Showing posts with label Washington D.C.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington D.C.. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 09, 2022

Muriel Bowser Wins Third Term as Washington DC Mayor

Muriel Bowser is the first D.C. mayor elected to a third term since Marion Barry won his in 1986.

Her opponents were Independent Rodney Red Grant, a D.C. native who has had an entertainment career with BET and his own film company, and Republican small business owner Stacia Hall.

Bowser won with 77% of the vote.

VOTE TOTALS

Muriel Bowser 118,752__ 77%

Rodney Grant 23,663__ 15%

Stacia Hall 9,573__ 6%

Dennis Sobin 2,098__ 1%

Sunday, August 07, 2022

Sen. Raphael Warnock statement on passing of the Inflation Reduction Act

Senator Raphael Warnock (GA) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act along party lines:

Great news, folks! After a long night, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act.

This legislation finally caps drug costs for seniors and helps Georgians save money on their health care, all while reducing the deficit. This is a big win for Georgians!

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Mayor Bowser Directs 51-Star Flags Displayed Along Pennsylvania Avenue in push for D.C. statehood

Ahead of Flag Day, Mayor Muriel Bowser directed 51-star flags to be displayed along Pennsylvania Avenue and issued the following statement regarding DC statehood:

“Today, ahead of Flag Day, I directed our team to hang 51-star flags along Pennsylvania Avenue as a reminder to Congress and the nation that the 700,000 tax-paying American citizens living in Washington, DC demand to be recognized. On Flag Day, we celebrate American ideals, American history, and American liberty. But the very foundation of those ideals, and the basis for our liberty, is representation. DC’s disenfranchisement is a stain on American democracy – a 220-year-old wrong that demands to be righted. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the Washington, DC Admission Act, and now the U.S. Senate must do the same.

“As Americans nationwide brace for a decision on the future of Roe v. Wade, we are also reminded that DC’s disenfranchisement impacts not just Americans living in DC, but Americans nationwide who share our values. While the stakes are even higher for Washingtonians, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the majority of Americans who believe in a woman’s right to choose. We also stand shoulder to shoulder with the majority of Americans demanding common sense gun reforms, and with the majority of Americans who want to build a more inclusive democracy.

“We are at an inflection point for American democracy, and it is within the Senate’s power to do the right thing, embrace representation, and move DC statehood forward to the President’s desk.”

Monday, December 27, 2021

Howard University delays spring semester due to COVID-19 surge

We are continuing to monitor the surge in COVID-19 cases locally and throughout the region. The significant increase in cases is, in part, due to the spread of the omicron variant, which is more easily transmissible than the delta variant. So far, it has resulted mainly in mild to moderate symptoms among vaccinated individuals. Our public health team continually monitors COVID-19 transmission data and the changing local and federal public health guidance. We have also consulted with academic institutions in the D.C. consortium of universities. Further, the CDC predicts a potential peak in COVID-19 cases in January. 

As a result, we will delay the start of the Spring 2022 semester for undergraduate and graduate students until Tuesday, January 18, 2022. Face-to-face courses will begin on that date. University administrative operations will begin on January 3, 2022. Students in professional programs will receive specific guidance from their schools to accommodate accreditation and licensure requirements.

Vaccinations, mask usage and regular testing were integral to our successful operations during the Fall semester. We previously announced that all faculty, staff and students will be required to receive a COVID-19 booster by Monday, January 31, 2022, if you are already eligible for a booster, or within 30 days after becoming eligible. 
 
Approved medical and religious exemptions will continue to be granted. Booster vaccines are available on campus on the first floor of the Howard University Hospital, Freedmen’s Hall, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with no appointment necessary. Students should continue to upload vaccine documentation in Med+Proctor, and employees should upload vaccine documentation in Workday. We will continue to require mask usage indoors and in group settings outdoors.
 
Breakthrough cases of COVID-19 will continue to occur. We know that individuals who have received a booster shot of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) have significantly more antibodies in their system than individuals who have not yet received booster shots and even more than those who are unvaccinated. These increased antibody levels result in greater effectiveness of the vaccines, reducing severe illness or hospitalization. The bottom line is that you are more protected if you are vaccinated.

We are also requiring that everyone returning to campus from Winter Break for the Spring 2022 semester will be required to provide proof of a negative PCR test within four days prior to arrival.
 
Students in residential housing will return to campus beginning Friday, January 14, 2022 between 7:00am-9:00pm. While administrative operations will resume on January 3, 2022, meetings will be conducted virtually wherever possible, and units with approved telework authority may continue to implement that flexibility. Your cabinet officials will provide specific guidance to each unit.

A virtual town hall will be scheduled to discuss more details and answer any questions we receive prior to the start of classes. Updates will be communicated via email, and general updates will be shared on Howard’s Twitter page. 

Our highest priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. These steps will help us maintain as safe an environment as possible in order to provide the best educational experience to our students. As we continue to navigate the pandemic, we are leveraging our collective knowledge and experience to adapt our community to the many changes in the virus and the pandemic.

We thank you for your patience and flexibility. We will continue to get through this most recent challenge together as a Bison family. Thank you.

Excellence in Truth and Service,

Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D., R.Ph.                     
Provost & Chief Academic Officer    

Categories

Bison S.A.F.E.

Sunday, August 01, 2021

Joel Caston, Washington D.C. Jail inmate elected to public office

After nearly three decades behind bars, Joel Caston is seeking redemption through politics.

The 44-year-old felon, convicted of murder as a teenager, became the newest elected public servant in Washington, D.C., this summer, winning a groundbreaking election for neighborhood commissioner on the city's southeast side.

Sunday, January 17, 2021

DC mayor says she's concerned about inauguration security and threats to residential neighborhoods

During an interview on NBC's Meet the Press Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday that despite heavy security around federal facilities, she is concerned about potential terror attacks elsewhere in the city, particularly residential areas during the Biden inaguration activities.

Watch that interview below:

Saturday, January 09, 2021

Washington D.C. council member ask district's Attorney General is Trump can be prosecuted for inciting a riot

In a letter sent Thursday, D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At Large) asked District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine to assess whether Trump could be prosecuted for inciting a riot.

Under existing D.C. law, it’s illegal for anyone to “willfully [incite or urge] other persons to engage in a riot,” which the law defines as a gathering of five or more people who, through their actions, create “grave danger of damage or injury to property or persons.”

In his letter, White says that Trump could well have violated this law when he rallied supporters on the Ellipse just ahead of the chaos at the Capitol that left five people dead and suspended the counting of electoral votes for seven hours.

“[Trump] asserted that the presidential election was rigged and corrupt, and supporters heeded the President’s call to go to the Capitol and ‘fight like hell,'” wrote White, himself an attorney. “The resulting violent attack was deliberate and predictable.”

Anyone convicted of inciting a riot can be sentenced to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The law also specifies that if during a riot “a person suffers serious bodily harm or there is property damage in excess of $5,000,” the possible consequences get significantly more severe: 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

“In response to the terrorist attacks on the Capitol, I took time to think through vulnerabilities going forward, and it quickly occurred to me that not only had the president incited a riot, but that he’s likely to continue doing this after he’s out of office,” White said in an interview. “So I wanted to make sure we have the ability to hold the president accountable both for the terrorist attacks he incited this week and for any time he may do this after he leaves office.”

A spokesman for Racine said his office was “reviewing the letter,” but had no immediate comment on whether prosecuting Trump for inciting a riot would be possible. Earlier today, though, he said on “Good Morning America” that investigations could happen.

[SOURCE: DCIST]

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Washington D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on passage of D.C. statehood bill

After managing the debate on the District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) on the House floor, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated House passage of the bill today with House leadership and her colleagues following overwhelming support by 232 Democrats, most of them cosponsors of the bill. The bill had 227 cosponsors, more than enough to guarantee passage. Neither chamber of Congress had passed the bill before.

“We are buoyed by the priority the House gave D.C. statehood at a time when COVID-19 has meant that only essential bills are coming to the floor this year,” Norton said. “We are undaunted by the lack of support in the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House. We are certainly not discouraged by President Trump’s outspoken opposition to home rule and his attempts to control the District of Columbia and the city’s police force in acts of brazen presidential irresponsibility.

“Far from underestimating the work to come, however, our strategy is in place for full speed ahead. That strategy will soon become apparent, but today we celebrate.”

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser statement on historic vote for statehood

Mayor Muriel Bowser issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted 232-180 to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51), the first time a chamber of Congress has approved a bill to make the District the 51st state.

Today, with this historic vote, DC is closer than we have ever been to becoming the 51st state.

More than 160 years ago, Washingtonian Frederick Douglass told us: Power concedes nothing without a demand. As Washingtonians and as taxpaying American citizens, we are demanding what is owed to us – the rights guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution.

It is past time to fix this injustice. It is true that DC is more brown and more liberal than many other states. But the issue of taxation without representation was settled more than 200 years ago through the Declaration of Independence, and disenfranchising more than 700,000 taxpaying Americans is wrong no matter our politics or demographics. Who we elect is our business, and denying us statehood based on who we might send to Congress is both undemocratic and un-American.

Now, just as generations of Americans have worked over the centuries to build a more perfect union, we, too, are ready to seize this moment. Today, we stand on the shoulders of generations of Washingtonians who demanded access to our nation’s democracy – from the abolitionists of the 1800s to the Home Rule activists of the 1900s.

Power concedes nothing without a demand. And statehood is our demand.

On behalf of all Washingtonians, I congratulate Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. On both a personal and professional level, this is an extraordinary accomplishment for the Congresswoman, and we are all grateful not only for her tireless work on statehood, but also her commitment to uplifting DC residents and putting DC in the best position to become the 51st state.

I was born without representation, but I swear – I will not die without representation. Together, we will achieve DC statehood, and when we do, we will look back on this day and remember all who stood with us on the right side of history.

Monday, June 08, 2020

John Lewis visits Black Lives Matter Plaza

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) met with Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and paid a visit to the site where the mayor had “Black Lives Matter” painted on a road that leads to the White House.

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Washington DC mayor, Muriel Bowser: Federal police actions were "shameful"

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) condemned the use of tear gas on peaceful protesters outside the White House on Monday evening.

She noted that authorities acted before the 7 p.m. curfew she had imposed for the city following protests that turned violent the night before and called the decision "shameful."

"I imposed a curfew at 7 p.m. A full 25 minutes before the curfew & without provocation, federal police used munitions on peaceful protestors in front of the White House, an act that will make the job of (DC Police Department) officers more difficult. Shameful!"

Monday, March 30, 2020

Washington, DC mayor issues stay-at-home order


Today, due to an increasing number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Washington, DC and across the region and the nation, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a stay-at-home order for the District of Columbia. This order reinforces the Mayor’s direction to residents to stay at home except to perform essential activities.

“Our message remains the same: stay home,” said Mayor Bowser. “Staying at home is the best way to flatten the curve and protect yourself, your family, and our entire community from COVID-19. Many people want to know how they can help right now, and for most people this is how – by staying home.”
The Mayor’s Order specifies that residents may only leave their residences to:
  • engage in essential activities, including obtaining medical care that cannot be provided through telehealth and obtaining food and essential household goods;
  • perform or access essential governmental functions;
  • work at essential businesses;
  • engage in essential travel; or
  • engage in allowable recreational activities, as defined by the Mayor’s Order.
Any individual who willfully violates the stay-at-home order may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
The stay-at-home order goes into effect on April 1, 2020 at 12:01 am.


Sunday, August 25, 2019

NAACP URGES US CONGRESS TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP


The delegates to the NAACP National Annual Convention voted unanimously on July 22, 2019, to support an emergency resolution calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald J. Trump.  Specifically, the resolution cited that through his racist, xenophobic, and homophobic words and actions President Trump has “brought the high office of the President of the United States in contempt, ridicule, disgrace, and disrepute,” and he “has sown seeds of discord among the people of the United States,” and finally that he “has demonstrated that he is unfit to be President.”
We must urge our federal legislators to openly reject his call to divide us.  We must prove to the world, and to ourselves, that we are better than that.
Please review the attached Action Alert and take Fast Action to eliminate hate!



Saturday, May 18, 2019

Eric Holder: AG Barr not fit to run USDOJ

Former United States Attorney General, Eric Holder took to twitter to give reasons why current Attorney General William Barr is not fit to run the United States Justice Department.

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Elijah Cummings announces the rescheduling of Michael Cohen’s public testimony for next week

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, announced that the Committee has rescheduled its public hearing with President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building:

“I am pleased to announce that Michael Cohen’s public testimony before the Oversight Committee is back on, despite efforts by some to intimidate his family members and prevent him from appearing. Congress has an obligation under the Constitution to conduct independent and robust oversight of the Executive Branch, and this hearing is one step in that process.”

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Washington D.C.Mayor Muriel Bowser announces help for furloughed federal workers

With no end in sight for the government shutdown, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that she is taking steps to help protect its residents who are furloughed federal workers.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

The Obama's statement on the passing of John McCain


Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have released the following statement on the passing of an American hero, Sen. John McCain:


Friday, July 27, 2018

All-black team makes history with D.C. Little League championship victory

The Mamie Johnson Little League team has made history. It just became the first all-African American team to win the D.C. Little League championship in the league's 31-year history, CBS Washington, D.C., affiliate WUSA reports.

The youth baseball team is now advancing to the regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, after beating Capitol Hill Little League 14-7 in the title game on Tuesday.

The Mamie Johnson Little League team is only the second all-African American team to compete in the championship game.

The team was created in 2015, and named after Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, a Washington, D.C., resident who was the first female pitcher in the Negro Leagues.

The team, made up of mostly 12- and 13-year-olds, celebrated their big win on the field after the game -- but not for long. By Wednesday, they were already back at their home base, the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, practicing for next month's regional tournament.

Read more: All-black team makes history with D.C. Little League championship victory

Monday, January 22, 2018

Kamala Harris: Why she voted against ending government shutdown

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement today on her vote against the motion to invoke cloture on the stopgap spending bill:

“Our government made a promise to our Dreamers and it is long past time that we kept that promise. These are young people who are Americans in every respect except on paper. They have been waiting far too long to live securely in the only place they have ever called home.

“The Majority Leader’s comments last night fell far short of the ironclad guarantee I needed to support a stopgap spending bill. I refuse to put the lives of nearly 700,000 young people in the hands of someone who has repeatedly gone back on his word. I will do everything in my power to continue to protect Dreamers from deportation.

“It is also time that we stop governing from crisis to crisis and ensure that priorities critical to Californians are funded for the future. I will continue to work with my colleagues to find a long-term solution that supports members of our military and national security priorities, funds children’s health insurance and community health centers, provides resources for those recovering from disasters like the California wildfires, and guarantees a future for young immigrants who are as American as all of us.”

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser: Local government will remain open during shutdown

Washington D.C. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called a news conference from the National Mall Friday morning to assure residents the District government would remain open and continue to provide uninterrupted service.

“Regardless of whether or not the federal government shuts down, D.C. government will be open for business,” Bowser said.

City officials reiterated Friday a potential shutdown would have no effect on city trash collection, traffic monitoring, first responders and public safety activities.

And Bowser said she has called on her agencies “where we are able, to step in for the federal government.”

D.C. Department of Public Works Director Chris Shorter said the District would be collecting trash on the National Mall and 126 other national parks throughout D.C. and servicing 372 litter cans on federal land throughout the city during a shutdown.

“While we are picking up the slack for the federal government, I want to assure all District residents that the city services that they count on, such as trash, recycling collections as well as parking enforcement will continue as normal,” Shorter said.

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Kevin Donohue said the extra work for trash collection on federal land would amount to about $100,000 per week in personnel costs. Bowser said the city will be tracking those costs and plans to seek reimbursement from the federal government.

[SOURCE: WTOP]