WASHINGTON — Yes, you can eat dog or cat for lunch in most states. Or dinner. Or anytime. Unless Congress acts on a new plan that would subject anyone who kills those animals for human consumption to a jail term and up to a $2,500 fine. The House farm bill, approved this week by the House Agriculture Committee, would apply those penalties to anyone who knowingly slaughtered a cat or dog for human consumption. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., sponsored the provision, and had a quick
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday put off a final decision on possible military strikes against Syria after tweeting earlier that they could happen “very soon or not so soon at all.” The White House said he would consult further with allies. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned such an attack carried the risk of spinning out of control, suggesting caution ahead of a decision on how to respond to an attack against civilians last weekend that U.S. officials are
WASHINGTON — Some say it’s a fight between West and South. Or who might win an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Or a test of who can woo conservatives. But one thing was clear Thursday: Any maneuvering in the brewing showdown between California Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise for House speaker was occurring below the radar, and the leading players were choosing their words carefully. “I’ve heard from none of the candidates, and all of the
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Paul Ryan abruptly announced Wednesday he will retire rather than seek another term in Congress as the steady if reluctant wingman for President Donald Trump, sending new ripples of uncertainty through a Washington already on edge and a Republican Party bracing for a rough election year. The Wisconsin Republican cast the decision to end his 20-year career as a personal one — he doesn’t want his children growing up with a “weekend dad”
WASHINGTON — Claiming he’s accomplished a “heckuva lot,” House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election and will retire next year, injecting another layer of uncertainty as Republicans face worries over losing their majority in the fall. The Wisconsin Republican cast the decision as a personal one, saying he did not want his children growing up with a “weekend dad.” He told reporters he believes he’s leaving with strong
WASHINGTON — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already apologized to users for not doing enough to protect their privacy. Now he plans to apologize to Congress, saying in prepared testimony that Facebook hasn’t done enough to prevent its tools from being used for harm. Zuckerberg’s written statement was released ahead of two days of congressional hearings in which he will not only try to restore public trust in his company but also stave off federal regulation that some
CHERRY HILL, N.J. — The number of women running for the U.S. House of Representatives set a record Thursday, most of them Democrats motivated by angst over President Donald Trump and policies of the Republican-controlled Congress. Their ranks will continue to swell, with candidate filing periods remaining open in more than half the states. In many places, women are running for congressional seats that have never had female representation. “It’s about time,” said Kara
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration’s decision to ask people about their citizenship in the 2020 census set off worries among Democrats on Tuesday that immigrants will dodge the survey, diluting political representation for states that tend to vote Democratic and robbing communities of federal dollars. Not since 1950 has the census collected citizenship data from the whole population rather than just a population sample, says the Congressional Research
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the House intelligence committee have completed a draft report concluding there was no collusion or coordination between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia, a finding that pleased the White House but enraged Democrats who had not yet seen the document. After a yearlong investigation, Texas Rep. Mike Conaway announced Monday that the committee has finished interviewing witnesses and will share the report with Democrats for the first time