Biden budget seeks more for schools, health care and housing

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has released a $1.5 trillion wish list for inclusion in the federal budget. He’s asking for substantial gains for education, health care, housing and environmental protection. But Republicans are complaining that there isn’t more for the military and national defense. Friday’s request, issued by the White House Office of…

Biden tightens some gun controls, says much more needed

WASHINGTON (AP) — In President Joe Biden’s first notable gun control measures, he has announced executive actions aimed at addressing what the White House calls a “gun violence public health epidemic. In his actions announced Thursday, Biden is tightening regulations for “ghost guns” — homemade firearms that usually are assembled from parts without serial numbers…

Missouri Senate votes to ban vaccine passports

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led Senate has voted to ban so-called vaccine passports in the state. Senators voted 26-7 Wednesday in favor of a wide-ranging bill that includes a ban on vaccine passports. Vaccine passports are documentation that shows travelers have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus. Technology companies…

More than a half million Americans gain coverage under Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government says more than a half million Americans have already taken advantage of the Biden administration’s special health insurance sign-up window that’s keyed to the COVID-19 pandemic. And the government anticipates even more consumers will gain coverage in coming months. That’s because millions of people just became eligible for pumped-up taxpayer…