DC BUREAU
Our Washington, D.C., bureau reports on congressional delegations and key Supreme Court and administrative decisions that affect our state.
STAFF
Jane directs national coverage, managing staff and freelance reporters in the nation’s capital and assigning and editing state-specific daily and enterprise stories.
Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.
Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.
Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.
Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.
STORIES
Feds ship out COVID-19 vaccines delayed by winter storms
WASHINGTON — White House officials said Monday that thawing temperatures and a weekend of around-the-clock work has begun to clear a backlog of 6 million COVID-19 vaccines that were delayed due to last week’s devastating winter storms. On Monday, 7 million doses were set for delivery across the country, a figure that includes both delayed […]
Vaccinations slow after storms delay shipments of 6 million COVID-19 doses
WASHINGTON — The extreme cold weather across much of the country has delayed 6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, slowing a vaccination rate that has been steadily rising since the Biden administration took office last month. The backlogged doses account for roughly three days’ of delayed shipments affecting all 50 states, due to road closures, snowed-in […]
U.S. Senate hears from Ohio on the need for economic relief, minimum wage boost
WASHINGTON — In anticipation of U.S. House votes on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, Sen. Sherrod Brown held a Thursday hearing heavy on Ohio witnesses who stressed the urgent need for help at the grassroots. Brown, an Ohio Democrat who chairs the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, said that the […]
Biden backs reparations study, as House Dems push for commission
WASHINGTON — The White House on Wednesday indicated that President Joe Biden would support studying reparations for slavery, the same day that House Democrats held a hearing on legislation that would set up a reparations commission. But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stopped short of saying Biden would sign the bill under consideration by […]
Added COVID-19 testing on the way with $1.6B from the Biden administration
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is directing $1.6 billion to bolster COVID-19 testing nationally, including money to expand testing in schools and homeless shelters, boost supplies needed for testing, and analyze results to more quickly identify new strains of the virus. Roughly $650 million of the sum would go toward creating regional coordinating centers, which will […]
Proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage would boost paychecks in certain areas
WASHINGTON — A gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would increase the pay of low-income workers across the U.S. but particularly in much of the South, researchers and experts predict. Florida recently voted to increase its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, but the Sunshine State is an […]
Bipartisan state, local leaders in Biden meeting push for direct aid in COVID-19 relief
WASHINGTON — Bipartisan mayors from Detroit and Miami who met at the White House on Friday with President Joe Biden emerged saying they back his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package and urged it be passed. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a Republican, defended the need for $350 billion in the Biden plan for states and localities, […]
Senate acquits Trump in his second impeachment trial; 7 GOPs vote to convict
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted on Saturday to acquit former President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting the deadly Jan. 6 insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol, concluding his second impeachment trial with the same verdict as his first impeachment. In the 57-43 vote, seven Republicans joined every Senate Democrat and independent in […]
CDC issues detailed strategy for safely reopening K-12 schools
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released updated guidance to provide educators a science-based plan for reopening K-12 schools. The agency said it cannot force schools to reopen but can only stress that steps such as wearing masks and physical distancing of at least six feet are key to mitigating the […]
Feds boost state vaccine shipments to 11 million doses next week
WASHINGTON — States will see another increase in the COVID-19 vaccine doses they receive, with the Biden administration announcing Tuesday that the federal government will distribute 11 million doses next week. That’s an increase from 10.5 million doses this week, and 8.6 million during the week President Joe Biden took office last month. Those increases were […]
Outlook for $15-an-hour minimum wage boosted by new government report
WASHINGTON — The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in a report Monday found a gradual increase to a $15 federal minimum wage by 2025 would reduce poverty, add $54 billion to the deficit over a decade and increase pay for millions of low-income workers. The report could help Democrats make a strong case for including a gradual […]
What Senate Republicans are saying about Trump’s impeachment trial
WASHINGTON — The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is set to begin Tuesday, when the Senate will start hearing arguments over whether Trump should be convicted of inciting the violent mob that lay siege to the Capitol. So far, no Senate Republican has outright backed a vote to convict Trump, and many […]