KATHERINE CLARK

Women — and some men — in Congress have been fighting for government child care assistance for almost 80 years.

House Democrats have unveiled a sweeping proposal for tax hikes on big corporations and the wealthy to fund President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion rebuilding plan.

For President Joe Biden and the senators laboring over a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure package, there’s just one question left: Can enough Republicans get to yes.

Prompted by Britney Spears conservatorship fight, a bipartisan legislative effort has emerged to reform the process.

But it faces an all-but-certain Republican blockade in a narrowly divided Senate and is unlikely to become law. Ad“I’ve heard Democrats argue that it’s the unions that built the middle class,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the senior Republican on the House labor panel. And what this bill does is take away their freedom.”Labor unions have long been a bedrock of Democratic support. “This far-reaching legislation is nothing more than an union boss wish list,” said Foxx, who led Republican debate on the bill. Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good excoriated the bill, saying it would effectively “funnel money to Democrats” by allowing unions to collect additional dues.

But it faces an all-but-certain Republican blockade in a narrowly divided Senate and is unlikely to become law. Ad“I’ve heard Democrats argue that it’s the unions that built the middle class,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the senior Republican on the House labor panel. And what this bill does is take away their freedom.”Labor unions have long been a bedrock of Democratic support. “This far-reaching legislation is nothing more than an union boss wish list,” said Foxx, who led Republican debate on the bill. Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good excoriated the bill, saying it would effectively “funnel money to Democrats” by allowing unions to collect additional dues.

“We have no time to waste,” Biden said at the White House after the House passage early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.

The new president’s vision for flushing cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.

Fencing and razor wire surrounds the perimeter of the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. Scott Applewhite)Capitol Police leadership had plenty of intelligence warning that armed extremists were planning to target the Capitol over President Donald Trump’s election loss, according to new testimony Thursday. In an appearance before a House subcommittee, acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said none of the warnings forecast the mass attack that actually took place. “I cannot get past a glaring discrepancy between intelligence received and preparation,” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said during Thursday's hearing before the House Appropriations Committee. AdThe Capitol Police union issued a vote of no confidence last week against Pittman.

With Democratic leadership in Congress calling for the removal of President Donald Trump 12 days before his term expires, all Texas Democrats in the U.S. House support the idea of impeaching him for a second time. “This insurrection was incited, encouraged and praised by the President of the United States — an assault on the United States that would once have been unthinkable.”“It is now clear that the President of the United States represents a grave threat to our Constitution and to our country,” she added. “He has willfully incited violence against the government of the United States. The Senate will soon be narrowly controlled by the Democrats and any movement to remove Trump from office with just days left in his presidency would need Republican support. But Democrats fell well short of removing Trump in the Republican-controlled Senate and he was easily acquitted.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the House to move ahead with impeachment if President Donald Trump does not resign after helping to stoke a mob's deadly takeover of the U.S. Capitol, she said Friday. The House Rules Committee is expected to expedite impeachment proceedings without committee hearings or votes. Those steps would slow down the process only days before Trump will leave office on Jan. 20. Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the fourth-ranking House Democrat, earlier told CNN that the chamber could move to impeach Trump "as early as mid-next week."

___4:55 p.m.Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has become the first Republican member of the Senate to call for President Donald Trump’s resignation. His call comes two days after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol and unsuccessfully tried to stop Congress from affirming Biden’s victory. —Alan Fram___12:45 p.m.A leading centrist Democratic senator says it seems unlikely that President Donald Trump can be quickly removed from office. Schiff said Friday that Democrats warned during Trump’s impeachment that he would “try to cheat” to remain in office. ___8:40 a.m.A police officer has died from injuries he suffered when President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats on Tuesday said any federal economic assistance during the coronavirus outbreak must help people most directly impacted by the disease, not the wealthy, and that any package would not be ready this week. Potential aid should include paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, food security and affordable testing and treatment, House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark told reporters at a news conference. The American people are the ones who will need the relief if Congress acts, not the millionaires, not the billionaires, not the multi-national corporations, said U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the caucus chairman. We need to put families first.Jeffries added that more details would come out in coming days. U.S. Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee and joint economic panel, said their legislative package was still being crafted and that no vote was expected this week.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats on Tuesday said any federal economic assistance amid the coronavirus outbreak must directly affect people most directly impacted by the disease, not the wealthiest individuals or multinational corporations. Potential aid should include paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, food security and affordable testing and treatment, House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark told reporters at a news conference.