National Politics

By Ted Barrett, CNN Several Republican senators told CNN Thursday that despite their votes against a $40 billion military aid package for Ukraine, they do intend to vote to admit Finland and Sweden into NATO when and if that question comes before the Senate. But some indicated they have not decided whether to approve the

By Kate Bennett, CNN First lady Jill Biden spent her first full day of a trip through South and Central America on Thursday, using a speech at the Carondelet presidential palace in Quito, Ecuador, to emphasize the importance of global assistance and building alliances. The first lady used her remarks, made before a speech by

By Jamie Gangel and Evan Perez, CNN Former Attorney General William Barr has “tentatively agreed to give sworn testimony behind closed doors” to the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations. Barr has already talked informally to the committee, including at a meeting at his

By Sam Fossum, CNN Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Supreme Court’s draft majority opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling is part of a “war” on women’s rights, as Republican-led legislatures across the nation pass increasingly restrictive measures on abortion access. “The strength of our country has always been

By Ali Zaslav and Clare Foran, CNN The Senate on Thursday approved a bill by unanimous consent intended to improve access to baby formula as the US contends with a nationwide shortage that has sparked an outcry and put pressure on lawmakers to act. The bill, called the Access to Baby Formula Act, was approved

By Rebekah Riess, Jeremy Grisham and Devan Cole, CNN Oklahoma’s legislature on Thursday passed a bill that would ban abortions from the stage of “fertilization” and allow private citizens to sue abortion providers who “knowingly” perform or induce an abortion “on a pregnant woman.” The legislation is among the nation’s strictest bills on abortion and

By Maegan Vazquez, Sam Fossum, Arlette Saenz and MJ Lee, CNN The Biden administration announced Thursday that it had secured its first batch of infant formula from overseas and was preparing to fly it through the newly created Operation Fly Formula program, as White House officials face pressure to provide important details on how they

By Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer and Zachary Cohen, CNN The House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection said Thursday it has evidence that GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk led a tour of the US Capitol complex the day before pro-Trump rioters stormed the building, according to a letter requesting the Republican lawmaker’s voluntary cooperation with

By Virginia Langmaid American gunmakers manufactured more than 11 million guns in 2020, nearly three times the number produced in 2000, according to a report published this week by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that provides in-depth data on firearms manufacturing, sale and enforcement. The report, dubbed by the Biden administration

By Ella Nilsen and Liz Stark, CNN Interior Sec. Deb Haaland squared off with lawmakers on Thursday at a contentious Senate hearing that addressed high gas prices, oil and gas drilling and delays in the department’s plan to hold more drilling lease sales. Haaland told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that her

By Melanie Zanona and Kristin Wilson, CNN As House votes unexpectedly dragged late into the evening on Tuesday, Republicans were forced to cancel eight different party fundraisers and lost out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash, according to a GOP lawmaker familiar with the situation. But Democratic leaders, who control the floor

By Ella Nilsen, CNN The US Department of Energy is announcing a massive investment in direct air carbon removal projects, in hopes of kickstarting an industry that energy experts say is critical to getting the country’s planet-warming emissions under control. Direct air carbon removal projects are like giant vacuum cleaners that suck planet-warming carbon dioxide

By Kristin Wilson, CNN The House has voted 217-207 to pass a bill that gives the Federal Trade Commission the authority to investigate energy companies for alleged price gouging as prices at gas pumps nationwide hit record highs. The vote was largely down party lines with four Democrats, Reps. Kathleen Rice of New York, Stephanie

By Clare Foran and Ali Zaslav, CNN The Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday to establish a commission to study the creation of a national museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture in Washington, sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk. Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii asked for unanimous consent on the

By Daniella Diaz, CNN A group of Democratic senators are calling on President Joe Biden to appoint someone to oversee the baby formula shortage as it continues to devastate families across the country searching for supplies. The lack of baby formula has real world consequences as well as possible political ones as the issue joins

By Gabby Orr, CNN Republican candidates in upcoming primaries may have a tougher time scoring a coveted endorsement from Donald Trump, according to the former President’s allies, who say he is feeling more risk-averse amid the deadlocked Senate GOP contest in Pennsylvania. One of those allies described Trump as “agitated” by the uncertain outcome in