Biden Budget Substantially Boosts Foreign Aid, Diplomacy, but Raises Defense by 1.7%

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U.S. President Joe Biden sent his first formal budget request to Congress on Friday afternoon, detailing a proposal to spend nearly $6 trillion in 2022 that includes significant increases in funding for foreign aid, diplomacy and climate change while providing a modest increase in Defense Department spending.The U.S. will still have the largest military budget in the world under the proposed $715 billion Pentagon request for 2022, but the relatively small 1.7% increase drew immediate opposition from Republican defense hawks in Congress, who called the proposal “wholly inadequate.”In a meeting with reporters Friday afternoon, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H.more

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US Senate Votes to Block Panel to Probe Capitol Riot

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Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked legislation Friday that called for the creation of a bipartisan panel to investigate the deadly January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump to prevent the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory.As expected, Republicans used a procedural tactic known as a filibuster to block the bill, which would have launched a bipartisan investigation into the insurrection. It was the first successful use of a filibuster during the Biden presidency to stop Senate legislative action.The 54-35 vote was shy of the 60 votes need to advance the measure.Because themore

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Republicans Block Senate Vote on Panel to Probe Capitol Riot

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Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked legislation Friday calling for the creation of a panel to investigate the deadly January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol aimed at preventing the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory over incumbent Donald Trump. As expected, Republicans used a procedural tactic known as a filibuster to block the bill, which would have launched a bipartisan investigation into the insurrection. It was the first successful use of a filibuster during the Biden presidency to stop Senate legislative action.The 54-35 vote was shy of the 60 votes need to advance the measure.Because the 100-member Senate is equally divided, Democrats needed 10 Republicans to vote in favor of the bill.FILE – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky speaks onmore

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US Senate to Vote on Panel to Probe Capitol Riot

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Republicans in the U.S. Senate are expected to block legislation calling for the creation of a panel to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol aimed at preventing the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory over Donald Trump.A vote on the measure had been expected Thursday but was delayed by lengthy consideration of another bill.Trump implored thousands of supporters who had come to Washington for a protest rally “to “fight like hell” to overturn his defeat shortly before the riot that left five people dead, including a federal police officer.Republicans are expected to use a proceduralmore

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US Tells Russia It Won’t Rejoin Open Skies Arms Control Pact

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The Biden administration informed Russia on Thursday that it will not rejoin a key arms control pact, even as the two sides prepare for a summit next month between their leaders, the State Department said.U.S. officials said Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told the Russians that the administration had decided not to reenter the Open Skies Treaty, which had allowed surveillance flights over military facilities in both countries before President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact. As a presidential candidate, Biden had criticized Trump’s withdrawal as “short-sighted.”Thursday’s decision means only one major arms control treaty between the nuclear powersmore

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Biden to GOP: ‘Don’t Get in the Way’ of Infrastructure Plan

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President Joe Biden on Thursday warned naysayers in Congress not to “get in the way” of his big infrastructure plans as the White House panned a counteroffer from Republican senators to tap unused COVID-19 relief for a more modest investment in roads, highways and other traditional public works projects.After touring a manufacturing technology center at a community college in Cleveland, Biden held up a card with the names of Republican lawmakers who had rejected his coronavirus aid bill in Washington but later promoted its assistance when they were back home in front of voters. He warned them not to playmore

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Biden Budget to Propose $6 Trillion in 2022 Spending

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U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday will ask Congress for the authority to spend nearly $6 trillion in 2022, which would give him the resources to begin implementing an ambitious agenda of infrastructure investment and expanded social programs. However, the blueprint would also increase federal spending to a nearly unprecedented share of the U.S. economy and drive the national debt to new highs. The budget request will forecast continued increases in federal spending over the next decade, eventually rising to $8.2 trillion in 2031, according to The New York Times. Much of that increase reflects the $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan andmore

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