‘So many loopholes’: Democratic House leader Jeffries flags concerns over Russia sanctions bill – US politics live

Jeffries said the legislation had so many loopholes that sanctions harming Russia might not be applied Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Russia sanctions bill had “so many loopholes” as Congress passed the sweeping bill to give Donald Trump the power to raise tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy. Why in the world would this Congress give this president additional authority to visit that kind of economic harm on the American people?

Donald Trump responded to the Federal Reserve’s unanimous decision on Wednesday to raise its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percentage point, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, by demanding a massive cut in rates. Asked why it is so important to him to have his name inscribed on the Kennedy Center, a memorial to another president, Trump said he deserves “recognition” for saving the venue. If not, Trump said, “It’ll end up being ripped down.

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a Democrat and Kennedy Center trustee, has filed a motion for an emergency hearing on the performing arts venue’s apparent closure. Mitch McConnell , the former Republican Senate majority leader who returned to work this week after a months‐long absence, had to be prompted by colleagues as to how to vote near the start of a televised meeting of the Senate agriculture committee on Wednesday.

The House speaker, Mike Johnson , cancelled votes currently scheduled for Thursday, meaning that lower chamber lawmakers will...

Read the original report at The Guardian.