A U_S_ senator says mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey should be “shot down, if necessary."

The NCAA’s yearslong efforts to get lawmakers to address myriad problems in college sports could pay off in the new, Republican-controlled Congress.

New Jersey has a new U.S. senator after the August resignation of Democrat Bob Menendez.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has tapped his former chief of staff to serve temporarily as a U.S. senator to replace convicted Sen. Bob Menendez.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy will name his former chief of staff George Helmy to serve as interim senator when Bob Menendez resigns later this month after his conviction on federal bribery charges.

Sen. Bob Menendez has shown no sign he will voluntarily resign from the Senate following his conviction on bribery charges.

Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) have introduced a new bill that could close loopholes to existing criminal child sexual abuse cases.

Sen. Cory Booker says prisoners should be learning professional skills that help prepare them for their release instead of being forced to work.

The nominee who could become the first Muslim American to serve as a federal appellate court judge is fighting back against characterizations of his work by law enforcement groups that are jeopardizing his nomination.

The Oscar-nominated documentary “Food, Inc” helped change the way many consumers think about the systems behind the things we eat.

Alex Morgan scored in the 88th minute and the San Diego Wave won the Challenge Cup with a 1-0 victory over Gotham FC Friday night in the National Women’s Soccer League.

The Congressional Black Caucus is pushing the White House, Justice Department and the Department of Education to look into whether Florida school districts are violating federal discrimination law following changes to the state's Black history curriculum.

One of President Joe Biden’s nominees to a federal appeals court has generated rare concern from some Democrats and outside groups.

Trav Robertson won’t seek another term leading South Carolina's Democrats.

The House has unanimously passed a bill posthumously awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Emmett Till, the Chicago teenager murdered by white supremacists in the 1950s, and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley.

Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is casting herself as a Silicon Valley scapegoat who overcame an abusive relationship to become a loving mother in an effort to avoid a lengthy prison sentence for duping investors in her failed blood-testing company.

President Joe Biden says his administration's goal of ending hunger in the U.S. by the end of the decade is ambitious but doable, if only the nation would work together.

Every year, the fins of as many as 73 million sharks are sliced from the backs of the majestic sea predators, their bleeding bodies sometimes dumped back into the ocean where they are left to suffocate or die of blood loss.

Meltdowns in the cryptocurrency space are common, but the latest one has served as a vivid reminder that investors, both professionals and rookies, can be rolling the dice when putting money into digital assets.

President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to improve accountability in policing.

From an imprisoned Ukranian journalist to a high school activist in Florida, PEN America paid tribute Monday night to democracy and free expression and warned about the dangers faced in the U.S. and abroad.

Lawmakers erupted in cheers after Vice President Kamala Harris announced the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

Moments before the Senate began Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation vote to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, the chamber filled with the swell of history.

The Senate has confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, shattering a historic barrier by securing her place as the first Black female justice and giving President Joe Biden a bipartisan endorsement for his effort to diversify the court.

The physical altercation between actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards stunned the crowd and the millions watching the globally televised ceremony.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has announced his intention to support the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, pushing her one step closer to confirmation.

After more than 30 hours of hearings, the Senate is on track to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey drew tears from Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson at her confirmation hearing with the words, “You are worthy,” and others like them.

It’s not just Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson who is being watched as she makes history as the first Black woman to be considered for the job.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson faced down a barrage of Republican questioning about her sentencing of criminal defendants on Wednesday, as her history-making bid to join the Supreme Court veered from lofty constitutional questions to attacks on her motivations as a judge.

The House has voted to outlaw discrimination that's based on hairstyles and hair textures like Afros and cornrows.

Democrats in the crowded primary race for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin are trying to distinguish themselves through traditional campaign tactics, like million-dollar television ad buys and policy papers.

Congress has given final approval to legislation guaranteeing that people who experience sexual harassment at work can seek recourse in the courts.

The House has approved legislation financing federal agencies for another month.

Democrats know they may lose control of Congress in November's midterm elections.

The Senate has passed a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Emmett Till, the Chicago teenager murdered by white supremacists in the 1950s, and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says he has tested positive for COVID-19, though he is fully vaccinated with a booster and has no symptoms.

Two senators and a third lawmaker say they have tested positive for COVID-19 after having been vaccinated.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey say they have tested positive for COVID-19.

Some Democrats have begun saying out loud what others are saying privately — that Joe Biden’s political standing is so weak less than a year into his presidency that he may not be able to win reelection in 2024 if he were to run again.

A group of Democratic lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to enact emergency protections for gray wolves in the U.S. West.

Senate negotiators say bipartisan congressional talks on overhauling policing practices have ended without agreement.

Senate negotiators say bipartisan congressional talks on overhauling policing practices have ended without agreement.

Prospects seem increasingly dicey for a bipartisan Senate deal on overhauling policing practices.

Lawmakers in Congress sometimes concoct amendments that are so politically devastating to the rival party that they provoke terror or grudging admiration.

The Senate’s top Democrat is backing a bill that would strike down a longstanding federal marijuana prohibition.

A federal law governing how college athletes can earn money off their fame seems like a certainty.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says congressional Democrats’ efforts to make it easier to sue police officers are causing law enforcement agencies to have problems recruiting and retaining personnel.

Republicans say they want congressional bargainers to reach a bipartisan deal on revamping policing procedures by summer or abandon the effort.

President Joe Biden has met with the family of George Floyd at the White House on the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death.

The family and representatives of Black men killed by the police have met at the White House with senators and Biden administration officials and say they left feeling optimistic.

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2014, file photo Republican Doug Ose speaks during a debate in Sacramento, Calif. Ose says he's entering the recall election aimed at ousting Democratic Gov. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)LOS ANGELES – Former Republican congressman Doug Ose announced Tuesday he’s entering the recall election aimed at ousting California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a day after the Democratic governor began raising money to defend his seat in a likely election this year. There were 135 on the ballot in the state's 2003 recall election that removed former Democratic Gov. So far, no prominent Democrat has entered the recall election.

Newsom and his Democratic allies launched a political committee Monday, March 15 to stop a proposed recall election that could oust him from office. Orrin Heatlie, a retired county sheriff's sergeant who filed the recall petition, said Newsom is engaging in a “smear campaign" about the recall organizers because he can't defend his record. Defeating the recall “will be one of the most important priorities for Democrats this year,” Booker said in a statement. Newsom for months sidestepped questions about the recall but has more recently started to ramp up his political operation and strategy. AdResponding to Newsom’s campaign, the California Republican Party pointed to a slew of issues beyond the coronavirus.

FILE - This March 28, 2017, file photo, provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry, shows Jeffrey Epstein. The Epstein Victims Compensation Program said Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, it has temporarily run out of funds. AdThe Justice Department’s inspector general has not completed an investigation into lapses that allowed Epstein to end his life. AdHis suicide cast a spotlight on the federal prison agency, which has been plagued for years by a staffing shortage and violence, and on safety lapses inside one of the most secure jails in America. N’Diaye is being placed at a prison where more than 61% of the inmates have tested positive for the virus.

Gavin Newsom speaks at a COVID-19 testing facility in Valencia, Calif. As California Gov. Gavin Newsom's shoulders as he considers his pick to serve out the rest of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' Senate term through 2022. The South saw its highest number of Black Senate candidates ever this year, but none won races outright. Labor icon Dolores Huerta and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice want Newsom to appoint a Black woman. De Leon won the endorsement of the California Democratic Party and prominent labor unions, in part because of his support for immigrant rights and aggressive policies to curb climate change.

Patrick Mahomes piled up some very big numbers at Arrowhead Stadium last week. Five days before throwing for four touchdowns and nearly 400 yards in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 33-31 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Mahomes helped turn his home stadium into a giant polling place on Election Day. Chiefs president Mark Donovan and head coach Andy Reid were among the first to vote at Arrowhead on Tuesday. “Don’t be mad at paying customers when the product stinks and they are upset about what they’re watching. Not just one half.”___Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

“The Biden team is the most experienced, most prepared, most focused transition team ever, commensurate with the challenges that Biden will face” Jan. 20, said David Marchick, director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. Ted Kaufman, who briefly was appointed senator after Biden became vice president in 2008, is directing the transition. Also heavily involved in transition are the top architects of Biden’s presidential campaign, including senior advisor Anita Dunn. That could open the door for some former Republican officeholders who endorsed Biden’s campaign to be tapped for key slots. Before Biden can get that far, though, there are bigger questions about the overall tone of the transition.

– Joe Biden's transition team isn't waiting for a verdict in the presidential race before getting to work. He also worked on Barack Obama’s transition team in 2008, and helped write legislation formalizing the presidential transition process. Clay Johnson, who headed Bush's transition team, said Biden’s advisers “can’t wait to be sure that the president-elect really is the president-elect. “And they should have started doing that last Tuesday night.”Biden's campaign has refused to comment on the transition process. The transition process formally starts once the General Service Administration determines the winner based on all available facts.

Daines’ first election in 2014 broke a Democratic lock on the Senate seat that had lasted more than 100 years. The six-term congressman from northern New Mexico defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist, and Libertarian Bob Walsh. ___10:15 p.m. TuesdayFormer Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville has recaptured a Senate seat for Republicans by defeating Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in Alabama. Reed cruised to victory over Waters, an investment consultant who mounted earlier unsuccessful campaigns for state Senate and U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. Warner defeated Republican challenger Daniel Gade in a low-key race in which the incumbent had a massive cash advantage.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jaime Harrison speaks at a campaign rally on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, in North Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)COLUMBIA, S.C. – In the battle for control of the U.S. Senate this year, the Deep South is fielding more Black candidates than it has since Reconstruction. Mike Espy and Adrian Perkins, meanwhile, are launching spirited bids for the Senate in Mississippi and Louisiana, respectively. The Senate currently has three Black members: Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina and Democrats Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California. “The more competitive races are, and Black candidates win those competitive races, it diminishes this worry that Black candidates can’t win,” Abrams recently told The Associated Press. In Mississippi, Espy is trying for a second time to become the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction with his challenge to Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.

RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham inched back into the public sphere on Wednesday, a day after The Associated Press reported the Democratic contender had an intimate encounter this summer with a public relations consultant. “The Army Reserve is investigating the matters involving (Lt. Col.) James Cunningham,” Lt. Col. Simon Flake said in an emailed statement Wednesday morning that cited Cunningham by his official first name. “He owes North Carolinians a full explanation,” Tillis’ campaign account tweeted Wednesday. “The truth still matters in North Carolina, Cal.”Cunningham also made his first quasi-public appearance Wednesday night — speaking briefly at an environmental awards ceremony. The Tillis-Cunningham race is closely contested and the most expensive Senate race in the country in terms of campaign spending.

Phil Murphy signed into law Friday a measure giving state regulators power to deny development permits to businesses whose operations pollute predominantly Black and other minority communities. He signed the bill alongside state lawmakers and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, who has introduced similar legislation in Washington. They’re defined as census tracts where 35% of the population has low income, or where 40% of households are minority or have limited English proficiency. The law gives regulators the authority to deny permits in such instances for the first time. Current law applies broadly and makes it difficult to deny permits, according to state officials.

WASHINGTON – Congress should give the nation’s highest civilian honor posthumously to Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, a Republican and a Democratic senator said Wednesday. She remained a Civil Rights activist in honor of her slain son for the rest of her life. Till-Mobley created the Emmett Till Players, where teenagers traveled throughout the country presenting the speeches of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. She also was one of the founders of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign, which pushed for the re-investigation of Till's murder. President George W. Bush signed the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act, which allows cold civil rights cases to be reopened, into law in 2008.

WASHINGTON The Latest on the Republican National Convention (all times local):11:15 a.m.Democrats are unloading on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ahead of his planned address to the Republican National Convention from Jerusalem. An aide to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden who has worked for the State Department calls Pompeos Tuesday speech flat out disgraceful. Aide Bill Russo says it's an abuse of taxpayer money.Another top Biden deputy, Kate Bedingfield, blasts Pompeo as President Donald Trumps errand boy and says he has a record of repeated and blatant use of his office for overtly political purposes.Secretaries of state regularly travel abroad on behalf of a U.S. administrations agenda, but Pompeos speech to a party convention from foreign soil is an outlier. Russo mocks Pompeos explanation that he will address the GOP convention on personal time. Russo notes that the speech is still part of official travel and that taxpayer money got him there and is paying for his protection and for the the staff on the ground with him. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and says Pompeos move violates his own policy. Booker referred to Pompeos memos and instructions sent recently to his departments employees.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)LAS VEGAS Democratic Party luminaries, rising stars, former presidents and presidential contenders have been making a pitch for Joe Biden over three days of an atypical convention. Biden will speak Thursday night from Wilmington, Delaware, as he closes out the fourth night of the all-virtual Democratic National Convention, starting at 9 p.m. The 78-year-old moderate and former Republican being given a spot to help to close out the Democratic convention is striking. The convention is also available to watch on Twitch, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV. A celebrity-studded afterparty hosted by Andy Cohen is scheduled to be shown immediately after Bidens speech on the official livestream.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2015, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden administers the Senate oath to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., as Coons' wife, Annie Coons, watches during a ceremonial re-enactment swearing-in, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. The theme and timing of Coons speech on the pandemic-altered convention schedule underscore Democrats' interest in engaging with religious voters on the basis of shared values with Biden. For Joe, faith isnt a prop or a political tool, Coons is set to say, according to prepared remarks shared with The Associated Press ahead of time. Coons is also one of the more vocal Democrats when it comes to coaxing fellow party members to be more open about faith. When it comes to speaking for Biden about faith, though, Coons will have the most prominent forum.

WASHINGTON The Latest on the Democratic National Convention (all times local):7:50 a.m.Sen. Cory Booker says that there may be dirty tricks from President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 general election vote and that the nations voters should be stalwart in their determination to cast ballots. Postal Service funding and access to voting by mail. The Republican president has warned repeatedly without evidence about potential fraud in mail-in voting even though voter fraud is exceedingly rare. Booker speaks on the fourth and final night of Democrats virtual convention Thursday, ahead of former Vice President Joe Bidens first address as the partys official nominee. Cotton says Democrats have to explain why America would be better off with Joe Biden as our president.

Sanders and the others spoke to activists from five Midwestern states during a virtual meeting coinciding with the third day of the Democratic National Convention. Democrats from South Dakota and North Dakota also participated on the call, which attracted around 250 viewers at any given time. Hes hiding from Wisconsin, Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt said of Biden on Tuesday. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, and Michael Bennett, of Colorado, along with the state Democratic Party chairs from Michigan and Minnesota. Tlaib, who was elected to Congress in 2018 representing parts of Detroit, said the Midwest would deliver the White House for Biden.

WASHINGTON Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is calling the House back into session over the crisis at the U.S. In a time of a pandemic, the Postal Service is Election Central," Pelosi wrote Sunday in a letter to colleagues, who had been expected to be out of session until September. The House Oversight and Reform Committee said it wants to hear from DeJoy and from the chair of the Postal Service board of governors, Robert Mike Duncan. With heightened scrutiny of its operations, the Postal Service is now requesting a temporary preelection rate increase, from mid-October through Christmas, although not for first-class letters. "Given the recent customer concerns the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers concerns,'' Postal Service spokeswoman Kimberly Frum said.

A group of Ohio State football players' parents Saturday joined parents of players at Iowa in calling for the Big Ten to overturn its decision not to play this fall because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said nine Sooners tested positive for COVID-19 after he gave his players a week break from team activities. The Football Parents at Ohio State posted on social media a letter to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, calling for the reinstatement of the 10-game schedule the conference unveiled six days before it postponed football until spring. We believe that the protocols put in place by Ohio State Athletics has provided an extremely safe environment for our players to prepare for the season," the letter said. Our sons work extremely hard for the opportunity to play and fully understand the risks involved when they step on the field.

The Democratic National Convention, which formally begins Monday, is not a convention in the traditional sense. Along the way, Biden's party will make history by unveiling the nation's first Black vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. Im glad that John and other moderate-type Republicans understand that it is wrong to be supporting Trump, Sanders told The Associated Press. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist, predicted next week's convention would lack excitement. He said it likely doesn't matter, however, especially as Trump and his party prepare for their convention the following week. As excited as I am about Kamala Harris, the best weapon Democrats have is Donald Trump, Sharpton said.

A group of senators led by Cory Booker of New Jersey and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Thursday released a plan for reforming college sports with an athletes bill or rights. The legislative plan calls for college athletes to have the ability to earn money for their names, images and likenesses with minimal restrictions, and much more. The senators also want to ensure for the athletes long-term medical coverage and treatment, enforceable medical standards, academic freedom and revenue sharing agreements. Booker and Blumenthal questioned Emmert about athlete welfare and said then their plan for a bill of rights was in the works. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

The most radical pick for vice president ever but too moderate to energize the Democratic base. President Donald Trump's campaign is struggling to define Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat Joe Biden's newly announced running mate. Do they attempt to fire up their own base and scare off moderates by painting Biden and Harris as radical socialists? Or do they aim to depress enthusiasm among the Democratic base by arguing Biden and Harris are opportunistic and insufficiently liberal? Harris, who dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary in December, ran her own race as a relative moderate in the field.

WASHINGTON Sen. Kamala Harris of California says that Democrats need to listen to young voters seeking change and that she won't be played" by Republicans when it comes to police reform legislation. Harris spoke Tuesday with The Associated Press about her efforts and the Democratic Party's relationship with Black voters. The two lead senators on the Justice in Policing Act, Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey and myself, both serve on the Judiciary Committee. AP: Vice President Biden has overwhelming support among older Black voters, but hes struggled to gain more widespread support from young Black and Latino progressive voters. What do Democrats need to do to get those voters energized and come out in November?

A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows almost all Americans support some degree of criminal justice changes. Ahead of Wednesday's vote, Trump tweeted his support for the GOP bill. This is not about them or us, said Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate and author of the GOP bill. Civil rights leaders and the Congressional Black Caucus urged a no vote on the GOP bill. The House is set to approve the Democrats' bill later this week.

WASHINGTON Sen. Kamala Harris of California says that Democrats need to listen to young voters seeking change and that she won't be played" by Republicans when it comes to police reform legislation. Harris spoke Tuesday with The Associated Press about her efforts and the Democratic Party's relationship with Black voters. The two lead senators on the Justice in Policing Act, Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey and myself, both serve on the Judiciary Committee. AP: Vice President Biden has overwhelming support among older Black voters, but hes struggled to gain more widespread support from young Black and Latino progressive voters. What do Democrats need to do to get those voters energized and come out in November?

WASHINGTON Top Democratic leaders in the Senate say the Republican policing bill is not salvageable, as they signal an intent to block it and demand negotiations on a new, more bipartisan package in response to the killing of Black Americans. That's according to a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from the Democrats obtained by The Associated Press. This bill is not salvageable and we need bipartisan talks to get to a constructive starting point, write Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the co-authors of the party's bill, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. The Republican legislation would create a national database of police use-of-force incidents, restrict police chokeholds and set up new training procedures. Congress is under enormous pressure to establish new oversight and accountability of the police as demonstrations spill into cities large and small nationwide.

The JUSTICE Act Just and Unifying Solutions To Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act of 2020 is the most ambitious GOP policing proposal in years, a direct response to the massive public protests over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans. The package is set to be introduced Wednesday by Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the GOP's lone black Republican, and a task force of GOP senators assembled by Republican leadership. The Republican package also includes a bipartisan Senate proposal to establish a National Criminal Justice Commission Act and extends funding streams for various federal law enforcement programs, including the COPS program important to states. Expenditures for the bill would be considered on an emergency basis, so as not to count against federal deficits. The GOP proposal comes amid a crush of activity from Washington as President Donald Trump announced executive actions Tuesday to create a database of police misconduct.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON Senate Republicans could vote as soon as next week on proposed policing changes, an abrupt shift of GOP priorities in an election year as the party rushes to respond to nationwide protests over the deaths of black Americans in interactions with law enforcement. The emerging legislative package, along with President Donald Trump's executive actions announced Tuesday, are perhaps the most ambitious law enforcement changes considered by Republicans in decades. A Republican familiar with the planning but unauthorized to discuss it said voting could happen as soon as next week. We are at the point in the United States where we are at a crossroads, Booker said during a floor speech. Scott's proposal, set to be released Wednesday, shifts money into police training and sets up an officer accreditation system and database of conduct.

(Al Drago/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON Building ramparts of secrecy around a $600 billion-plus coronavirus aid program for small businesses, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has moved from delay to denial in refusing outright to disclose the recipients of taxpayer-funded loans. We believe that thats proprietary information, and in many cases, for sole proprietors and small businesses, is confidential information, Mnuchin said during the hearing by the Senate Small Business Committee. Mnuchin promised in his testimony to give the GAO access to the PPP loan data. Mnuchin's pledge to give the GAO's auditors access to the PPP loan data appeared to satisfy some senators, who didnt press him on public release of the information. Praise for the small-business loan program flowed to Mnuchin and Carranza at the hearing from senators from both parties, who cited the positive economic impact across the country.

(Al Drago/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON Building ramparts of secrecy around a $600 billion-plus coronavirus aid program for small businesses, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has moved from delay to denial in refusing outright to disclose the recipients of taxpayer-funded loans. About 10 weeks after the program was launched, the SBA says it has processed 4.5 million loans worth $511 billion. While the SBA administers the program, Mnuchins Treasury Department has ultimate control over it. We believe that thats proprietary information, and in many cases, for sole proprietors and small businesses, is confidential information, Mnuchin said during the hearing by the Senate Small Business Committee. Praise for the small-business loan program flowed to Mnuchin and Carranza at the hearing from senators from both parties, who cited the positive economic impact across the country.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. And they are looking to Sen. Tim Scott to provide it. That challenge is steep enough in a mostly white party led by self-proclaimed law and order President Donald Trump. But it also posed a stark test for the white Republicans who control the Senate. "During these last few days Ive been thinking a lot about what Tim Scott told us, Alexander said on the Senate floor.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. And they are looking to Sen. Tim Scott to provide it. That challenge is steep enough in a mostly white party led by self-proclaimed law and order President Donald Trump. But it also posed a stark test for the white Republicans who control the Senate. "During these last few days Ive been thinking a lot about what Tim Scott told us, Alexander said on the Senate floor.

WASHINGTON A sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures is being proposed by Democrats in response to the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, according to a draft outline obtained by The Associated Press. It is the most ambitious changes to law enforcement sought by Congress in years. Bass said the package from House and Senate Democrats will be bolder than any law enforcement changes of the past decade. It is unclear if law enforcement and the powerful police unions will back any of the proposed changes or if congressional Republicans will join the effort. Booker and fellow one-time presidential hopeful, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, are co-authors of the package in the Senate.

(AP Photo/Ragan Clark)WASHINGTON Protesters are pushing to defund the police" over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. But what does defund the police mean? Trump ramped up his rhetoric on the issue on Monday, tweeting: LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services, while keeping the city safe, but he didn't give details. A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the citys police department.

She said t he package from House and Senate Democrats will be bolder than any law enforcement changes of the past decade. The package would also change qualified immunity protections for police to enable individuals to recover damages when law enforcement officers violate their constitutional rights, it says. The legislation would seek to provide greater oversight and transparency of police behavior in several ways. It is unclear if law enforcement and the powerful police unions will back any of the proposed changes or if congressional Republicans will join the effort. At least one Republican, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who has long pushed for a criminal justice overhaul, has said he'd like to review the package coming from Democrats.

(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)WASHINGTON Protesters are pushing to defund the police" over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. Their chant has become rallying cry and a stick for President Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime. But what does defund the police mean? Sen. Cory Booker said he understands the sentiment behind the slogan, but it's not a slogan he will use. But now his supporters say the new mantra may make voters, who may be otherwise sympathetic to the protesters, recoil from a radical idea.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is opening up about the ongoing injustices black men face in America. Despite this frustration and anger, Booker added that he's seen lots of good. It has been a week of frustration, anger, and hope in America following the death of George Floyd on May 25. Floyd was a 46-year-old black man who died after a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. RELATED CONTENT:Leonardo DiCaprio Pledges to End 'Disenfranchisement of Black America'Gayle King Says She's Fearful for Her Son as a Black Man In AmericaKanye West Joins Protest in Chicago After $2 Million Donation

Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California, both former presidential candidates, are expected to announce a package in coming days, with a House bill coming soon. Both the Senate and House efforts are expected to include changes to police accountability laws, such as revising immunity provisions, and creating a database of police use-of-force incidents. We have a moral moment in our country, Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the CBC, said on a conference call Wednesday. With Democrats in the majority, the bills will almost certainly pass the House. She acknowledged the opposition the bills will likely face, but called on fellow lawmakers to consider the option of doing nothing.

But the Senate's two black Democrats, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California, protested, saying the measure should pass as is. He also noted that murdering someone because of their race is already a hate crime. He said the Senate should make other reforms, such as easing qualified immunity rules that shield police officers from being sued. Rather than consider a good-intentioned but symbolic bill, the Senate could immediately consider addressing qualified immunity and ending police militarization, Paul said. The conflict had been kept relatively quiet as Booker and Paul sought an agreement, but media reports recently pegged Paul as the reason the measure is stalled.

DAVENPORT, IA – On a recent swing through Iowa, Andrew Yang was moving through his stump speech, a string of stories and statistics that can sound like an economics seminar. While other second-tier candidates in the race are planning to use money and advertising to make an end-run around those early voting states, Yang says he's largely sticking to the traditional path. A strong showing there, Yang believes, will help propel him through the other early voting states, Nevada and New Hampshire, and into the Super Tuesday contests on March 3. The 62-year-old said he has narrowed his choices to Yang, Sanders and Buttigieg. “He’s made me more confused.”___Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.”