By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg warned U.S. lawmakers Thursday that history will hold them accountable for climate catastrophes if they do not stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry before it is too late.Thunberg, 18, whose activism has inspired a global movement, testified virtually to a House of Representatives panel on the day President Joe Biden kicked off a virtual two-day Earth Day summit pledging to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.“The simple fact, and uncomfortable fact, is that if we are to live up to our promises and...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg warned U.S. lawmakers Thursday that history will hold them accountable for climate catastrophes if they do not stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry before it is too late.Thunberg, 18, whose activism has inspired a global movement, testified virtually to a House of Representatives panel on the day President Joe Biden kicked off a virtual two-day Earth Day summit pledging to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.“The simple fact, and uncomfortable fact, is that if we are to live up to our promises and...WW…

Welcome to the Reuters.com BETA. Read our Editor's note on how we're helping professionals make smart decisions.U.S. President Joe Biden hosts a meeting on U.S. supply chains and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response with a bipartisan group of House and Senate members in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstU.S. President Joe Biden met on Monday with a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have all served as governors or mayors, as the White House seeks a deal on his more than $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure proposal.Biden...…Welcome to the Reuters.com BETA. Read our Editor's note on how we're helping professionals make smart decisions.U.S. President Joe Biden hosts a meeting on U.S. supply chains and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response with a bipartisan group of House and Senate members in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstU.S. President Joe Biden met on Monday with a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have all served as governors or mayors, as the White House seeks a deal on his more than $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure proposal.Biden...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is due to vote on two immigration bills that would provide a path to citizenship for millions living illegally in the United States, including farmworkers and younger immigrants known as “Dreamers.”The bills are an effort to take targeted steps forward while congressional leaders discuss President Joe Biden’s comprehensive immigration plan, and initial procedural steps could come as early as Tuesday. Republicans are shifting their focus to attacking Biden over a new surge of arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border.House...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is due to vote on two immigration bills that would provide a path to citizenship for millions living illegally in the United States, including farmworkers and younger immigrants known as “Dreamers.”The bills are an effort to take targeted steps forward while congressional leaders discuss President Joe Biden’s comprehensive immigration plan, and initial procedural steps could come as early as Tuesday. Republicans are shifting their focus to attacking Biden over a new surge of arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border.House...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The battle to pass a COVID-19 relief bill demonstrated how hard things will be for U.S. President Joe Biden’s Democrats in Congress, facing opposition from right and left as they try to score big wins with small majorities.A smiling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sang the praises of Democratic unity on Saturday after his chamber approved the $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid plan, one of the largest economic stimulus packages ever. He predicted it will be approved by the House of Representatives next week and quickly signed into law by Biden.But a day earlier,...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The battle to pass a COVID-19 relief bill demonstrated how hard things will be for U.S. President Joe Biden’s Democrats in Congress, facing opposition from right and left as they try to score big wins with small majorities.A smiling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sang the praises of Democratic unity on Saturday after his chamber approved the $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid plan, one of the largest economic stimulus packages ever. He predicted it will be approved by the House of Representatives next week and quickly signed into law by Biden.But a day earlier,...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will start debating President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill this week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday after Democrats backed down from an effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 as part of it.The backpedaling did not end hopes of addressing the minimum wage issue in Congress. Democrats and some Republicans have voiced support for the idea of raising the federal minimum wage, now at $7.25 an hour, for the first time since 2009, although they disagree on how much.Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Tom Cotton...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will start debating President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill this week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday after Democrats backed down from an effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 as part of it.The backpedaling did not end hopes of addressing the minimum wage issue in Congress. Democrats and some Republicans have voiced support for the idea of raising the federal minimum wage, now at $7.25 an hour, for the first time since 2009, although they disagree on how much.Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Tom Cotton...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump supporters who launched a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol last month have indicated they want to “blow up” the building and kill members of Congress, the acting chief of the Capitol Police said on Thursday.Threats suggest extremists could target the building during an address by President Joe Biden, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told lawmakers as she advocated for continued high security around the building.”Members of militia groups that were present on Jan. 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump supporters who launched a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol last month have indicated they want to “blow up” the building and kill members of Congress, the acting chief of the Capitol Police said on Thursday.Threats suggest extremists could target the building during an address by President Joe Biden, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told lawmakers as she advocated for continued high security around the building.”Members of militia groups that were present on Jan. 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI warning that a protest by Donald Trump’s supporters could turn violent reached the U.S. Capitol Police the day before the deadly assault, but top officials in charge of securing Congress that day did not see it, they told lawmakers on Tuesday.The officials told two Senate panels looking into failures ahead of the Jan. 6 attack that the intelligence they received did not prepare them for hundreds of Trump backers, many working in teams and wearing tactical gear, storming the building.They gave conflicting accounts of conversations ahead of the assault on...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI warning that a protest by Donald Trump’s supporters could turn violent reached the U.S. Capitol Police the day before the deadly assault, but top officials in charge of securing Congress that day did not see it, they told lawmakers on Tuesday.The officials told two Senate panels looking into failures ahead of the Jan. 6 attack that the intelligence they received did not prepare them for hundreds of Trump backers, many working in teams and wearing tactical gear, storming the building.They gave conflicting accounts of conversations ahead of the assault on...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday, signaling a growing feud between the two most senior Republican voices after the party lost the White House and control of the Senate.“Mitch is a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack, and if Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again,” Trump said in a statement just three days after McConnell excoriated him following the former president’s second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.Trump and...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday, signaling a growing feud between the two most senior Republican voices after the party lost the White House and control of the Senate.“Mitch is a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack, and if Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again,” Trump said in a statement just three days after McConnell excoriated him following the former president’s second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.Trump and...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats begin formally making their case on Wednesday that former President Donald Trump should be convicted for inciting the U.S. Capitol siege, a day after a divided Senate concluded his impeachment trial could proceed even though Trump has already left office.The House of Representatives has charged Trump with inciting an insurrection after he delivered a fiery speech on Jan. 6 exhorting thousands of supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol, where members of Congress were gathered to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.In an assault that stunned...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats begin formally making their case on Wednesday that former President Donald Trump should be convicted for inciting the U.S. Capitol siege, a day after a divided Senate concluded his impeachment trial could proceed even though Trump has already left office.The House of Representatives has charged Trump with inciting an insurrection after he delivered a fiery speech on Jan. 6 exhorting thousands of supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol, where members of Congress were gathered to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.In an assault that stunned...WW…

Democrats in the U.S. Congress were scrambling on Monday to find another way to include immigration reform in a sweeping $3.5 trillion social spending bill after a Senate arbiter said their first proposal broke the chamber's rules. The ruling was the latest in a series of stumbling blocks President Joe Biden's party faces as it enters a critical few weeks before a Sept. 27 vote on a $1 trillion Senate-approved infrastructure bill. Also ahead is an Oct. 1 deadline to continue funding the federal government and the threat later in the month that the government will breach its borrowing cap,...…Democrats in the U.S. Congress were scrambling on Monday to find another way to include immigration reform in a sweeping $3.5 trillion social spending bill after a Senate arbiter said their first proposal broke the chamber's rules. The ruling was the latest in a series of stumbling blocks President Joe Biden's party faces as it enters a critical few weeks before a Sept. 27 vote on a $1 trillion Senate-approved infrastructure bill. Also ahead is an Oct. 1 deadline to continue funding the federal government and the threat later in the month that the government will breach its borrowing cap,...WW…