DC BUREAU

Our Washington, D.C., bureau reports on congressional delegations and key Supreme Court and administrative decisions that affect our state.

STAFF

Jane Norman

DC Bureau Chief

Jane directs national coverage, managing staff and freelance reporters in the nation’s capital and assigning and editing state-specific daily and enterprise stories.

Jacob Fischler

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

Ashley Murray

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.

Jennifer Shutt

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

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.

Ariana Figueroa

DC Bureau Reporter

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

STORIES

Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans

BY: - March 22, 2022

WASHINGTON – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her record […]

Here’s what senators said on the first day of the U.S. Supreme Court hearings

BY: and - March 21, 2022

WASHINGTON — The 22 members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee each had 10 minutes on Monday to make opening statements about the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court.  Here’s what some had to say: Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that Republicans on the […]

Ketanji Brown Jackson vows to decide U.S. Supreme Court cases from a ‘neutral posture’

BY: - March 21, 2022

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began her four-day confirmation process to become the nation’s first Black female associate justice on Monday, listening to hours of opening statements from Senate Judiciary Committee members before giving her own.  In her first public remarks since President Joe Biden nominated her last month, Jackson, who grew […]

U.S. Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to start Monday

BY: - March 18, 2022

After more than two weeks of private meetings with nearly half the U.S. Senate, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, will field questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee in highly anticipated public hearings that begin Monday. Members of the panel will question Jackson for two full days, following […]

U.S. House moves to revoke Russia, Belarus trade status; 8 Republicans vote no

BY: - March 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to revoke normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, another step the federal government hopes will end the Russian war in Ukraine. The 424-8 vote sends the measure, which refers to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko as “ruthless” dictators, to the Senate. GOP […]

Most HBCU bomb threats may be coming from one juvenile, FBI official tells Congress

BY: - March 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — A top FBI official told members of a U.S. House panel on Thursday that the agency believes a single juvenile is behind most of the bomb threats made to more than 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Ryan Young, executive assistant director of the Intelligence Branch at the FBI, said that the bomb […]

Zelenskyy reminds Congress of Pearl Harbor and 9/11 in pleading for U.S. help for Ukraine

BY: and - March 16, 2022

WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday invoked the Pearl Harbor attacks ahead of World War II and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while urging the United States to do more to stop the Russian war against his country.  During the speech, delivered virtually to members of Congress in an auditorium on Capitol Hill, Zelenskyy […]

U.S. Senate confirms Shalanda Young as first Black woman to head up White House budget agency

BY: - March 15, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate made history Tuesday when it confirmed Louisiana’s Shalanda Young as White House budget director.  Young, former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, will become the first Black woman to head up the Cabinet-level agency that releases the president’s budget request, oversees federal agencies’ performance and reviews significant federal regulations.  […]

U.S. Senate backs shift to permanent daylight saving time

BY: - March 15, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate with little debate on Tuesday unanimously supported a permanent change to daylight saving time, several days after Americans once again went through the hated “spring forward” ritual of changing their clocks. If the bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, clears the House, it would mean most states would stay on daylight […]

Republicans in Congress file suit to end mask mandate for air travel

BY: - March 15, 2022

Seventeen Republican members of Congress have sued the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeking an end to the federal rule requiring passengers on commercial flights and in airports to wear masks. The mandate illegally restricts the lawmakers’ freedom and is not backed by legal authority, they said in the suit filed Monday. They […]

With COVID funding stuck in Congress, White House raises alarms about shortfall

BY: - March 15, 2022

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is warning that the United States would not be prepared for another COVID-19 variant or surge in cases if Congress doesn’t approve billions in stalled emergency funding.  Senior administration officials told reporters Tuesday that without the $22.5 billion the White House requested last month, there will be a drop-off in […]

Biden’s pick for budget director advances toward U.S. Senate confirmation

BY: - March 14, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate gave President Joe Biden’s budget director nominee a first nod of approval Monday night, voting to advance her to a final confirmation vote later this week.  The 53-31 vote gives Louisiana native Shalanda Young bipartisan support to become director of the Office of Management and Budget, a Cabinet-level agency that […]