Latest news with #Congress.gov
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. Rep. Sheri Biggs to host telephone town hall to 'speak directly with the people'
Congresswoman Sheri Biggs will host her first telephone town hall event on April 21 at 6 p.m. Biggs will hear directly from constituents and share updates on her work in Congress. During the town hall, constituents can ask questions live. They will also hear the congresswoman's thoughts and actions on key issues, including border security, the economy, veterans' care, protecting constitutional freedoms, and more, according to a news release. "In just a few short months, we've hit the ground running by introducing my first bill - the Fighter Act - supporting over 100 other (bills), and standing strong for the values that make South Carolina proud,' Biggs said. Biggs expressed excitement "to speak directly with the people I serve, share what we've accomplished, and most importantly, hear what concerns and priorities they want addressed in Washington." Constituents interested in participating can call in directly on April 21 at 6 p.m. using the dial-in line at 833-380-0737 or visit According to the FIGHTER Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 so that regular compensation received by Armed Forces members for active service is exempt from income taxes. The FIGHTER Act of 2025 would ensure that the gross income of active military personnel does not include regular compensation for their service. This exempts it from income tax. However, this tax exemption does not extend to any individual who has served as a member of Congress within the last 10 years before receiving such compensation. According to her official website, Congresswoman Biggs is a Republican who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 and is serving her first term in office. Biggs is the third South Carolina female elected to the House and the first to represent South Carolina's Third District. In Congress, she serves on the Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology Committees. Her focus areas include border security, economic growth, veterans' care, and constitutional freedoms. According to her official website, Congresswoman Biggs serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. She graduated from Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama. In addition to her military service, she is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Biggs is also a wife and mother. Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@ This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: What to know about U.S. Rep. Sheri Biggs first telephone town hall
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What to know about SAVE Act, voting and Ohio REAL IDs
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The SAVE Act, or Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, is a national bill requiring proof of United States citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. According to the proposed law, H.R. 22, has passed the U.S. House and will move on to the U.S. Senate, so the timing of when or if it will become law is still uncertain. While the bill will impact all voters, many women who have changed their names due to marriage or other reasons are particularly concerned about what proof they will need to verify their status as American citizens. Whitehall anticipates crowded meeting as it weighs incentives for contested development The Ohio Secretary of State's website lists the following types of ID all voters in the Buckeye State need to present: Ohio driver's license State of Ohio ID card Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV U.S. passport U.S. passport card U.S. military ID card Ohio National Guard ID card Department of Veterans Affairs ID card All photo IDs must have the following: An expiration date that has not passed Photograph of the voter Voter's name, which must substantially conform to the voter's name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book However, many of these ID forms presented alone will not satisfy the proposed federal law. While the text of the SAVE Act lists 'a form of identification issued consistent with … the Real ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States,' Ohioans should know that Ohio Real ID cards do not indicate citizenship. The League of Women Voters of Ohio notes in a fact sheet that only five states — Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington — display a person's citizenship. What yes or no vote really means for Ohio Issue 2 in May election Additionally, the League of Women Voters states that when a person's name does not match their birth certificate or naturalization papers, the federal law will defer to each state in deciding how to determine citizenship. Here is the complete list of options for proof of citizenship that Ohioans will have to satisfy under the SAVE Act: (1) A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the Real ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States. (2) A valid United States passport. (3) The applicant's official United States military identification card, together with a United States military record of service showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States. (4) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a federal, state or tribal government showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States. (5) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a federal, state or tribal government other than an identification described in paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented together with one or more of the following: (A) A certified birth certificate issued by a State, a unit of local government in a State, or a Tribal government which—(i) was issued by the state, unit of local government, or tribal government in which the applicant was born;(ii) was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the state;(iii) includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the applicant;(iv) lists the full names of one or both of the parents of the applicant;(v) has the signature of an individual who is authorized to sign birth certificates on behalf of the state, unit of local government, or tribal government in which the applicant was born;(vi) includes the date that the certificate was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the state; and(vii) has the seal of the state, unit of local government, or tribal government that issued the birth certificate. (B) An extract from a United States hospital record of birth created at the time of the applicant's birth which indicates that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States. (C) A final adoption decree showing the applicant's name and that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States. (D) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a citizen of the United States or a certification of the applicant's Report of Birth of a United States citizen issued by the Secretary of State. (E) A Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security or any other document or method of proof of United States citizenship issued by the Federal government pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. (F) An American Indian Card issued by the Department of Homeland Security with the classification 'KIC.' BILLS-119hr22ihDownload LWVO_SAVE-Act-fact-sheet_2025-5Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Daylight saving time is coming. What to know about the time change
When does daylight saving time begin? Americans are all set to lose an hour of sleep and "spring forward" starting 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9. Clocks will adjusted forward by one hour, with many devices, such as computers and smartphones, making the change automatically. Unless you have smart appliances, microwaves and ovens are among the household items that will need a manual adjustment. Read on to learn more about daylight saving time (DST). Daylight saving time became a national standard in 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which was established as a way to continue to conserve energy. The thinking was if it's light out longer, that's less time you'll need to use the lights in your house. In 2005, Congress amended the act to expand daylight saving time to the period in effect today: Starting on the second Sunday in March and ending on the first Sunday in November. This move was also for energy saving purposes. DST will end Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025— clocks will "fall back" and we gain an hour of sleep. Because of its desert climate, Arizona doesn't follow daylight saving time (with the exception of the Navajo Nation, which is located in parts of Utah and New Mexico as well as Arizona). After most of the U.S. adopted the Uniform Time Act, Arizona figured that there wasn't a good reason to adjust clocks to make sunset occur an hour later during the hottest months of the year. Hawaii is the other state that does not observe DST. Because of its proximity to the equator, there is not much variance between hours of daylight during the year. These five U.S. territories do not participate: American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands President Donald Trump wants to end daylight saving time in favor of having one time year round, calling DST "inconvenient and very costly to our Nation." Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) reintroduced the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act in January to make that happen. According to the act was introduced in the House on Jan. 3 and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that same day. A previous Sunshine Protection Act was unanimously approved by the Senate in 2022, but not in the House, and was not signed into law by then-President Joe Biden. Another version of the act, was introduced in the House in 2023, then referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee, with that committee discharged from considering the bill in November 2024. The latest: Trump wants to end daylight saving time, the biannual clock change. It's been done before If Congress approves the Sunshine Protection Act, 19 states will move forward with previously enacted legislation or resolutions to end bi-annual clock changes. In some cases, there are states who will do the same should the states around them do so. Under the Uniform Time Act, states can exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time; however, if a state chooses to observe DST, it must begin and end on federally mandated dates. In New York, a proposal exists to establish a task force to study the effects of the Empire State opting out of daylight saving time. As of Feb. 28, the proposal is still in with the state Senate finance committee. Former president Richard Nixon once signed a bill that went into effect in January 1974— which made daylight saving time permanent for two years. The public was initially in favor of it, happy to not change clocks twice a year. But sunrises as late as 9:30 a.m. quickly dissuaded the public, and daylight saving time was reintroduced in October 1974. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: When does daylight saving time start? Here's what to know
CBS News
27-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Experts warn the proposed SAVE Act could make it harder for some married women to vote. Here's who could be affected.
A claim circulating on social media suggests that married people who changed their last name will face difficulties when trying to vote under the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Experts say the bill, which was recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would not explicitly prevent these voters from casting a ballot, but it could create barriers to registration by requiring them to show additional documentation. If passed, the act would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which requires states to offer voter registration when obtaining a driver's license, to mandate documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. This means that common forms of ID used for voter registration, including driver's licenses, would no longer be accepted as they are not generally considered proof of citizenship. Instead, voters would have to present documents such as a U.S. passport, a birth certificate, or naturalization paperwork to register. The Center for American Progress analysis estimated as many as 69 million have taken their spouse's name but do not have a matching birth certificate. "The fate of those 69 million women are basically up in the air, the way the bill is written," said Greta Bedekovics, associate director of democracy policy at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning policy and advocacy group. Opponents argue that the law could also make voting more difficult for military and rural voters by upending both mail-in and online voter registration. Bedekovic said it would make an in-person trip to the election office the only "viable way for Americans across the country to register to vote," adding that rural voters are less likely to have a passport and may have to travel hours to obtain and submit documents. According to the bill also " establishes criminal penalties" for registering someone who does not have the right documents to vote. Eliza Sweren-Becker, senior counsel in the Brennan Center's Voting Rights and Elections Program, noted that the bill "does not specify what extra documents" married individuals would need to produce, adding that "election officials, who would face legal risks under the bill, would be hesitant to register women whose documentation name does not match their current name." "This in-person 'show your papers' requirement would keep many eligible voters out of the voting booth — beyond the millions who already lack ready access to their citizenship documents — and cause chaos for election administration," said Sweren-Becker. As of January 2025, eight states require proof of citizenship to register to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Americans widely support both voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship. A 2024 Gallup survey found more than 4 in 5 respondents supported proof of citizenship requirements for first-time voters. Supporters of the bill, including U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania, argue that it is necessary to prevent noncitizens from voting. However, noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare. In a study following the 2016 election, the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found just 30 suspected cases of noncitizen voting out of 23.5 million votes cast in the 42 jurisdictions reviewed. The SAVE Act has not yet passed and remains under debate in Congress. A 2023 Pew Research survey found that about 80% of women married to men in the U.S. take their husband's last name. Under the SAVE Act, if their voter registration name differs from the name on their birth certificate or passport, they may need to show additional documents. If the SAVE Act were to become law, Bedekovics said married women who have changed their names should obtain certified copies of all marriage certificates, locate their birth certificates, and keep any change-of-name documentation on hand for any updates to their voter registration.
CBS News
26-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Experts warn the proposed SAVE Act could make it harder for married people to vote. Here's who could be affected.
A claim circulating on social media suggests that married people who changed their last name will face difficulties when trying to vote under the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Experts say the bill, which was recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would not explicitly prevent these voters from casting a ballot, but it could create barriers to registration by requiring them to show additional documentation. If passed, the act would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which requires states to offer voter registration when obtaining a driver's license, to mandate documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. This means that common forms of ID used for voter registration, including driver's licenses, would no longer be accepted as they are not generally considered proof of citizenship. Instead, voters would have to present documents such as a U.S. passport, a birth certificate, or naturalization paperwork to register. The Center for American Progress analysis estimated as many as 69 million have taken their spouse's name but do not have a matching birth certificate. "The fate of those 69 million women are basically up in the air, the way the bill is written," said Greta Bedekovics, associate director of democracy policy at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning policy and advocacy group. Opponents argue that the law could also make voting more difficult for military and rural voters by upending both mail-in and online voter registration. Bedekovic said it would make an in-person trip to the election office the only "viable way for Americans across the country to register to vote," adding that rural voters are less likely to have a passport and may have to travel hours to obtain and submit documents. According to the bill also " establishes criminal penalties" for registering someone who does not have the right documents to vote. Eliza Sweren-Becker, senior counsel in the Brennan Center's Voting Rights and Elections Program, noted that the bill "does not specify what extra documents" married individuals would need to produce, adding that "election officials, who would face legal risks under the bill, would be hesitant to register women whose documentation name does not match their current name." "This in-person 'show your papers' requirement would keep many eligible voters out of the voting booth — beyond the millions who already lack ready access to their citizenship documents — and cause chaos for election administration," said Becker. As of January 2025, eight states require proof of citizenship to register to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Americans widely support both voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship. A 2024 Gallup survey found more than 4 in 5 respondents supported proof of citizenship requirements for first-time voters. Supporters of the bill, including U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania, argue that it is necessary to prevent noncitizens from voting. However, noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare. In a study following the 2016 election, the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found just 30 suspected cases of noncitizen voting out of 23.5 million votes cast in the 42 jurisdictions reviewed. The SAVE Act has not yet passed and remains under debate in Congress. A 2023 Pew Research survey found that about 80% of women married to men in the U.S. take their husband's last last name. Under the SAVE Act, if their voter registration name differs from the name on their birth certificate or passport, they may need to show additional documents. If the SAVE Act were to become law, Bedekovics said married women who have changed their names should obtain certified copies of all marriage certificates, locate their birth certificates, and keep any change-of-name documentation on hand for any updates to their voter registration.
