Month: May 2021

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/tech-trade-groups-sue-florida-over-social-media-law/ar-AAKsxYW

Senate Republicans announced Thursday their revised counteroffer of a $928 billion infrastructure spending plan. President Biden had reduced his initial infrastructure proposal by $600 billion — down from $1.7 trillion — in his latest compromise to Republicans. The president said he wanted at least $1 trillion in an infrastructure plan over an eight-year period. Biden said Thursday that he plans to meet next week about the counteroffer with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., who’s leading the Senate GOP’s negotiating team.

Republicans said their plan will not require a tax increase, adding that they oppose Biden’s support for raising corporate taxes that is part of the White House proposal. The GOP plan proposes $506 billion for roads, $98 billion for public transit, $46 billion for passenger and freight rail and more than $72 billion for water infrastructure. The plan also calls for spending $65 billion for broadband, $56 billion for airports and $22 billion for ports and waterways.

At a press conference earlier Thursday, Senator Capito said the plan delivers on what Biden had asked for in earlier talks on a compromise proposal. She said the GOP proposal sticks to “core infrastructure” spending, a Republican priority to stick to traditional infrastructure such as roads and bridges. “Senate Republicans continue to negotiate in good faith,” Capito said at the press conference.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-up-infrastructure-offer-to-24928-billion-keeping-talks-alive/ar-AAKsmqy

Senate Republicans announced Thursday their revised counteroffer of a $928 billion infrastructure spending plan. President Biden had reduced his initial infrastructure proposal by $600 billion — down from $1.7 trillion — in his latest compromise to Republicans. The president said he wanted at least $1 trillion in an infrastructure plan over an eight-year period. Biden said Thursday that he plans to meet next week about the counteroffer with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., who’s leading the Senate GOP’s negotiating team.

Republicans said their plan will not require a tax increase, adding that they oppose Biden’s support for raising corporate taxes that is part of the White House proposal. The GOP plan proposes $506 billion for roads, $98 billion for public transit, $46 billion for passenger and freight rail and more than $72 billion for water infrastructure. The plan also calls for spending $65 billion for broadband, $56 billion for airports and $22 billion for ports and waterways.

At a press conference earlier Thursday, Senator Capito said the plan delivers on what Biden had asked for in earlier talks on a compromise proposal. She said the GOP proposal sticks to “core infrastructure” spending, a Republican priority to stick to traditional infrastructure such as roads and bridges. “Senate Republicans continue to negotiate in good faith,” Capito said at the press conference.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-up-infrastructure-offer-to-24928-billion-keeping-talks-alive/ar-AAKsmqy

Senate Republicans announced Thursday their revised counteroffer of a $928 billion infrastructure spending plan. President Biden had reduced his initial infrastructure proposal by $600 billion — down from $1.7 trillion — in his latest compromise to Republicans. The president said he wanted at least $1 trillion in an infrastructure plan over an eight-year period. Biden said Thursday that he plans to meet next week about the counteroffer with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., who’s leading the Senate GOP’s negotiating team.

Republicans said their plan will not require a tax increase, adding that they oppose Biden’s support for raising corporate taxes that is part of the White House proposal. The GOP plan proposes $506 billion for roads, $98 billion for public transit, $46 billion for passenger and freight rail and more than $72 billion for water infrastructure. The plan also calls for spending $65 billion for broadband, $56 billion for airports and $22 billion for ports and waterways.

At a press conference earlier Thursday, Senator Capito said the plan delivers on what Biden had asked for in earlier talks on a compromise proposal. She said the GOP proposal sticks to “core infrastructure” spending, a Republican priority to stick to traditional infrastructure such as roads and bridges. “Senate Republicans continue to negotiate in good faith,” Capito said at the press conference.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-up-infrastructure-offer-to-24928-billion-keeping-talks-alive/ar-AAKsmqy

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he has asked the intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to find the likely origins of COVID-19 and provide him with a report within 90 days. Biden said that questions continue to grow about whether the coronavirus was caused by an accident in a Chinese laboratory or if it developed from human contact from an infected animal. Biden said in a statement, “I have also asked that this effort include work by our national labs and other agencies of our government to augment the intelligence community’s efforts.” 

Biden said he’s asked for further inquiries that may be required, including specific questions for China. The President added that the U.S. intelligence community has “coalesced around two likely scenarios,” but “had not reached a definitive conclusion.” Most of the intelligence community lean toward the likelihood that the virus emerged from human contact with an infected animal, however others lean towards the possibility of a laboratory accident.  Said Biden: “The majority of the intelligence community members do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other. The United States will also keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation and to provide access to all relevant data and evidence.”

Republicans senators questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, about the lab leak theory at a Senate appropriations committee hearing Wednesday. Fauci said he still believes the virus occurred naturally, but supported the idea that investigations should continue to determine what happened.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he has asked the intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to find the likely origins of COVID-19 and provide him with a report within 90 days. Biden said that questions continue to grow about whether the coronavirus was caused by an accident in a Chinese laboratory or if it developed from human contact from an infected animal. Biden said in a statement, “I have also asked that this effort include work by our national labs and other agencies of our government to augment the intelligence community’s efforts.” 

Biden said he’s asked for further inquiries that may be required, including specific questions for China. The President added that the U.S. intelligence community has “coalesced around two likely scenarios,” but “had not reached a definitive conclusion.” Most of the intelligence community lean toward the likelihood that the virus emerged from human contact with an infected animal, however others lean towards the possibility of a laboratory accident.  Said Biden: “The majority of the intelligence community members do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other. The United States will also keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation and to provide access to all relevant data and evidence.”

Republicans senators questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, about the lab leak theory at a Senate appropriations committee hearing Wednesday. Fauci said he still believes the virus occurred naturally, but supported the idea that investigations should continue to determine what happened.