California
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers struck a deal Sunday, 2/28, that would push school districts to open certain classrooms by the end of March…
Gov. Newsom likes to say he’s “meeting the moment” when tackling the state’s problems, but with a rocky COVID-19 vaccine rollout and a potential recall election, the first-term Democrat will need to seize the moment before he delivers his next State of the State address…
All counties will play by the same rules starting today, 3/1, as Blue Shield takes over distribution of vaccines in California…
Coronavirus
On Saturday, 2/27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine for emergency use…
A real-world test of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in more than half a million people confirms it’s very effective at preventing serious illness or death, even after one dose…
A new 40,000-person study from Iceland has found that children under 15 are about half as likely as adults to be infected with COVID-19 and, when they do catch the virus, only half as likely as adults to transmit it to others…
Dozens of people contracted COVID-19 from high-intensity workouts in gyms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that masks and better ventilation are necessary…
President and Administration
Acting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Rosenworcel circulated a report and order for the Emergency Broadband Benefit…
The White House is weighing several gun safety proposals as it looks to deliver on Biden's campaign promises, including an executive order that would require buyers of so-called “ghost guns” — homemade or makeshift firearms that lack serial numbers — to undergo background checks…
President Biden said that once the COVID-19 pandemic has been defeated, his administration will target another deadly disease: cancer…
The Supreme Court last week said it will review a pair of Trump-era policies barring federal family planning funds to abortion clinics and limiting immigrants’ use of public benefits, even as the Biden administration signals it’s preparing to roll back those policies…
President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package would trigger cuts to Medicare and other programs early next year unless Republicans agree to a waiver — a hurdle that could give the GOP leverage over Democrats’ slim majorities…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance today, 3/1, clarifying that businesses with forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans can still claim a tax credit meant to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll…
Congress
The House passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package without any Republican votes and two Democrats (Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon) voting against it…
Senate Democrats will begin efforts to solidify the expanded child credit included in Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan after Congress enacts the aid bill in coming weeks…
Congressmember Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has revealed a plan to bring back Congressionally directed spending (otherwise known as “earmarks”)…
The House passed The Equality Act, an LGBTQ rights bill that bans discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation…
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s bid to create a broad bipartisan review of the Jan. 6 insurrection is in peril after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) slammed the proposal on Wednesday, 2/24, as “partisan by design”…
On Thursday, 2/25, the Senate confirmed Jennifer Granholm to lead the Department of Energy…
Education
Twenty percent fewer kindergartners are on track to learn how to read than their peers were at this time last year, and most haven’t made much progress since the fall, according to new assessment data released Wednesday, 2/24…
Policymakers are considering whether schools should stay open this summer to make up for lost time, including President Joe Biden, who suggested as much earlier this week…
When schools don’t consistently enforce precautions such as social distancing and mask wearing, teachers can play a “central” role in COVID-19 transmission, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study released late last week…
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said in her first one-on-one interview since the inauguration that she is continuing to fight to make it free to go to two-year institutions…
The Education Department on Thursday, 2/25, announced a number of additional appointments of aides who will play prominent roles in shaping the nation’s higher education policies…