Latest news with #U.S.Senate
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
US Senate Republicans seek to end EV tax credit by September 30
U.S. Senate Republicans late Friday released a revised tax and budget bill that would end the $7,500 tax credit on new electric vehicle sales and leases on September 30 as well as the $4,000 tax credit for used EVs. The prior version would have ended the credit for new sales 180 days after the bill was signed into law, 90 days for used vehicles and immediately ended the credit for leased vehicles not assembled in North America and meeting other requirements. Republicans have taken aim at EVs on a number of fronts, a reversal from former President Joe Biden's policy that encouraged electric vehicles and renewable energy to fight climate change and reduce emissions. The House of Representatives version would allow the $7,500 new-EV tax credit to continue through the end of 2025, and through the end of 2026 for automakers that have not yet sold 200,000 EVs before killing it. The Senate bill also includes a provision to eliminate fines for failing to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules in a move aimed at making it easier for automakers to build gas-powered vehicles. Live Events The Republican bill exempts interest paid on auto loans from taxes for new cars made in the U.S. through 2028, but phases it out for individual taxpayers making more than $100,000 annually. Senate Republicans dropped a bid to force the U.S. Postal Service to scrap thousands of electric vehicles and charging equipment in the bill following a ruling from the Senate parliamentarian. The U.S. Postal Service has 7,200 electric vehicles, made up of Ford e-Transit and specially built Next Generation Delivery Vehicles built by Oshkosh Defense and warned scrapping its EVs would cost it $1.5 billion. President Donald Trump this month signed a resolution approved by Congress to bar California's landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, which has been adopted by 11 other states representing a third of the U.S. auto market.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
US Supreme Court preserves key element of Obamacare preventive care
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday preserved a key element of the Obamacare law that helps guarantee that health insurers cover preventive care such as cancer screenings and HIV prevention medication at no cost to patients. The 6-3 decision written by conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh reversed a lower court's ruling that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which under the 2010 law formally called the Affordable Care Act has a major role in choosing what services will be covered, was not validly appointed. The ruling means that certain life-saving tests and treatments must continue to be provided cost-free under most insurance plans. That allays concerns raised by public health advocates that the court might open the door to insurers subjecting these services to co-pays and deductibles, deterring many Americans from obtaining them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo The task force's 16 members are selected by the U.S. secretary of health and human services without Senate confirmation. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had found that this arrangement violated the U.S. Constitution's provision on the appointment of governmental officers. The case arose when several individual Christian plaintiffs and two small businesses sued in federal court in Texas in 2020 to challenge the task force's structure. It was the latest in a years-long series of challenges to Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement to reach the Supreme Court. Live Events A key question in the case was whether the task force wields power to such an extent that its members, under the Constitution's "appointments clause," are "principal officers" who must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate or "inferior officers" not subject to these requirements. Kavanaugh wrote that because task force members are adequately supervised by the U.S. secretary of health and human services, members are "inferior officers" and do not need to be appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. "The Task Force members are removable at will by the Secretary of HHS, and their recommendations are reviewable by the Secretary before they take effect," Kavanaugh wrote. "So Task Force members are supervised and directed by the Secretary, who in turn answers to the President, preserving the chain of command," wrote Kavanaugh, who was joined by fellow conservative Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, as well as the court's three liberal members. Three conservative justices - Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch - dissented. Before the case was narrowed to the appointments issue, the plaintiffs had included a religious objection to being required to cover pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. They claimed that such drugs "facilitate and encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity and intravenous drug use." The U.S. government's appeal of the decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals initially was filed by Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration before being taken up by Republican President Donald Trump's administration. The task force is made up of medical experts who serve four-year terms on a volunteer basis. It reviews medical evidence and public feedback and issues recommendations about which preventive services would be most effective for detecting illnesses earlier or addressing ailments before a patient's condition worsens. The task force has identified dozens of preventive services as having a high or moderate net benefit to patients including screenings to detect diabetes and various types of cancer, statin medications to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, and interventions to help patients quit smoking or unhealthy alcohol use. The 5th Circuit ruled in 2024 that the task force's structure violates the Constitution, as the plaintiffs claimed. The justices during April 21 arguments in the case posed questions over whether the law gives the HHS secretary the appropriate level of supervision over the task force, including the power to influence its recommendations and fire members at will, or if it operates as a largely independent governmental body whose recommendations effectively have the force of law. The Justice Department urged the justices to view the task force's members as "inferior officers." Hashim Mooppan, a Justice Department lawyer, told the justices that the HHS secretary can remove task force members at will, review their recommendations and prevent them from taking effect, and can require the task force to obtain his approval before it issues any recommendations. The plaintiffs contended that the task force's lack of supervision and insulation from removal makes its members "principal officers."
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former MA Sen. Scott Brown is running again for US Senate in New Hampshire
Former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Scott Brown entered the race for New Hampshire Senate on June 25, saying he wants a 'better America.' Brown, a Republican, will be challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH, to replace three-term Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who announced her retirement in March. 'My life has been the American story, but I worry about what America is going to look like iin the future, for my four grandchildren — and all of yours,' Brown said in his announcement video. 'In Washington, we haven't been represented by the right people.' Brown said in a post on social media that he is running 'to restore common sense, keep our border secure, and fight for our New Hampshire values.' He praised President Donald Trump extensively in the video. The announcement comes months after Brown first indicated he was looking at another run for Senate. Brown was a U.S. senator from Massachusetts from 2010 to 2012, after serving as both a Massachusetts state senator and representative. After losing re-election to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., he moved to New Hampshire and was the 2014 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in the Granite State. He lost that race to Shaheen. From 2017 to 2020, Brown was the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa under Trump. Brown now lives in Rye, New Hampshire. He is also the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Scott Brown and the Diplomats. So far, Pappas is the only other majored declared candidate in the race. While Trump publicly indicated he would support former NH Gov. Chris Sununu running for the seat, Sununu said he would not run in April. First-term Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-NH, also indicated interest in running but later said she wouldn't. In his announcement, Brown took shots at Pappas, saying he wants a 'better title.' 'For four years, Chris Pappas has stood with Joe Biden as he opened the border, drove up the cost of everything and made life simply unaffordable,' he said. Pappas responded to Brown's campaign announcement in a statement. 'I got into this race because Granite Staters made it clear they want a senator grounded in their values. They know where I stand – taking on special interests to lower prescription drug costs, pushing to find bipartisan solutions to stop predatory companies from scamming veterans, and fighting to lower taxes for small businesses and families,' Pappas said. 'Meanwhile, Scott Brown stands with corporate special interests, supports efforts to strip away health care coverage from tens of thousands of Granite Staters, and backs President Trump's reckless tariffs that New Hampshire small businesses are speaking out against every single day. While Scott Brown looks for yet another opportunity to do Wall Street's bidding and blindly support President Trump and his agenda, I'll always put New Hampshire first.' New Hampshire elections are often close and the open seat race is likely to garner national attention as control of the U.S. Senate is tight. New Hampshire has a Republican trifecta in state government (governor, House, Senate) but is represented by all Democrats federally. The National Republican Senate Committee, which works to elect Republicans to the Senate, has said it believes New Hampshire has a 'favorable political environment' for Republicans in this race. "Scott Brown is right that Democrats like Chris Pappas are out-of-touch with Granite Staters. New Hampshire is in play for Republicans in 2026, and we play to win," said NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia in a statement. The New Hampshire Democratic Party called Brown a 'Trump loyalist.' 'Scott Brown is a Trump loyalist running for Senate to do the bidding of Wall Street and big corporations and support Trump's reckless agenda of chaotic tariffs, gutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and pushing an extreme abortion agenda,' said NHDP Chairman Ray Buckley in a statement. 'New Hampshire voters rejected Brown once before, and they will reject him again.' As of June 5, The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the New Hampshire U.S. Senate election as 'Lean Democratic,' and Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales rated it 'Battleground Democratic.' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Scott Brown to battle Chris Pappas for US Senate seat in NH
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenneth Chesebro, ‘architect' of pro-Trump 2020 fake elector scheme, disbarred in N.Y.
The Republican efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election were multifaceted, but among the strikingly partisan tactics was the fake electors scheme: GOP officials and operatives in key states created forged election materials and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Archivist (among others) as if the materials were legitimate. They were not. Though the relevant players didn't know it at the time, the controversy has become one of the most consequential political scandals in a generation, racking up indictment totals unseen since Watergate and Iran-Contra. The man widely credited as the 'architect' of that scheme is still confronting the consequences of his misjudgment. The Hill reported: Ex-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who helped devise President Trump's alternate electors strategy in 2020, has been disbarred in New York. A panel of judges on the Appellate Division — New York's midlevel appeals court — ruled Thursday that Chesebro's guilty plea in Georgia's probe of efforts to subvert the state's 2020 election results qualifies as a 'serious crime,' a finding that begets disciplinary action. The judicial panel didn't pull any punches, concluding that Chesebro's guilty plea on one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents was 'unquestionably serious' and reflected on his 'integrity and fitness to continue engaging in the practice of law in New York.' They added that the Republican's misconduct undercut 'the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold.' It was nearly two years ago when Chesebro, among others, was first indicted in Georgia as part of the Republican effort to overturn the state's election results. It was those charges that led to a plea deal, which in turn has led to his disbarment in New York. But this does not bring an end to his saga: Chesebro is still facing criminal charges in Wisconsin as part of his role in implanting the Badger State's fake electors scheme. Because both the Georgia and Wisconsin cases relate to state charges, a presidential pardon wouldn't help him. Indeed, it's worth appreciating the unusual nature of the broader circumstances: Chesebro is still being punished for trying to overturn the results of a free and fair American election, while Trump — who went even further to try to overturn that same election — was rewarded with the presidency. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cryptocurrency Live News & Updates : Binance Introduces Promotions for Fixed Rate Loan Users
27 Jun 2025 | 01:35:12 AM IST Binance has launched two promotions for Fixed Rate Loans users, offering rewards up to 1,600 USDC for eligible Borrow or Supply orders during the promotional period from June 27 to July 25, 2025. In recent cryptocurrency news, Binance has announced exciting promotions for users of its Fixed Rate Loans, allowing participants to earn rewards up to 1,600 USDC based on their loan activity. This initiative runs from June 27 to July 25, 2025, and includes a special offer for new users. Meanwhile, Bitcoin remains stable above $107,000 ahead of a significant options expiry on Deribit, with a max pain price of $102,000. The market is observing a cautious sentiment as traders prepare for potential volatility. Additionally, Cardano (ADA) is testing a critical support zone after a slight correction, with hopes for a bullish reversal if it holds above $0.49. In the corporate space, The Smarter Web Company has successfully raised $56.5 million to acquire more Bitcoin, reflecting ongoing institutional interest in the cryptocurrency. Lastly, the U.S. Senate is pushing for a September deadline for crypto regulations, while the House remains less decisive, highlighting the ongoing legislative challenges in the crypto space. These developments underscore the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market as it navigates regulatory and market pressures. Show more
