Articles by Laura Litvan

Senators Still Working on Bipartisan Federal Police Reform Bill

U.S. Senator Tim Scott said he’s hopeful an agreement on police reform will be reached but vowed that any final accord wouldn’t “demonize” the police, including allowing individual officers to be sued in civil cases. “That is dead-stop not going …

Bipartisan COVID-19 Plan Helps Businesses, Unemployed; Splits State Aid, Liability Shield

A bipartisan group of lawmakers released proposed Covid-19 relief legislation that may provide momentum for breaking a months-long impasse, by separating out coronavirus liability protections and state aid — the two most contentious and partisan items. After Republicans and Democrats …

Bipartisan COVID Relief Plan Expected to Put State Aid, Liability Shield in Separate Bill

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discussed developments on federal funding, including pandemic relief, during a roughly half-hour phone call on Sunday and agreed to speak again on Monday, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said on Twitter. In …

McConnell’s Liability Shield Among Hurdles for Coronavirus Relief Bill

Stimulus talks between President Donald Trump’s representatives and Democrats bogged down Tuesday over demands by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that his proposed changes to liability law be included wholesale in the aid package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said McConnell’s …

GOP’s Proposal Limits Virus Liability Claims Against Businesses, Schools, Caregivers

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to give federal courts jurisdiction over liability claims arising from coronavirus infections to limit the legal exposure of businesses, schools and other organizations as they reopen, according to a summary of legislation he plans …

Senate Weighs Broad Coronavirus Liability Shield for Employers

Senate Republicans are drafting legislation that would let employers choose which government coronavirus safety guidelines to follow in order to be shielded from lawsuits if their customers or workers contract the virus, GOP Senator John Cornyn said Wednesday. Cornyn said …

Congress Passes Sept. 11 Victims Compensation Fund

The U.S. Senate voted to replenish a fund that provides lifelong medical help and other compensation for firefighters, police officers and other first responders affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, sending the long-stalled legislation to President Donald Trump. The …

Congress OKs Stop-Gap Funding to Avoid Government Shutdown

The Senate gave final approval Thursday night to a short-term extension of federal funding to keep the government running for three more weeks while shoving a raft of fiscal and policy fights into the new year. The spending measure, which …

Congress Avoids Government Shutdown with 2-Week Funding Measure

Congress passed a two-week extension of federal funding that averts a government shutdown this week but defers decisions on spending levels for defense and domestic programs. The House voted 235 to 193 in favor of the extension Thursday afternoon followed …

Senate GOP Gives Up on Latest Bid to Replace Obamacare

Senate Republicans gave up on their last-ditch bid to repeal Obamacare Tuesday as opposition in their own ranks ended months of fruitless efforts to deliver on a seven-year promise, and leaders said they would turn instead to overhauling the U.S. …