On Monday, July 15, 2019, G Kishan Reddy, the Minister of State For Home Ministry introduced the NIA Bill in the Lok Sabha. NIA stands for National Investigation Agency and the present bill seeks to make a significant amendment to the concerned clause in the Legislature. As per the statement made by Reddy, the Chief Justice will continue to appoint special court judges who will carry out the trial process on a fast track. The minister added that the state governments need to set up special courts for tackling terrorism. He said, “We will continue to fight terrorism with zero tolerance.” Objective of <keyword id="7870179" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nia-amendment-bill-2019">NIA Amendment bill 2019</keyword> The main objective of the NIA bill is to strengthen the powers of the National Investigation Agency to probe into terrorist attacks that target Indians and the Indian interests on foreign lands. While introducing the bill, the Union Minister also said the legislation will also permit the NIA to probe into cybercrimes and also the cases related to human trafficking. As per the statement of Kishan Reddy, the government is keen about strengthening the NIA Act and hence the bill follows. As per the clauses of the bill, the agency will be empowered to conduct the investigation in any part of the globe in case of any terrorist attacks happen targeting Indians or Indian interests. History of National Investigation Agency The NIA was set up for the first time in 2009 immediately following the grave incident of terrorist attack in Mumbai that took a toll on 166 precious lives. Reddy said while introducing the amendment that the NIA bill is doing so well and has succeeded in convictions in over 90% of the cases. The Act has so far registered 272 cases and for 52 of them, judgment was delivered already. The present amendment is called for during the time when terrorism is assuming international dimensions. What the opposition says Challenging the very existence of the NIA bill, Tiwari added, “The NIA Bill, in 2008, came under specific circumstances after the country felt some unprecedented incidents. The constitutional validity of the NIA Act is not settled as of now. The Bombay High Court had upheld the constitutional validity of the act. The Jammu and Kashmir Court has not yet given its approval. In November 2013, a division bench of Gauhati High Court had spoken of the ‘illegal organization.” While opposing the bill, Congress MP Manish Tiwari commented that the founding fathers of India gave prime importance to civil liberties. A number of criminal laws were introduced by the British Government only to suppress the Indians. In several cases, the investigation agencies have been misused for political vendetta. While the NIA bill seeks to empower the probe body, it is also necessary to keep investigation and prosecution separately in order to ensure that the probes are done in a fair manner. Tiwari said the present bill seeks to turn the nation into a police state and if enacted, the ramifications of this legislature can extend far beyond its tenure.

Modi Government powers NIA in fight against terrorism, passes NIA (amendment) Bill 2019

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US House passed a major bill to restore the <keyword id="11940459" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="voting-rights" source="Orion">Voting Rights</keyword> Act of 1965.</li><li>The <keyword id="11940506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="john-lewis" source="Orion">John Lewis</keyword> Voting Rights Advancement Act passed along party lines by a 219-212 vote.</li><li>Republicans say the legislation is a partisan "power grab" and an overreach into federal <keyword id="11931743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elections" source="Orion">elections</keyword>. </li></ul>The US House passed a major bill that would restore two key sections of the Voting Rights Act and rebuff much of the Supreme Court's election jurisprudence over the past 15 years. The <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k0y5FGs_9a8TfV-ppGk8jgj7Xtp3mW9I/view">John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act</a>, or H.R. 4, named for the former Georgia congressman and civil-rights leader, passed along party lines with the votes of 219 Democrats and no Republicans on Tuesday.The House returned from its August recess to pass that legislation and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-democrats-advance-spending-plan-showdown-pelosi-moderates-ilhan-omar-2021-8">the resolution that will serve as the blueprint for Democrats' $3.5 trillion budget plan</a>. The chamber eventually proceeded to vote on both measures after a prolonged standoff over the budget between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a group of moderate Democrats. The voting-rights bill was carefully crafted to focus on combating the judiciary's narrowing of key voting-rights protections. That's <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/annotated-guide-people-act-2021">in contrast with the For the People Act (H.R. 1)</a>, congressional Democrats' wide-ranging voting-rights and democracy-reform package that has earned much of the focus on Capitol Hill this year and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-republicans-block-passage-of-democrats-flagship-voting-rights-bill-2021-6">was filibustered by Senate Republicans in June</a>.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-crisis-communication-managers-fixers-politicians-business-ceo-sex-scandals-2021-8">These are the 13 best crisis experts politicians call to manage scandals and crush bad press reports</a>The 2021 version of the Voting Rights Advancement Act <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-in-the-john-lewis-voting-rights-advancement-act-explainer-2021-8">comes out swinging specifically at the majority-conservative Supreme Court</a> with precision, seeking to undo years of the court undermining the Voting Rights Act and broadly making it more difficult for plaintiffs to win emergency election-related lawsuits.The most consequential portion of the bill would restore the federal preclearance regime that, for decades, required states and municipalities with histories of discrimination to seek permission from the federal government before enacting voting changes or new district maps.In <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/shelby-county-v-holder/">Shelby County v. Holder in 2013</a>, the <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-96_6k47.pdf">Supreme Court majority</a> ruled that the previous formula used to determine which jurisdictions were covered under that requirement was unconstitutional, leaving the preclearance provision unenforceable for the eight years since. The ruling was a seismic change in election law and shifted the bulk of the federal action around voting rights to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scotus-voting-decision-derails-dem-biden-admin-voting-rights-push-2021-7">also undercut that portion of the act in its decision this year in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee</a>, a ruling that the Voting Rights Advancement Act hopes to roll back. The new formula in the bill would cover states and jurisdictions that were determined by a court to have violated the 14th or 15th amendments or the Voting Rights Act a certain number of times within a 25-year period. It would also apply to state that or admitted in a settlement to such violations.Previous reauthorization and extensions of the Voting Rights Act have previously garnered strong bipartisan support, <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveESpaulding/status/1428408396617818120">including in 2006</a>.But in the 15 years since, and especially after Shelby County v. Holder, GOP legislatures <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/how-shelby-county-broke-america/564707/">in many states have enacted aggressive voting rules and redistricting plans</a>, leading political parties to descend into increasingly intense political and legal fights that spurred many of the court rulings that House Democrats are now hoping to reverse. The 13 still serving House Republicans <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2006374">who voted to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act in 2006</a>, including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2019654">the sole Republican to vote for the 2019 version of the Voting Rights Advancement Act</a>, all voted against H.R. 4. Republicans say the legislation is a partisan "power grab" and a massive overreach into federal elections."After they failed to gain enough support from their own party to get H.R. 1 across the finish line, Democrats are now trying a back-door attempt at nationalizing our elections to ensure their party remains in power for years to come," Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois, the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, which has oversight over federal elections, said in a statement upon the bill's release.The bill heads next to the Senate, where it faces much tougher odds of passage because of GOP opposition and the filibuster rules requiring a three-fifths majority to pass most legislation. So far, just one GOP senator, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/manchin-murkowski-call-congress-reauthorize-voting-rights-act-n1267644">Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska</a>, supports the key goal in H.R. 4 of restoring the Voting Rights Act.

House passes major bill to restore the Voting Rights Act with no Republican support

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dems are trying to pass the $1.9 trillion <keyword id="45304" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stimulus">stimulus</keyword> bill before certain benefits expire this month.</li><li>The current package includes $1,400 relief checks and $400 a week in federal unemployment benefits.</li><li>Programs at stake include unemployment benefits and food-stamp benefits.</li></ul>The House passed its $1.9 trillion stimulus bill over the weekend. The proposal now <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-democrats-biden-stimulus-plan-without-15-minimum-wage-2021-3">heads to the Senate</a> in a race to approve the massive <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> <keyword id="9222162" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="relief-bill">relief bill</keyword> before certain programs' scheduled expiration this month.The package includes $1,400 stimulus checks, $400 a week in federal unemployment benefits, and funds for coronavirus testing and vaccines. The bill passed largely along party lines in the House in a 219-212 vote - with two Democrats joining all House Republicans in opposition of the bill.The proposal requires only a simple majority in the Senate to land on President Joe Biden's desk, but lawmakers can offer amendments to the bill and are likely to craft a different version of the proposal. Doing so would send it back to the House for approval, or both chambers would have to negotiate line items in a joint conference committee."Now, the bill moves to the United States Senate, where I hope it will receive quick action," Biden said during a press briefing over the weekend. "We have no time to waste.""If we act now - decisively, quickly, and boldly - we can finally get ahead of this virus," the president added. "We can finally get our economy moving again."Here's what at stake if the bill hasn't passed before the end of March:<h2>Unemployment benefits are set to expire March 14</h2>Temporary federal unemployment programs are set to lapse this month, leaving more than 11 million out-of-work Americans without federal financial assistance. Weekly unemployment payments were included in the first coronavirus relief package passed by Congress last March, and the payments were extended another 11 weeks in the package passed in December.According to data from the <a href="https://tcf.org/content/report/11-4-million-workers-facing-jobless-benefit-cliff-starting-march-14-unless-congress-acts-swiftly/?session=1">The Century Foundation</a>, a left-leaning think tank, about 4 million workers would face a "hard cliff" and see their unemployment benefits end abruptly on March 14 - the 11-week benchmark of the December extension - and about 7 million unemployed Americans would face a "soft cliff," in which their benefits would end sometime between mid-March and mid-April.Even if Biden signs the new package by mid-March, some unemployed Americans will experience a hiccup in payments, just a month after the disruption in payments from the delay in finalizing the December relief bill. Funds were eventually sent out retroactively to those who qualified for the program.<h2>The Paycheck Protection Program and federal eviction moratorium are not included in the current draft of the bill</h2>PPP loans, a crucial federal financial-assistance program intended to help small businesses, are set to expire this month. The current bill won't extend the program past March 31.But if the proposal is passed before March 31, an additional $7 billion will be allocated to the program to help <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ppp-aid-for-small-businesses-whats-different-this-round-2020-12">more small businesses</a>, as well as "provide $15 billion to the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan Program, which provides long-term, low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/politics/stimulus-programs-expiring-deadline/index.html">CNN</a> reported.The proposal also includes $25 billion for "a new grant program specifically for bars and restaurants," according to the CNN report.Like the small-business-loan program, the federal eviction moratorium is scheduled to end by the end of the month as well. To extend the program past March, it would need to be issued by executive order.The proposal currently allocates $19.1 billion to state and local governments in rent and utility assistance to low-income households, as well as $5 billion to states and cities to help communities and localities at risk of homelessness. Another $10 billion would go toward homeowners struggling to pay mortgages, utilities, and property taxes.<h2>A tax incentive for employers that offers expanded paid sick and family leave will end March 31</h2>A federal tax-incentive program for employers to offer expanded paid sick and family leave will end March 31 if the bill is still in negotiations at the end of the month. In the CARES Act, passed last March, the federal government guaranteed an additional 10 weeks of paid family leave to families with kids who were at home with schools closed.The benefit expired in December, but "employers can still receive a tax credit if they voluntarily provided the expanded paid leave through March," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/politics/stimulus-programs-expiring-deadline/index.html">CNN</a> reported.<h2>Food-stamp benefits could be extended as part of the relief package</h2>Americans who receive food stamps got an additional 15% in benefits as part of the relief package passed last December. The benefits are set to last through June, but the massive proposal currently at the Senate could extend the benefits through September.

As another stimulus package hangs in the balance, some programs like unemployment benefits are set to expire by the end of March

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11896084" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="white-house" source="Orion">White House</keyword> released its FY 2023 budget proposals on Monday.</li><li>Biden is requesting an additional $682 million in aid for <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> as it fights against <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>.</li></ul>President <keyword id="99719" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="joe-biden" source="Orion">Joe Biden</keyword> has proposed a significant increase in aid to Ukraine as part of his <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/budget_fy2023.pdf">$5.8 trillion budget request to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year</a> as Russia's bombardment of the country shows little sign of slowing.The White House proposed $682 million in funding for Ukraine under proposals to fund the State Department, US Agency for International Development, and other international efforts for fiscal year 2023, which begins on July 1.The White House said the new proposal for Ukraine is an increase of $219 million above what the US sent to that country in the 2021 fiscal year.The White House said the funds are needed to "to continue to counter Russian malign influence and to meet emerging needs related to security, energy, cyber security issues, disinformation, macroeconomic stabilization, and civil society resilience."The request comes as Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, displacing millions of people and reducing portions of major cities to rubble.<div type="image" title="A dog was wounded by shelling in Boiarka, in the Kyiv Oblast province on March 26, 2022 in Ukraine." height="2736" width="5472" msid="90503463" hostid="261"></div>"I'm calling for continued investment to forcefully respond to Putin's aggression against Ukraine with US support for Ukraine's economic, humanitarian, and security needs," Biden said in a statement released alongside the 156-page budget plan.The $682 million in proposed aid comes on the heels of <a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/Ukraine%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">$13.6 billion in assistance for Ukraine</a> that <keyword id="11893699" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="congress" source="Orion">Congress</keyword> approved as part of a $1.5 trillion spending bill in March 2022. That number included $4 billion to assist refugees and $3 billion in military support for the United States European Command. Biden signed the bill into law on March 15. Congress will consider the requests in Biden's budget proposal but will ultimately decide spending levels for each federal agency. That means a president requesting funds does not necessarily result in Congress making their fiscal wish-list a reality. While there has been bipartisan support for American aid to Ukraine in Congress, Republican opposition and divisions within the Democratic Party have stymied much of Biden's agenda during his first year in office.In a statement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said the funding from Biden's fiscal year 2023 budget was necessary as "America continues to counter Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine."

Biden proposes additional $682 million in aid to Ukraine in his new White House budget request

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The House passed a two-month debt-limit patch, buying time until the US approaches default again.</li><li>"This is America's debt," Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a floor speech ahead of the vote.</li></ul>The House on Tuesday approved a two-month debt-limit patch that would run through early December, sending the bill to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature. It amounts to a momentary reprieve as Senate Republicans are pledging to block any further renewal of America's ability to repay its bills.Tuesday's vote was 219-206, with every House Republican who voted opposing the measure. Democrats relied on a procedural maneuver packaging the bill - which cleared the Senate last week - with votes on other measures.The bill, once signed, staves off a catastrophic federal default that the Treasury Department projected would occur in six days. House Speaker <keyword id="128640" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nancy-pelosi" source="Orion">Nancy Pelosi</keyword> slammed Senate Minority Leader <keyword id="11977287" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mitch-mcconnell" source="Orion">Mitch McConnell</keyword> in a speech before the vote, saying he "was playing Russian Roulette with the <keyword id="11893570" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy" source="Orion">economy</keyword>.""This is our debt. This is America's debt," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a floor speech.Another showdown looms in December, however, with McConnell <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yellen-debt-ceiling-congress-mcconnell-gop-biden-default-2021-10">vowing to block any effort</a> to further raise the <keyword id="12054668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="debt-limit" source="Orion">debt limit</keyword>. His opposition is designed to force Democrats to enact any additional increase on their own using a party-line mechanism called reconciliation."I will not be a party to any future effort to mitigate the consequences of Democratic mismanagement," the Kentucky Republican wrote in a scathing letter to Biden on Friday. "Your lieutenants on Capitol Hill now have the time they claimed they lacked to address the <keyword id="11940544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="debt-ceiling" source="Orion">debt ceiling</keyword>."McConnell argued Democrats must employ the arduous reconciliation procedure to approve a debt-limit hike unilaterally, the same demand he's made since July. The process allows some measures to be passed with only a simple majority, shielding it from the filibuster's 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

House approves 2-month debt-limit extension, teeing up another showdown with McConnell's GOP in December

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Senate Democrats aren't including a tax on billionaires in their <keyword id="12054670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="build-back-better" source="Orion">Build Back Better</keyword> Act.</li><li>The proposal, which would tax the gains of billionaires' assets, would raise an estimated $557 billion.</li></ul>Senate Democrats are not sticking with their previous plan for a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-democrats-billionaires-tax-plan-elon-musk-jeff-bezos-biden-2021-10">billionaires' tax</a> in their $2 trillion social and climate spending bill as they race to finalize the details and approve it before Christmas.Sen. <keyword id="11931195" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ron-wyden" source="Orion">Ron Wyden</keyword> of Oregon, the Senate Finance Committee chair, said his panel would release new bill text on Friday.He's long pushed a tax on billionaires' assets, introduced in late October. But the Oregon Democrat conceded it would not form part of the new Senate legislation."I do not expect that it will be," Wyden told Insider on Thursday evening. "I have continued to talk to my colleagues and there is widespread awareness that this is the largest amount of money that has been scored by the Joint Committee on Taxation."The plan had run into immediate opposition from Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who argued it was "divisive," as well as from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-ron-wyden-billionaires-tax-plan-stunt-prompting-pushback-2021-11">privately assailed it as a public-relations stunt</a>."I think there's a wide swath of moderates and pragmatists in the caucus concerned about the second-order effects of this," a Senate Democratic aide granted anonymity to speak candidly told Insider.The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimated the plan would raise <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taxing-billionaires-would-raise-557-billion-elon-musk-billionaire-tax2021-11">$557 billion in revenue</a> over a decade — an amount sufficient to finance almost three years of the expanded child tax credit for middle and low-income families. However, the tax proposal was short-lived in its viability, with key politicians <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democrats-ditch-billionaire-tax-proposal-says-house-tax-writer-report-2021-10">expressing their doubts</a> mere hours after it was announced in late October.The tax would apply to the gains that assets billionaires own, like stocks. Currently, those gains are only taxed when an asset is sold, and then they're taxed at the preferential <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-capital-gains">capital gains rate</a>. It seeks to realign how many billionaires' source of income is the value that their holdings gain, rather than the paychecks that the majority of Americans receive. An <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-billionaires-owe-under-democrats-tax-plan-elon-musk-2021-10">analysis</a> from economist Gabriel Zucman, a longtime researcher on inequality, found the 10 richest billionaires alone would owe $275 billion under the tax.Zucman is also one of 219 academics urging Congress to include the billionaires' tax in the final social spending legislation. In a <a href="https://americansfortaxfairness.org/wp-content/uploads/Academics-BIT-Sign-On-Letter-219-signers.pdf?atf">letter</a> spearheaded by the left-leaning Americans for Tax Fairness and leading <keyword id="12100837" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wealth-tax" source="Orion">wealth tax</keyword> experts, Zucman, alongside leading economists like Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, said that "our broken income tax rules let billionaires treat the income tax system as a mere suggestion, not like the obligation most Americans face."Frank Clemente, the executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, said in an email to Insider that he is confident "that negotiations on this package are ongoing and that a <keyword id="12395954" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="billionaires-income-tax" source="Orion">Billionaires Income Tax</keyword> is part of the discussions." The academics argue that the tax's omission would be "unjust" to the everyday taxpayers left to the foot the bill. "President Biden campaigned on a promise to ensure the richest Americans pay their fair share of tax," the letter said.Without the tax, the academics write, the bill "as it is now written would disappoint the millions of voters who support that promise" of Biden's.

Senate Democrats are leaving the billionaires' tax out of their climate and spending plan due to widespread resistance in their ranks

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Roughly 32 GOP mayors are backing Biden's $1.9 trillion <keyword id="8931586" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19-relief">COVID-19 relief</keyword> bill.</li><li>The support is a stark contrast to the bill's opposition among <keyword id="1101581" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congressional-Republicans">congressional Republicans</keyword>.</li><li>The House passed the bill on Saturday and it now heads to the Senate where resistance is anticipated.</li></ul>While President <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> faces firm opposition to his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package from congressional Republicans, many elected GOP officials outside of Washington DC are singing a different tune.Roughly 32 GOP mayors, representing cities from Oklahoma City and Arlington, Texas to Carmel, Indiana and Mesa, Arizona, are among 425 mayors who backed the relief bill <a href="https://www.usmayors.org/2021/01/29/more-than-400-bipartisan-mayors-now-signed-on-to-letter-calling-for-action-on-direct-fiscal-assistance-for-cities/">in a letter</a> through the US Conference of Mayors to Congress."American cities and our essential workers have been serving at the front lines of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for nearly a year," the mayors wrote. "Despite immense fiscal pressure, your local government partners oversaw those efforts, while trying to maintain essential services and increase our internal capacity to provide support for residents and businesses who have been crippled by a tanking economy."Congressional Republicans have blasted the price tag of Biden's bill, deriding the local economic relief as a "blue state bailout" for Democratic cities and states.GOP Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi echoed such a sentiment at a House committee meeting this week."What I see is a bailout for poorly-run (cities and states), not money that is earmarked for those who have discovered losses based on COVID," he said.Some Republicans <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/02/08/sen-rick-scott-misrepresents-covid-19s-toll-on-state-finances-politifact/">have also argued</a> that the economic forecasts for many localities were above expected projections, eliminating the need for increased federal funds.<a href="https://twitter.com/CNNnewsroom/status/1365326548430127104">During a CNN segment</a> yesterday, GOP mayors David Holt of Oklahoma City and John Giles of Mesa defended the need for additional aid."I don't know a city where revenues have gone up," Holt said. "That is news to me and I think that is not true. Whether your mayor is a Republican or a Democrat, revenues are down."He added: "The idea that this is a red state/blue state or red city/blue city thing is really a myth. Everybody is down. Everybody needs some support to get their services back to the level that people expect."When asked if Mesa was a "poorly-run city," Giles rejected such a characterization."I'm very proud of the way that we've administered the COVID relief that we received a year ago," he said. "There are a lot of people in Mesa that received food and utility assistance. Our first responders were funded. We were able to get kids back into school, to help with our school districts to have the remote learning devices they needed."He emphasized: "I would invite any scrutiny that partisans would like to apply to the way that we've administered the funds that we've received thus far."After the relief bill <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stimulus-house-democrats-approve-19-trillion-biden-rescue-package-2021-2">passed the House</a> in a near party-line 219-212 vote yesterday, the group praised the outcome as it heads to the Senate."The fiscal relief passed today will help close deep budget holes and enable cities to be an engine of our recovery," they wrote. "But the job is not done. Mayors urge the Senate to now act quickly on this package and preserve the desperately needed resources for cities of all sizes."Earlier this month, a group of GOP senators led by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-stimulus-package-compromise-covid-bill-biden-lower-income-payments-2021-1">sought to reduce</a> the size of the relief package to roughly $600 billion, but <keyword id="6534156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Democrats">Democrats</keyword> proceeded with their bill through the reconciliation process, which would allow them to pass the bill through party-line votes.If all 50 Democrats back the relief bill on the Senate floor in the face of united GOP opposition, then Vice President Kamala Harris's tie-breaking vote will assure its passage.Holt, for his part, said that he was singularly focused on the well-being of his city."I'm a one-issue voter," he <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/25/joe-bidens-covid-19-stimulus-bill-boosted-republican-mayors/4540358001/">told USA Today</a>. "If it's good for cities, and especially for Oklahoma City, I'm going to be supportive. The $350 billion for cities and states is a no-brainer to me, regardless of your political party."

Nearly three dozen GOP mayors back Biden's COVID-19 relief package

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="499274" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="House-Democrats">House Democrats</keyword> approved the package in a vote of 219-212.</li><li>The <keyword id="7173" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="house">House</keyword> vote sends the legislation to the Senate.</li><li>Senate Democrats may clash on a minimum wage hike.</li></ul>House Democrats approved President <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword>'s $1.9 trillion emergency spending package in a near-party line vote early on Saturday morning, moving ahead far-reaching legislation aimed at distributing new federal dollars to hard-hit families, businesses, and other parts of the American <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword>.The stimulus plan cleared the chamber in a 219-212 vote shortly after 2am on Saturday with Republicans unified in their resistance. Two Democrats broke from their party to join Republicans opposing the colossal relief legislation - Reps. Kurt Schraeder of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine.The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-in-bidens-stimulus-child-credits-checks-minimum-wage-2021-2">relief package would provide</a> $1,400 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/who-gets-the-third-stimulus-check-2021-2">stimulus checks</a> for taxpayers; $400 in federal unemployment benefits through the end of August; $350 billion in aid to state and local governments; $200 billion in funding for schools; $50 billion in virus testing and tracing; and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stimulus-democrats-child-benefits-17-under-checks-parents-biden-relief-2021-2">a major revamp</a> of the child tax credit.Senate Democrats will take up the legislation next week, and they're rushing to enact it before the expiration of enhanced unemployment insurance in mid-March. But they face a set of difficult decisions that could spark some clashes at a moment Democrats are pressing to act swiftly.Democrats commended the relief bill as a critical pillar in the nation's fight against the pandemic and the economic malaise it has caused. Speaker <keyword id="128640" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nancy-Pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</keyword> said "the time for decisive action is now," and cited Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-unemployment-rate-double-official-rate-fed-worst-great-recession-2021-2">estimate of a 10%</a> unemployment rate."Each day, this pandemic reaches into our communities, devastating families' health, financial security and well-being," she said during a floor speech. "We are moved to act swiftly to put an end to this pandemic and to stem the suffering felt by so many." Biden urged "quick action" in the evenly-divided Senate, which Democrats narrowly control because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tie-breaking votes."If we act now decisively, quickly and boldly, we can finally get ahead of this virus," Biden said in brief remarks Saturday morning at the White House. "We can finally get our economy moving again."Republicans lambasted the proposal, arguing many of its provisions are unrelated to the pandemic. Congress approved $4 trillion in pandemic relief spending over the past year, including a $900 billion aid package in December.House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Texas said from the House floor that the bill's price tag was too large and filled with progressive items. "The Democrats' spending bill is too costly, too corrupt, and too liberal for the country," the California Republican said. Republicans also complained of being cut out of the drafting process, though they used a similar procedure to enact the tax law in 2017 without Democratic support. House Democrats brushed aside GOP criticisms and often pointed to polls showing strong popularity for the rescue package, including among independents and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/60-percent-republican-voters-support-biden-19-trillion-stimulus-poll-2021-2">Republicans.</a>"If you don't think Congress has more work to do here - then you either don't get what American families are going through or you don't care," Rep. John Yarmuth, chair of the House Budget Committee, said on Friday evening. "I don't know how else to say it."The vote came as the American economy showed signs of measured progress. New unemployment clains <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-weekly-jobless-claims-730000-labor-market-economic-recovery-unemployment-2021-2">fell last week</a> as vaccine distribution started gaining pace and virus infections drop. But 18 million Americans remain on unemployment insurance and the economy has only regained half of the 20 million jobs it lost early in the pandemic.The legislation's path ahead in the Senate was made more complicated this week. The House bill includes a $15 minimum wage, but the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/minimum-wage-struck-from-biden-stimulus-plan-2021-2">Senate parliamentarian ordered it struck</a> from the plan on Thursday evening because it violated certain rules in the chamber. The recommendation meant the provision, a key progressive priority, cannot move ahead in the strict reconciliation process Democrats are employing to pass the bill with only 51 votes in the Senate and circumvent Republicans.Pelosi kept the provision in the approved House bill and said Democrats would eventually achieve their goal for a $15 minimum wage.Senior Democrats, including Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democrats-stimulus-package-minimum-wage-boost-uncertain-2021-2">coalescing behind a backup</a> plan along with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Their proposal would levy a tax penalty on large businesses who don't pay workers below a certain wage. Small businesses would be provided tax credits to cover up to 25% of their wages to incentivize them to lift workers' pay. But it is unclear whether every Democratic senator would be onboard.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was considering a new provision to penalize large corporations that don't pay their employees $15 an hour, a senior Democratic aide said.Some influential business groups like the Chamber of Commerce came out in opposition to the Sanders and Wyden measure."Enough political games," Neal Bradley, chief <keyword id="28351" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="policy">policy</keyword> officer at the Chamber of Commerce, <a href="https://twitter.com/NeilBradleyDC/status/1365404729593970691?s=20">tweeted on Friday</a>. "The business community believes a deal can be reached on a fair min wage increase."Some progressives in the House urged Democrats to deliver on campaign promises of a wage hike or their slim majorities in both chambers would be imperiled in the next election."I don't think we can go back to voters and say, 'Look, I know Republicans, Democrats, independents support this, we promised it, but because of an unelected parliamentarian who gave us a ruling, we couldn't do it,'" Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters. "Nobody is going to buy that."

House Democrats pass Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, sending it to the Senate as minimum wage fight looms

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Thousands came to Washington and other US cities to push for passage of voting-rights legislation.</li><li>House Democrats have passed voting legislation, only to see it stymied by the Senate filibuster.</li><li>Advocates are pushing to counter restrictive voting bills that are being enacted in many states.</li></ul>Thousands of people on Saturday marched in the nation's capital to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the <keyword id="11972551" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="march-on-washington" source="Orion">March on Washington</keyword> in 1963 - seeking to push Congress to pass federal voting-rights legislation to counter the raft of restrictive voting bills being implemented in states across the country.Organizers for the <a href="https://marchonforvotingrights.org/">March On for Voting Rights</a>, which in addition to Washington, DC, is taking place in Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and Phoenix, are using the event to call out voter suppression and push for fair elections.On the way to the National Mall, marchers advocated for lawmakers to pass voting-rights measures that have stalled in Congress - the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-house-passes-hr-1-democracy-reform-voting-rights-package-2021-3">For the People Act (H.R. 1)</a> and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-house-passes-john-lewis-voting-rights-bill-with-no-gop-votes-2021-8">John Lewis Voting Advancement Act (H.R. 4)</a>.The <keyword id="11949146" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="for-the-people-act" source="Orion">For the People Act</keyword>, the Democratic Party's marquee voting-rights bill, would end partisan gerrymandering, expand early and absentee voting, establish national standards for voter registration, and blunt voter purges, among other things. The bill would also mandate that states offer mail-in ballots and same-day voter registration, which conservatives have long resisted in many states.The House has passed the sweeping bill, but it has stalled in the Senate - Democrats need 60 votes to advance the legislation and Republicans have refused to sign on to H.R. 1, even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-republicans-block-passage-of-democrats-flagship-voting-rights-bill-2021-6">filibustering the bill</a> in June - fueled by opposition from former President Donald Trump, who has long propagated unsubstantiated claims of voting fraud.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-white-house-staff-aides-guide-2021-1">The ultimate White House org chart to 600+ members of Biden's staff and who makes six figures</a>The John Lewis Voting Act, named after the civil-rights icon and longtime Congressman <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rep-john-lewis-has-died-2020-7">who passed away last year</a>, would notably <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-to-restore-and-strengthen-voting-rights-act">restore</a> federal pre-clearance requirements from the <keyword id="11940459" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="voting-rights" source="Orion">Voting Rights</keyword> Act of 1965 that were weakened in the 2013 Supreme Court decision Shelby County v. Holder. For decades, states and jurisdictions with histories of discrimination were required to obtain permission from the federal government before making voting changes or new legislative maps.The legislation, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-house-passes-john-lewis-voting-rights-bill-with-no-gop-votes-2021-8">which passed the House</a> in a 219-212 party-line vote on Tuesday, faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Democratic Rep. <keyword id="11972555" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="terri-sewell" source="Orion">Terri Sewell</keyword> of Alabama, who represents the cradle of the civil-rights movement, is the sponsor of H.R. 4 and invoked the legacy of Lewis in calling for passage of the bill."Here we are, marching to do our own work. As long as a Supreme Court is hellbent on rolling back voter rights, Selma is now," she said. "As long as we have a Senate that is so entrenched with having a procedural vote called a filibuster and not restoring our voting rights, Selma is now."She added: "Old battles have become new again. Modern day suppression is alive and well, and we have to do our part to roll it back."<div type="image" title="March On Washington voting rights" height="3438" width="5156" msid="85729275" hostid="261"></div><h2>'You're not going to filibuster away our voting protections'</h2>Democrats control the Senate in the 50-50 chamber by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris's tiebreaking vote, but the party has been unable to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome legislative filibusters on its voting-rights bills.Progressive lawmakers have urged moderate Sens. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manchin-voting-rights-bill-for-the-people-act-elections-2021-6">Joe Manchin</a> of West Virginia and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-kyrsten-sinema-slammed-the-filibuster-she-now-supports-2021-6">Kyrsten Sinema</a> of Arizona to weaken or eliminate the filibuster in order to pass voting-rights legislation, but they have steadfastly chosen to keep the practice in place, pointing to a need to preserve bipartisanship.The Rev. <keyword id="11972552" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="al-sharpton" source="Orion">Al Sharpton</keyword>, one of the organizers of the march, gave a rousing speech in support of voting rights - arguing that the filibuster could not stand in the way of progress."We will not sit by and allow you to filibuster our right to vote," he said. "We paid too high a price. People died to give us the right to vote. People spent nights in jail to give us the right to vote. People lost their lives to give us the right to vote."He added: "There is no filibuster that can stand in the way of a people determined to get their rights. That's why in the blistering heat, we came to Washington to say, 'You're not going to filibuster away our voting protections.'"Despite the legislative setbacks, civil rights and labor leaders have called voting rights an extension of the ideals espoused by the Rev. Dr. <keyword id="11972553" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="martin-luther-king-jr-" source="Orion">Martin Luther King Jr.</keyword> in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.On Saturday, King's son, <keyword id="11972554" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="martin-luther-king-iii" source="Orion">Martin Luther King III</keyword>, spoke out forcefully for federal voting-rights legislation."We are a force of nature," he said. "This is a battlefield of morals and you are armed with the truth and the truth is a flame, you cannot extinguish. People have done it before, and we'll do it again. We will demand federal voting rights until we have them. So don't give up. Don't give in. Don't give out. You are the dream, and this is our moment to make it true."Democratic Rep. <keyword id="11972556" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mondaire-jones" source="Orion">Mondaire Jones</keyword> of New York, a first-term lawmaker who <a href="https://twitter.com/mondairejones/status/1350474105624125442?lang=en">has called for the abolition of the filibuster</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mondaire-jones-calls-on-stephen-breyer-supreme-court-retirement-2021-4">an expansion of the Supreme Court</a>, warned the crowd of GOP rule if voting-rights legislation falls by the wayside."If we fail to act in this moment, we are on a path by which democracy dies in darkness," he said. "Allow me to paint a future of that dark future for you. Thanks to partisan gerrymandering, the party of Donald Trump will take back control of the House next year, even as Democrats continue to win more votes nationwide."He added: "The party of Donald Trump would also take back the United States Senate through voter suppression in states like Georgia, and we gotta make sure that Raphael Warnock comes back to the Senate."Organizers of the march also advocated for myriad proposals, such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bet-founder-billionaire-calls-for-reparations-black-americans-2021-6">reparations</a> for descendants of slavery, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-a-15-minimum-wage-would-mean-businesses-workers-employment-2021-1">$15 minimum</a> wage, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-debt-cancellation-payment-pause-borrowers-disabilities-defrauded-2021-6">student loan debt</a> cancelation, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-dc-statehood-respect-full-representation-power-2021-3">statehood for Washington, DC</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/police-reform-george-floyd-blm-congress-biden-2021-3">criminal justice reform</a>, among other issues.

'Old battles have become new again': Thousands march in Washington, DC, and across the US in push for voting-rights legislation

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c383855630d9b43024d1703-2400/ap19010670774543.jpg" border="0" alt="Jerome Powell" data-mce-source="(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)" data-mce-caption="Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell talks with Carlyle Group co-CEO David Rubenstein during the Economic Club of Washington luncheon, in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019." /></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is concerned about rising US debt. The annual debt in 2018 topped $1 trillion, while the overall deficit was $21.9 trillion as of January 8, <a href="https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/pd_debttothepenny.htm">according to the US Treasury</a>, $16 trillion of which is owed by the public.</li><li>"I'm very worried about it," Powell told those at The Economic Club of Washington, DC, on Thursday. "From the Fed's standpoint, we're really looking at a business cycle length: that's our frame of reference."</li><li>Part of the cause of the rising deficit, PBS NewsHour corresponded Lisa Desjardins explains, is that 2018 was the first year of President Donald Trump's tax bill.</li></ul>Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is concerned about rising US debt. The annual debt in 2018 topped $1 trillion, while the overall deficit was $21.9 trillion as of January 8, <a href="https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/pd_debttothepenny.htm">according to the US Treasury</a>, $16 trillion of which is owed by the public."I'm very worried about it," Powell told those at The Economic Club of Washington, DC, on Thursday. "From the Fed's standpoint, we're really looking at a business cycle length: that's our frame of reference.""The long-run fiscal, nonsustainability of the U.S. federal government isn't really something that plays into the medium term that is relevant for our policy decisions," Powell continued. "It's a long-run issue that we definitely need to face, and ultimately, will have no choice but to face."While the US has sustained annual debts higher than 2018's, the debts were high in 2009 and 2010 when the economy was recovering from the Great Recession. Currently, even though the economy is strong, the annual national debt is growing.Analysis done by <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-the-federal-deficit-is-rising-despite-economic-growth">PBS NewsHour</a> in October 2018, explained why the debt is rising - and why it could be a problem.Part of the cause, PBS NewsHour correspondent Lisa Desjardins explains, is because 2018 was the first year of President Donald Trump's tax bill. Tax revenue, she said was nearly flat, while government spending - by both Democrats and Republicans - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-us-debt-in-2018-how-much-highest-recession-2018-10">increased with the bipartisan budget bill.</a>"We also see, if you look at the numbers, corporate tax receipts fell 30 percent," David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, told NewsHour. "And that's largely the result of the president's tax cut."So what we're seeing - you would expect at a time like this revenues rising faster than spending, because the economy is strong, more people working, paying taxes, fewer people collecting unemployment benefits and such, and the deficit would shrink," he continued. "We see the opposite, and that's largely because of the tax cut."If current laws stay in place, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-us-debt-in-2018-how-much-highest-recession-2018-10">Business Insider's Bob Bryan explained in October</a>, the annual deficit is expected to hover at "just shy of $1 trillion for fiscal year 2019 and will eclipse the $1 trillion mark in the following four years, according to official Trump administration estimates."And with a rise in interest rates, which the Fed <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/19/fed-hikes-rates-by-a-quarter-point-.html">raised four times in 2018</a>, the interest on US debt grows. In December, Wall Street's "bond king" Jeffrey Gundlach said the Fed was on a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/11/gundlach-says-stocks-are-breaking-down-bonds-are-overvalued-and-the-fed-is-on-a-suicide-mission.html">"suicide mission,"</a> raising rates while the deficit grows. The Fed is projecting two interest-rate hikes in 2019.Another worry is that strong economies don't always remain strong, there's concern about what would happen if the US hit another recession, CNBC reports.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell says he's worried about rising US debt

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c6437b52628984e8c148b25-2400/ap19004633696681.jpg" border="0" alt="Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, left, and D-N.Y., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., center, walk down the House steps to take a group photograph of the House Democratic women members of the 116th Congress on the East Front Capitol Plaza on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, as the 116th Congress begins. Also pictured is Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Andrew Harnik" data-mce-caption="Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)." data-link="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/New-Congress/fa57f5b6d4324046b62005ede9965e3b/2/0" /><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/New-Congress/fa57f5b6d4324046b62005ede9965e3b/2/0">AP Photo/Andrew Harnik</a>Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Republicans have long used Nancy Pelosi as their boogeyman in their pitch to voters, but that did not work in 2018.</li><li>GOP lawmakers, political groups, and conservative media outlets are now focusing a considerable amount of time and resources on freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to paint her as the "new leader of the Democratic Party."</li><li>Ocasio-Cortez's rapid rise and vocal personality makes her a prime target, according to Republican strategists.</li></ul>WASHINGTON - For years, Republicans have had one boogeyman they repeatedly tried to tether Democratic opponents to: Nancy Pelosi. But the days of using the House Speaker as a campaign punching bag are over.Republicans have found a fresh, new face they can paint as an existential threat to the United States as they attempt to take back their House majority, keep the Senate, and ensure President Donald Trump stays in the White House: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Since the freshman Democrat from New York broke onto the scene, she has been causing a ruckus in Washington. Republicans cannot get enough of her and are now using her as the new face of the opposition.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pelosi-giving-up-leadership-republicans-lose-the-house-2018-3">Republicans privately fret about the prospect of an election without Pelosi as the boogeyman</a>For nearly two decades, Republicans would work around the clock to ensure that their opponents, no matter their district or state, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pelosi-giving-up-leadership-republicans-lose-the-house-2018-3">would be closely associated</a> with the longtime House Democratic Leader from San Francisco.But in 2018, when Republicans ramped up their Pelosi targeting operation like never before, it was a massive failure and Democrats took back the House in a wave election.Now, Republicans have made a point of repeatedly hammering Ocasio-Cortez and tying her to the broader agenda put forth by Pelosi. GOP political action groups like the National Republican Campaign Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have made a point of elevating her every comment and action, and conservative media outlets' coverage of her has bordered on obsessive.In Congress, Republicans have placed a large share of their energy on rhetoric and action from Ocasio-Cortez, working hard to emphasize that she will bring "socialism" to the United States if Democrats keep winning elections."What I see going forward to the next election is that socialism versus the freedoms we've understood this country to stand for and it goes against pretty much the core of what we believe," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in an <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/02/10/exclusive-kevin-mccarthy-green-new-deal-will-hurt-middle-class/">interview</a> with Breitbart <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword> on the website's SiriusXM radio show.On the other side of the Capitol, the typically stoic Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has even done his part, pledging to bring Ocasio-Cortez's "Green New Deal" legislation to the floor for a vote, knowing full well it will not pass, but will put vulnerable Democrats in a political bind.<h2>Republican political groups are refocusing on the younger Democrats</h2>Political action groups are also trending toward using Ocasio-Cortez in their campaign pitches to voters.The Congressional Leadership Fund has already started <a href="https://www.congressionalleadershipfund.org/clf-targets-two-freshman-democrats-on-green-new-deal/">running ads</a> on the Green New Deal, with Ocasio-Cortez as the face of it to target vulnerable Democratic Reps. Antonio Delgado of New York and Colin Allred of Texas. Neither Delgado nor Allred are cosponsors on the Green New Deal bill."Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the new leader of the Democratic Party and already pushing a radical agenda that is outrageously far outside the mainstream for most Americans," CLF Vice President Zach Hunter told INSIDER. "Vulnerable Democrats will have to answer for her extreme policies every day between now and Election Day in 2020."And almost every recently published article on the NRCC's online blog tethers Democrats in their 2020 target districts to Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-dismisses-candidates-distancing-themselves-from-her-2018-3">Pelosi dismisses candidates distancing themselves from her: 'I have a strong following in the country'</a>The NRSC immediately took the Green New Deal plan and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5TgUBnSdcg&amp;feature=youtu.be">sliced it into an ad,</a> placing Ocasio-Cortez front and center.In an email blasted out to reporters, an NRSC spokesman made sure to note that Democratic Sens. Doug Jones, Gary Peters, and Mark Warner will have to answer for the Green New Deal. All three of those senators are up for re-election in 2020 in states that range from purple to red.<h2>Conservative media is going all in on Ocasio-Cortez</h2>The move is reflected in conservative media's coverage as well. According to data provided to INSIDER by Media Matters for America, a left-leaning media watchdog organization, conservative outlets have piled-on coverage of Ocasio-Cortez.Right-leaning publications still place a premium on Pelosi-related articles, but Ocasio-Cortez coverage is at a level that's disproportionate with each of their actual influence on Capitol Hill.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c65a0e50d15f55f17091384-1201/0.png" border="0" alt="Conservative media coverage of House Democrats." data-mce-source="Samantha Lee/INSIDER" data-mce-caption="Conservative media coverage of House Democrats." />Samantha Lee/INSIDERConservative media coverage of House Democrats.</div></div></div>Since the new Congress began on January 3 through February 13, Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire website has written about Ocasio-Cortez 119 times, Breitbart 194 times, with Foxnews.com putting out a whopping 448 articles. Compared to Pelosi, Daily Wire has written about the speaker 124 times, Breitbart 705 times, and Foxnews.com 1,090 times.The Daily Caller has published more articles mentioning Ocasio-Cortez than they have mentioning Pelosi with 219 and 202 mentions, respectively.What it boils down to, according to multiple Republican strategists, is that Ocasio-Cortez is an easy new boogeyman for Republicans.Based on how she came onto the scene by defeating former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in the primary, the large amount of free media attention she receives, and how vocal and candid she is on every issue makes her the ideal new target for conservatives looking to oust Democrats.Only time will tell whether that is a smart play for the GOP. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-morning-ritual-ego-boost-2015-11">Michael D'Antonio reveals Donald Trump's 'strange' morning ritual that boosts his ego</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/3DBmZhNi-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez replaces Nancy Pelosi as Republicans' new boogeyman for 2020

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5639ac93dd08956a658b4723-2011-1508/rtx1uj6u.jpg" alt="Pig farmer" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Stringer" data-mce-caption="Farmer Zhang Xianping rides his pig &amp;quotBig Precious&quot; during an interview with the media, in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, China, November 2, 2015. Zhang, a pig breeder, instead of killing it, decided to keep the two-year-old &amp;quotBig Precious&quot; as pet when its weight reached 600 kg, according to local media. Picture taken November 2, 2015." />REUTERS/StringerFarmer Zhang Xianping rides his pig "Big Precious" during an interview with the media, in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, China, November 2, 2015. Zhang, a pig breeder, instead of killing it, decided to keep the two-year-old "Big Precious" as pet when its weight reached 600 kg, according to local media. Picture taken November 2, 2015.</div></div></div>Good morning! Here's what you need to know.VW has found another problem. The company said it had uncovered "inconsistencies" when determining carbon dioxide emission levels <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-volkswagen-says-800000-cars-may-have-false-co2-levels-2015-11">which could affect around 800,000 cars.</a> VW said preliminary estimates of the cost have hit €2 billion ($2.19 billion).Portugal is having a political crisis. The opposition Socialists said they were still trying a reach an agreement with two other left-wing parties for a majority-backed government, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-portugals-socialist-coalition-talks-running-out-of-time-2015-11">which they have pledged to have in place before trying to oust the new cabinet next week.</a>Google has hit back at EU antitrust regulators. The company hit back at EU warnings of a possible hefty fine, saying this would be inappropriate because of the unusual nature of the case and its willingness to settle its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-google-says-an-eu-antitrust-fine-would-be-inappropriate-2015-11">antitrust dispute with concessions last year.</a>The leaders of Taiwan and China will meet for the first time since 1949. Taiwan's president will meet Saturday with his counterpart from once icy political rival China, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-taiwan-chinese-presidents-to-meet-for-first-time-since-49-2015-11">marking a historic moment. </a>Conflict is a real possibility in the Balkans. "If the migrant crisis is not adequately controlled as agreed at the summit in Brussels there is a possibility of conflict situations <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-slovenia-pm-says-migrant-crisis-could-reignite-balkan-conflicts-2015-11">between the states of the Western Balkans</a>," Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar told a news conferenceU.S. manufacturing data disappoints. New orders for U.S. factory goods fell for a second straight month in September as the manufacturing sector continues to struggle under the weight of a strong dollar <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-factory-orders-fall-for-second-straight-month-2015-11">and deep spending cuts by energy companies.</a>Greece is still ironing out issues with its creditors. Financial and economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said Greece and its European creditors should be able, by next week, to iron out disagreements <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-commissioner-says-greece-creditors-can-reach-deal-in-days-2015-11">on reforms the country must undertake to receive a new rescue loan installment.</a>Bill Ackman's Pershing Square investment fund is having a terrible year. The portfolio has lost 19% this year after a bet on Valeant Pharmaceuticals soured, turning one of last year's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-ackmans-fund-lost-73-percent-in-october-off-19-percent-for-year-2015-11">biggest winners into one of this year's most prominent losers.</a>Americans are buying cars again. U.S. auto sales rose at an annualized pace of 18.24 million in October, according to Autodata, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-auto-sales-october-2015-11">crushing expectations.</a>European producer price inflation figures are coming at 10 a.m. <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> time (5 a.m. ET). The Producer Price Index (PPI) released by the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat" target="_blank">Eurostat</a> measures the change in prices received by domestic producers of commodities. It's expected to fall 3.3%. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/50-cent-lifestyle-illusion-testifies-court-bankruptcy-curtis-jackson-2015-7">50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="BoeGRmdjoMc4sxqQrQiRAH_i98W5p0IW" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'BoeGRmdjoMc4sxqQrQiRAH_i98W5p0IW',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

You Searched For "opposition of nia bill 219" and got 12 results

Modi Government powers NIA in fight against terrorism, passes NIA (amendment) Bill 2019

BI India Bureau

House passes major bill to restore the Voting Rights Act with no Republican support

Grace Panetta

As another stimulus package hangs in the balance, some programs like unemployment benefits are set to expire by the end of March

Lauren Frias

Biden proposes additional $682 million in aid to Ukraine in his new White House budget request

Kayla Epstein

House approves 2-month debt-limit extension, teeing up another showdown with McConnell's GOP in December

Joseph Zeballos-Roig

Senate Democrats are leaving the billionaires' tax out of their climate and spending plan due to widespread resistance in their ranks

Joseph Zeballos-Roig,Juliana Kaplan

Nearly three dozen GOP mayors back Biden's COVID-19 relief package

John L. Dorman

House Democrats pass Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, sending it to the Senate as minimum wage fight looms

Joseph Zeballos-Roig

'Old battles have become new again': Thousands march in Washington, DC, and across the US in push for voting-rights legislation

John L. Dorman

Fed Chair Jerome Powell says he's worried about rising US debt

Sarah Gray,Sarah Gray

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez replaces Nancy Pelosi as Republicans' new boogeyman for 2020

Joe Perticone

10 things you need to know before European markets open

Ben Moshinsky