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☆ Congress Boosts Funding to Stockpile Key Metals, Battery Ingredients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The U.S. defense stockpile for hard-to-get metals and lithium-ion battery ingredients is getting a $1 billion boost from Congress, as tensions escalate with China and Russia—with both nations the source of some key minerals. The money was included in the National Defense Authorization Act, signed Dec. 23 by President Biden. The funding is just one component of the NDAA, which sets military service members’ pay and directs the Department of Defense which ships, airplanes and weapons to buy, among other initiatives.

☆ Lawmakers Plan to Scrutinize Southwest Cancellations, Federal Airline Refund Policies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Federal lawmakers have signaled that they will investigate the mass flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines Co., with some Democrats suggesting the Transportation Department should be more aggressive at protecting passengers. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.), who leads the Senate’s committee on transportation issues, said in a statement this week that its members will look into what caused the cancellations and how consumers were affected.

☆ NDAA: What’s in the $858 Billion Defense Policy Bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The bill would provide a 4.6% pay raise for soldiers and raise the housing allowance by 2%. Senate lawmakers are expected to pass a $858 billion defense policy bill that authorizes U.S. military leaders to purchase new weapons and increase pay for troops. The 4,408-page National Defense Authorization Act contains hundreds of smaller policy proposals as lawmakers steer top Defense Department officials toward key priorities. What does the NDAA do on pay raises for troops? The bill would approve a 4.6% pay raise for military service members and Defense Department civilians, and increase the housing allowance for service members by 2%.

☆ Senate to Vote on $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sen. Chuck Schumer said lawmakers could vote later Thursday on the National Defense Authorization Act. WASHINGTON—Senate lawmakers are preparing to vote on a $858 billion defense policy bill as early as Thursday and could consider measures that would speed up environmental reviews of major energy projects and reinstate military members who were fired for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said that lawmakers could vote later in the day on the National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase America’s total national security budget by roughly 10% from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill.

☆ Senate Passes $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill and Stopgap Spending Fix
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Natalie Andrews | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Senate passed a bipartisan $858 billion defense-policy bill on Thursday that authorizes U.S. military leaders to purchase new weapons, increases pay for service members and ends the Pentagon’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate, checking a major item off Congress’s year-end to-do list. Lawmakers voted 83-11 to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase America’s total national security budget by roughly 10% from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill. The proposal, which typically draws strong bipartisan support, needed at least 60 votes to pass the Senate.

☆ Senate Passes $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Senate passed an $858 billion defense-policy bill on Thursday that authorizes U.S. military leaders to purchase new weapons and would increase pay for service members, checking a major item off Congress’s year-end to-do list. Lawmakers voted 83-11 to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase America’s total national security budget by roughly 10% from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill. The proposal, which typically draws strong bipartisan support, needed at least 60 votes to pass the Senate.

☆ Senate Closes in on $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill Vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Senate lawmakers worked to finalize plans for a vote on a $858 billion defense policy bill Thursday, and the chamber could consider measures that would speed up environmental reviews of major energy projects and reinstate military members who were fired for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said that lawmakers could vote later in the day on the National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase America’s total national security budget roughly 10% from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill. But there was late wrangling on changes sought by some lawmakers over provisions that had been left out of the 4,408-page legislation, including a cap on fees for lawyers representing military members who drank tainted water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

☆ Congress Faces Deadline for Keeping Government Funded
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Lawmakers must overcome a partisan deadlock to agree on the terms of a full-year spending bill. WASHINGTON—Congressional leaders are set to return to the Capitol on Monday under pressure to negotiate a spending bill that would fund the federal government’s operations beyond Friday. Negotiators have days to reach a deal on a full-year spending bill or pass a short-term measure delaying the deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown. To reach a longer-term deal, they will have to break the partisan deadlock between Republicans and Democrats, who are split over $26 billion in nondefense spending.

☆ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema Leaves Democratic Party to Become Independent
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Eliza Collins | Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona said she was leaving the Democratic Party and would register as an independent, a move that complicates Democrats’ narrow control of the chamber. “I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington,” she wrote in an opinion article in the Arizona Republic. “I registered as an Arizona independent.”

☆ House Set to Vote on Legislation Protecting Same-Sex Marriage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—House lawmakers are expected to vote Thursday on legislation that would cement same-sex marriage rights into federal law, a Democratic-led measure that has moved through Congress with some Republican support despite misgivings among conservatives. Supporters said the proposal, if passed, would mark the most significant gay-rights measure to pass in Congress since lawmakers agreed in 2010 to repeal the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which required gay service members to keep their sexual orientation to themselves.

☆ House Passes Bill Protecting Same-Sex Marriage, Sending It to Biden’s Desk
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Supporters of same-sex marriage say the Respect for Marriage Act marks the most significant gay-rights legislation to pass in Congress in more than a decade. WASHINGTON—House lawmakers approved legislation Thursday that would cement same-sex marriage rights into federal law, a Democratic-led measure that has moved through Congress with some Republican support despite misgivings among conservatives. The vote was 258 to 169, with all Democrats present joined by 39 Republicans in backing the measure. It now goes to President Biden for his signature.

☆ House Approves Bill to Boost Military Spending
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—House lawmakers on Thursday passed a defense policy bill that authorizes U.S. military leaders to purchase new weapons and increase pay for troops, and lifts a requirement for members of the military to get vaccinated against Covid-19. In a 350-80 vote, lawmakers approved the annual National Defense Authorization Act to increase America’s total national security budget for fiscal year 2023 to $857.9 billion. That is a roughly 10% increase from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill. The measure was passed under a process requiring approval from two-thirds of voting House members.

☆ Lawmakers Spar Over Marijuana, Energy Permits in Defense-Bill Talks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Lindsay Wise | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Congress has passed the huge defense-policy legislation more than 60 years in a row, and it is one of the few bipartisan bills likely to be approved before the end of the year. WASHINGTON—Negotiations over a defense-policy bill bogged down Tuesday as Congressional leaders wrangled over provisions unrelated to the military, including proposals to overhaul energy permitting and enable banks to do business with marijuana companies. The National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, is an annual must-pass bill that approves pay raises to U.S. military service members and Defense Department workers, and budgets for the purchase of new aircraft, ships and vehicles for combat.

☆ Lawmakers Agree to Rescind Military’s Covid-19 Mandate in Defense Deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Lindsay Wise | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The possibility that the Pentagon’s vaccine mandate could be repealed was acknowledged by Biden administration officials. WASHINGTON—House and Senate negotiators agreed to rescind the requirement that members of the military be vaccinated against Covid-19, a measure that was added to secure Republican support for the annual defense-policy bill that authorizes spending for new weapons and pay increases for troops. The compromise National Defense Authorization Act announced Tuesday would increase America’s total national security budget for fiscal year 2023 to $857.9 billion. That is $45 billion more in military spending than President Biden had requested, and a big increase from the $778 billion total national security budget passed by Congress last year.

☆ Biden Backs Tying Energy Permitting Plan to Defense Policy Measure
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Ken Thomas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The White House said President Biden supports including a proposal to speed up environmental reviews of energy projects in an annual defense-policy law, as lawmakers prepare to unveil the proposal as soon as this week. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated support for the permitting proposal’s inclusion at a press briefing on Monday. Mr. Biden “believes we should pass the defensive authorization bill and that the permitting bill should be included in the legislation,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said.

☆ Biden Signs Legislation Preventing Railroad Strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Tarini Parti | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—President Biden on Friday signed legislation to prevent a nationwide strike by railroad workers, the last step in resolving a long-running dispute between workers and major freight railroads. With his signature, Mr. Biden ordered unions to implement a labor contract mediated by his administration that four unions representing more than half of unionized rail workers had rejected after the deal was struck in September. The agreement doesn’t include an expansion of paid sick leave benefits sought by unions and some lawmakers. It marks the first such intervention in a railroad labor dispute in three decades.

☆ Senate Votes 80-15 to Pass Bill Blocking Nationwide Railroad Strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Esther Fung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Senate voted to intervene to prevent a nationwide strike by railroad workers while rejecting a proposal to give them expanded paid sick leave, with lawmakers saying they reluctantly heeded President Biden’s call to resolve the long-running labor dispute. In a 80-15 vote, with one senator voting present, lawmakers agreed to force unions to adopt an earlier labor agreement mediated by the administration. The measure now goes to the White House, and Mr. Biden said he would sign it as soon as it got to his desk.

☆ Senate Votes 80-15 to Pass Measure Blocking Nationwide Railroad Strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Senate lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to prevent a nationwide strike by railroad workers after rejecting a proposal to give them expanded paid sick leave. In a 80-15 vote, with one voting present, lawmakers agreed to force unions to adopt an earlier labor agreement, exceeding the 60-vote threshold for the measure to pass. The move is expected to end the long-running labor dispute between Union Pacific Corp., CSX Corp. and other freight railroads and more than 115,000 workers.

☆ Senate Votes on Measures to Prevent Railroad Strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers will try to vote as quickly as they can ‘to get this done.’WASHINGTON—The Senate embarked on a series of votes Thursday on legislation to prevent a nationwide strike by railroad workers, weighing a proposed labor deal along with related measures to boost paid sick leave and delay a looming strike deadline. “We’re going to try to vote as quickly as we can to get this done,” said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) on the Senate floor.

☆ House to Vote on Imposing Railroad Labor Deal, Paid Sick-Leave Measure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Union Pacific is one of the freight railroads involved in a long-running labor dispute. The House plans to vote Wednesday on a measure to end rail workers’ labor dispute ahead of a possible strike, while also taking up a proposal to impose paid sick leave, a step demanded by some lawmakers. On Wednesday morning, House lawmakers were preparing to vote on legislation that would force the adoption of a tentative labor agreement by rail workers, using the power of a 1926 law that allows Congress to intervene in railroad disputes that threaten to disrupt the U.S. economy.

☆ House Approves Imposing Railroad Labor Deal, Paid Sick-Leave Measure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Esther Fung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The House voted Wednesday to approve a measure ending a rail workers’ labor dispute ahead of a possible strike, while also backing a proposal to impose paid sick leave, a step demanded by some lawmakers. House lawmakers voted 290 to 137 on legislation that would force the adoption of a tentative labor agreement by rail workers, using the power of a 1926 law that allows Congress to intervene in railroad disputes that threaten to disrupt the U.S. economy. On paid leave, lawmakers voted 221-207 to approve the proposal, with Democrats in favor and almost all Republicans opposed. Both measures now head to the Senate.

☆ House Approves Imposing Railroad Labor Deal, Plans Vote on Paid Sick-Leave Measure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Esther Fung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Union Pacific is one of the freight railroads involved in a long-running labor dispute. The House voted Wednesday to approve a measure ending a rail workers’ labor dispute ahead of a possible strike, while also planning to take up a proposal to impose paid sick leave, a step demanded by some lawmakers. House lawmakers voted 290 to 137 on legislation that would force the adoption of a tentative labor agreement by rail workers, using the power of a 1926 law that allows Congress to intervene in railroad disputes that threaten to disrupt the U.S. economy.

☆ Same-Sex Marriage Bill Nears Senate Passage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) spoke with reporters before Senate Democrats moved forward on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriage earlier this month. WASHINGTON—Senate lawmakers were on track to pass a law protecting Americans’ access to same-sex marriage late Tuesday, solidifying rights that were established in a 2015 Supreme Court ruling. The legislation is intended to codify the ability of same-sex and interracial couples to get married and requires states to recognize the marriages. Under an agreement related to amendments, final passage will require 60 votes.

☆ Congressional Leaders Commit to Quickly Pass Legislation to Avert Rail Strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said that House lawmakers will take up legislation on Wednesday to stop a nationwide strike by railroad workers, saying Congress needs to intervene to prevent devastating job losses. In a press conference, Mrs. Pelosi said that the House will aim to quickly pass legislation that accepts the original labor union agreement negotiated by Biden administration officials plus additional railway worker benefits added from subsequent negotiations.

☆ Senate Passes Bill Protecting Same-Sex Marriage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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