Author

Jacob Fischler

Jacob Fischler

Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

Biden will visit Israel to demonstrate U.S. support following Hamas attack

By: - October 16, 2023

President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with the Middle East ally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday. Biden will “reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with Israel and our ironclad commitment to its security,” send a message to other groups and powers in the region not to […]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

U.S. stresses support for Israel as 1 million residents of North Gaza ordered to evacuate

By: - October 13, 2023

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel, the New York Democrat’s office said Friday as Israel ordered around 1 million people to leave the northern half of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip amid war with the militant group. The visit by Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the […]

President Joe Biden is joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’

By: and - October 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants a returning Congress to take “urgent action” on Israel’s security needs after Hamas militants have injured and killed thousands beginning with Saturday’s brutal attack, including the deaths of 14 Americans. U.S. citizens are also among the hostages taken into Gaza by the armed group, though the administration could not […]

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy

McCarthy may jump into U.S. House speaker race, as crises overseas mount

By: , , and - October 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans will gather behind closed doors beginning Monday night in an attempt to decide who should become the chamber’s next speaker, a race with a renewed sense of urgency with ally Israel now at war and the House in paralysis. Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Ohio’s Jim Jordan are the only candidates […]

House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., is pursued by reporters as he returns to the offices of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Oct. 4, 2023, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C

How does a ‘frozen’ U.S. House function without a speaker? Everyone’s got an opinion.

By: and - October 4, 2023

WASHINGTON — The stunning ouster of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday — the first time a speaker has been removed in Congress’ 234-year history — created a leadership vacuum in the chamber and left multiple questions about how legislative business would proceed. North Carolina Republican Patrick McHenry ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore […]

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy takes questions from reporters Sept. 29, 2023, at the U.S. Capitol.

Government shutdown nears: U.S. House GOP fails to pass one-month spending plan

By: , , and - September 29, 2023

WASHINGTON — A sweeping government shutdown appeared inevitable on Friday, with the U.S. Senate stuck in a procedural holding pattern on its bipartisan stopgap bill and divided U.S. House Republicans unable to pass their short-term spending bill. Both chambers of Congress must approve and President Joe Biden must sign government funding legislation before midnight on […]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference Sept. 6, 2023, following a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Battles over spending, farm bill, Ukraine and yet more loom over a divided Congress

By: , , and - September 12, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House and Senate are both back in D.C. on Tuesday following a long summer recess, facing an overwhelming agenda of unfinished work — funding the federal government and reauthorizing major programs set to expire at the end of the month. Congressional leaders and President Joe Biden have only a few weeks […]

An American Airlines plane takes off from Los Angeles International Airport

Biden to nominate former FAA deputy to lead aviation agency

By: - September 7, 2023

President Joe Biden chose a new nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, months after the U.S. Senate blocked his first choice. Biden intends to nominate Michael Whitaker, an executive at Supernal, a company working on an electric air vehicle, and a former deputy FAA administrator during President Barack Obama’s administration, according to […]

A Lesser Golden Plover sits in a section of wetland

New federal water pollution rule draws mixed reaction

By: - August 30, 2023

A federal rule limiting agencies’ power to regulate water pollution will severely restrict protections for waters and wetlands throughout the country, but could also be subject to challenges from conservative groups that maintain the new rule exerts more federal jurisdiction than the U.S. Supreme Court intended in a May decision. With the rule published Tuesday to redefine […]

UAW members rally for a new contract Aug. 20, 2023, at the labor organization’s Region 1 headquarters

Labor leader Shuler touts union support as possible auto strikes loom

By: - August 29, 2023

Support for unions is growing amid shifting working conditions and labor disputes around the country, according to Liz Shuler, the president of the largest labor group in the country. In Shuler’s comments Tuesday at the AFL-CIO’s first State of the Unions event in Washington, she cited polling that showed support for unions cut across party […]

Presidential Hopefuls Square Off In First GOP Debate

Trump absent but still dominates as GOP presidential rivals clash at first debate

By: , and - August 23, 2023

Eight Republican presidential candidates gathered onstage Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a heated first primary debate heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump, though the party’s front runner refused to attend the two-hour event. Trump instead recorded a competing 46-minute interview with former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known […]

Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for his arraignment April 4, 2023, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City

The Trump indictments: a seven-year timeline of key developments

By: - August 9, 2023

Former President Donald Trump is a defendant in three criminal proceedings. Two cases are federal, brought after investigations by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The other case is in New York state court and is being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. A fourth indictment, on state charges in Georgia related to Trump’s efforts to […]