Congress
This Member of Congress Called Out The Grammys’ Bad Bunny Snafu As Lacking “Respect”
“This issue is about respect. The millions of Spanish speakers living in the U.S. deserve equal treatment and consideration as CBS’s English-speaking viewers.”
“Question…?”: Why’d These Senators Drop So Many Taylor Swift Lyrics During Ticketmaster's Senate Hearing?
“You can’t have too much consolidation — something that unfortunately for this country, as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say, we know all too well.”
Republicans Have Won The House, But The Democrats Will Keep Control Of The Senate
“Things do happen,” one political science professor told BuzzFeed News, “but the intensity of partisanship makes it much, much harder to legislate in divided government.”
A Jury Found Steve Bannon Guilty Of Contempt Of Congress
Bannon, a top adviser to former president Donald Trump, was found guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress on Friday.
Here's What Congress Failed To Do After Sandy Hook And How It’s Shaping Up To Be The Same After The Uvalde Shooting
After the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary 10 years ago, gun control advocates thought we had reached a tipping point, but the unrelenting GOP resistance has stopped major changes.
The US Government Now Has 400 Official Reports Of UFOs But Congress Wants You To Know There’s Still No Proof Of Aliens
“Unidentified aerial phenomena are a potential national security threat, and they need to be treated that way,” the committee chairperson said.
Congress Is Not Going To Step In To Save Roe V. Wade
“Unfortunately, many of us said the sky was going to fall, and it did.”
A Forest Service Leader Claimed To Congress That A Hiring Push For Firefighters Had Gone “Very Well.” It Hadn’t Started Yet.
US Forest Service deputy chief Jaelith Hall-Rivera’s statements on staffing have sparked confusion among lawmakers and outrage from wildland firefighters, who say she overpromised what they can deliver.
Steve Bannon Can’t Blame His Lawyer As A Defense Against Contempt Of Congress Charges, A Judge Ruled
The judge found Bannon couldn’t get around binding precedent from a federal appeals court.
Congress Has Closed The Loophole That Allowed Federal Officers To Claim Sex With A Detainee Is Consensual
After BuzzFeed News reported that the loophole existed in 35 states in 2018, six states changed their police sexual misconduct laws and the federal bill was first proposed.
Congress Has Vowed To Redouble Ukraine Support After Zelensky's Personal Appeal
US lawmakers left the Ukrainian president's speech determined to do more, even without a no-fly zone. “There’s no way that you can’t come out of that meeting without contemplating what more the United States can do to help."
Congress Might Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
The Senate agrees: Turning clocks back is “dumb.”
ICE Conducted Sweeping Surveillance Of Money Transfers Sent To And From The US, A Senator Says
Sen. Ron Wyden is seeking an investigation into whether the program, which obtained about 6 million records from people in several Southwest states, was constitutional.
Texas’s Confusing Voter Registration System Is An Early Result Of Congress's Failed Voting Rights Push
Thousands of Texas voters struggled to correctly submit mail ballot applications and ballots under a new, stringent law.
Congress Passed One Of The Biggest Workplace Reforms Of The #MeToo Era
In a rare bipartisan move, the Senate sent a bill ending forced arbitration for sexual misconduct claims to President Joe Biden.
COVID Scams Are Surging, But Congress Isn’t Giving The Government Power To Repay Victims
“These are hucksters, these are fraudsters, who are selling people snake oil,” the FTC told Congress.
Congress Is Trying To Figure Out What To Do About Crypto's Colossal Carbon Footprint
House members pushed back on crypto CEOs' assertion that bitcoin's energy consumption is actually a "feature not a bug."
President Joe Biden Didn’t Expect Republicans To Obstruct His Agenda
“What are they for? Name me one thing they’re for,” Biden said on Wednesday.
Congress's Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani And More Trump Allies
The committee is also looking to speak with Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, and Boris Epshteyn.
Republicans Bailed On Congress’s Capitol Riot Commemorations. Except For…Dick Cheney?
Democrats, at least for a minute, are very happy to shake Dick Cheney's hand.
The House Voted To Find Trump’s Former Chief Of Staff Mark Meadows In Contempt For Defying The Jan. 6 Committee
What happens next is up to the Department of Justice.
A Man Who Texted About "Putting A Bullet" In Nancy Pelosi’s Head After Jan. 6 Was Sentenced To 28 Months In Prison
“These kinds of statements cannot be shrugged off,” Judge Amy Berman Jackson said. “They cannot be erased by adding ‘LOL’ at the end.”
A Former Principal Now In Congress Thinks Democrats Need A New Message On Schools In The Time Of COVID
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat and part of "the Squad," sat down for a Q&A with BuzzFeed News to discuss possible vaccine mandates in schools.
Congress Hit New Levels Of Absurdity This Week
Republican senators voted to pass a bill they’re against, so they can vote against the bill they let pass.
Trump Lost Again In His Bid To Stop The Jan. 6 Committee From Getting His White House Records
The DC Circuit gave Donald Trump 14 days to petition the US Supreme Court before lifting an order that blocked Congress from getting the documents.
Donald Trump's Former Chief Of Staff Told A Member Of Congress He "Loved" A Plan To Undermine The Election Days Before Jan. 6
The charges against Meadows mark the third Trump ally to be hit with contempt of Congress in the Jan. 6 investigation.
Democrat Max Rose Announced A Comeback Campaign For His Old House Seat
The Staten Island Democrat is hoping for a rematch with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis for the only New York City seat held by a Republican.
A Group Of Republicans Could Briefly Shut Down The Government Over Vaccine Mandates
The House Freedom Caucus is pleading with Senate Republicans to use procedural leverage to delay government funding in a war against Biden’s COVID vaccine mandates.
Muslim Members Of Congress Called On Leadership To Punish Lauren Boebert After Her Bigoted Remarks
Democrats aren’t rushing into another rebuke of a single Republican member. And Republican leaders are again keeping silent.
Another Court Is Wary Of Giving Trump Power To Interfere With Congress’s Jan. 6 Investigation
Trump’s lawyer said they planned to petition the Supreme Court to take the case if they lose again.
Cori Bush Said The Democrats’ “Old Ways Of Thinking” Are Holding Them Back
Cori Bush set out to make Congress more reflective of activism outside Washington. But in an institution with hierarchical power structures, how much say does she have?
A Federal Grand Jury Indicted Steve Bannon For Contempt Of Congress
The close Trump adviser had ignored a subpoena as part of the House’s investigation into Jan. 6.
House Democrats Finally Passed Their $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan
A tumultuous day in the House ended with a late vote on the bipartisan bill that will send billions in funding to boost America’s aging infrastructure.
A Judge Doubted Whether Trump Could Claim Executive Privilege On Jan. 6 Records
The hearing comes days before the National Archives is set to turn over records to the Jan. 6 committee unless the court intervenes.
After A Crushing Loss In Virginia, Democrats Are Splintering Over Their Plan In Congress
"This isn’t what the future has to be, but if you don’t change your ways, this is what the future will be," Sen. Tim Kaine said.
Democrats Are Still Fighting To Get Paid Leave And Lower Drug Prices In The Build Back Better Act
President Biden announced the details of a deal Thursday that left out some prized Democratic priorities — but members of his party are saying not so fast.
AOC And Other Members Of Congress Called Out Big Oil’s Climate BS In A Historic Hearing
Democrats questioned Big Oil executives about their role in spreading misinformation about climate change and their role in hindering climate change legislation.
Congress Might Blow Its Biggest Opportunity To Tackle The Climate Crisis
“If you add it all up, this would be the single largest thing the federal government has ever done to deal with climate change,” one researcher said.
Here’s What It Actually Means To Cut $1 Trillion From The Democrats’ Big Social Spending Bill
Democrats will have to choose between greatly watering down all of their policies or giving up on some big promises.
Democrats Swear It’s Not Weird To Be Playing Baseball With Marjorie Taylor Greene
And (almost) everyone insists they can play the Congressional Baseball Game like normal even after the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Joe Biden’s Agenda Is Hanging By A Thread As Democrats In Congress Threaten To Tank Two Major Bills
Progressives and centrists are holding major pieces of legislation hostage, and both have the numbers to make good on their threats.
She’s One Of Congress’s Leading Progressives — Just Not In Her Own Office, Staffers Say
Former staffers who worked for Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a House Democrat who built her reputation on being a champion of workers, say her treatment of her staff was often inconsistent with her public image.
The Fight For Paid Parental And Medical Leave Has Officially Begun
The biggest legislative battle of the year began this week with Democrats promising sweeping new support programs for parents.
Most Of Texas's Congressional Republicans Are Silent On Their State's New Abortion Law
Just 4 out of 25 officials responded to questions, and many of the most vocal anti-abortion advocates were silent about the 6-week ban.
Democrats Are Sick Of Relitigating The 2016 Presidential Primary. But Everyone’s Still Stuck In The Same Fight.
The special election in Ohio between Nina Turner and Shontel Brown has set off a progressives-versus-establishment rematch, even as Democrats tire of it.
A Key Senate Democrat Says Passing Universal Paid Parental Leave This Fall Is A Top Priority
A new study found that not having family support policies costs the US economy $650 billion per year.
Officers Who Defended The Capitol On Jan. 6 Don’t Have Faith That Congress's New Investigation Will Change Anything
“We’ve seen it all before,” one officer told BuzzFeed News this week.
A Judge Questioned If Capitol Rioters Are Getting Off Too Easy For “Terrorizing Members Of Congress”
Chief Judge Beryl Howell questioned whether allowing defendants to plead guilty to low-level offenses would deter people from storming the Capitol again.
As Congress Starts Investigating Jan. 6, New Details Keep Emerging In Court
As police officers testified before lawmakers, two rioters pleaded guilty, one defendant was ordered to stay in jail, and new charges were unsealed.
Another Vaccinated Staffer On The Hill Tested Positive For COVID-19, As Fear Is Spreading In Washington
There’s a "real sense of unease" in Congress as some staffers have tested positive for the coronavirus after weeks of semi-normal life.
The EPA Just Announced A $50 Million Push To Help Underserved Communities Tackle Pollution And Get Jobs
“This is the most aggressive approach to tackling environmental injustice and equity issues,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told BuzzFeed News.
This Louisiana Town Is A Bleak Forecast Of America's Future Climate Crisis
In one year, people in southwestern Louisiana lived through five major disasters on top of a pandemic. Another bad hurricane season is already here, and thousands still have holes in their roofs.
The Congressional Black Caucus Is Blocking A Black Republican From Joining The Group
Rep. Byron Donalds, who voted against certifying Joe Biden’s election win, hasn’t heard back from the powerful CBC.
Congressional Staff Are Organizing To Make The People Who Work On Capitol Hill Less White
“It's a very simple idea,” one Congressional Progressive Staff Association organizer said. “People should be represented by people like them.”
George Floyd's Family Met With Biden, But Their Real Pressure For Police Reform Is On Congress
One year after George Floyd was murdered, his family and other activists are escalating demands on Congress to limit qualified immunity for police officers.
Biden Will Allow Haitian Immigrants In The US To Obtain Temporary Protected Status
The designation of temporary protected status will apply to Haitians — or individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti — who were in the US as of May 21.
Capitol Police Officers Begged Congress To Investigate The Insurrection And Called Out Republicans For Downplaying The Violence
"It is inconceivable that some of the Members we protect, would downplay the events of January 6th," members of the force said in a statement.
Three Tulsa Massacre Survivors Delivered Terrifying Testimony In Congress
"I hear the screams. I live through the massacre every day," said 107-year-old Viola Fletcher.
House Republican Leaders Are Opposing An Investigation Into The Capitol Insurrection
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, is calling on Republicans to vote against creating a body to investigate how rioters came to overrun the Capitol.
With Liz Cheney Pushed Aside, Trump's Control Of His Party Is Clear. Republicans Don't Know How Long It Will Last.
Loyalty to Trump remains a prerequisite to rise through the Republican Party, with Rep. Liz Cheney only the latest to fall.
Republicans Removed Liz Cheney From Leadership For Refusing To Bow To Trump
"I will do everything I can to ensure the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office," Cheney said after being stripped of power by her party.
Biden Gave His Support To Young Trans People During His Address To Congress
"To all the transgender Americans watching at home — especially the young people, who are so brave — I want you to know that your president has your back."
President Biden Again Urged Congress To Ban Assault Weapons And Called Gun Violence An “Epidemic”
"Don’t tell me it can’t be done. We did it before and it worked," Biden said during Wednesday's address to Congress.
The Oath Keepers Were Ready To “Ferry” A Stash Of Firearms To The Capitol On Jan. 6, Prosecutors Say
A judge ordered Kenneth Harrelson, indicted in the Oath Keepers conspiracy, to stay in jail after finding “strong evidence” that he posed a danger to the community.
This Lawmaker Wants To Label Foreign White Supremacist Groups As "Terrorists," But Some Of Them No Longer Exist
Of the 13 violent far-right extremist groups Rep. Elissa Slotkin wants the US to designate "foreign terrorist organizations," four are defunct, one is American, and another is a part of an allied nation’s national guard.
Alleged Jan. 6 Rioters Tried To Steal Signs, Booze, And A Fox News Football From The Capitol
Court documents in dozens of cases show the scale of the chaos at the Capitol, from kicked-in doors to a stolen bottle of bourbon.
Biden Signed Narrow Gun Control Measures And Begged Congress To Act On The Big Reforms
President Joe Biden announced he is cracking down on “ghost guns," but major changes like universal background checks and an assault rifle ban are up in the air.
The Progressive Group That Helped Bring Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez To Congress Is Launching Its First Primary Challenge Of 2022
Odessa Kelly, 39, is taking on an incumbent Democrat in Tennessee. She would be the first openly gay Black woman elected to Congress.
Listen: Demi Lovato Is The Latest Star To Share Her Struggles—Is It Healing Or Exploitative?
“She feels in a sense that her livelihood is bound up in a sense of authenticity and candor and really being on the level with her fans.”
In His First Press Conference, Biden Moved Closer To Supporting Radically Changing How The Senate Works
In his first White House press conference, Biden suggested he could support drastic change to how the Senate works.
Republican Senators’ New Argument Against Stronger Gun Control: It’s Racist
Republican language is changing as party members fight to kill increasingly popular gun control measures in Congress after shootings in Colorado and Georgia.
Joe Biden Demanded That The Senate Act On Gun Control After 10 People Were Killed In Colorado
The president called on Congress to close background check loopholes and ban assault weapons after shootings in Boulder, Colorado, and Atlanta.
Bankers And Regulators Want More Cooperation To Combat Money Laundering
Spurred by the FinCEN Files, the financial industry is trying to clean up its act.
Democrats Are Willing To Rein In Their Gun Control Ambitions To Break The NRA’s Hold On Congress
“The NRA kind of walks around like they own Congress,” said Sen. Tim Kaine. “Rather than wait for a comprehensive bill, why not do something?”
Democrats And Republicans Alike Are Talking About Breaking Down Big Tech Monopolies
Politicians in Congress are talking about returning to the days of robust anti-monopoly enforcement.
Congress Just Passed Another Round Of COVID Checks And Unemployment Aid
Checks of $1,400, unemployment benefits, and hundreds of billions of dollars in aid are coming soon. President Joe Biden signed the bill Thursday.
A Member Of Congress Is Suing Trump For Conspiring To Incite The Capitol Insurrection
Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, filed a claim under the Ku Klux Klan Act against Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers.
A Member Of Congress Who Buried His Son Just Before The Capitol Attack Gave An Emotional Impeachment Address
Jamie Raskin was at the Capitol the day after burying his son. He's now the Democrats' lead House impeachment manager as they seek to prosecute Donald Trump for inciting the coup attempt.
Watch Live: Donald Trump's Second Impeachment Trial Begins
Trump's historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday with Republicans arguing the whole thing is unconstitutional.
The First Member Of Congress Has Died Due To COVID-19
The Republican lawmaker is the first sitting member of Congress to die after getting COVID-19.
11 Republicans Voted With Democrats To Kick Marjorie Taylor Greene Off Of Her House Committees
In a speech to the House, Greene said she no longer believes in the QAnon conspiracy theory and asked that her past statements not be held against her.
Democrats Want To Focus On Marjorie Taylor Greene. That May Come Back To Haunt Them.
Democrats want to make her the face of the Republican Party. National media is covering her closely. The attention could make Marjorie Taylor Greene a star.
Democrats Will Force Republicans To Go On The Record About Their Support For Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Greene has supported the QAnon mass delusion, said the Parkland school shooting was a “false flag” operation, and liked posts calling for Democrats to be executed.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Opened Up About Her Traumatic Experience During The Capitol Riot
The member of Congress also revealed she is a survivor of sexual assault as she called for accountability over the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Rep. Cori Bush Is Moving Her Office To Be Farther Away From Marjorie Taylor Greene After A Confrontation
"All of this led to my decision to move my office away from Taylor Greene’s for the safety of my team," Bush said in a statement.
A COVID-19 Testing Startup That Has Served 10 States And Congress Is Under Fire From The FDA
An ongoing debate between Curative and the Food and Drug Administration underscores a philosophical split in testing.
Mitch McConnell And 44 Republican Senators Voted To Block Trump’s Impeachment Trial
Trump’s impeachment trial will go ahead, but Republicans overwhelmingly signaled they will vote to acquit him.
One Of The Republicans Who Voted To Impeach Trump Is Already Under Pressure Back Home
Former NFL player Anthony Gonzalez knows conservatives are “furious” with him, but he’s mad that Trump “was nowhere to be found” as rioters stormed the Capitol.
The Newest COVID-19 Cases In Congress Show Vaccines Take Time To Work
On Thursday, Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York joined three other colleagues who have reported they contracted COVID-19 following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
The First Democrat Who Called For Impeachment Says Congress Should Have Acted Years Ago
Allowing Trump to fire the FBI director investigating him in 2017 without “corrective action, brought us to Jan. 6,” Rep. Al Green told BuzzFeed News.
A Member Of Congress Risked A Confrontation With Rioters To Avoid Sheltering With Her Maskless Republican Colleagues
“Maybe I could fight off or run from rioters, but I wouldn't be able to see the virus as it was coming toward me,” Rep. Stacey Plaskett told BuzzFeed News.
Capitol Police Officers Said They Wouldn’t Be Surprised If Members Of Congress Helped Plan The Attack
“We are the buffer, so that Congress doesn’t have to deal with the mess that they create in their respective districts.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Said She Had A “Very Close Encounter” On The Day The Capitol Was Stormed And Thought She Would Die
The Democrat didn’t provide many details about the "traumatizing" encounter, citing security concerns.
Three Democrats Now Have COVID-19 After Republicans Refused To Wear Masks During The Capitol Attack
At least six Republican members of Congress could be seen in video footage refusing to take a face mask while sheltering with their colleagues during the insurrection.
Republicans Are Still Trying To Keep Trump In Power Even After He Incited A Deadly Insurrection
West Virginia Rep. Alex Mooney prevented Democrats from passing a bill asking Vice President Pence to remove Trump from office on behalf of his Republican colleagues.
School Shooting Survivors Say Congress Now Knows How They Feel After The Capitol Insurrection
"Now you know how my generation feels and what it's like to hide and hold your breath for your life."
147 Republicans Voted To Overturn The Election Results — Did Any From Your Home State?
Texas had the most votes to overturn the election.
Nancy Pelosi Said Congress May Impeach Trump Again If Pence Doesn’t Remove Him First
Trump has only 13 days left in office, but Pelosi said any one of those days “can be a horror show for America.”
Lawmakers Will Conduct A “Minute-By-Minute” Investigation Into The Police Mishandling Of The Attempted Coup At The Capitol
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan said he was told by the House sergeant at arms and chief of the Capitol Police that there was no violence expected ahead of the riots.
This Is What The Halls Of Congress Look Like Right Now
A mob incited by President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, looting and assaulting police. Several people died.
