Washington, D.C
Week Ahead in Washington: December 21
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – With Congress in recess and President Donald Trump spending the holidays in Florida, attention has turned to the Epstein files and unresolved healthcare legislation.
The trove of documents partly released Friday has prompted some members of Congress to question whether the Department of Justice followed the law requiring their release, as many files were heavily redacted.
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said Friday night he and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie were considering drafting articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi for not complying with the law the two authored earlier this year.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” some photos were held back at the request of victim advocacy groups as the DOJ looks at whether they need redactions to protect the victims.
With Congress gone, there remains no solution on healthcare. Enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire at the end of 2025.
Despite enough lawmakers signing onto a discharge petition forcing a vote to extend the subsidies, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sent the House home without holding a vote.
Johnson said the full House will vote on the bill when Congress returns to Washington in early January, after the subsidies have lapsed.
Federal workers will get some extra time off this week. Trump signed an executive order closing federal agencies and offices on both Dec. 24 and 26, in addition to Christmas Day.
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Washington, D.C
If and when Trump’s name is removed from the Kennedy Center, you can watch it live – WTOP News
The livestreaming camera is situated across the street from the Kennedy Center in an undisclosed location. Its lens is trained on the front of the building, where the removal is expected take place.
A group opposed to the installation of Donald Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has installed a remote camera so people can watch the removal live if and when it happens. The administration has been ordered to remove Trump’s name by Friday.
The livestreaming camera is situated across the street from the Kennedy Center in an undisclosed location. Its lens is trained on the front of the building, where the removal is expected take place.
Late last month, a federal judge in D.C. ordered Trump’s name be removed from the building and a two-year closure for renovations also be stopped.
“I was actually listening to WTOP in the car. I recorded it because I was so happy when I heard it,” said Chris Raleigh with the group Hands Off the Arts, referring to the announcement that the administration must remove Trump’s name from the building.
The president’s name has already been removed from the official government website and related printed and digital branding.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees exceeded its authority when it unilaterally rebranded the institution as the “Trump Kennedy Center.” Cooper ruled Trump’s name must be removed by Friday, June 12.
“The president meant it as a symbol of domination, that I am in charge, that this is what I want, and I don’t care what anyone else wants,” said Raleigh.
His group is running the live camera because if Trump’s name is removed in the middle of the night, they will have footage of it and people can see it.
“I think we were all upset as a city and as a country when we saw Trump illegally put his name up there because it’s a memorial to a president who was killed in the line of duty,” Raleigh said.
The judge ruled that Congress created and named the Kennedy Center and that only Congress has the authority to rename it.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon will not participate in President Donald Trump’s upcoming Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.
Washington state also opted out of the fair, which is organized by Freedom 250, a nonprofit aligned with Trump.
Organizers say all 50 states and U.S. territories will still be represented when the event begins June 25.
READ ALSO | PHOTOS: White House prepares for UFC spectacle ahead of America’s 250th birthday
In a statement to KATU, Gov. Tina Kotek’s office said Oregon withdrew because of “the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented.”
Despite the decision, Kotek’s office said the state remains committed to celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“The Governor will still be proudly celebrating America’s semiquincentennial here in Oregon and is looking forward to all of the great exhibitions and events the America 250 Oregon Commission will be planning through the summer and beyond,” the statement said.
The Great American State Fair is scheduled to open June 25 in the nation’s capital as part of celebrations marking the United States’ semiquincentennial.
WASHINGTON (7News) — Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued a HEAT ALERT for D.C. as hot, humid conditions increase the risk of heat-related illness.
The alert remains in effect until 8 a.m. Saturday, June 13.
SEE ALSO | Weather Alert Day: Heat Advisory and severe storm chances Thursday
Temperatures will feel hotter
Officials said daytime temperatures will feel like 95 degrees or hotter, while overnight temperatures may feel like 80 degrees or hotter.
Hot temperatures and humidity during the day and overnight can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially for people working outside or participating in outdoor activities.
Cooling centers available
Residents can find cooling centers by visiting heat.dc.gov or calling 311 for hours and locations.
Officials are urging residents to stay in air-conditioned or shaded areas, drink plenty of water, and limit time outdoors during the hottest parts of the day.
Check on neighbors, pets
Residents are also encouraged to check on neighbors, especially seniors, children, people with disabilities, and others with access or functional needs.
Officials said children, pets, and service animals should never be left in hot vehicles.
Anyone who sees an animal left outside in extreme heat or in distress can call the Humane Rescue Alliance’s Humane Law Enforcement team at 202-723-5790 ext. 1.
People who need free, accessible transportation to a day center or low-barrier shelter can call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093 or dial 311.
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