Author

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.

Leaders of the Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis, which is in the progressive tradition of Reform Judaism, say access to abortion care is a requirement of Jewish law and Missouri's abortion ban violates their members' religious freedom (Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent).

Jewish congregations mount legal challenges to state abortion bans

By: - August 26, 2022

WASHINGTON — Thousands of years of Jewish scripture make it clear that access to abortion care is a requirement of Jewish law and practice, according to Rabbi Karen Bogard. “We preserve life at all costs,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “But there is a difference between that which is living, and that […]

Kirkland Hall at Vanderbilt University. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced his administration will cancel some student loan debts. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Biden to wipe out $10,000 in student loan debt for many borrowers

By: - August 24, 2022

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he will cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for Pell Grant borrowers and up to $10,000 for all other borrowers with an income of less than $125,000 for an individual and $250,000 for a household. Biden also announced his administration is extending a pause […]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), gives the thumbs up as he leaves the Senate chamber after passage of the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday. Getty Images photo by Drew Angerer.

U.S. Senate passes major health, tax and climate bill in boost for Democrats

By: and - August 7, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate, along party lines, passed a sweeping energy, health care, climate and tax package Sunday afternoon, following an overnight marathon of votes that resulted in just a handful of notable changes to the legislation. The 755-page bill was passed after Vice President Kamala Harris broke a 50-50 tie in the evenly […]

Assault weapons at a gun show.(Photo by Alex Wong, Getty Images)

Gun company CEOs tell Congress they’re not to blame for mass shootings

By: - July 28, 2022

WASHINGTON — The CEOs of major gun manufacturing companies told a U.S. House panel on Wednesday that their production of AR-15-style guns did not contribute to recent mass shootings that left 29 people dead, and that the killings were due to the actions of individual shooters. Ahead of the hearing, the House Oversight & Reform […]

The White House confirmed Thursday that President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19.(Drew Angerer/Getty Image)

Biden tests positive for COVID-19

By: and - July 21, 2022

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House announced Thursday morning.  Biden, 79, is fully vaccinated against the virus and has twice received booster doses, according to the statement. He is taking Paxlovid, an antiviral prescription medication that is meant to reduce the severity of […]

Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson has introduced a bill that would expand the U.S. Supreme Court from nine to 13 seats. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Progressives renew call for U.S. Supreme Court expansion after abortion rights decision

By: - July 18, 2022

WASHINGTON — A group of U.S. House Democrats Monday called for the passage of legislation that would add four justices to the Supreme Court, following the overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that provided the constitutional right to abortion.  “It’s an ultra-right-wing Republican Supreme Court,” Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia said during a […]

Georgia state lawmaker Renitta Shannon told a U.S. House testifying that as abortion is outlawed, mortality rates will climb.(Screenshot)

Pregnant patients without access to abortion face a ‘death sentence,’ U.S. House panel told

By: - July 14, 2022

WASHINGTON — Witnesses told a U.S. House committee on Wednesday that pregnant patients who can’t obtain abortions will face higher mortality rates if they are forced to carry their pregnancies to term.  “It is essentially a death sentence,” Michele Bratcher Goodwin, the chancellor’s professor of law at the University of California, told lawmakers. Democratic state […]

Vice President Kamala Harris presenting a diploma to a graduate of Tennessee State University in Nashville on May 7. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Vice president discusses abortion access with Democratic legislative leaders

By: - July 11, 2022

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris met Friday with Democratic state legislators from Indiana, Florida, South Dakota, Nebraska and Montana to discuss ways to protect reproductive rights.  “The U.S. Supreme Court took away a constitutional right,” Harris said, adding that the overturning of Roe v. Wade was one of the most pressing issues facing the […]

Tears roll down Stephanie Shepherd's face outside Gov. Bill Lee's office during a vigil for gun violence victims on June 1. (Photo: John Partipilo)

U.S. House panel presses gun makers to testify before Congress

By: - July 7, 2022

WASHINGTON — The chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Thursday said she has requested that CEOs of three gun manufacturing companies appear before Congress to testify at a hearing later this month on gun violence.  Chair Carolyn B. Maloney of New York said she has asked for appearances by Marty […]

Biden in January called for an end to the Senate filibuster to pass voting rights legislation during a visit to Atlanta’s Morehouse College campus. Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Recorder

Biden says he supports filibuster exception for abortion rights legislation

By: - June 30, 2022

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday said he supports an exception to the U.S. Senate filibuster in order to enshrine Roe v. Wade in federal law, after the Supreme Court last week struck down the case that established abortion as a constitutional right.  “I believe we have to codify Roe v. Wade in the […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 7, 2020 -A supporter of Donald Trump yells at a Black Lives Matter supporter during a "Stop the Steal" rally, the same day President-elect Joe Biden clinched his win. (Photo: Ray Di Pietro)

U.S. House members warned about disinformation in upcoming campaigns

By: - June 23, 2022

WASHINGTON — Experts on election security warned lawmakers during a U.S. House Administration hearing on Wednesday of targeted disinformation campaigns that could occur in the upcoming midterm and presidential elections. The panel of witnesses also stressed to members of the subcommittee on elections the dangers of conspiracy groups and their reach in sowing disinformation about […]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

U.S. Senate GOP leader McConnell ‘comfortable’ with framework for gun control bill

By: - June 14, 2022

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said he is comfortable with the bipartisan deal Senate Democrats and Republicans struck on gun control legislation, signaling that he will join in passing a bill when it comes to a vote. “For myself, I’m comfortable with the framework,” the Kentucky Republican said during a […]