Austin will bring to the Pentagon decades of military experience. He would be the first African American to lead the department.
Some Democrats raised a longstanding debate over presidential vs congressional reach. The administration called the attacks proportionate and said it had briefed congressional leaders ahead of time.
The House is on track to pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, which includes another stimulus check to millions of Americans, additional unemployment benefits, and new child tax credits.
The new three-member investor group which purchased the team includes former Dream player Renee Montgomery, making her the first retired player to have become both a co-owner and a WNBA executive.
President Biden is visiting Texas one week after he officially declared a major disaster in Texas, which has been reeling from record cold, power outages and a water crisis.
On top of the small business loans and money for health care included in previous bills, the latest round of relief includes longtime Democratic priorities for lifting people out of poverty.
The legislation pushed by Democrats underscores the southern state's transformation when it comes to voting restrictions.
Lawmakers are weighing a proposal to give families with kids a monthly, cash benefit to help ease the lifelong pull of poverty. Experts say it could cut U.S. child poverty nearly in half.
Nearly two dozen of the president's nominees await confirmation in the deeply divided Senate.
The Senate Parliamentarian informed lawmakers that a plan to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025 does not fit the complicated rules that govern budget bills in the Senate.
