Latest Capitol Hill News & Updates

Washington, June 12 (IANS) American lawmakers from both parties and business leaders have congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected prime minister, citing the growing importance of India’s economy and the expanding US-India partnership.Messages of congratulations came from members of Congress, a US senator and executives from major American companies, reflecting broad support in Washington and corporate America for closer ties with India.Charles R…

Washington, June 3 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence triggered a sharp political clash on Capitol Hill, with top Democrats questioning his qualifications while Republicans largely deferred judgment and pointed to the temporary nature of the move.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the appointment “another indication of how unserious, reckless and dangerous Donald Trump and his administration are with respect to the…

Washington, June 2 (IANS) The Justice Department on Monday said it would comply with a federal court order freezing President Donald Trump’s Anti-Weaponization Fund despite “strongly” disagreeing with the ruling, while Senate Democrats launched a legislative effort to permanently block the controversial $1.8 billion programme.In a statement posted on X, the Department of Justice said the Anti-Weaponization Fund had been created “to make up for the tremendous abuse, harm, and hate unfairly shown …

Washington, May 9 (IANS) Although Pakistan has gained temporary geopolitical relevance, concerns persist in the United States over its credibility as a long-term investment destination or trading partner, a report said on Saturday. ​According to a report in the American magazine ‘The National Interest’, the mineral-rich Balochistan province of Pakistan remains mired in insurgency, with militant groups frequently attacking infrastructure and foreign-supported projects. The fragile security …

Washington, April 23 (IANS) The human cost of the Pahalgam terror attack was brought to Capitol Hill as India marked the first anniversary of the killings with a major exhibition attended by U.S. lawmakers and officials. The exhibition, hosted by the Embassy of India on April 22 at the Cannon Caucus Room in the Cannon House Office Building, commemorated the attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.​It was among the largest events organised by the Embassy on Capi…

Washington, April 23, (IANS) The man remembers the sound first. “It was the loudest noise I ever felt in my entire life… people were screaming… it was just a horrific, horrific heart that I can’t get outta my brain,” said a 9/11 survivor, his voice breaking as he recalled the moment the second plane struck.Inside a hall on Capitol Hill, thousands of miles from Kashmir, Mumbai and New York, those memories were not abstract. They were the centrepiece of an exhibition — The Human Cost of Terro…

Washington, March 30 (IANS) Congressman Tom Suozzi has been named Democratic Vice-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, a move that places the New York lawmaker in a key leadership role on Capitol Hill’s engagement with India.​ The announcement was made by Caucus Chairman Ro Khanna, who cited Suozzi’s long record of involvement with the Indian American community and his work on strengthening ties between Washington and New Delhi.​A longtime member of…

Washington, March 14 (IANS) The Trump administration is preparing potential measures to shield American farmers from rising fertilizer costs linked to global tensions, including developments involving Iran, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at the White House.Addressing reporters at the White House alongside the Rodeo champions, the agriculture secretary said the administration was closely monitoring fertilizer markets as farmers across the United States move into the critical spring …

Washington, March 13 (IANS) Senate Democrats stepped up their attack on President Donald Trump’s war in Iran, calling the conflict illegal, costly, and constitutionally unsound, while pressing for public testimony from top administration officials.The sharpest criticism came from Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, who said the United States had been drawn into a war without congressional authorisation and with growing costs at home…

Male, March 3 (IANS) China’s treatment of religious and spiritual communities has once again come under scrutiny in the US Congress following remarks by a former senior American official who condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s policies as a “war on belief systems”, a report said on Tuesday.Addressing US lawmakers recently, Sam Brownback, former US Ambassador‑at‑Large for International Religious Freedom, accused the Chinese Communist Party of waging a worldwide persecution campaig…