Tag: news event
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for April 2021
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies to all United States Article III federal courts from April 1 to May 1, 2021. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS Vacancies: There have been six new judicial vacancies since the March 2021 report.…
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Alaska ends coronavirus state of emergency for second time
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) lifted the state’s coronavirus emergency order on April 30. Dunleavy’s emergency powers originally expired Feb. 14, causing his emergency declaration to end. But the emergency order’s expiration prevented the state from accessing an additional $8 million of federal food assistance benefits for April. In response, the legislature passed House Bill…
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U.S. Supreme Court holds rare May sitting on May 4
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) held its May argument sitting on May 4, hearing one case in a one-hour session. In keeping with each sitting of this term, the court heard arguments remotely and provided live audio to the public. Terry v. United States concerns sentencing reductions for crack cocaine offenses. In…
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U.S. Senate approves resolution to reverse Trump-era methane rule and restore standards set by Obama administration
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) on April 28 to block a rule made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Sept. 2020. The final vote was 52-42, with three Republicans, Susan Collins (Maine), Lindsay Graham (S.C.), and Rob Portman (Ohio), voting in favor of the resolution. 49 Democrats…
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Federal Register weekly update: New significant proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From April 26 through April 30, the Federal Register grew by 1,320 pages for a…
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OIRA reviewed 22 significant rules in April
The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviewed a total of 22 significant regulatory actions issued by federal agencies in April 2021. The agency approved no rules without changes and approved the intent of 20 rules while recommending changes to their content. Two rules were subject to a statutory or judicial deadline.…
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Illinois’ U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos announces she’s not running for re-election in 2022
U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) announced on April 30 that she would not run for re-election in 2022. Bustos was first elected to the U.S. House to represent Illinois’ 17th Congressional District in 2012. She most recently won re-election in 2020, defeating Esther Joy King (R), 52% to 48%. As of April 30, eight members…
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Aaron von Ehlinger resigns from Idaho House of Representatives
Idaho state Representative Aaron von Ehlinger resigned on April 29 after the Idaho House Ethics and Policy Committee found his “conduct unbecoming” of a representative and voted unanimously to recommend his immediate suspension and expulsion from the House. Von Ehlinger said in his resignation letter, “I maintain my innocence of any wrongdoing of which I…
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California State Assembly District 18 special election set for Aug. 31
Election officials have scheduled a special election for the District 18 seat in the California State Assembly on Aug. 31, 2021. The seat became vacant after Rob Bonta (D) assumed office as California’s attorney general on April 23. The primary is on June 29, and the filing deadline is on May 6.
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President Biden nominates three additional individuals to Article III judgeships
President Joe Biden (D) nominated three individuals to Article III judgeships on April 29. With the addition of these three, Biden has nominated a total of 13 individuals to Article III judgeships since the start of his term. At the time of this writing, none of Biden’s Article III nominees have been confirmed by the…