Author

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., speaks during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing on Capitol Hill on Dec. 16, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Menendez steps down temporarily as U.S. Senate committee chairman amid federal charges  

By: - September 22, 2023

WASHINGTON — New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez will temporarily step aside as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee following a federal indictment for conspiracy to commit bribery and other charges. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made the announcement Friday afternoon, saying in a written statement that “Senator Menendez has rightly decided to […]

CAPTION: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 14, 2023, as action in the chamber on spending bills got sidetracked ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

With two weeks until the money runs out, Congress grinds to halt on spending bills 

By: - September 16, 2023

WASHINGTON — Amid rising tensions and an approaching hard deadline, the U.S. House and Senate ended their work week on Thursday without a deal to fund the federal government past the end of the month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has been struggling to build consensus among the members of his Republican Conference, pledged that […]

A vaccination clinic at Casa Azafran in Nashville, March 28, 2021. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Updated COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in September, federal officials say

By: - August 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is gearing up for a fall vaccination campaign that not only includes updated COVID-19 boosters, but the annual flu shot and the newly approved RSV vaccine. “We’re going to be encouraging Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccine in addition to their annual flu shot, as well as the immunizations for […]

CAPTION: Republican presidential candidates (L-R), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum participate in the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on August 23, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump absent but still dominates as GOP presidential rivals clash at first debate

By: , and - August 23, 2023

Eight Republican presidential candidates gathered onstage Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a heated first primary debate heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump, though the party’s front runner refused to attend the two-hour event. Trump instead recorded a competing 46-minute interview with former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known […]

A nurse holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine and syringe. (Getty Images)

Next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies gets a $1.4 billion boost

By: - August 23, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a $1.4 billion investment in developing the so-called next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell made the announcement, saying the funding is part of the $5 billion program they hope will […]

Homes and businesses destroyed by wildfire are seen on August 14, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

FEMA’s disaster relief fund is running low on cash. What happens now?

By: - August 21, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund is in desperate need of cash, with the agency projecting at least a $4 billion deficit in the weeks ahead — even as the government responds to devastating fires in Hawaii and hurricane season continues. FEMA, however, won’t simply stop the response and recovery activities […]

Abortion pills and drinking water. (Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order

By: - August 16, 2023

WASHINGTON —  A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday the abortion pill can stay on the market, but it agreed with a lower court that ultimately use should revert to prescribing and dosage instructions that were in place before 2016. However, that appeals court ruling will immediately be put on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court […]

The U.S. Capitol at night. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt / States Newsroom)

Congress brought back earmarks. Now they’re one more point of drama in a divided House.

By: - August 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — The new Republican chairwoman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee said just before taking over the panel that she planned to “tweak” how the chamber earmarks spending for community projects — coveted state and local funding that members of Congress request. Some of those changes hinted at by Kay Granger of Texas have […]

A protester holds a Trump flag inside the US Capitol Building near the Senate Chamber on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

How the fake electors in seven states are central to the Trump Jan. 6 indictment

By: and - August 3, 2023

WASHINGTON — The federal indictment accusing Donald Trump of trying to stay in power after losing the 2020 presidential election includes detailed accusations of Trump and his alleged co-conspirators’ pressure on individual state officials. The central plot to overturn the election, as described in the indictment a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., handed up […]

Former U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he makes a visit to the Cuban restaurant Versailles after he appeared for his arraignment on June 13, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges including possession of national security documents after leaving office, obstruction, and making false statements. (Photo by Alon Skuy/Getty Images)

‘Fueled by lies,’ Trump charged with seeking to overturn 2020 election

By: , and - August 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted Donald Trump on Tuesday, alleging that Trump and co-conspirators attempted to subvert the 2020 election to keep the former president in power through a series of illegal actions that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The former president faces four […]

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical campus in Rapid City, South Dakota. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

U.S. House spending bill for the VA renews fight over abortion access, transgender care

By: - July 31, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans approved their first government spending bill Thursday, following tense debate about whether the Department of Veterans Affairs should provide abortions in limited circumstances and the GOP’s decision to cut military construction funding. The 219-211 mostly party-line vote on the Military Construction-VA appropriations bill sends the measure to the Senate, where […]

Members of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee discussed the long-term future of Social Security. (Getty Images)

Higher taxes on the wealthy would bolster Social Security, U.S. Senate Dems argue

By: - July 13, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. senators debated Wednesday how best to resolve a funding cliff within Social Security that will lead to a quarter reduction in benefits in about a decade, absent action from Congress. Democrats on the Budget Committee, led by Chair Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, called for lawmakers to increase taxes on the country’s […]