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.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP

By: and - June 14, 2024

WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee,?mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity?ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators who were smiling and applauding him […]

Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges

By: - June 11, 2024

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches. “Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The speech came hours after the […]

U.S. Senate Republicans outline their farm bill framework

By: - June 11, 2024

WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Tuesday released their framework for a new five-year farm bill that will set the policy and funding levels for key food, agriculture and conservation programs. The top Republican on the committee, Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, laid out?GOP priorities?with reporters during a […]

Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border signed by Biden?

By: - June 4, 2024

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued an executive order that will allow him to partially suspend asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border when daily unauthorized crossings reach a threshold of 2,500 migrants. “I’ve come here today to do what Republicans in Congress refuse to do, take the necessary steps to secure our border,” […]

An angry Trump pledges to appeal ‘this scam’ conviction as Republicans vow resistance

By: , and - May 31, 2024

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, vowed to launch an appeal based “on many things” he considered unfair during his New York trial, he said Friday in the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. Meanwhile Friday, legal and political analysts predicted he will spend little if any time in jail […]

Bipartisan border bill loses support, fails procedural vote in U.S. Senate

By: - May 23, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate failed Thursday to advance a border security bill as both parties seek to hone their messages on immigration policy in the runup to November’s elections. The Senate bill failed to advance on a 43-50 procedural vote. The chamber already rejected the measure as part of a broader foreign aid package […]

U.S. House panel votes to advance election bills targeting noncitizens, foreign money

By: - May 23, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Administration Committee voted along party lines Thursday to advance two election-related bills to the House floor. The Republican-led committee approved H.R. 8281, a bill to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections, something that is rare and already illegal, and H.R. 8399, which would restrict the contributions of foreign nationals […]

Bipartisan border bill likely doomed in approaching U.S. Senate vote

By: - May 21, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats are pushing for a second attempt to pass a bipartisan border security bill that failed in February after Republicans walked away from the very deal they helped craft, and it’s likely to fail again when the Senate votes on the legislation Thursday. “So why are we bringing this bill up […]

Gun safety group, U.S. Senate architects of 2022 law call for stricter measures

By: - May 21, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and a coalition of medical officers advocated Tuesday for Congress to pass stronger gun safety laws. Congress should build on the 2022 gun control law following high-profile mass shootings, Durbin, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and about 80 members of OnCall4Kids, a group of doctors and healthcare professionals […]

U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund $300 million in grants to boost exports

By: - May 21, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday $300 million in funding for more than 60 groups seeking to diversify American agricultural exports. “USDA is pleased to be able to provide the startup capital to tap into these opportunities,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a call with reporters Monday night previewing the announcement. […]

Farm bill text released in U.S. House, setting up fight with Senate

By: - May 17, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Friday released the draft bill text of the long-awaited $1.5 trillion farm bill, which is likely to face opposition in the Senate from Democrats due to disagreements over federal anti-hunger programs and climate change requirements. The chair of the committee, GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania, said […]

CNN sets first Biden-Trump presidential debate for June 27 in Atlanta

By: - May 15, 2024

WASHINGTON — CNN announced on Wednesday morning that it will host a debate between President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at the network’s Atlanta studios on June 27. CNN said there would be no audience present for the debate and moderators will be announced later. A second debate will be hosted […]