Politico education reporter Michael Stratford discusses the latest on the Biden administration's federal student loan debt and forgiveness efforts and Mark Leon Goldberg discusses his podcast "Global Dispatches" and foreign affairs issues.
Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Gov. Ron DeSantis (FL), Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott (SC) and Larry Elder are among those speaking at the 2023 Roast & Ride hosted by supporters of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).
The Senate Judiciary Committee convened a hearing to examine the role of migrant workers in U.S. farming and food production. Topics included the H-2A Temporary Agriculture Employment of Foreign Workers visa program, undocumented migrant labor, farmworker shortages and the role of Congress in changing immigration law. The committee heard from farm owners, immigration advocates and former Assistant Labor Secretary Leon Sequeira who served under the George W. Bush administration on all these topics.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other House Republican leaders held a news conference after the House passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 by a vote of 314-117. The speaker said, "Tonight, we all made history, because this is the biggest cut and savings this Congress has ever voted for." The bill raises the debt ceiling and limits discretionary spending for fiscal years 2024-25; it was negotiated by House Republican leadership and the Biden administration just days before the U.S. was at risk of defaulting on its debt.
Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke to reporters on Captiol Hill after the passage of legislation to lift the nation's debt ceiling and avoid default. The bill, which was approved by a vote of 63 to 36, now heads to President Biden's desk, where he is expected to sign it.
Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Brett Holmgren discussed foreign surveillance and intelligence gathering and its impact on U.S. diplomacy abroad during an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Much of the conversation focused on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which authorizes the intelligence community to access the communications of non-U.S. persons outside of the United States. Mr. Holmgren touched on the importance of Section 702 as an integral tool in intelligence gathering, privacy protections, and how Section 702 enhances diplomatic relations with friends and allies. He also urged Congress to renew Section 702, which is set to expire on December 31, 2023.
The U.S. Holocaust Museum held its annual remembrance ceremony honoring the Holocaust's estimated 12 million victims. The program included a keynote address on combating antisemitism from Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-semitism, and a tribute to the victims by survivors of the Holocaust.
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr and other federal and state regulators testified on recent bank failures before the Senate Banking Committee. Mr. Barr discussed a review he led of Silicon Valley Bank's (SVB) collapse, blaming both the bank's management practices as well as the Federal Reserve for inadequately executing its regulatory duties. He also said there needs to be a culture that empowers supervisors to act amid uncertainty. Moreover, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Martin Gruenberg reported similar conclusions, saying his organization's review of the Signature Bank collapse found that the bank's poor management contributed to its failure as well as deficiencies in FDIC's supervision. Finally, the committee's senators debated whether or not more regulations are needed, and the extent to which Trump-era deregulations contributed to the banks' failures.
President Biden met with leaders of his federal emergency preparedness and response team to receive his annual briefing on extreme weather. President Biden announced 32,000 projects are funded or on the way as he discussed a variety of topics including water conservation, wildfires, and hurricane preparedness. In addition, he briefly discussed the debt ceiling, saying "I think things are going as planned, God willing."
Republican pollster B.J. Martino and Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo discuss Campaign 2024 and political news of the day, and Syndicated Columnist Cal Thomas discusses his book highlighting his 50-year career in journalism.
Republican pollster B.J. Martino and Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo discussed Campaign 2024 and political news of the day, and Syndicated Columnist Cal Thomas discussed his book highlighting his 50-year career in journalism.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden discussed the role of libraries as the "cornerstone of democracy," pushes to ban books, efforts to combat misinformation and ways to create common ground in libraries during an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Pew Charitable Trust.
Advocates and educators testified on child care access and affordability in the U.S. before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Several topics were discussed, including expanding child care access, impacts to the economy, training and education requirements for educators, parental choice, and affordability challenges. They also addressed the importance of federal funding and how money made available through the American Rescue Plan helped stabilize the child care sector and provide affordable child care during the pandemic.
Washington Post reporter Joshua Partlow discussed the new agreement between the Biden administration and Colorado River states to conserve their water supply.
Energy industry stakeholders and policy advocates testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the reliability of the U.S. power grid. Topics included regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), concerns over the rapid reduction of fossil fuel production, supply chain issues, and building resiliency for extreme weather conditions.
President Biden delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. He said the graduating cadets were facing a rapidly changing world, mentioning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the rise of China, artificial intelligence, climate change, and other global challenges. Moreover, he remarked on how the military has grown more diverse over the years, saying, "your class is one of the most diverse classes in the history of this academy--or any academy to graduate. That's why we're strong!" After his remarks, President Biden was made an honorary member of the academy's class of 2023.
Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talked about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment.
More than a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a speech in Helsinki, Finland on the implications of the ongoing conflict. Secretary Blinken outlined Russia's failures as well as criteria for a peaceful solution. The secretary repeated the Biden administration's pledge to help Ukraine defend itself. Since the war began in 2022, the U.S. has given multiple military aid packages to Ukraine totaling billions of dollars.
Filmmaker Ken Burns and others discussed the history of democracy in America, polarization, decline of trust in institutions, and the role of the news media in democracy during an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Pew Charitable Trust.
Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talked about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment.
Biden administration officials discussed cyber plans for protecting critical infrastructure such as pipelines, rails, and aviation. Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger said the Colonial Pipeline hack was a "transformative moment" for cybersecurity in the United States. According to the FBI, the criminal hacking group DarkSide was responsible for the attack on the oil pipeline, which occurred May of 2021. The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted this event.
Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) Director Moshe Patel discussed Israel's security strategy and missile defense operations during a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Several topics were discussed, including Israel's Iron Dome air-defense system and its effectiveness, regional challenges, Israel's defense systems integration, and challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.
National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd discussed the Biden administration's immigration policies and conditions at the southern border following the lifting of the Title 42 pandemic-era rule.
Officials from the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency and others discuss countering disinformation campaigns during a conversation co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden and the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensics Research Lab. Topics included focusing on critical thinking, building trust in government, and building resilience in moments of polarization. The panelists were introduced by Swedish Ambassador to the U.S. Karin Olofsdotter.
Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talked about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment.
CQ Roll Call editor in chief Jason Dick previews the week ahead on Capitol Hill and SCOTUSblog co-founder & reporter Amy Howe discusses the key remaining cases the Supreme Court will issue rulings on this month.
