U.S. rejects $200M grant to battery maker over alleged ties to China
The company is building a battery plant in Tennessee and was in talks with the Energy Department for a $200 million grant funded through the 2021 infrastructure law.
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Debt ceiling: Biden, McCarthy to meet Monday as negotiators ‘keep working’
Another round of debt negotiations has wrapped up at the U.S. Capitol. White House and House Republican staff met for 2-1/2 hours Sunday evening as talks appear to be narrowing on a 2024 budget year cap that would be key to resolving the standoff.
Most beauty school programs would be in jeopardy under Biden proposal
Under a new proposal intended to protect students, nearly two-thirds of cosmetology certificate programs at for-profit colleges would risk losing federal funding. So would more than a third of such programs in massage therapy and dental support.
Bipartisan bill aims to require AM radio in new cars
The proposed “AM for Every Vehicle Act” arrives as more and more automakers say goodbye to AM radio in newer car models.
COVID era of big spending gives way to new focus on deficit
While the White House has threatened to veto Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt ceiling bill with its “devastating cuts” to federal programs, the administration has signaled a willingness to consider other budget caps.
Feds start process to fund tech hubs across U.S. with $500M in grants
The grants are intended to expand tech investment that currently is concentrated around a few U.S. cities—Austin, Texas; Boston; New York; San Francisco; and Seattle—to the rest of the country.
Yellen: ‘No good options’ if Congress fails to act on debt
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s comments added even more urgency to a high-stakes meeting Tuesday between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders from both parties.
Debt ceiling breach could wipe out 8 million jobs, White House says
The White House Council of Economic Advisers compared the potential economic impact of a debt ceiling breach to the 2008 Great Recession, in which economic growth contracts sharply and unemployment surges.
FDIC recommends raising insured deposit limit for businesses
U.S. businesses might be able to secure bank deposit insurance for accounts holding more than $250,000 if Congress agrees with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s new proposal.
House Republicans pass U.S. debt bill, push Biden on spending
The sweeping legislation passed Wednesday that would raise the government’s legal debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion in exchange for steep spending restrictions.
U.S. officials seek to crack down on harmful AI products
FTC Chair Lina Khan joined top officials from U.S. civil rights and consumer protection agencies to put businesses on notice that regulators are working to track and stop illegal behavior in the use and development of artificial intelligence.
U.S. House approves trans athlete ban for girls and women’s teams
The House action comes as at least 20 other states, including Indiana, have imposed similar limits on trans athletes at the K-12 or collegiate level.
City receives nearly $10M in federal money for homelessness efforts
While the homeless population across the city has decreased from its pandemic high of nearly 2,000 people, it has yet to return to the lower levels recorded before the pandemic hit.
IRS looking into free electronic tax-filing system for all
Big tax preparation companies have millions of dollars to lose if the program comes to fruition. Last year, more than 60 million taxpayers were serviced by Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax, and H&R Block.
Judge temporarily blocks clean water rule in 24 states
Opponents of the regulations,including Indiana, have called the rules an example of federal overreach and argued they would unfairly burden farmers and ranchers.
State considers phone fee, other sources for 988 services
Support is clear for the 988 hotline, which is designed to operate similar to 911 but for mental health rather than public safety. However, the most important detail–how much funding the state will provide–has yet to be determined.
Washington vows to tackle AI, as tech titans and critics descend
Lawmakers are anxiously eyeing the AI arms race, driven by the explosion of OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT.
EPA clamps down on mercury from coal power plants
On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed the most stringent update on limits to mercury from smokestacks since the Obama administration first issued Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in 2012.
Google seeks dismissal of federal lawsuit alleging advertising monopoly
Google on Monday filed a motion to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit that aims to break up its alleged monopoly in online advertising, the company’s first salvo in a case widely seen as a test of the Biden administration’s ability to rein in the tech industry.
U.S. to adopt new restrictions on using commercial spyware
The order responds to growing U.S. and global concerns about programs that can capture text messages and other cellphone data. Some programs—so-called “zero-click” exploits—can infect a phone without the user clicking on a malicious link.