INSIDER
Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires; 1 death in New York-New Jersey fire
Read full article: Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires; 1 death in New York-New Jersey fireFire crews on both coasts of the U.S. are battling wildfires, including one in New York and New Jersey that killed a parks employee.
Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska's petroleum reserve
Read full article: Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska's petroleum reserveThe U_S_ oil industry’s top lobbying group says Biden administration rules restricting oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska’s petroleum reserve are "misguided."
Republicans confront Tuberville over military holds in extraordinary showdown on Senate floor
Read full article: Republicans confront Tuberville over military holds in extraordinary showdown on Senate floorRepublican senators have angrily challenged Sen. Tommy Tuberville on his blockade of almost 400 military officers.
Biden faces dilemma in fight over large Alaska oil project
Read full article: Biden faces dilemma in fight over large Alaska oil projectThe Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities but environmentalists say runs counter to President Joe Biden’s climate goals.
GOP lawmakers assail Biden for not sending F-16s to Ukraine
Read full article: GOP lawmakers assail Biden for not sending F-16s to UkraineRepublican lawmakers are criticizing the Biden administration for not sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, as tensions simmer about whether China could send weapons to help Russia.
Senate set to vote on bill protecting same-sex marriages
Read full article: Senate set to vote on bill protecting same-sex marriagesThe Senate is set to vote Tuesday on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, putting Congress one step closer to ensuring that such unions are enshrined in federal law.
Biden signs international climate deal on refrigerants
Read full article: Biden signs international climate deal on refrigerantsPresident Joe Biden has signed an international agreement that compels the United States and other countries to limit use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning that are far more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Surprise Senate vote would overturn Biden environmental rule
Read full article: Surprise Senate vote would overturn Biden environmental ruleIn a surprise victory for Republicans, the Senate on Thursday voted to overturn a Biden administration rule requiring rigorous environmental review of major infrastructure projects such as highways, pipelines and oil wells — a victory enabled in part by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Alaska man gets 32 months for threatening to kill senators
Read full article: Alaska man gets 32 months for threatening to kill senatorsA rural Alaska man who threatened to assassinate both of Alaska’s U.S. senators in a series of profane messages left at their congressional offices was sentenced Friday to 32 months in prison.
Ukraine war upends Biden's agenda on energy, climate change
Read full article: Ukraine war upends Biden's agenda on energy, climate changeAs Russian troops move deeper into Ukraine, President Joe Biden is taking steps to rein in rising energy costs – even if those moves run counter to his agenda for addressing climate change.
Man accused of threatening 2 US senators to remain in jail
Read full article: Man accused of threatening 2 US senators to remain in jailA man upset over the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, illegal immigration and the direction he thinks the country is headed is accused of threatening the lives of Alaska’s two Republican U.S. senators.
Ex-Facebook employee asks lawmakers to step in. Will they?
Read full article: Ex-Facebook employee asks lawmakers to step in. Will they?The former Facebook product manager who has accused the social network giant of threatening children’s safety — and the integrity of democracy — is urging Congress to take action to rein in a largely unregulated company.
US senators promise vaccines for Taiwan amid China row
Read full article: US senators promise vaccines for Taiwan amid China rowThree senators visiting Taiwan say the U.S. will give the self-ruled island 750,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, part of President Joe Biden’s move to share tens of millions of jabs globally.
Alaska GOP censures Murkowski, looks for ’22 challenger
Read full article: Alaska GOP censures Murkowski, looks for ’22 challengerFILE - In this Feb 23, 2021, file photo, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. “The party does not want Lisa Murkowski to be a Republican candidate,” said Tuckerman Babcock, immediate past chairman of the state party. However, when speaking to reporters last month in Juneau, Murkowski addressed a possible censure by the state party. A message left with Glenn Clary, current Alaska Republican Party chairman, was not returned. AdThe new primary voting system left the state party wondering how they move forward, Babcock said.
Census: No redistricting data until end of September
Read full article: Census: No redistricting data until end of SeptemberThe U.S. Census Bureau said it wont be delivering data used for redrawing state and local legislative districts until the end of September 2021. Styles had previously said the redistricting data would be available no earlier than the end of July because of delays caused by the virus. Before the pandemic, the deadline for finishing the redistricting data had been March 31. Unlike in past decades when the data were released to states on a flow basis, the 2020 redistricting data will be made available to the states all at once, according to the Census Bureau. The state House and Senate will hold a joint committee hearing Wednesday on the impact of the delay in the Census Bureau data.
Biden plans temporary halt of oil activity in Arctic refuge
Read full article: Biden plans temporary halt of oil activity in Arctic refugeFish and Wildlife Service shows a herd of caribou on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Alaska. President Joe Biden on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, signaled plans to place a temporary moratorium on oil and gas lease activities in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge after the Trump administration issued leases in a remote, rugged area considered sacred by the Indigenous Gwich'in. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File)JUNEAU, Alaska – President Joe Biden's administration announced plans Wednesday for a temporary moratorium on oil and gas leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge after the Trump administration issued leases in a part of the refuge considered sacred by the Indigenous Gwich'in. Pending lawsuits challenge the adequacy of the environmental review process undertaken by the Trump administration. “The Biden administration must faithfully implement the law and allow for that good progress to continue,” she said in a statement.
Many GOP lawmakers shrug off Statehouse mask-wearing rules
Read full article: Many GOP lawmakers shrug off Statehouse mask-wearing rulesTwelve Arkansas lawmakers have tested positive for the virus over the past month, the second largest known outbreak in a state legislature. After at least four dozen Mississippi lawmakers tested positive in the largest outbreak in a legislature, where masks were encouraged but not required for lawmakers. Twelve Arkansas lawmakers have tested positive for the virus over the past month, the second largest known outbreak in a state legislature. But legislative leaders acknowledged that individual legislators couldn't be forced to wear masks. House Republicans in Ohio have also rejected efforts to require that lawmakers wear masks at the Statehouse, and a statewide mask mandate issued by GOP Gov.
Sen. Grassley, 87, says he tested positive for coronavirus
Read full article: Sen. Grassley, 87, says he tested positive for coronavirus(Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator and third in the line of presidential succession, said he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Grassley, 87, had announced earlier Tuesday that he was quarantining after being exposed to the virus and was waiting for test results. At least three members of the House have tested positive in the last week, and several more are quarantining. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida was also absent as he is in quarantine after an exposure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer also took their masks off when speaking on the Senate floor Monday.
Alaska's sole member in US House tests positive for COVID-19
Read full article: Alaska's sole member in US House tests positive for COVID-19Young announced Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)ANCHORAGE, Alaska – U.S. Rep. Don Young announced Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, a day after the 87-year-old won his 25th term in the U.S. House. “My friend and colleague Congressman Don Young is a fighter. Young's positive test came after he was campaigning for re-election in Alaska, which is experiencing a surge of cases. Young was first elected in 1973, and is Alaska's sole representative in the House.
Republican Dan Sullivan reelected in Alaska Senate race
Read full article: Republican Dan Sullivan reelected in Alaska Senate raceRepublican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, won re-election in Alaska, defeating independent Al Gross. (Al Drago/Pool via AP, File)JUNEAU, Alaska – Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan has won reelection in Alaska, defeating independent Al Gross in a race that attracted outside attention with control of the Senate at stake. The result in Alaska means control of the Senate won’t be decided until January Senate runoffs are held in Georgia. Sullivan campaign manager Matt Shuckerow was muted in his response Wednesday, noting ballots still were being counted in Alaska. The Gross campaign did not immediately indicate plans to concede after The Associated Press called the race for Sullivan on Wednesday.
With GOP win in Alaska, control of Senate pushes to January
Read full article: With GOP win in Alaska, control of Senate pushes to JanuaryWASHINGTON – Control of the Senate won’t be decided until the new year after Republicans won a seat in Alaska on Wednesday. Incumbent Alaska GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan defeated Al Gross, an independent running as a Democrat. They have a 49-48 hold on the Senate with the Alaska win, but two races in Georgia are heading to a Jan. 5 runoff. With Biden, the path to keeping Senate control is more difficult for Republicans. That means if Republicans only have 50 seats, Democrats control the Senate.
GOP lets Trump fight election for weeks despite Biden's win
Read full article: GOP lets Trump fight election for weeks despite Biden's winThe delay has the potential to upend civic norms, impede Biden’s transition to the White House and sow doubt in the nation’s civic and election systems. Trump would need to produce ample evidence of impropriety to undo Biden’s lead, which appears unlikely. During a closed-door lunch, Vice President Mike Pence told Senate Republicans about the legal strategy. Trump and his GOP allies haven’t offered evidence of election fraud, and their legal challenges have largely been rejected by the courts. McConnell noted the potential turmoil during the transition in praising ousted Defense Secretary Mark Esper, whom Trump fired on Monday.
McConnell, Schumer to lead, but Senate majority uncertain
Read full article: McConnell, Schumer to lead, but Senate majority uncertainSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters during a press conference in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., won another term as Republican leader, his office said, cementing his role as the longest-serving GOP leader in U.S. history. But it’s still to be determined whether McConnell will retain his role as majority leader or cede it to Schumer as the final races for the U.S. Senate play out. Republicans brushed back Democratic challengers in several states, but failed to lock down the seats needed to retain their majority. A Democratic majority in the Senate, the party that also controls the House would give the party a firm grasp on power in Washington.
Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden's win
Read full article: Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden's winWASHINGTON – Control of the Senate likely won’t be decided until a January runoff in Georgia, even after Democrat Joe Biden won the White House on Saturday. That post-election cliff-hanger will determine the balance of power in Washington, as neither party appears to have a lock on a Senate majority right now. If Democrats fall short, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to check Biden's ambitions. And Republican Sen. David Perdue, a top Trump ally, will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. “It’s all on the line in Georgia,” said Steven Law, the president of Senate Leadership Fund, the outside group aligned with McConnell that spent big trying keep Senate control.
Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden’s win
Read full article: Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden’s win(AP) – Control of the Senate likely won’t be decided until a January runoff in Georgia, even after Democrat Joe Biden won the White House on Saturday. That post-election cliff-hanger will determine the balance of power in Washington, as neither party appears to have a lock on a Senate majority right now. If Democrats fall short, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to check Biden's ambitions. And Republican Sen. David Perdue, a top Trump ally, will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. “It’s all on the line in Georgia,” said Steven Law, the president of Senate Leadership Fund, the outside group aligned with McConnell that spent big trying keep Senate control.
Democrats losing paths to Senate control as GOP hangs on
Read full article: Democrats losing paths to Senate control as GOP hangs onRepublican Senate candidate Sen. Mitch McConnell, second from right, and his wife, Elaine Chao, right, look on as aides show him the election results in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)WASHINGTON – Hopes fading for Senate control, Democrats had a disappointing election night as Republicans swatted down an onslaught of challengers and fought to retain their fragile majority. Democrats contested seats from New England to the Deep South and the Midwest to the Mountain West, reaching deep into GOP strongholds. The Democrats' gains were in Colorado and Arizona, where former astronaut Mark Kelly beat GOP incumbent Martha McSally. Republican Cynthia Lummis, the former congresswoman from Wyoming, won the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Mike Enzi.
Parties' late spending on Senate races shows GOP’s jeopardy
Read full article: Parties' late spending on Senate races shows GOP’s jeopardyLess than two weeks from an Election Day that will determine Senate control, each party is throwing late money at an up-for-grabs Democratic seat in Michigan. The Senate Majority PAC, a political committee aligned with the chamber's Democratic leaders, has canceled its remaining $1.2 million in spending against GOP Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado, sensing victory. He's getting outspent 3-1,” said GOP Sen. Pat Roberts, whose retirement is making the seat available. Besides Alabama, Michigan is the GOP's best chance at gaining a seat and thwarting Democrats' drive to a Senate majority. “It matters," agreed Poersch of Democrats' Senate Majority PAC, citing a shift in voters' sentiment over the final weeks of the 2016 campaign that helped Trump edge to victory.
Alaska Senate candidate hopes to ride Democratic wave
Read full article: Alaska Senate candidate hopes to ride Democratic waveFILE - This undated file photo provided by the Gross for Senate campaign shows Independent candidate Al Gross. Gross, an independent running with Democratic support, is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska, a state that has long been a GOP stronghold. The largest bloc of Alaska registered voters identify as independents; among the parties, Republicans far outnumber Democrats. Trump won Alaska in 2016 with 51% of the vote; Democrat Hillary Clinton won 36%. Gross grew up in Alaska; his father, the late Avrum Gross, was a state attorney general.
Senate Democrats' fundraising success puts GOP on defensive
Read full article: Senate Democrats' fundraising success puts GOP on defensive(Bob Daemmrich/Nexstar/KXAN via AP, Pool)WASHINGTON – Buoyed by massive fundraising success, Democratic Senate candidates are mounting a push in Republican states that few would have thought possible just a few months ago, placing continued GOP control of the chamber at risk. MJ Hegar in Texas reported raising over $13 million during the same period for her race against Republican Sen. John Cornyn. In deep-red Kentucky, Amy McGrath has posted strong fundraising numbers against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In Mississippi, Mike Espy reported raising $4 million in his rematch against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. O'Rourke was criticized for being too stingy with his cash, only reluctantly aiding other Democrats, though he eventually donated large amounts to the Texas Democratic Party.
Senators push for extra census time, as court prods deadline
Read full article: Senators push for extra census time, as court prods deadlineIf an extra month were added, it would reduce the amount of time for data processing before the end-of-the-year deadline, said Brad Rosenberg, a government attorney. “It's not enough to say, ‘Statutory deadline,' and drop the mic and walk out." She also said she planned to extend by a week a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down the 2020 census. The legislation also would extend the deadline for turning in the figures used for redrawing congressional districts from Dec. 31 to the end of next April. The inaction in the Senate coincided with a directive from President Donald Trump that tried to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used in redrawing congressional districts.
Surging Democrats expand Senate targets to GOP states
Read full article: Surging Democrats expand Senate targets to GOP statesDemocrats have at least a punchers chance of grabbing Republican-held seats in four states Trump won by double digits: Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky and South Carolina. They argue that Trump's name on the ballot will give Senate candidates in Republican states a major edge and say they're spending there because Democrats are raising sums that can't be ignored. An expensive battle is brewing over Ernst's Iowa seat, with outside Democratic and GOP groups each planning to spend over $20 million. Kelly has a solid chance of defeating GOP Sen. Martha McSally while Harrison is waging an unlikely drive to oust Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally. Republicans are eyeing Alaska, where GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan's likely opponent is Al Gross, an independent with Democratic support.