House votes to avert rail strike, impose deal on unions

House votes to avert rail strike, impose deal on unions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The US House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike on Wednesday, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved. The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now … Read more

Inside Biden’s calculated move to buck labor allies in hopes of averting a rail strike

Inside Biden's calculated move to buck labor allies in hopes of averting a rail strike

CNN — There were no illusions inside the White House that the decision to call on Congress to impose a negotiated labor agreement on railroad workers and operators would be universally well received, several officials said. President Joe Biden’s announcement of the move on Monday was as notable for its 506-word length and detailed, bordering … Read more

Congressional leaders clear the way for a bipartisan bill to avert a railroad strike

Congressional leaders clear the way for a bipartisan bill to avert a railroad strike

US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy attends a meeting with US President Joe Biden (R) and other Congressional Leaders to discuss legislative priorities through the end of 2022, at the White House on November 29, 2022 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden hosted a rare meeting of the … Read more

Senate passes bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage in landmark vote

Senate passes bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage in landmark vote

Washington CNN — The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriage, called the Respect for Marriage Act, in a landmark bipartisan vote. The final vote was 61-36. The bill was supported by all members of the Democratic caucus and 12 Republicans, the same dozen GOP members who backed the bill for … Read more

Rails, unions draw lines in sand as Biden asks Congress to stop strike

Rails, unions draw lines in sand as Biden asks Congress to stop strike

The National Railway Labor Conference and The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) are drawing their lines in the sand after President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass legislation that would enforce the attempted rail labor agreement. In a statement, the BMWED said pressing Congress to … Read more

Rail unions decry, businesses praise Biden’s call for Congress to block strike

Rail unions decry, businesses praise Biden's call for Congress to block strike

New York CNN Business — President Joe Biden was in the unusual position Tuesday of being praised by business interests and attacked by his normal allies in the labor movement after calling for Congress to move immediately to block a strike by more than 100,000 union members at the nation’s freight railroads set for the … Read more

Tony Ornato, former White House deputy chief of staff, meeting with the House January 6 committee

Tony Ornato, former White House deputy chief of staff, meeting with the House January 6 committee

CNN — The House select committee investigating the Capitol riot is interviewing former White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato on Tuesday, a potentially key witness whose testimony could shed new light on former President Donald Trump’s movements leading up to and on January 6, 2021, according to two sources familiar with the panel’s … Read more

Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin dies at age 61

Virginia Rep.  Donald McEachin dies at age 61

Washington CNN — US Rep. Donald McEachin, a Virginia Democrat, died Monday, according to a statement from his office. He was 61. “We are all devastated at the passing of our boss and friend, Congressman Donald McEachin,” Tara Rountree, his chief of staff, said in the statement. “Valiantly, for years now, we have watched him … Read more

Pence says Trump was ‘wrong’ for dinner with Holocaust denier

Pence says Trump was 'wrong' for dinner with Holocaust denier

CNN — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Monday that Donald Trump was “wrong” to recently have dinner with White nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and rapper Kanye West at his Florida resort and that the former president should apologize for it. “President Trump was wrong to give a White nationalist, an anti-Semite and … Read more

Rail shutdown: Congress prepares to act after Biden calls on Capitol Hill to ‘immediately’ pass legislation to avert strike

Rail shutdown: Congress prepares to act after Biden calls on Capitol Hill to 'immediately' pass legislation to avert strike

CNN — Democratic leaders say they could act as soon as this week after President Joe Biden on Monday called on Congress to pass legislation “immediately” to avert a rail shutdown by officially adopting a September tentative agreement approved by labor and management leaders. “I am calling on Congress to pass legislation immediately to adopt … Read more