuck as many legislative wish-list items as possible into the "omnibus" bill funding the government through the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2023, without derailing the whole package. "Republicans simply were not going to lavish extra-liberal spending" on non-defense programs into the omnibus bill, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said last week. The Senate's cumbersome rules mean that it could take a few days for the funding bill even to come to a vote, after which the House will need to pass it. Another add-on to the spending bill appeared certain: Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed to clarify and tighten the way U.S. presidential election winners are certified by Congress. Lawmakers and their aides spent the weekend gauging how to wedge other special initiatives into this catch-all spending bill.

☆ U.S. House committee set to discuss Trump tax returns on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss former President Donald Trump's tax returns, which it obtained late last month after a long court fight, according to a source familiar with the matter. That leaves the Democrats little time to decide what, if anything, to do with Trump's returns before losing the power to set the committee's agenda. The committee formally announced a meeting on Tuesday, relating to "documents protected under the Internal Revenue Code" without specifying Trump. Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades to not release his tax returns during either of his campaigns for president. Ways and Means Democrats have said they need to see Trump's records to assess whether the Internal Revenue Service is properly auditing presidential tax returns and to gauge whether new legislation is needed.

☆ Puerto Rico independence vote bill passes U.S. House
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Puerto Rico Status Act outlines terms for a binding referendum on the three options: full independence, U.S. statehood or sovereignty with formal U.S. association, similar to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. Democratic Representative Raul Grijalva, the bill's original sponsor, said that whether the measure gets a vote in the Senate or not, it will still set "an important historical precedent" for Puerto Rico. The legislation "tells the people in Puerto Rico, our fellow U.S. citizens, that this election is going to be aboveboard and the consequences are going to be aboveboard," Grijalva told a House committee hearing on Wednesday night. Unless the Senate acts on the Puerto Rico bill this month, which is improbable, the legislation will expire. Puerto Rico, which has about 3.3 million people and high rates of poverty, became a U.S. territory in 1898.

☆ Puerto Rican independence bill goes to U.S. House vote on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A House committee approved the Puerto Rico Status Act on Wednesday, paving the way for the full House vote. Puerto Rico, which has about 3.3 million people and high rates of poverty, became a U.S. territory in 1898. If the bill passes the House, it will need 60 votes in the closely divided Senate and Democratic President Joe Biden's signature to become law. The legislation has the support of lawmakers of both parties and Puerto Rican officials. A new Congress with a Republican-controlled House will be sworn in on Jan. 3, at which point any legislative process would have to start over.

"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.

Lawmakers are generally in agreement that crypto firms should have greater regulation, but there are divergent views on how the industry should be regulated. U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday charged FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with money laundering and fraud, among other violations. "It is time for Congress to make the crypto industry follow the same money-laundering rules as everyone else," U.S. She and Republican Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas earlier announced legislation aimed at closing money laundering loopholes in the crypto industry. Without U.S. regulation, the value of crypto investments could disappear, said hearing witness and American University law professor Hilary Allen.

☆ U.S. Congress passes landmark bill protecting same-sex marriage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It is narrowly written to act as a limited backstop for the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, known as Obergefell v. Hodges. The measure would repeal a 1996 U.S. law called the Defense of Marriage Act, which among other things denied federal benefits to same-sex couples. The Supreme Court in 1967 declared prohibitions on interracial marriage unconstitutional. But the legislation would not bar states from blocking same-sex or interracial marriages if the Supreme Court allowed them to do so. About 568,000 married same-sex couples live in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

☆ Gay marriage bill wins enough votes for U.S. House passage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The House vote was ongoing, with a majority already voting in favor. It is narrowly written to act as a limited backstop for the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, known as Obergefell v. Hodges. The Supreme Court in 1967 declared prohibitions on interracial marriage unconstitutional. But the legislation would not bar states from blocking same-sex or interracial marriages if the Supreme Court allowed them to do so. Republican supporters hailed its affirmation of protections for religious groups who disagree with gay marriage.

☆ Paul Whelan's continued detention in Russia a 'catastrophe,' family says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan stands inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing in Moscow, Russia June 15, 2020. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul's release, we are not giving up. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, is serving 16 years in the Russian region of Mordovia on charges of espionage, which he denies. "So a basketball star is released, we can celebrate, but what about Paul Whelan? "We'll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul's release.

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