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.

Biden proposal on transgender student athletes met with praise but also questions

By: - April 28, 2023

Transgender cheered the Biden administration for extending some protections for transgender student athletes as states impose bans.

Biden administration to use processing centers in Latin America to handle migration

By: - April 27, 2023

The Biden administration will use processing centers in Colombia and Guatemala to create legal pathways for migrants, with Title 42 to end.

U.S. Senate Democrats denounce post-Dobbs landscape of state abortion bans, restrictions

By: - April 26, 2023

U.S. Senate Democrats held a hearing to explore how states and conservative-backed lawsuits are restricting abortion access.

Biden administration warns U.S. House GOP debt limit bill would slash education

By: - April 25, 2023

Under House Republicans’ debt limit proposal, school funding would drop for 26 million low-income students and 7 million disabled students.

‘Tennessee three’ praised by Biden in White House meeting

By: - April 25, 2023

President Biden praised three Tennessee state Democratic lawmakers booted from the GOP-led House for demanding gun safety measures.

U.S. House approves bill banning transgender student athletes in girls sports

By: - April 20, 2023

The White House released a statement saying President Joe Biden would veto the legislation if it ever came to his desk. 

Labor exploitation of unaccompanied migrant children probed at U.S. House hearing

By: - April 19, 2023

Republicans and Democrats agreed immigration policy needs to be improved in connection with unaccompanied kids, but they differed on solutions and placing blame.

DACA recipients to gain health coverage under new plan from Biden administration

By: - April 13, 2023

The White House says HHS will publish a rule that amends the definition of “lawful presence” to include DACA recipients in Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage.

Kids at work: States try to ease child labor laws at behest of industry

By: - April 7, 2023

This year alone, lawmakers in seven states have introduced or passed bills that would ease child labor laws. 

U.S. judge rules insurers don’t have to cover many free preventive health services

By: , and - March 30, 2023

The decision could affect millions of Americans’ access to no-cost preventive health care that a federal agency required health insurance companies to cover.

Bernie Sanders confronts former Starbucks CEO over union-busting allegations

By: - March 29, 2023

Sen. Bernie Sanders pressed Starbucks founder and billionaire former CEO Howard Schultz about delays in ratifying union contracts.

State election officials at U.S. Senate hearing discuss threats to workers, call for funding

By: - March 29, 2023

Democrats on Tuesday expressed concern about threats to election workers and disinformation campaigns that aim to undermine elections.