Politics

President Biden presents the Medal of Honor to Army Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee for his actions in Afghanistan on Aug. 28, 2013.

Biden awards Medals of Honor to 3 soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan

4:20pm December 16, 2021

by Brian Naylor

The medals were given for acts of "gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty." Two were awarded posthumously, including one to the first Black recipient since the Vietnam War.

A new executive order from President Biden calls on the State Department to create a system through which passports can be renewed online.

You may soon be able to renew your passport online, instead of sending in documents

3:50pm December 16, 2021

by Deepa Shivaram

A new executive order from President Biden is designed to streamline the process for things like contacting the IRS, enrolling in Social Security online and, yes, renewing your passport.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is on track to be elected speaker of the House if the GOP wins control of the chamber. He's worked behind the scenes to tamp down tensions inside the House GOP conference.

Politics & Government

Republicans aim to stop sniping at each other, focus on economic message for 2022

1:48pm December 16, 2021

by Deirdre Walsh

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is working to tamp down internal feuds and shift members to talking about inflation and other issues that he believes will help his party return to the majority.

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The Code Switch team picks our favorite episodes from 2021

11:21am December 16, 2021

As we look back at the year, we wanted to share some of our favorite episodes of the pod. This list showcases the episodes that stayed with members of the Code Switch team, even amidst all the churn.

Trucks haul shipping containers at the Port of Los Angeles on Nov. 24, just ahead of the semiofficial start of the holiday season. For much of the country, trucking is the only freight option.

The White House aims to boost the ranks of the pandemic-strained trucking industry

10:11am December 16, 2021

by Alana Wise

The plan is part of the Biden administration's efforts to improve the nation's ongoing supply chain problems.

Politics & Government

Ahead of midterms, the GOP's extreme wing in the House worries Republicans

7:15am December 16, 2021

by Deirdre Walsh

House Republicans are in a strong position to win back control of the chamber but divisions threaten to throw the party off message.

Politics & Government

Examining the impact from this week's revelations from the Capitol attack

7:15am December 16, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Jonah Goldberg of the conservative news site The Dispatch, about revelations from the House panels' investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

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Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testifies during a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Nov. 30 in Washington, D. C. The Fed unveiled a new game plan on Wednesday as it looks to tackle red-hot inflation.

Inflation is still red hot, and it's forcing the Federal Reserve into a new game plan

5:33pm December 15, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The Federal Reserve is opening the door to possible interest rate hikes earlier next year than had been expected, as it wrestles with the highest inflation in nearly four decades.

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Activists participate in a candlelight vigil for abortion rights near the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec, 13, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

The FDA could permanently lift some restrictions on abortion pills

5:30pm December 15, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

The abortion pill mifepristone was approved in 2000 but still faces layers of restrictions. Advocates want the FDA to permanently allow patients to receive the pill by mail instead of in person.

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House members want Lauren Boebert removed from assignments over Islamophobic comments

5:25pm December 15, 2021

by Caitlyn Kim

House Democratic leaders may bring up a resolution to remove Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert from her committee assignments over her Islamophobic comments.