DC BUREAU

Our Washington, D.C., bureau reports on congressional delegations and key Supreme Court and administrative decisions that affect our state.

STAFF

Jane Norman

DC Bureau Chief

As the Washington Bureau Chief of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, Jane directs national coverage, managing staff and freelance reporters in the nation’s capital and assigning and editing state-specific daily and enterprise stories. Jane is a veteran of more than three decades in journalism.

Jacob Fischler

DC Deputy Bureau Chief

Jacob covers federal policy and helps direct national coverage as deputy Washington bureau chief for States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.

Ashley Murray

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.

Jennifer Shutt

DC Bureau Senior Reporter

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

Ariana Figueroa

DC Bureau Reporter

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.

Shauneen Miranda

DC Bureau Reporter

Shauneen covers the nation’s capital for States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. An alumna of the University of Maryland, she previously covered breaking news for Axios.

STORIES

U.S. Senate kills immigration overhaul, hits stalemate on Israel, Ukraine aid

BY: - February 7, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate was stuck over whether to begin debate on an emergency spending bill Wednesday night that would provide $95.3 billion in assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan — after senators blocked a sweeping larger package that would have overhauled immigration law for the first time in decades. Republicans said last year […]

Bleak future for immigration action after U.S. Senate GOP abandons border security deal

BY: and - February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Tuesday walked away from the bipartisan border security and immigration deal clinched after months of painstaking negotiations, siding with their House colleagues and presidential front-runner Donald Trump. The decision to block the bill released just two days ago not only leaves laws in place that GOP lawmakers say have […]

Impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas fails on floor of U.S. House

BY: - February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday night, a stunning defeat for the Republican-led push to impeach a Biden administration Cabinet secretary. All Democrats present and four Republicans voted against the two articles of impeachment. The vote was 214-216. The GOP lawmakers to vote against impeachment were […]

Biden’s natural gas export pause fought over by U.S. House panel

BY: - February 6, 2024

Members of a U.S. House panel on climate and energy issues split along party lines Tuesday about the Biden administration’s recent move to pause new approvals of liquified natural gas exports. Republicans called a hearing to challenge the Energy Department’s announcement last month that it would indefinitely bar new LNG permits to non-free-trade partners as […]

Trump ‘did not engage in insurrection’ on Jan. 6, new U.S. House resolution claims

BY: - February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — In a meandering press conference Tuesday that repeated false 2020 election fraud claims, downplayed well-documented violence and name-called journalists, far-right U.S. House members defended former President Donald Trump against any role he may have played in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and several co-sponsors […]

Trump claim of presidential immunity turned down by federal appeals court in D.C

BY: and - February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for charges he schemed to overturn the 2020 election, a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, rejecting Trump’s argument he was immune from criminal prosecution for any alleged conduct during his presidential term. In a unanimous opinion, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals […]

Dozens of ‘friend of the court’ briefs backing abortion pill access arrive at Supreme Court

BY: - February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has been inundated with dozens of organizations seeking to weigh in on the future of the abortion pill by filing “friend of the court” briefs. The groups include governors, attorneys general, state lawmakers and members of Congress as well as medical organizations, civil rights groups and pharmaceutical companies — […]

Intense opposition to U.S. Senate immigration deal quickly emerges

BY: - February 5, 2024

WASHINGTON — The proposed global security funding legislation that includes major bipartisan updates to immigration policy encountered opposition from members of both parties Monday, especially Republicans upset by the Biden administration’s handling of border security, charting a tumultuous path for passage in the Senate this week. The deal on immigration policy, negotiated for months by […]

Details of proposed major overhaul of U.S. immigration law, global aid package unveiled

BY: - February 4, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday night released a $118.28 billion global security package that includes a long-anticipated overhaul of immigration law negotiated by a bipartisan trio of senators. “The United States and our allies are facing multiple, complex and, in places, coordinated challenges from adversaries who seek to disrupt democracy […]

Biden administration sanctions ‘extremist’ Israeli settlers in West Bank

BY: - February 1, 2024

President Joe Biden sanctioned four Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Thursday, part of an administration effort to curb civilian casualties in the region as Israel’s war with Hamas continues. Biden signed an executive order authorizing financial sanctions that can be applied to both Israelis and Palestinians who engage in acts of violence on […]

Votes on major bipartisan immigration deal in Congress said to be nearing

BY: - February 1, 2024

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Senate vote is expected next week on a bipartisan deal that would overhaul U.S. immigration law and provide more than $100 billion for a global security package. The long-awaited bill text on the supplemental package to aid Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific region and U.S. border security could be made public as […]

National Prayer Breakfast brings Biden, GOP together for brief reprieve from sniping

BY: - February 1, 2024

WASHINGTON — Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli performed inside the U.S. Capitol’s cathedral-like Statuary Hall on Thursday morning for the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event attended by members of Congress and the president. The ceremony featured numerous prayers, including one that Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn and New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand delivered […]