Democrats push CFPB’s Cordray to move on overdraft rules

House Democrats are pushing a bill to reform the way banks charge overdraft fees, but recognizing that Republicans are unlikely to take up the legislation, they are hoping Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray could address the issue without Congress. "Overdraft fees hit the consumers who can afford them the least - cash-strapped hardworking Americans who are struggling to pay their bills," Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said in a press release Wednesday.

Key Committee Senators Reach Deal on Autonomous Vehicle Bill

Two U.S. senators said late on Wednesday that they had reached a bipartisan deal on legislation aimed at easing hurdles to getting self-driving cars to drivers. U.S. Senator John Thune, a Republican who chairs the Commerce Committee, and Senator Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, said they had reached a deal on the legislation that would be voted on by the committee on Oct. 4. General Motors Co., Alphabet Inc., Ford Motor Co.

Democrats to Trump: Send an aircraft carrier to help Puerto Rico with Hurricane Maria

A group of 145 House Democrats said Wednesday the Defense Department response to the disaster in Puerto Rico has been inadequate and they urged President Trump to send an aircraft carrier to help relieve the territory's suffering residents. A carrier's additional military aircraft and engineers are needed to help clear roads, rescue stranded residents and deliver emergency supplies to isolated parts of the island after it was slammed by Hurricane Maria last week, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump.

Twitter to talk to House, Senate in Russia probe

Social media giant Twitter will visit Capitol Hill Thursday as part of the House and Senate investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Twitter's closed-door meetings with staff follow similar briefings from Facebook earlier this month, and the House and Senate panels have invited both tech giants, along with Google, to appear at public hearings this fall.

Key figure in Utah political scandal appeals conviction

This Feb. 17, 2017 file photo shows Jeremy Johnson arrives for court during the trial for former Utah Attorney General John Swallow at the Matheson Courthouse, in Salt Lake City. Johnson a onetime helicopter-flying millionaire businessman who played a key role in touching off a high-profile pay-to-pay scandal in Utah is asking a federal appeals court to reverse his conviction for lying to banks to keep his online business afloat.

Trump slashes refugee intake to 45,000

IMAGE: A protester holds a placard during a rally supporting refugees worldwide and in reaction to Trump's travel ban. Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters The United States has decided to curtail the number of refugees it would accept next year to 45,000, half of the cap in 2016, as the humanitarian groups decried the move terming it as cruel.

Trump, unpredictable ally for GOP, tests influence on taxes

When President Donald Trump announced plans to go to Indiana Wednesday to sell the GOP tax overhaul plan, party leaders cheered his engagement on the high-stakes issue. When the White House said one of Trump's traveling companions would be Indiana's Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly - a top target in next year's midterm elections - the hopes turned to head-smacking disbelief.

Lackawanna County Court Notes

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Half of likely voters don’t think Feinstein should run for

A majority of likely California voters supports protecting immigrants who arrived in the country as children from deportation and about half don't think Sen. Dianne Feinstein should run for re-election next year, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey released Wednesday. The poll also found that only about 27 percent of Californians approve of the job President Trump is doing.

US House, Senate inviting social media giants to testify

The House and Senate intelligence committees are inviting tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet - the parent company of Google - to appear for public hearings as part of their investigations into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, The Associated Press has learned. The House intelligence committee is planning to hold a hearing in October and the Senate intelligence committee has invited witnesses to appear Nov. 1. The announcements of public hearings come the day before Twitter is scheduled to hold closed-door staff briefings with both panels.

White House is restricting lawmakers from visiting Puerto Rico, U.S….

The Trump administration is restricting lawmakers in both parties from visiting storm-ravaged Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands aboard military aircraft this weekend in order to keep focused on recovery missions there, according to multiple congressional aides. The decision comes as the Pentagon is intensifying its relief efforts on the islands as the U.S. government struggles to respond to devastation caused last week by Hurricane Maria and earlier by Hurricane Irma.

Titus to forego Senate bid, will run for re-election

Rep. Dina Titus has decided to forego a bid for Senate in 2018, opting instead to run for re-election in Nevada's first congressional district. Reporter Steve Sebelius detailed the news on Twitter with a statement from Titus, in which the congresswoman said she could better represent her state as the dean of the House delegation.

Trump hails tax plan as – revolutionary change’ for middle class

President Trump on Wednesday began a full-throttle push to slash taxes and salvage what is left of his foundering legislative agenda in Congress, proposing a politically challenging array of tax cuts for individuals and businesses that would constitute the most sweeping changes to the federal tax code in decades. Trump, smarting from the latest defeat this week of his efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, cast his tax plan as an economic imperative and the fulfillment of a promise to his coalition of working-class supporters to deliver benefits in the form of lower taxes, better jobs, and higher wages.

Developer takes wraps off of Old Chicago Main Post Office concept

Developer 601W Companies and Mayor Emanuel are taking the wraps off of the Old Main Post Office renovation this afternoon by revealing new renderings and more details on the $600 million project. While the renovation of the hulking 2.8 million square foot building has been underway for about a year , today signals the beginning of a major marketing push to attract interest and leases for future office tenants.