In the News
Facing increasing scrutiny in Washington over its handling of concussions and long-term brain injuries in its players, the National Football League donated $507,211 to members of Congress in 2015, putting it on pace for its highest spending ever in a political cycle.
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said they want "temporary protective status" for undocumented migrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. They argue that high murder rates and gang violence there pushed thousands, including families and children traveling alone, to seek U.S. refuge.
The recent crackdown, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was an expansion from mostly targeting individuals to pursuing families with undocumented members.
By most accounts, Roberta Jacobson’s confirmation as U.S. ambassador to Mexico should have been a shoo-in.
Fluent in Spanish, expert in Latin American politics and skilled in cross-border trade negotiations, the career diplomat was nominated by President Obama to take over the crucial foreign service post six months ago.
Black, Hispanic and Asian American lawmakers said Tuesday that their constituents are particularly vulnerable to losing their right to vote if Congress doesn't pass legislation to restore a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act that was tossed out two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court.
American Banker recently published a column defending payday loans. The author, Ronald Mann, takes issue with those who say borrowers are "forced" to take out another loan, arguing that this word is too strong. "Forced" is not too strong a word.
Many items on the agenda this fall are perennial issues because Congress has not been able to find enough common ground on long-term solutions. From the Highway Trust Fund to the Debt Ceiling, Congress has dodged many of the tough decisions with short-term patches.
Highway Trust Fund
The Highway Trust Fund is on the verge of insolvency. Before we left for the August break, Congress passed its 34th short-term patch. If we don't figure out a long-term solution soon, there won't be a road to kick the can down.
As someone who was born in the United States to immigrant parents, I find the phrase “anchor babies” — used by Jeb Bush, Donald Trump and other Republican candidates to describe American-born children of immigrants — incredibly offensive. And the word that keeps coming to mind is the Spanish term, sinvergüenza, which refers to someone utterly without embarrassment or shame.
California passed a milestone this month, with Latinos becoming the new majority, according to the U.S. Census.
California’s transformation has been going on for a generation. Now is the time for the state to prepare for the future education of millions of its citizens. It’s the most important investment our state can make in a young person.
I know firsthand.
House Democrats are calling on FIFA to eliminate the disparities between men and women’s soccer in pay, publicity and investments.
Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) and 26 of their Democratic colleagues sent a letter to FIFA President Sepp Bladder on Monday asking the international soccer association to make good on its mission, to “develop football everywhere and for all.”
The fact that she’s the only woman suiting up for the 54th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game is not lost on Rep. Linda T. Sánchez.
And neither are any of the unique opportunities being a part of the sporting life has provided the California Democrat.
"When I came in as a freshman, I didn’t really know anyone up here,” the seven-term lawmaker said. (Guess big sister Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a fellow California Democrat, was just another face in the crowd.)