All articles tagged with #biden administration
Amid Pennsylvania’s measles deaths, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blamed a Biden-era erosion of trust in medicine for a national drop in measles vaccinations, while Gov. Josh Shapiro pushed back and urged vaccination; the piece also notes Florida’s proposed vaccine-rule changes and a Trump-era push for science-based schedules as part of the broader political debate on public health and parental choice.
Sen. JD Vance blamed the Biden administration for the U.S. debt reaching $40 trillion, arguing the debt grew faster than GDP and hinting at a plan to spur growth; his remarks sparked a social-media backlash over the ongoing blame game, while Reuters data show debt rose about $8.4 trillion during Biden’s term and roughly $11.6 trillion under Trump, highlighting bipartisan responsibility for the debt.
Fox News reports that 19-year-old Salvadoran Alexis Cedillos-Campos, released into the U.S. under Biden-era policy after being admitted at El Paso in April 2024, is in Fairfax County custody on a second-degree murder charge for stabbing 42-year-old Carmen Lizet Puch and dousing her with gasoline; the article frames the case as tied to immigration policy, citing DHS statements and White House criticisms, with Cedillos-Campos awaiting extradition from Prince George's County, Md., to Virginia.
The Education Department under the Trump administration is rolling back Biden era PSLF credits as it fixes data and coding errors, delaying thousands of public service borrowers from reaching loan forgiveness.
Sen. Rand Paul released thousands of pages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s journal, offering new behind-the-scenes details about how the Trump and Biden administrations handled Covid diagnoses and communications as Fauci prepared to testify on Capitol Hill.
Court filings cited by the New York Times show White House lawyers admitted nearly $8 billion in Biden-era clean-energy grants were canceled for partisan reasons, targeting projects in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. About 284 grants were terminated (283 in Harris-supporting states), while many grants in Republican-leaning areas remained, contradicting claims of nonpolitical decisions and highlighting partisan retaliation in energy funding.
A newly disclosed Biden White House memo proposed expanding Temporary Protected Status to roughly 3.1 million noncitizens (including Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans), noting that previous court challenges blocked Trump-era terminations. Sen. Eric Schmitt released the document, arguing the plan would have prolonged deportations, but the proposals were never fully enacted and TPS protections have continued to evolve amid litigation and administration actions.
President Trump signed 11 pardons, saying the recipients were persecuted by the Biden administration. Most pardons relate to emissions-control violations tied to vehicle modifications, with two non-environmental cases highlighted (Adam Kidan and Jack Harvard). The White House provided case descriptions, and Trump framed the move as undoing a weaponized justice system.
President Donald Trump announced he pardoned six people he says were persecuted by the Biden administration for Clean Air Act violations, posting the move on Truth Social without naming those pardoned. A White House official said the pardons relate to individuals convicted of violating emissions laws. The piece notes the Justice Department previously instructed prosecutors to drop cases involving defeat devices used to bypass emissions controls. Trump’s clemency process is led by a small team of aides, and he has increasingly used pardons to advance his political goals.
The Education Department announced a major shift to streamline Biden-era student debt programs: about 7.5 million SAVE plan borrowers will have 90 days to exit starting July 1 and be directed toward two Trump-era repayment options (the Repayment Assistance Plan and the Tiered Standard Plan). SAVE borrowers collectively owe roughly $365 billion; the department says the current system’s 40+ options are overly complex and created bottlenecks, with the Biden plans slated to be shut down by 2028. More than 300,000 SAVE borrowers have already moved to RAP, which requires payments of 1–10% of earnings and forgives remaining debt after 30 years if not fully paid; the Tiered Standard Plan can extend repayment up to 25 years. The move follows a court ruling that struck down the original income-driven plan, and the department says this is about simplifying access and placing responsibility on Congress rather than the department.
Xavier Becerra, the front-running California gubernatorial candidate, faces a wave of anonymous criticism from former Biden administration officials over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and unaccompanied migrant children, amid broader Beltway tensions. Supporters highlight accomplishments from his HHS tenure, like drug-price relief and ACA expansion, while critics allege unpreparedness and limited visibility during crises. The debate blends legitimate concerns with partisan hostility, and voters deserve a transparent, evidence-based appraisal beyond anonymous soundbites as the primary race tightens.
Xavier Becerra's rapid ascent in California's gubernatorial race has stunned former Biden aides, who question his preparedness but acknowledge his political deftness. As polls push him to the front in a lackluster field, the development underscores voters' pragmatism and the unlikely prospect of a Cabinet member becoming California's governor.
Former Biden administration alumni are stunned by Xavier Becerra’s rapid rise from political afterthought to front-runner in California’s gubernatorial primary, sparking a mix of disbelief and resignation. Critics point to his handling of the Covid response and migrant crisis as evidence he wasn’t well-suited for a Cabinet post, while others defend his record and argue the weak Democratic field makes his candidacy more tenable. The debate underscores lingering skepticism about his leadership despite the momentum.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose condemned a Department of Homeland Security press release calling her an “activist Biden judge” as patently false, saying it endangered her safety and judicial security; the agency-based smear remained online days after she refuted it, and DOJ/ICE officials admitted the central claim was untrue during a contempt hearing.
Spirit Airlines’ shutdown has become a political blame game: Republicans accuse the Biden-era blocking of a JetBlue-Spirit merger for dooming the carrier, while Democrats and labor unions blame sharply higher jet-fuel costs tied to the Iran conflict; observers say a mix of merger-block fallout and rising fuel prices contributed to Spirit’s collapse, with thousands of workers affected.