Politics
Biden administration looks for ways to alleviate infant formula shortage
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration sought to assuage parents’ concerns over an ongoing infant formula shortage Thursday, though officials couldn’t offer a timeline for when store shelves would be fully stocked again. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration is working to “cut red tape,” increase imports of formula and broaden what types […]
U.S. House Jan. 6 Committee subpoenas 5 GOP members who declined to testify
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol subpoenaed five Republican House members Thursday who the panel believes have knowledge of the events leading up to the attack, including communication with then-President Donald Trump. The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol […]
Tennessee Attorney General Slatery won’t seek a second term
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery will not seek a second term when his current one ends. The news, first reported by the Tennessee Journal, broke Tuesday after Slatery informed the Tennessee Supreme Court in a letter. Slatery’s eight-year term has been marked by his office’s involvement in political issues, notably the joining of an amicus brief […]
Report: Tennessee could run government for more than a month on rainy day balance
Tennessee could run the entirety of its government operations for more than a month relying on its rainy day balance alone, a reflection of a record $1.45 billion in savings as of the 2021 fiscal year, according to an analysis of state budgets released this week by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The report noted that […]
Biden administration vows to speed up environmental permits needed for infrastructure projects
President Joe Biden’s administration will seek to hasten construction of roads, bridges, wind farms and more by tweaking the federal review process for environmental and other permits, administration officials said Tuesday. On a press call, administration officials said they were seeking to make permitting easier without sacrificing environmental standards. The new permitting plan includes five […]
McConnell doesn’t rule out U.S. Senate vote outlawing abortion if GOP takes control
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell isn’t ruling out bringing a nationwide abortion ban up for a vote, should the U.S. Supreme Court end the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy and his party regains the chamber in the November elections. The Kentucky Republican was somewhat reserved last week when repeatedly asked by reporters […]
Shelby County effort to fix tax rate fails at first pass
Shelby County commissioners failed to pass an ordinance fixing the tax rate as tensions continue over the possibility of losing $2 million or raising taxes. During a Shelby County committee meeting, commissioners grilled Trustee Regina Morrison Newman, Chief Administrator Dwan Gilliom and Budget Director Michael Thompson while discussing the county’s inability to have a tax […]
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Tennessee State University graduation
On a rainy spring morning, Vice President Kamala Harris stood before Tennessee State University’s class of 2022, reviewing the past and a future unknown to the graduating students. Before her played a montage of the country’s history of Black Americans, of Emmitt Till’s murder, the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr., all of […]
Senate, House speakers respond to governor’s refusal to sign truth-in-sentencing
A day after Gov. Bill Lee declined to sign strict truth-in-sentencing legislation, but allowed it to become law despite his disagreement, the bill’s sponsors fired back. “You can protect criminals, or you can protect victims. I stand with victims, as do members of law enforcement, our district attorneys, & criminal judges across Tennessee,” House Speaker […]
Stockard on the Stump: Vendor protests prison communications contract
A company beaten out of a Tennessee prisons communications contract is challenging the state’s decision, claiming it is awarding the deal to a competitor that will charge inmates and families about $7 million more. Securus Technologies LLC lost an initial protest after the state gave the contract for inmate communications and technology services to Global […]
Vote on abortion rights planned in U.S. Senate next week, but likely will fall short
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will force a vote next week on a bill to codify abortion protections, following the disclosure that the Supreme Court could be ready to overturn a landmark abortion rights ruling, he and other Senate Democrats announced Thursday. The effort appears largely symbolic. Democrats are well short of the 60 […]
Commentary: The road we travel, from the way it is to the way it was
It’s election time in Tennessee. Like dandelions, campaign posters have sprung up across the state. Many of these signs advertise “Conservative” prominently. Some even state “Conservative Republican” as if there were currently any other Republican species. “Conservative” is obviously seen as a virtue. The basis of these campaign appeals is less obvious. […]