Despite the Senate quickly removing the controversial $15 federal minimum wage hike passed in the House version of the latest COVID stimulus bill, Republican lawmakers are still speaking out against other items included in the plan as Senate Democrats rush to finalize their version of the bill.
For Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla. 3rd District), the price tag, which includes checks for qualified Americans, is too high.
"As far as the stimulus, that is a temporary solution and, again, it just adds to the further debt that our nation is in. For us, as millennials, this is killer because this is on our shoulders. The generations before us, they're not going to have to deal with these problems of sequestration," she told Cheddar. "It's millennials and Gen Zs that are really footing the bill for this."
At 33 years old, Cammack is currently one of the youngest members serving in the House.
In a letter to President Joe Biden, Cammack said approving another trillion-dollar spending bill would be irresponsible, in part, because funds from previous relief bills still have not been allocated.
The cost of the COVID relief bill was not the only concern for Cammack, however. The Florida congresswoman described other measures in the bill as a "wish list of projects" that Democrats are trying to push through.
"It has nothing to do with rescuing America from this pandemic. It had nothing to do with COVID relief," she alleged. Cammack stressed the need to get vaccines for Americans interested in receiving it and reopening schools.
"What does an underground tunnel in Silicon Valley have to do with COVID relief? What does a bridge in New York have to do with COVID relief? This was just some of the garbage that was tucked into this bill," she protested.
While a new poll from Morning Consult and Politico showed more than 70 percent of voters -- including more than half of GOP voters -- support the bill as it stands, Cammack said her party isn't worried about efforts to strike down the relief plan backfiring.
"The previous bills in 2020 under President Trump were all bipartisan. There was Republican and Democrat support. In this bill that Nancy Pelosi just pushed through last week — actually at 2:30 in the morning — that not only had every single Republican vote against it but members of her own caucus," she said.
Add FIFA to the list of organizations announcing a break with Russia. The world soccer authority has suspended the nation from competing in the 2022 World Cup tournament, while the NHL also announced suspending business relations with Russia. Executive editor and senior writer at Sports Illustrated, Jon Wertheim, joined Cheddar News to discuss the rebukes. "I think a big element of this is, this is a way to really hit at Putin because we know how much this appearance of strength and the victory… often portrayed through sports, how much that means to him," he said. "This will bother him in a way that it might not bother other world leaders."
Prices at the pump have escalated severely during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Paul Christopher, head of global market strategy, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, joined Cheddar News to explain how he sees the gas prices continuing to spiral despite the International Energy Agency announcing the release of 60 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserves of 31 countries. "We think you could see oil and gas prices continue to rise. Oil prices maybe could hit $140 a barrel. That's possible. And that would add another 50-60 cents on top of the gasoline prices you already have," he said.
President Joe Biden is set to give his first State of the Union address amid both international and domestic crises: the Russia-Ukraine conflict and continued rising inflation and economic worries at home. He's expected to focus on a four-point plan to reduce everyday costs, and promote economic competition, among other key tenets. But will it be enough to persuade Americans that his administration will be able to get rising prices and foreign policy moves under control? Eugene Scott, national politics reporter at The Washington Post, joins Closing Bell to discuss Biden's expected focus, how he will aim to ease Americans' concerns, and more.
Dr. Daniel Bober, psychiatrist and certified addiction medicine physician, joins Cheddar News to offer tips on how parents and guardians can talk to their children about what's happening in Ukraine.
While crypto exchanges have been used to aid Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, critics point to possible sanction evasion on the Russian side using the same technology. Cheddar's Alex Vuocolo takes a closer look.
Airbnb.org has announced that it will provide up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees with free housing. Airbnb.org is the philanthropic branch of Airbnb that provides free housing for those affected by disasters. Joe Gebbia, co-founder and chairman of Airbnb.org, joined Cheddar News to talk about how the company has helped thousands find shelter in times of crisis. "A lot of people are saying this conflict is likely to be the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, and I believe Airbnb believes that companies have a responsibility to step up and to help out in times like these," he said.
The International Energy Agency’s 31 member countries have agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves “to send a strong message to oil markets” that supplies won’t fall short after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Every ten years, there’s a census. That decennial count is long and tedious and arduous…and important. Because it confirms who lives where so the Federal Government properly allocates resources, so services go to the places that need them most and - yes - so states gain or lose seats in congress and have the opportunity to redraw all their state and Congressional lines.
That means, every 10 years, states start what has famously been one of the most partisan and divisive processes in politics. Because one strategic line can mean the difference in party control in not just the state legislatures but also in congress.
Cheddar explains how gerrymandering works and why it exists.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted blood donations leading to severe shortages throughout the country. Chloe Aiello reports on the desperate need for new donors.
