Sep 6, 2017

House passes $7.9 billion Harvey aid package

A pile of debris outside a business damaged by floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Spring, Texas, September 5, 2017 (AP)

The House overwhelmingly passed a $7.9 billion funding package to aid Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts Wednesday, per CNN.

The bill is now off to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to attach a measure to raise the debt ceiling. They will then vote on the package and send it back to the House for a final vote, which is expected by the end of the week.
The bulk of funding, $7.4 billion, will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, which FEMA has said is rapidly running out of resources.
The other $450 million will go to the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program.

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Rebecca Falconer

20 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Massive demonstrations put police response to unrest in the spotlight

Washington State Police use tear gas to disperse a crowd in Seattle during a demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd. Photo: Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images

The response of some officers during demonstrations against police brutality in the U.S. has been criticized for being excessive by some officials and Black Lives Matter groups and leaders.

Why it matters: The situation is tense across the U.S., with reports of protesters looting and burning buildings. While some police have responded with restraint and by monitoring the protests, others have used batons, tear gas and other chemicals and devices to disperse protesters and, in some cases, journalists.

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Axios

Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

U.S. cities crack down on protesters

The scene near the 5th police precinct during a demonstration calling for justice for George Floyd in Minneapolis on Saturday. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

Major U.S. cities have implemented curfews and called on National Guard to mobilize as thousands of demonstrators gather across the nation to continue protesting the death of George Floyd.

The state of play: Hundreds have already been arrested as tensions continue to rise between protesters and local governments. Protesters are setting police cars on fire as freeways remain blocked and windows are shattered, per the Washington Post. Law enforcement officials are using tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse crowds and send protesters home.

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Sara Fischer

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Journalists get caught in the crosshairs as protests unfold

A man waves a Black Lives Matter flag atop the CNN logo during a protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd outside the CNN Center on May 29. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage / Getty Images

Dozens of journalists across the country tweeted videos Saturday night of themselves and their crews getting arrested, being shot at by police with rubber bullets, targeted with tear gas by authorities or assaulted by protestors.

Why it matters: The incidents show how easy it can be for the media to entangled in the stories they cover, especially during a time of civil unrest.

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