President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act that overwhelmingly passed Congress in a rare show of bipartisanship following a spate of high-profile attacks on Asian Americans in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday is expected to pass a measure that would create a commission to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack by Donald Trump's supporters, testing Republican loyalty to the former president, who has denounced the proposal.
The House is poised to vote on a 9/11-style commission on the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a first step toward creating an independent,.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With his muted response to the Gaza conflict, President Joe Biden is largely sticking to a time-worn U.S. playbook despite pressure from progressive Democrats for a tougher line toward Israel and from America’s allies for a more active role to end the violence.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks after touring Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., May 18, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis
By citing Israel’s right to defend itself against a rocket barrage from the Hamas-ruled enclave and only nudging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward a ceasefire, Biden has effectively given Israeli forces more time to press their offensive against Palestinian militants there.
McConnell told reporters that his caucus is “undecided” but willing to listen to arguments about “whether such a commission is needed.” He questioned whether the panel s work would interfere with the hundreds of criminal cases stemming from the Jan. 6 attack, in which rioters brutally beat police, broke in through windows and doors and hunted for lawmakers as they fled. McConnell said he also wanted to read the “fine print” of the bill and ensure that both parties on the commission have an equal say.
McConnell also questioned a separate $1.9 billion spending bill that the House is expected to pass this week for security upgrades. “We re not sure what to spend the money on yet,” he said.