Newsletter Archive

February 2022

The Staggering Cost of the Opioid Epidemic

Far from the lights of Hollywood, things were a bit less dazzling, as lawmakers tried to work out a budget deal and a new analysis reminds us of the terrible cost of the opioid epidemic. Here’s what you need to know.

Plus: Plus, Pfizer's blockbuster vaccine sales

New York Times Stirs Economic Fracas

Facing a rapidly approaching February 18 deadline for keeping the government fully funded, Democrats in the House introduced a stop-gap bill on Monday that would keep the lights on until March 11. The House is expected to vote on the…

Plus: Plus, with no budget deal, Congress turns to another stopgap

Job Growth Soars, Despite Omicron

Defying expectations of another Covid slowdown, the U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs in January, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Plus: Plus, House passes bill providing billions to compete with China

US Postal Service Faces $11 Billion Mail Truck Fight

Top lawmakers met Wednesday for the second straight day to negotiate a spending deal for the rest of fiscal year 2022 and avoid a government shutdown ahead of a February 18 deadline, when current funding expires.

Plus: Plus, millions could lose health coverage after historic gains

January 2022

Frustration Grows With Biden's Health Secretary

President Joe Biden told a meeting of U.S. governors Monday that he wants them to ramp up their building plans for infrastructure — and gave them a 461-page book to help their communities get a share of the roughly $1.2 trillion…

Plus: Plus, Dems push for climate-centered Spending bill

With the IRS Overwhelmed, Congress Looks for a Fix

A federal watchdog overseeing billions of dollars in pandemic aid says that his office is running out of operating funds and could be forced to start winding down some investigations in March and close its doors as soon as July.

Plus: Plus, Covid aid watchdog running out of money

The Best Economic Growth in 37 Years

The U.S. economy grew by 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2021, the Commerce Department announced Thursday. The quarterly figure translates to an annualized rate of 6.9%, a better-than-expected result that boosts confidence that the rebound…

Plus: Plus, HHS at ‘high risk’ of bungling future public health crisis

The Fed Tees Up a Rate Hike

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday signaled that it is ready to start raising interest rates for the first time since the central bank cut rates to near zero as the Covid-19 pandemic began in March of 2020.

Plus: Plus - Progressives want billions more for pandemic prep

Much of Build Back Better Will Pass This Year, Hoyer Insists

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said Tuesday that he thinks that a significant part of Democrats’ Build Back Better package will become law this year, before the midterm elections.

Plus: Plus, Biden admin withdraws vaccine mandate for businesses

Snapshots of the Biden Economy

First, a look at the effects of the unprecedented emergency spending by the federal government. As Congress pumped trillions of dollars into the economy with relief bills in December 2020 and March 2021, both incomes and consumption…

Plus: Plus, time to change the definition of full vaccination

$350B in Pandemic Aid Helps Build … Golf Courses?

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Democrats will "probably" have to break up their package of social spending, climate programs and tax changes.

Plus: Plus, where does Build Back Better bill go from here?

Manchin: Dems Have to Start ‘From Scratch’ on Spending Bill

Echoing President Joe Biden’s suggestion at a press conference Wednesday that Democrats’ Build Back Better bill may need to be reduced in size and scope if it’s going to have any hope of moving forward, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)…

Plus: Plus, GOP lawmakers tout infrastructure funding they voted against

Biden: We'll Have to Break Up Build Back Better Plan

On day 365 of his administration, President Joe Biden stepped before the White House press corps on Wednesday afternoon and sought to use his first solo news conference in months to reset the political narrative of his presidency after a…

Plus: Plus, 400 million free N95 masks

Biden Spending Plan Is “Dead.” Do Dems Have a Plan B?

The White House shot down a report Tuesday that it is working on a scaled back version of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan that aims to salvage climate change measures while cutting programs including the child tax credit and…

Plus: Plus, website for free Covid tests goes live early

Biden Touts Rare Win to Close an Awful Week

The White House announced on Friday the release of $5.3 billion for the repair and construction of bridges, the first installment of the $27 billion provided for such work in the bipartisan infrastructure package President Joe Biden signed…

Plus: Plus, how to get your free Covid-19 tests

Questioning the Pentagon’s Massive Budget

In a major blow to President Joe Biden’s effort to combat the spread of Covid-19, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected his vaccine mandate for large private employers, which would have affected more than 84 million workers.

Plus: Plus, Biden's vaccine mandate takes a big hit

The IRS Is in Crisis, Watchdog Report Warns

Consumer prices rose by 7% in 2021, the largest 12-month increase since 1982, the Labor Department announced Wednesday. On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI) was up by 0.5% in December, easing a bit from the 0.8% recorded in…

Plus: Plus, inflation hits a nearly 40-year high

Biden to Ask Congress for More Covid Funds

The White House plans to ask Congress for more money to spend on the federal response to the Covid-19 pandemic, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) confirmed to reporters Tuesday.

Plus: Plus, Powell says the Fed will rein in inflation