Author

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) speaks to members of the press

Border talks stuck as Senate nears vote on package for Israel, Ukraine aid

By: - December 5, 2023

WASHINGTON — The success of the U.S. Senate in passing a $106 billion global security supplemental aid package hinges on a bipartisan agreement about U.S. border security, but any deal was at an impasse Tuesday. “There will not be a national security bill unless and until there is serious and significant changes in security at […]

A Texas National Guardsman observes as Border Patrol agents pat down migrants who have surrendered themselves for processing

Congress is haggling over border security: Where does it stand?

By: - December 4, 2023

WASHINGTON — As Congress negotiates the White House’s $106 billion supplemental aid request for Israel, Ukraine and U.S. border security, fights over immigration policy have tied up the request. The White House sent its proposal that includes nearly $14 billion in supplemental border security funding to Congress in late October, but it will likely look […]

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

U.S. House votes to bar use of public lands for housing migrants

By: - November 30, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum. The bill, H.R. 5283, passed with a majority of Republicans in support, 224-203.  It’s likely dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority. Many Democrats […]

J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building

Maryland, Virginia lawmakers tussle over FBI HQ decision at congressional hearing

By: - November 14, 2023

WASHINGTON — Members of a U.S. House committee on Tuesday grilled the head of the General Services Administration over the agency’s recent decision to place the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s new headquarters in Maryland instead of Virginia. “The process — or lack thereof — raises many questions that need to be answered,” the chair of […]

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) talk as they arrive for a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing

Democrats’ struggle to keep U.S. Senate majority complicated by Manchin decision 

By: , and - November 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III announced Thursday he does not plan to run for reelection come 2024, giving Republicans an opportunity to pick up a seat and increasing their chances of flipping U.S. Senate control. A centrist who has long frustrated his party’s leadership and outside advocacy groups with his views on […]

U.S. Supreme Court building

U.S. Supreme Court considers case dealing with gun rights and domestic violence

By: - November 7, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court justices during Tuesday’s oral arguments seemed to lean toward upholding a federal law that prevents the possession of firearms by a person who is subject to a domestic violence protective order. Liberal and conservative justices appeared to side with the Biden administration’s position that the 1994 federal law is in […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., left, shakes hands with Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky.,

Mike Johnson of Louisiana elected speaker of the U.S. House after three weeks of stalemate

By: and - October 25, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Wednesday voted for Louisiana’s Mike Johnson as speaker in a chamber that has been frozen for more than three weeks after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted. In a 220-209 party-line vote, all Republicans present backed Johnson, 51, a strongly conservative lawyer who represents northwest Louisiana’s 4th District. All […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., leaves a House Republican conference meeting

Mike Johnson of Louisiana picked as newest GOP nominee for U.S. House speaker

By: and - October 25, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans late Tuesday voted to tap Louisiana’s Mike Johnson as speaker after the GOP nominee from earlier in the day was tanked. Johnson, 51, is the fourth Republican nominee attempting to break the deadlock in the lower chamber that has been leaderless and frozen for three weeks. He is the second […]

U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa.,

Emmer nominated for U.S. House speaker but drops out after Trump opposition

By: , and - October 24, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans Tuesday voted to tap Minnesota’s Tom Emmer as speaker following five rounds of ballots — but Emmer quit the race just four hours later, after he was attacked by the GOP’s most powerful figure, former President Donald Trump. After beating six candidates, Emmer, the No. 3 Republican, faced an uphill […]

U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., a candidate in the race for speaker of the House

U.S. House Republicans mull eight new candidates for speaker in advance of votes

By: and - October 23, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Monday night gathered behind closed doors to hear the pitches of eight candidates for the speaker’s gavel, as the chamber approaches three weeks without a speaker. Monday’s nearly three-hour meeting was meant to produce a leading GOP candidate, so that when Republicans vote behind closed doors on Tuesday, there […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, right, Republican speaker nominee, talks to his Chief of Staff Kevin Eichinger and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.,

Jim Jordan’s bid to be U.S. House speaker ends after rejection by GOP in closed meeting

By: and - October 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — Ohio Republican Jim Jordan is no longer the Republican nominee for speaker of the U.S. House. Shortly after a failed floor vote Friday on Jordan’s bid, Republicans held a closed-door meeting where Jordan failed to garner enough votes from his fellow GOP lawmakers to stay in the race as their nominee. “I told […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks to members of the press

U.S. House gripped by paralysis again after GOP punts proposal for speaker pro tem

By: , and - October 19, 2023

WASHINGTON — A resolution meant to temporarily allow U.S. House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry of North Carolina to move critical legislation won’t be acted on, House Republicans said following a tense, closed-door meeting on Thursday. But it appeared that the House will vote a third time on whether Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan will serve […]