Politics : NPR

St. Louis County Health Official Faces Abuse At Council Meeting On Mask Mandate

July 31, 2021 • NPR's Kelsey Snell speaks with Dr. Faisal Khan, acting director for the St. Louis County health department, about the abusive treatment he says he's received as a result of doing his job.

St. Louis County Health Official Faces Abuse At Council Meeting On Mask Mandate

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The Challenge Of Public Health Messaging Amid An Ever-Changing Virus

July 31, 2021 • NPR's Kelsey Snell talks with public health professor Robert Blendon about mistrust in government health agencies and who unvaccinated Americans might trust to be messengers on the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Challenge Of Public Health Messaging Amid An Ever-Changing Virus

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Week In Politics: New Notes Further Show Trump's Attempt To Stop Transfer Of Power

July 31, 2021 • More troubles for former president Donald Trump, with the release of handwritten notes detailing the pressure he put on former Justice Department officials following the 2020 election.

Week In Politics: New Notes Further Show Trump's Attempt To Stop Transfer Of Power

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Former CDC Director Discusses Balancing Science And Politics In Pandemic Response

July 31, 2021 • Following new guidance on masks, Scott Simon talks with former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden about how the agency has balanced science with the politics of the pandemic.

Former CDC Director Discusses Balancing Science And Politics In Pandemic Response

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Uyghurs Are Facing Abuse In Camps In China. The U.S. Congress Is Trying To Address It

July 31, 2021 • Scott Simon talks with Democratic Congressman Thomas Suozzi of New York about the new bipartisan caucus he's co-founded to bring attention to the plight of the Uyghurs.

Uyghurs Are Facing Abuse In Camps In China. The U.S. Congress Is Trying To Address It

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Biden Administration Navigates Changing Mask Mandates And Vaccine Requirements

July 31, 2021 • The CDC adjusted its mask guidelines this week after fresh data on the Delta variant, leading President Biden to issue a vaccine mandate for federal workers. Some states and companies followed.

Biden Administration Navigates Changing Mask Mandates And Vaccine Requirements

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Senate Agrees To Infrastructure Package Deal

July 31, 2021 • Scott Simon asks Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana about the infrastructure deal. This week, the Senate voted to advance the bill to formal debate.

Senate Agrees To Infrastructure Package Deal

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Across Federal Workforce, People With Disabilities See Need For More Representation

President Joe Biden, center, signs a proclamation during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 26, 2021, to highlight the bipartisan roots of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption

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Susan Walsh/AP

National

Across Federal Workforce, People With Disabilities See Need For More Representation

July 31, 2021 • People with disabilities represent the largest minority group in the country, but say they remain vastly underrepresented when it comes to the ranks of the federal workforce.

As COVID Concern Grows In Kansas, So Does Confusion Over Who Is In Charge

Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's legal battle with the Republican-led Legislature has left confusion over whether she has the authority to issue new pandemic restrictions. Kelly did not issue a mask mandate when speaking Wednesday from the state Capitol in Topeka. Abigail Censky/KCUR hide caption

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Abigail Censky/KCUR

National

As COVID Concern Grows In Kansas, So Does Confusion Over Who Is In Charge

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July 31, 2021 • Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has been hesitant to issue any statewide mandates without a ruling from the state Supreme Court on her powers. Counties aren't jumping at the opportunity either.

National

Biden Calls On The Military To Look Into Making The COVID-19 Vaccine Mandatory

July 30, 2021 • The White House has called on the Defense Department to look into "how and when" it will mandate military service members to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Biden Calls On The Military To Look Into Making The COVID-19 Vaccine Mandatory

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A Justice Department Ruling Paves The Way For A House Panel To Get Trump's Taxes

Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, is lauding the new ruling from the Department of Justice. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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A Justice Department Ruling Paves The Way For A House Panel To Get Trump's Taxes

July 30, 2021 • The Justice Department said the Treasury Department "must furnish" the Trump tax materials to House lawmakers. But it's far from clear that the information will become public.

Notes Show Trump Pressed The Justice Department To Declare The 2020 Election Corrupt

President Donald Trump pressured his Justice Department to declare that the presidential election was corrupt during a December 2020 call, according to newly released notes. Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption

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Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Notes Show Trump Pressed The Justice Department To Declare The 2020 Election Corrupt

July 30, 2021 • New documents released by the House Oversight Committee log a telephone conversation between Justice Department leaders and then-President Donald Trump in December 2020.

DOJ Sues Texas Governor Over Using State Troopers To Turn Back Migrants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blamed the Biden administration for high levels of migration along the southern border. Eric Gay/AP hide caption

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DOJ Sues Texas Governor Over Using State Troopers To Turn Back Migrants

July 30, 2021 • The Biden administration asked the court to prevent state troopers from stopping vehicles carrying migrants on grounds that they may spread COVID-19.

First Lady Jill Biden Undergoes Successful Procedure To Remove Debris From Her Foot

First lady Jill Biden arrives in Savannah, Ga., on July 8. She was injured last weekend while reportedly stepping on an object on a beach in Hawaii. Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

First Lady Jill Biden Undergoes Successful Procedure To Remove Debris From Her Foot

July 30, 2021 • Jill Biden reportedly stepped on an object on a beach in Hawaii last weekend ahead of two official events there. She was in Hawaii after attending the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.