Tennessee's House of Representatives has been thrust into the national spotlight this week after Republican legislators expelled two young Black lawmakers for their involvement in a protest against gun violence. The proceedings, which took place Thursday afternoon, were met with protests from many who had gathered outside the House chamber, and were accompanied by a heavily edited video of the legislators' actions. This incident has highlighted the growing political divide in Tennessee, and has sparked a national conversation about the power of grassroots movements in American politics, as well as the need for stricter gun control measures.
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Tennessee Republicans have proposed a resolution to expel three Democratic state representatives from the House of Representatives for their role in a gun control protest at the Capitol last Thursday. The resolution has been met with strong opposition from Democrats and gun control advocates, and if passed, would be the first time in the state’s history that a lawmaker has been expelled from the House. The resolution is expected to be taken up by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, where it will be debated and voted on.
Prominent Republicans, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, have denounced the indictment of former President Donald Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney as a politically motivated attack. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has vowed to hold the DA accountable for his "unprecedented abuse of power" and the indictment has sparked a heated debate over the use of government power to target political opponents. Trump and his supporters maintain that the indictment is part of a "witch hunt" against him.
House Republicans have passed the "Lower Energy Costs Act" (H.R. 1), their top legislative priority, which seeks to increase domestic production of oil, natural gas, coal, and critical minerals, as well as ease permitting restrictions. The bill has been met with criticism from Democrats and environmental activists, and now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to face stiff opposition.
Key takeaways: The repeal of the authorizations has been met with bipartisan support. The Iraq War began in 2003 and cost tens of thousands of…
The U.S. Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a bipartisan resolution to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the wars in Iraq. This resolution would revoke the executive branch's power to wage war without congressional approval, and is expected to pass easily. If passed, it would be a significant step in limiting the executive branch's power to wage war without congressional approval.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California announced on Sunday that he will not be entering the competitive Democratic primary to fill the Senate seat of retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein, instead opting to endorse fellow progressive Rep. Barbara Lee. Khanna cited his belief that the House of Representatives is the best place for him to serve as a progressive, and Lee has been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, economic justice, and women’s rights. The California Democratic primary for Feinstein’s seat will be held in June 2022, with Khanna’s decision to stay in the House setting the field of candidates vying for the seat.
President Joe Biden issued the first veto of his presidency on Monday, blocking a resolution to overturn a Labor Department rule that allows retirement plan managers to consider environmental, social and corporate governance factors when selecting investments. On Thursday, the House of Representatives failed to override Biden’s veto, meaning the rule will now be implemented as planned. Supporters of the rule argue that it will help protect retirement savings from climate-related risks, while opponents argue it pushes a liberal agenda on Americans and will hurt retirees’ bottom lines.