US Congress

Madam Speaker review: how Nancy Pelosi outwitted Bush and Trump

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John Boehner calls the Democrat the most powerful House speaker ever. Susan Page’s authoritative biography shows why

John Boehner, a Republican predecessor, concedes that Nancy Pelosi may be the most powerful House speaker in history. Pelosi provided George W Bush with the votes he needed to prevent a depression, as Republicans balked. She helped make Obamacare the law of the land.

Related: On the House review: John Boehner’s lament for pre-Trump Republicans

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Biden says he’s willing ‘to compromise’ with Republicans on infrastructure bill – live

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  • President meets with a bipartisan group of lawmakers
  • Biden says everyone in US now eligible for Covid vaccine
  • Biden directs agencies to stop using phrases like ‘illegal alien’
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8.53pm BST

Mike Lindell (a.k.a. the MyPillow guy) kicked his feud with Dominion Voting System Inc. up a notch on Monday, according to Bloomberg News:

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The Ten Year War review: Obamacare, Trump and Biden’s battles yet to come

Democrats, Donald Trump, News, Republicans, Trump administration, US Congress, US domestic policy, US healthcare, US news, US politics

Jonathan Cohn’s study of the fight for healthcare coverage delivers depth, dish and much for Democrats to ponder

Once upon a time, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was unpopular, viewed by many as welfare redux. Barack Obama’s promise that “If you like your healthcare plan, you’ll be able to keep your healthcare plan”, didn’t exactly work out. By the middle of the 2010s, so-called Obamacare had cost the Democrats both houses of Congress.

Related: The Good American review: Bob Gersony and a better foreign policy

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Trump told Republican donors holding Senate will be ‘tough’ – report

Donald Trump, News, Republicans, US Congress, US news, US politics, US Senate, World news
  • Washington Post reports remarks before Nashville debate
  • President also said he ‘just can’t’ help some GOP senators
  • How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV

Shortly after Donald Trump insisted to reporters in Ohio he expected a “red wave” on election day, 3 November, it was reported on Saturday that he told Republican donors this week it would be “tough” for the party to hold on to the Senate.

Related: US election polls tracker: who i...

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Trump told Republican donors holding Senate will be ‘tough’ – report

Donald Trump, News, Republicans, US Congress, US news, US politics, US Senate, World news
  • Washington Post reports remarks before Nashville debate
  • President also said he ‘just can’t’ help some GOP senators
  • How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV

Shortly after Donald Trump insisted to reporters in Ohio he expected a “red wave” on election day, 3 November, it was reported on Saturday that he told Republican donors this week it would be “tough” for the party to hold on to the Senate.

Related: US election polls tracker: who i...

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Amy Coney Barrett pledges ‘open mind’ and plays down conservative record

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  • Nominee avoids answering directly on how she would rule
  • Lindsey Graham hails ‘woman who is unashamedly pro-life’

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump’s nominee to the US supreme court, promised to keep an “open mind” when considering cases before the court during a final round of questioning on Wednesday, as Republicans declared her confirmation all but assured despite Democrats’ forceful opposition.

Members of the Senate judiciary committee on Wednesday att...

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Trump says overturning Roe v Wade ‘certainly possible’ with Amy Coney Barrett – live

Democrats, Donald Trump, News, Republicans, Trump administration, US Congress, US news, US politics, US Senate, World news
  • Senate minority whip says Democrats can only slow nomination by ‘days’
  • Amy Coney Barrett: what will she mean for women’s rights?
  • Biden hopes for repeat of 2012 as Trump debate nears
  • Recipe for chaos: election threatens to snap US society
  • Robert Reich: Trump Nation has already seceded
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5.29pm BST

Biden spoke briefly then answered a f...

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Coronavirus US live: Biden says Trump plan to relax physical distancing could be ‘catastrophic’

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Here’s a clip of World Health Organization director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemning calls to bypass or lift social distancing restrictions.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus strongly warns against lifting social distancing measures too soon.

"The last thing any country needs is to open schools and businesses, only to be forced to close them again because of a resurgence." https://t.co/l7BtEcViAu pic.twitter.com/lsyAFYMbRV

The federal agency in charge of nursing homes nationwide confirmed that 140 have at least one confirmed coronavirus case. But the Washington Post reports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are refusing to say which ones.

From the Post:

Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control, the press release tucked the new figure in the seventh paragraph. The release said although “147 is a small fraction of the over 15,000 nursing homes across the country, given the disproportionate effect on our nation’s older population, this is a cause for concern.”

A CDC spokesman, Scott Pauley, told The Post he was “not sure [the list] will be released at this time.”

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Trump signs coronavirus bill ordering free testing and aid for workers

Donald Trump, News, US Congress, US news, US politics

Measure introduced by Democrats will expand Medicaid and unemployment benefits and mandate paid sick leave for some

  • Coronavirus – latest updates
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Donald Trump has approved legislation that will expand Medicaid and unemployment benefits, mandate paid sick leave and childcare leave for certain employees, and order free coronavirus testing, in an effort to to limit the damage from the pandemic.

The bill, introduced by House ...

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Donald Trump backs quick dismissal of impeachment by Senate – live updates

Democrats, Donald Trump, News, Republicans, US Congress, US news, US politics

Nancy Pelosi has said she will send the articles of impeachment ‘soon’ but the president is no longer keen on a showy televised trial

3.14pm GMT

Former Vice President Joe Biden rolled out a set of endorsements Monday underscore two aspects of the Democratic primary Biden’s campaign is focusing on in the final days before the Iowa caucuses.

First, Biden’s team announced that Rep. Colin Allred had backed...

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