State and Federal Relations

Biden Plan Would Direct $400 Billion to Vaccine, Public Health Initiatives

The president-elect’s $1.9 trillion plan includes funding for a national Covid-19 vaccination program, expanded testing capacity, and safety measures to help reopen schools.

  • By Andrea Noble

What Democratic Control of Government Could Mean for Biden’s Tech Policies

Though the margins are tight, the incoming president may nominate more progressive candidates for certain positions, experts say.

  • By Frank Konkel

Biden’s First Order of Business May Be to Undo Trump’s Policies, but It Won’t Be Easy

President Donald Trump made substantial changes to the nation’s health care system using executive branch authority. But reversing policies that Democrats oppose would take time and personnel resources, competing with other priorities of the new administration.

  • By Julie Rovner, Kaiser Health News

Biden Picks Two More State and Local Leaders for Top Jobs

The president-elect has selected Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to lead the Labor Department and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to be Commerce secretary.

  • By Bill Lucia

Capitol Riot Response Could Have Differed if D.C. was a State

With Democrats assuming control of the Senate, Washington, D.C. could have a better shot at statehood. The District’s mayor wants to see urgent action on the issue.

  • By Andrea Noble

States Should Lead the Effort to Reform the Electoral College

COMMENTARY | The 2020 presidential election has underscored the need to overhaul the Electoral College.

  • By Joshua Holzer

States Expect Delay of Federal Unemployment Payments

The late passage of the coronavirus relief package and new requirements for verifying benefits are complicating the rollout of payments by state unemployment agencies.

  • By Andrea Noble

What Will 2021 Hold for Cities?

With no help coming from the federal government, can Richmond’s mayor still execute an equity agenda?

  • By Adam Harris, The Atlantic

Texas' Move to Control Coal Ash Pollution Could Shield Industry from Tougher Rules Under Biden-led EPA

Texas is close to finalizing a years-long effort to wrangle control of coal ash pollution from the EPA, a move that could, for a time, keep coal companies insulated from tougher rules expected from the next administration.

  • By Erin Douglas, The Texas Tribune

Where Year Two of the Pandemic Will Take Us

As vaccines roll out, the U.S. will face a choice about what to learn and what to forget.

  • By Ed Yong, The Atlantic

Biden Reveals White House Digital Team

The team will be in charge of communicating with Americans once Biden takes office on Jan. 20.

  • By Frank Konkel

The Big Lesson of 2020

COMMENTARY | 2020 should teach all of us that we can no longer ignore our biggest challenges.

  • By Alisha Powell Gillis

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Universal Service Fund Wants Automation Tools to Help Bring Broadband to Communities in Need

The corporation that manages the fund for the Federal Communications Commission is looking for a contractor to help automate its manual, time-consuming data verification process.

  • By Aaron Boyd

The Government Promised to Return Ancestral Hawaiian Land, Then Never Finished the Job

Native Hawaiians are still waiting for state and federal officials to fulfill the promises of land legislation that was signed into law 25 years ago. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” said one former governor.

  • By Agnel Philip and Rob Perez, ProPublica

Trump Blasts Covid Relief Package, Demands Revisions Risking a Shutdown

The president asked Congress to dramatically increase the size of stimulus checks.

  • By Amelia Gruber

The Hack Roundup: Treasury Briefing Reignites Encryption Debate

Here are the news and updates about the suspected Russian hack you may have missed.

  • By Heather Kuldell and Mariam Baksh

State, Local Governments Could Get an Extra Year to Spend Covid Funds

President Trump on Tuesday disparaged the coronavirus relief package approved by Congress this week. The deal does not appropriate more direct funding for local governments and states, but if it does go forward, it would extend the deadline for them to spend previous funds.

  • By Andrea Noble

Inside the First Chaotic Days of the Effort to Vaccinate America

After missteps in Washington, each state and county is left to juggle where to send vaccines first and how to get them to each nursing home, hospital local health department and even school.

  • By Jay Hancock, Lauren Weber and Rachana Pradhan, Kaiser Health News

One-Month Eviction Moratorium, $25 Billion in Rental Aid in Covid Bill

Housing advocates applauded the inclusion of the emergency rental assistance and eviction moratorium extension in the federal relief package, but said the incoming Biden administration will have to do more.

  • By Andrea Noble

Florida to Take Over Wetlands Permitting from Feds

It will be only the third state granted such authority. Environmentalists in Florida say the state doesn’t have the resources to assume these responsibilities.

  • By Emma Coleman

Congressional Leaders Reach Deal on $900 Billion Covid Relief Package

The agreement reached Sunday does not include direct funding for state and local governments but does extend the amount of time they have to spend previously appropriated federal funds.

  • By Andrea Noble