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Yet several hard-right conservatives told CNN they are prepared to take down the rule over the spending bill if their demands aren’t met. Democrats are already trying to pin the blame on any shutdown on the House GOP. Ukraine funding a key flashpoint in HouseHow McCarthy deals with the immediate spending demands remains to be seen, including whether he’ll agree to pair the short-term spending bill with any aid to Ukraine. Simpson said of tying Ukraine aid to the short-term spending bill: “That’s a tougher sell. “Once you get truly into the presidential cycle, everything gets that much more difficult.”Hardliners may upend McCarthy’s strategyHard-line conservatives are already threatening to make McCarthy’s calculus more complicated if he cuts a short-term spending deal with Democrats.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, It’s, ” McCarthy, Department of Homeland Security –, Joe Biden, Ukraine –, aren’t, Mike Simpson of, ” Simpson, Don Bacon, Biden, “, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Kevin Hern of, Hern, Simpson, Vladimir Putin’s, we’re, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, upend, Ralph Norman –, –, hasn’t, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Darrell Issa, ” Issa Organizations: CNN, GOP, White, Department of Homeland Security, White House, Democrats, ”, Senate, Republican, Republican Party, Party, Illinois Democrat, South Carolina Republican, Virginia Locations: Ukraine, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Washington, Nebraska, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, California

☆ These 6 senators made more money from selling books than from their day jobs last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Senators raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars from book sales in 2022, disclosures show. Raphael Warnock, Ted Cruz, Elizabeth Warren, Tim Scott, and others. In fact, a handful of senators made far more from book sales than their congressional salaries in 2022, according to recently-filed financial disclosures. Other senators reported significant windfalls from book sales in 2022 as well. Sen. Raphael Warnock disclosed details of his book tour on his 2022 financial disclosures.

Persons: Sens, Raphael Warnock, Ted Cruz, Elizabeth Warren, Tim Scott, hasn't, Democratic Sen, Raphael Warnock —, Republican Sen, Tammy Duckworth, Tom Cotton, Tim Scott of, Elizabeth Warren of, Independent Sen, Bernie Sanders, JD Vance, Mazie Hirono, Amy Klobuchar, Cruz, Warnock, Sen, Warren Organizations: Service, American, Democratic, Republican, Illinois, Independent, Vermont Locations: Wall, Silicon, States, Washington, Ted Cruz of Texas, Arkansas, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia

☆ Senators Kelly and Duckworth: Why Ukraine Needs U.S. Military Aid - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Mark Kelly | Tammy Duckworth | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

You often learn more about your enemies in the first 24 hours of a conflict than you do from years of studying them. At the outset of the war, Russia had one of the largest militaries in the world, and it was widely assumed Russia would march through Ukraine and take Kyiv in a matter of weeks, if not days. The limitations of Russian military hardware, training and discipline became evident quickly — as well as the strength of Ukrainian resolve. Still, from the earliest days of the conflict, we both saw that military aid from the United States would be critical for Ukraine to win this war. And we have to do that while analyzing where new capabilities, like modern fighter jets, can give Ukraine the edge.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Russia, United States

☆ Premarket stocks: Bank CEOs are already complaining about new regulations they haven't even seen yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Investors, worried about the economic atmosphere and the recent regional banking collapse, breathed a sigh of relief at the results. Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase, commented on the bank’s Friday earnings call that non-bank financial rivals were “dancing in the streets” as regulators get ready to increase bank capital requirements. “This is great news for hedge funds, private equity, private credit, Apollo, Blackstone,” Dimon said of the proposed regulations. The change, they say, will increase the financial system’s resilience following the failures of three regional banks earlier this year. “The capital in the industry is sufficient,” said Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan on his company’s earnings call Tuesday morning.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, ” Dimon, ”, Jeremy Barnum, Barnum, don’t, Brian Moynihan, “ They’ve, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Martin Gruenberg, “, Taylor Marr, That’s, they’re, Bryan Mena, Neil Saunders Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Silicon Valley Bank, JPMorgan, Blackstone, of America, CNBC, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Federal Deposit Insurance, Redfin, Retail, Commerce Department Locations: New York, Silicon, Basel, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren , Connecticut

☆ Kyrsten Sinema raked in more than $100,000 from the airline industry as she pushed to alter pilot training requirements
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema made a last-minute push in June to change training requirements for pilots. At the same time, she received over $100,000 from the airline industry over the last three months. But for the airline industry that's been pushing for that reduction, it was a sign that they had Sinema's ear. Political action committees and airline executives gave over $100,000 to Sinema's campaign from April to June, according to recently-filed documents with the Federal Election Commission. Altogether, the money accounts for over a tenth of contributions to Sinema's main campaign account over the last 3 months.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Kyrsten, Republican Sen, John Thune of, Tammy Duckworth, Duckworth, Ruben Gallego's, Sacha Haworth, she'll Organizations: Service, Democrat, Republican, Federal Aviation Administration, Air Line Pilots Association, Senate, Democratic, Federal, Commission, —, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Air Group —, Intercept, FAA, Democratic Rep, Ruben Gallego's Senate, PAC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Arizona, John Thune of South Dakota

☆ After complaints about airplane seat size reached Congress, a new bill aims to address cramped conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Sebastian Cahill | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Travelers' displeasure with cramped airplane seating has been rising as planes pack in more seats. The bill urges the FAA to consider factors like disability or age when writing evacuation guidelines. A new bill moving through Congress aims to address airplane safety for people with disabilities or other restrictions that might make evacuating difficult. Now, Congress is trying to address the potential safety hazards with the Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin, or EVAC, Act. The bill also says the tests were conducted in small groups instead of considering that some planes can carry over 200 passengers.

Persons: Sens . Baldwin, Duckworth, Tammy Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth, Baldwin Organizations: FAA, Wall Street, Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft, National Transportation Safety, Reuters . Locations: Sens

☆ Biden's labor secretary pick may not have the votes. She also may not need them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Liz Brown-Kaiser | Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Senate is stalled on President Joe Biden's pick for secretary of labor, Julie Su, and Democrats face a conundrum on how to proceed. But Su, who currently serves as the acting labor secretary, could just keep running the department anyway. Federal law places no limits on how long Su can serve as acting labor secretary without being confirmed. He said he wants a voice for "both labor and industry" in the labor secretary role. Any Senator who voted to confirm Secretary [Marty] Walsh should vote to confirm Acting Secretary Su, too.

Persons: Julie Su, Joe Biden's, Su, Biden, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Kyrsten Sinema, Jon Tester, Joe Manchin, pushback, there's, Mazie Hirono, haven't, She's, she'll, she's, Mark Kelly, John Hickenlooper, I'm, Su aren't, Tester, you've, Manchin, Bill Cassidy of, Sinema, Tammy Duckworth, Marty, Walsh, We're, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren of, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Health, Education, Labor, Capitol, Labor Department —, Pensions, Su's, Democrats, HELP, Su's Democratic, White, Department, Democratic Locations: Washington, American, Sens, Hawaii, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

☆ Google and Meta got customer data from tax prep firms, and lawmakers want a probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A group of lawmakers led by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren are calling on the Biden administration to investigate how tax prep software companies may have illegally shared customer data with tech platforms Google and Meta . Some statements the tax prep companies provided to the publications at the time seemed to indicate the data sharing was done accidentally. Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect." Among their findings released Wednesday, the lawmakers said that millions of taxpayers' information had been shared with Big Tech firms through the tax prep software and that both the tax prep companies and tech firms were "reckless" in how they handled sensitive information. Although Meta and Google both said they have filters to catch sensitive data that's inadvertently collected, they seemed to be "ineffective," the lawmakers wrote.

Persons: Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Biden, General Merrick Garland, Lina Khan, Daniel Werfel, J, Russell George, TaxAct, Block, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse, Katie Porter, Warren, Meta Organizations: Capitol, Massachusetts Democratic, Google, Federal Trade, Tax, Facebook, Meta, CNBC, Big Tech, YouTube, Apple Locations: Washington ,, Sens, D

☆ Tax prep companies shared private taxpayer data with Google and Meta for years, congressional probe finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Some of the tax-prep companies still do not know whether the data they shared continues to be held by the tech platforms, the report said. The Warren aide told CNN it was unclear whether Meta knew it was inappropriately using taxpayer data at the time. The investigation found that all three tax-prep companies had discontinued their use of Meta’s pixel after The Markup’s report last November. “The scope of ‘taxpayer information’ is broad by design,” Rosenthal said, adding that tax-prep companies can be sued for “knowingly” or “recklessly” leaking that information. Depending on the strength of the allegations, the tax-prep companies could quickly be forced into a binding settlement, said a former FTC official who requested anonymity in order to speak more freely.

Persons: “, ”, David Vladeck, Vladeck, Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Meta, Warren, ‘, Sens, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Katie Porter, TIGTA didn’t, Block, TaxSlayer didn’t, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, TurboTax, Steven Rosenthal, ” Rosenthal Organizations: CNN, Meta, Google, Georgetown University, Federal Trade Commission, Democratic, FTC, Internal Revenue Service, Justice Department, Tax Administration, Intuit, IRS, Urban, Brookings Tax Locations: United States, Google’s

They include eight chief executives of the 11 states that formed the Confederate States of America, which seceded and waged war to preserve slavery. Although white people enslaved Black people in Northern states in early America, by the eve of the Civil War, slavery was almost entirely a Southern enterprise. South Carolina, where the Civil War began, illustrates the familial ties between lawmakers and the nation’s history of slavery. Each of the seven white lawmakers who served in the 117th Congress is a direct descendant of a slaveholder, Reuters found. In researching America’s political elite, Reuters found names – almost always just a first name – of 712 people enslaved by the ancestors of the political elite.

Persons: Black, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Jeanne Shaheen, Joe Biden, –, Donald Trump –, Jimmy Carter, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch –, Asa Hutchinson, Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, James Clyburn, Henry McMaster, ”, Henry Louis Gates Jr, Gates, ” “, ” Gates, enslavers, Tony Burroughs, Biden, Obama, McConnell, “ it’s, ” Burroughs, LINDSEY GRAHAM, Joseph Maddox, Maddox, Sela, Rubin, James, Sal, Sam ”, Graham, Graham didn’t, NANCY MACE, Nancy Mace, Drucilla Mace, John Mace, Hector Godbolt, John Mace’s, Godbolt, “, ” Nancy Mace, TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Duckworth, Henry Coe, Coe, Margaret, Isaac, Warner, George …, Isaac Franklin –, “ There’s, ” Duckworth, Tom Bergin, Makini Brice, Nicholas P, Brown, Donna Bryson, Lawrence Delevingne, Brad Heath, Andrea Januta, Gui Qing Koh, Tom Lasseter, Grant Smith, Maurice Tamman, Blake Morrison Organizations: U.S, Reuters, Republicans, Supreme, Republican, Harvard University, PBS, United States Congress, Geographic, Journalists, Black, Thomson Locations: America, U.S, Confederate States, Arkansas, North Dakota, Black, Northern, Southern, South Carolina, Congress, New Hampshire , Maine, Massachusetts, United States, Illinois, Virginia, Frederick County , Virginia

☆ More than 100 U.S. political elites have family links to slavery
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +46 min

Then the war came, and according to the family history, Union soldiers plundered Sessions’ 27-room house. About 48 years old at the time, he did not stand a chance to succeed without slavery, the family history suggests. ‘A Better Nation’Some historians and genealogists say there is a valuable reason for white leaders – and other white Americans – to explore their links to slavery. Nicka Sewell-Smith, a professional genealogist with the family history website Ancestry.com, said people frequently ask her what to do with such documents. The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Meeks said in an interview that he has spent years trying to trace his family history back before 1870.

Persons: Black, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, James Lankford, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Joe Biden, –, Donald Trump –, Jimmy Carter, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Trump’s, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch –, Asa Hutchinson, Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, James Clyburn, Henry McMaster, ”, Henry Louis Gates Jr, Gates, ” “, ” Gates, enslavers, Tony Burroughs, Biden, Obama, McConnell, Burroughs, Joseph Maddox, Maddox, Sela, Rubin, James, Sal, Sam ”, Graham, Graham didn’t, Nancy Mace, Drucilla, Drucilla Mace, John Mace, Hector Godbolt, John Mace’s, Godbolt, “, ” Nancy Mace, Henry Coe, Duckworth, Coe, Margaret, Isaac, Warner, George …, Isaac Franklin –, “ There’s, ” Duckworth, George Floyd, Donald Trump, ” Biden, ‘, ’, Ben Affleck, ” Affleck, Independent Angus King, Mo Brooks, ” Brooks, Sean Kelley, Kelley, White, don’t, wasn’t, Richard Sessions, Pete Sessions, Richard’s, William Sessions, John Cowger, Tom Cotton of, ” Cotton’s, Cowger, Cotton, Archibald Crawford, Juneteenth, Shaheen, Pocahontas, Edmond Dillehay, Peter ”, Milly, Lankford, ” Lankford, Joe Wilson, Stephen H, Wilson, Boineau, General David Addison Weisiger, Wilson –, Addison Graves Wilson –, Weisiger “, ” Wilson, Daniel Weisiger, Daniel Weisiger’s, Samuel, Samuel Weisiger, Daniel, Julia Brownley, Jesse Brownley, Brownley, ” Brownley, Thomas Ferguson, Brooks, Manumission, Marie Jenkins Schwartz, ” “ It’s, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, Harvard’s Gates, Sherman, Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, Nicka Sewell, Smith, Ancestry.com, ” Sewell, LaBrenda Garrett, Nelson, Garrett, Rick Larsen, John Wiggins, Larsen, – Gilbura, George, Agg –, ” Larsen, Gilbura, Agg, Gregory Meeks, Meeks, Jim Crow South, – Meeks, – “, ” Meeks, “ I’m, I’m, Tom Bergin, Makini Brice, Nicholas P, Brown, Donna Bryson, Lawrence Delevingne, Brad Heath, Andrea Januta, Gui Qing Koh, Tom Lasseter, Grant Smith, Maurice Tamman, Catherine Tai Design, John Emerson, Jane Ross, Emma Jehle, Jeremy Schultz, Blake Morrison Organizations: Reuters, Republicans, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Harvard University, PBS, United States Congress, Representative, WikiLeaks, Sony, Facebook, White, FedEx, National Museum of, 117th, Independent, University of Essex, Geographic, American Economic, Pete Sessions, Sessions, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jeanne Shaheen U.S, CNN, Biden, Trump, ” Reuters, South, South Carolina General Assembly, Confederate, statehouse, Congressional, Chesterfield County, Mount Vernon College, George Washington University, Mo Brooks Former U.S, “, New York Times, United, Federal Government, Union, Black, Southern, Democrat, House Foreign Affairs, Klux Klan Locations: U.S, America, Confederate States, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Carolina, Congress, Black, Northern, Southern, Illinois, Virginia, Frederick County , Virginia, United States, Minnesota, ”, Mo Brooks of Alabama, American, Texas, Mississippi, Chicot County , Arkansas, Chicot County, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Yell County, Yell County , Arkansas, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tulsa, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Frankfurt, Germany, Chesterfield County , Virginia, California, Portsmouth , Virginia, Alabama, Haywood County , North Carolina, Antebellum, United States of America, Washington, Nicholas County , Kentucky, Queens , New York, New York, York County, Mende, Sierra Leone, Africa, Bunce

☆ More than 100 U.S. political leaders have ancestors who were slaveholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Lawrence Delevingne | Thomson Reuters | Delevingne Works Primarily On Enterprise Stories Related To Finance. He Joined Reuters In | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

At least 100 members of the last sitting Congress are direct descendants of ancestors who enslaved Black people, representing at least 8% of Democrats in Congress and 28% of Republicans. President Joe Biden and every living former U.S. president except Donald Trump are direct descendants of slaveholders: Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Governors of 11 of the 50 U.S. states in 2022 were descendants of slaveholders, as were two U.S. Supreme Court justices. The Congressional slaveholding ancestors were among the richest in America before the Civil War; three-quarters were among the richest 10%. In researching America’s political elite, Reuters found names of more than 700 people enslaved by ancestors of the leaders.

Persons: Black, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, James Lankford, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama Organizations: Governors, Supreme, Reuters Locations: U.S, America

☆ Donald Trump is the only living US president whose ancestors didn't own slaves, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump is reportedly the only living US president whose ancestors did not own slaves. That's because Trump's ancestors came to America after slavery had already been abolished. Even Barack Obama — the country's first Black president — is the descendant of a slaveowner on his white mother's side of the family. According to Reuters, the slaveholding ancestors of living US presidents include:Joe Biden — One direct ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slaveBarack Obama — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned two slavesGeorge Bush — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned 25 slavesBill Clinton — One director ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slavesJimmy Carter — One director ancestor, four generations removed, owned 54 slavesBut Trump stands out among the bunch. While other presidents have deep ancestral roots in America, Trump's ancestors did not immigrate to the United States until after slavery was abolished in 1865.

Persons: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, —, Mitch McConnell, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Joe Biden —, George Bush —, Bill Clinton —, Jimmy Carter —, Trump, Mary, Confederate, Robert E, Lee Organizations: Service, Reuters, Department of Defense Locations: America, United States, Kallstadt, Germany, Scotland, Charlottsville , Virginia

☆ Lawmakers wrangle over measures to address pilot shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A series of controversial proposals to address the airline pilot shortage is complicating Congress’ consideration of a new slate of Federal Aviation Administration policies with one senator warning fellow lawmakers there will be blood on their hands if reduced pilot training causes a fatal accident. The measures presented by lawmakers include raising the pilot retirement age, allowing more training to occur in a flight simulator rather than aircraft cockpit, and fast-tracking training programs. The measures are hotly contested and are aimed at addressing a shortage in airline pilots that was exacerbated by the pandemic. The Illinois Democrat scolded those who feel simulator training will be equivalent and said she didn’t believe reducing training hours would solve the shortage. On the House side, the House Transportation Committee narrowly approved an amendment that would raise the mandatory pilot retirement age by two years to 67.

Persons: Sen, John Thune of, Republican Sen, Jerry Moran, ”, “, Jason Ambrosi, Tammy Duckworth, Troy Nehls, ” Nehls, You’re, Rick Larsen, Nehls Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Republican, Senate, Air Line Pilots Association union, Illinois Democrat, Transportation, Texas Republican, AARP, Regional Airline Association, United, ” Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, Kansas, Iraq, Illinois, Texas, American, Delta

☆ US Senate leaders unveil $107 bln aviation policy bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) - Leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee on Monday introduced a bipartisan aviation policy bill that would boost runway safety, track high-altitude balloons and prohibit airlines from charging fees for families to sit together. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, top Republican Ted Cruz and the aviation subcommittee leaders -- Senators Tammy Duckworth and Jerry Moran -- proposed a $107 billion five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill. The Senate bill "requires the FAA to increase runway safety by deploying the latest airport surface detection equipment and technologies." The Senate bill would ban family seating fees as does the House bill. The Senate bill would require refund request buttons at the top of their websites and double USDOT statutory civil penalties for aviation consumer violations from $25,000 to $50,000 per violation.

Persons: Maria Cantwell, Ted Cruz, Tammy Duckworth, Jerry Moran, Cantwell, Joe Biden's, Mark Kelly, David Shepardsond, Jonathan Oatis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Senate, Democrat, Aviation Administration, FAA, Washington National Airport, National Transportation Safety Board, Transportation Department, airline, Airlines for, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Airlines for America

☆ Bernie Sanders doubled his income last year by writing a best-selling book that condemns capitalism
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote a book called "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism." Per new disclosures, he made $170,000 in book royalties in 2022, nearly as much as his $174,000 salary. Coupled with another $170,000 royalties payment from publisher Penguin Random House in 2020, Sanders has so far made $340,000 from the book. Sanders, a two-time runner-up for the Democratic presidential nomination and a proponent of Democratic Socialism, has long drawn scrutiny for the wealth he's managed to amass while in office. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a fellow progressive and 2020 presidential candidate, made even more than Sanders in book royalties in 2022, according to her own recently-filed financial disclosures.

CNN —President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden capped South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official state visit with a glamorous state dinner at the White House Wednesday night to celebrate the two nations’ 70-year alliance. May we do it together for another 170 years.”But Biden wasn’t the only leader who took the mic. Following a round of musical performances, his South Korean counterpart joined him on stage to give his own – a karaoke rendition of Don McClean’s “American Pie” – which received a standing ovation from the crowd. The elaborate dinner is the result of weeks of careful diplomatic preparations, with each detail meticulously planned by a team of White House chefs, social staff, and protocol experts. U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pose with South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee in front of the Grand Staircase of the White House before an official State Dinner, in Washington, U.S. April 26, 2023.

A series of upcoming challenges, from the ongoing war in Ukraine to a still-uncertain economy, could provide hurdles to Biden’s reelection. The Washington beltway event may be indicative of what’s to come for the Biden reelection campaign strategy. “Just like four years ago—I’m off to teach and Joe’s launched his (re-election) campaign! Obama held his first reelection campaign rally in May 2012, 13 months after announcing his bid for a second term. The wait for a Biden reelection rally could be just as long.

☆ Democrats choose Chicago as the site of the 2024 convention
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Natasha Korecki | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Democratic Party has chosen Chicago as the site of its 2024 convention. "Chicago is a great choice to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention," Biden said in a statement. "The last Chicago convention was a huge success. It makes sense to put the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024. Republicans are holding their 2024 convention in Milwaukee.

☆ Senate Democrats led by Elizabeth Warren press federal bank regulators to implement stronger capital requirements
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are pressing federal banking regulators to toughen bank capital requirements following back-to-back congressional hearings where officials testified about the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. "We write to urge you follow through with establishing strong capital requirements that protect consumers and taxpayers, and preserve the safety and soundness of our banking system," Warren, along with Sens. Under the "stress capital buffer" implemented at the time, the capital requirements for banking firms is determined annually according to supervisory stress tests. The lawmakers urged regulators to enforce strong capital requirements to fend off aggressive lobbying from Wall Street and safeguard against more bank failures. "In order to prevent future bank crises and protect working Americans, I urge your agencies to quickly implement strong capital requirements and resist industry pressure to weaken or delay these requirements."

☆ Elizabeth Warren demands Fed crackdown on large regional banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Senator Elizabeth Warren is cranking up the pressure on the Federal Reserve following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank fit into that asset threshold when they failed earlier this month. The bipartisan 2018 rollback of Dodd-Frank freed large regional banks in that range of assets from the toughest oversight. Notably, the letter was signed by Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who voted in favor of the 2018 rollback. Days after the bank failures, the Federal Reserve launched a review of the regulation and oversight of Silicon Valley Bank.

☆ Senator Warren urges transport regulator to block U.S. railroad deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 3 (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has urged a U.S. regulator to reject Canadian Pacific's (CP.TO) $31 billion deal to take control of U.S. railroad Kansas City Southern, saying it would hurt competition, prompt job losses and disrupt service, a letter seen by Reuters showed. The acquisition, which combines the sixth- and seventh-largest U.S. railroads by revenue, was agreed in 2021. The deal has since closed but Kansas City shares were transferred to a trust and the railroad must operate independently until the Surface Transportation Board, which oversees U.S. freight railroads, approves the transaction. The number of big U.S. railroads has already shrunk to just seven from 33 in 1980, Warren wrote. Last month, Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth asked the board to defer a decision until it completes a Chicago region impact assessment.

☆ Calls to boycott Walgreens grow as pharmacy confirms it will not sell abortion pills in 20 states, including some where it remains legal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Last month, 20 Republican attorneys general told Walgreens it could face legal action if it sold abortion pills in some states. Walgreens told Politico it will not sell the pills in those states, which includes some where abortion is legal. Walgreens told Politico that it has responded to the states represented by the 20 AGs, and said it will not distribute the abortion pill Mifepristone in any of those states. At the time, Walgreens told Insider that it was working to become FDA-certified to sell abortion pills in the states where they are legal. Several Democratic attorneys general filed an argument in the case last month that said banning the pill would lead to an "unprecedented spike" in maternal mortality.

☆ Democrats renew push for national paid family and medical leave program
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Had a federal paid leave policy been in place, many of those women may have been able to stay employed, she said. "Imagine if, during the pandemic, we had had a national paid leave program," Gillibrand said. The Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, was reintroduced by lawmakers including Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., with the goal of creating the first paid national family and medical leave program. "It is a reasonable, pragmatic way to get to paid family leave," Duckworth, who is a co-sponsor of the bill, told CNBC.com in an interview. The Education Support Professionals Family Leave Act would provide education support workers such as school bus drivers with unpaid leave under FMLA.

☆ Rep. Jimmy Gomez takes his baby to the Capitol during House speaker votes: ‘We have to normalize Dads'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Danielle Campoamor | Danielle Campoamor Has Been Published In Teen Vogue | Harper'S Bazaar | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., knew things could go awry during the House speaker vote on Tuesday. It was new for Gomez’s family members, who had plans to watch Gomez be sworn in for a fourth term and then tour the nation’s capital. “But that took another 30 minutes.”Gomez had planned on being on the House floor at 11:30 in the morning. “In the end, we have to normalize dads taking their kids with them, be it stay-at-home dads or working dads,” Gomez says. I mean, babywearing is cool now!”On Wednesday, Gomez and his family, along with Hodge, returned to the House floor as Republican members tried again to elect a speaker.

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