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

Energy and climate: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

BY: - October 1, 2024

This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race. Highlighted in Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign as one of the major crises facing the country, climate change has received much less attention in the 2024 race for the presidency. The candidates, Republican former President Donald Trump […]

Walz, Vance prep for debate as hurricane politics swirl around presidential campaign

BY: - September 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will face off Tuesday night for a vice presidential debate, the final scheduled in-person exchange between the campaigns as polls continue to show a tight race just over five weeks out from November’s election. The debate, hosted by CBS News, is scheduled […]

U.S. Department of Education begins testing of new FAFSA form

BY: - September 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education is launching the first testing period for its phased rollout of the 2025-26 form to apply for federal financial student aid on Tuesday, with more students set to partake in this beginning testing stage than initially expected. The department announced in August it would be using a staggered […]

Hundreds missing in Southeast states after Hurricane Helene, federal officials say

BY: - September 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — White House Homeland Security Adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall said Monday during a press briefing there are 600 people unaccounted for following Hurricane Helene, as federal officials mount a response to the catastrophic storm in states across the Southeast. Sherwood-Randall said that could lead the death toll to rise into the hundreds, but added officials […]

Biden pledges federal help for states in the Southeast stricken by catastrophic storm

BY: - September 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden pledged Monday that the federal government would help people throughout the Southeast recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, and said he expects to ask Congress for emergency funding in the weeks ahead. “I’m here to tell every single survivor in these impacted areas that we will […]

U.S. government unveils charges against Iranians who hacked into Trump 2024 campaign

BY: - September 27, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. law enforcement on Friday announced charges against three Iranians who allegedly stole materials from former President Donald Trump’s campaign and tried to pass them to news media and Democrats in an attempt to influence the 2024 election. The Department of Justice unsealed the indictment detailing a yearslong hacking scheme by Iran that […]

National Dems to ship $2.5M to state parties, aiming beyond presidential battlegrounds?

BY: - September 27, 2024

The Democratic National Committee will send $2.5 million to more than 30 of its state and territorial parties in the closing weeks of the 2024 election cycle, the DNC said in a Friday statement. With the new grants, national Democrats will have contributed to all 57 state and territorial chapters for the first time in […]

Taxes: Where do Trump and Harris stand?

BY: - September 27, 2024

This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race. WASHINGTON — With the clock ticking on former President Donald Trump’s signature 2017 tax law, and high housing, food and child care costs darkening Americans’ mood, tax cuts have become the star of the 2024 presidential […]

U.S. House panel on Trump assassination attempt points to multiple failures by Secret Service

BY: - September 26, 2024

Members of the U.S. House task force investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Thursday blamed the U.S. Secret Service for poor planning and breakdowns in communication and coordination with local law enforcement. Republicans and Democrats on the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump at their first […]

Postal chief insists to Congress that mail-in ballots will get delivered in time

BY: - September 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — United States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before Congress on Thursday that voters can “absolutely” trust their mail-in ballots will be secure and prioritized, though he emphasized they must be mailed at least a week ahead of the various state deadlines to be delivered on time. DeJoy’s testimony to House lawmakers […]

Zelenskyy in Washington meets with U.S. leaders to beef up support for Ukraine

BY: - September 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — Standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris admonished any suggestion that Ukraine should end its war by relinquishing territory to Russia. Zelenskyy and Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, met for the seventh time during Harris’ tenure as vice president as the Ukrainian leader visited the White House and U.S. […]

Harris pitches an ‘opportunity economy’ in debut one-on-one TV interview?

BY: - September 26, 2024

The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, laid out more of her economic vision Wednesday during her first one-on-one cable TV interview. Harris and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, are laying out dueling economic agendas this week as the two vie for the Oval Office in an extremely close race. “I […]