Politics and Government News

The growing power of the AAPI vote, by the numbers
Data from the firm TargetSmart found that almost half of all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who cast a ballot in 2020 did not vote in 2016, and a quarter had never voted before.
Minneapolis mayor: After year of reckoning, time for change
Mayor Jacob Frey is pushing ahead with a public safety proposal that he says will help keep all neighborhoods safe and hold police accountable. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, he spoke of his plan, and reflected on the year since Floyd's death.
In St. Cloud, VA’s McDonough emphasizes care for growing ranks of women veterans
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough is visiting veterans facilities in his home state of Minnesota this week, highlighting the agency’s efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine and meet the needs of a changing veteran population.
Israel approves unilateral cease-fire in Gaza offensive
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has announced a cease-fire to halt an 11-day military operation against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
The Supreme Court takes up the legal fight over abortion, again
The Supreme Court last year ruled that a Louisiana state law placed an undue burden on people seeking abortions and ruled it to be unconstitutional. The composition of the court that’s considering the constitutionality of a Mississippi law is considerably different. A legal historian and journalist covering the Supreme Court describe how this case fits into the larger legal battle over abortion.
House passes bill to investigate Capitol riot, but its fate in Senate is unclear
The House has passed a bipartisan plan to create a 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, despite significant opposition from Republican lawmakers. The vote was 252-175, with 35 Republicans joining all Democrats.
The Pentagon has never passed an audit. Some senators want to change that
The Pentagon went through its first independent financial audit in 2017. But after three failed attempts, lawmakers are losing their patience. A new bill could impose financial penalties on the DoD.