House-passed reconciliation bill includes more changes to proposed federal benefits cuts

House lawmakers narrowly passed the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill early Thursday morning in a vote of 215-214, after making one last revision to a series of proposals cutting federal benefits and civil service protections. Four of the six provisions on federal benefits cuts that originated from Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee remain in the House-passed version of the bill, which now heads to the Senate for consideration. But notably, the proposed change to a “high-5” annuity calculation is no longer on the table. The provision was…

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Democrat Invokes ‘Trans Jesus’ After Amending Gender Bill Out of Recognition in Middle of Night

A Colorado state senator appeared to belittle the faith of critics by referring to “trans Jesus” amid debate on HB 25-1312, after he and his party amended the bill beyond recognition in the wee hours of Monday night, two days before the end of the Colorado legislative session. HB 25-1312 drew national scrutiny after a Colorado Democrat compared concerned parents to the Ku Klux Klan. The bill originally mandated courts to consider “deadnaming” and “misgendering” as forms of “coercive control” in custody disputes, meaning that parents who dissent from gender…

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House OKs Anti-‘Revenge Porn’ Bill Backed by Melania Trump

The House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill against “revenge porn” by a 409-2 vote, in a showing of bipartisan support for legislation backed by first lady Melania Trump. Revenge porn is the malicious distribution of sexual images of a victim. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who argued the bill was “ripe for abuse,” and Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., were the only congressmen to vote against it. The bill was passed by the Senate unanimously in February. The Take it Down Act would impose legal penalties for creating deepfake artificial…

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‘MAHA’?: New Jersey Democrat Introduces ‘Caffeine Safety’ Labeling Bill

Rep. Rob Menendez Jr. introduced the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act at a press conference Monday, a bill that would require labels showing caffeine levels on beverages. Joined by the parents of children who have died from cardiac episodes after consuming highly caffeinated drinks, Menendez, D-N.J., said his bill fits with the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda of President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The legislation would require that companies “show the amount of caffeine in certain supplements that are in each beverage,”…

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Texas Bill Would Ban ‘Furry Culture’ in Public Schools

THE CENTER SQUARE—State Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, introduced the FURRIES Act, known as the Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education, on Thursday to prohibit Texas public schools from allowing furry subculture behavior in classrooms and on campuses. The furry subculture involves individuals adopting anthropomorphic animal identities who often dress in costumes and attempt to mimic animal behavior. “I can’t believe we have to do this, but we cannot allow these types of role-playing distractions to affect our students who are trying to learn or our teachers and administrators who are…

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House passes bill to fund federal agencies through September, though prospects unclear in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Tuesday to avert a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September, providing critical momentum as the measure now moves to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be needed to get it over the finish line. Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to pass the funding measure, and they got it in the 217-213 House vote. Just one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted against the measure. And just one Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted for it.…

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