Senator Mitch McConnell Makes History
The 118th Congress opened on January 3, 2023. Democrats and Republicans elect party leaders in the Senate and the House of Representatives at the start of each new session. The beginning of this Congress marked an important history-making event: Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, became the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history. […]
President Biden Signs Respect for Marriage Act
On December 13, 2022, President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill that protects same-sex and interracial marriages at the federal level. Thousands attended the signing celebration on the South Lawn of the White House. Here, btw takes a closer look at the Respect for Marriage Act, its impact, and its legal […]
Disabilities and Citizenship
Do you know what it takes for an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen? Applying for citizenship is a rigorous ten-step process that includes filling out forms, paying fees, participating in interviews, taking an English test and a civics test, and more. People with disabilities face unique challenges when applying for U.S. citizenship. Now, the […]
Biden Announces Student Debt Relief Plan
Student loan debt is at an all-time high. Right now, the average public university student must borrow $32,880 to pay for a bachelor’s degree. As of 2022, student loan debt in the United States totals $1.748 trillion. Forty-three million Americans have student loan debt, with an average debt load of $37,667. Last week, the Biden […]
New York City Swears in New Mayor
On December 31, 2021, Eric Adams, New York City’s new mayor took his oath of office. Aside from being only the city’s second African American mayor, Adams differs from his predecessors in many ways. Here, btw takes a closer look at this unusual leader. Who is Mayor Adams? Eric Adams is 61 years old. He […]
Biden Appoints New AAPI Liaison
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month–a time to honor and celebrate the achievements, accomplishments, and contributions of the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. As of the 2017 Census, 22.2 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders were living in the U.S. On April 14, the White House announced the new role […]
Senate Briefed on Foreign Threats
Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee received a briefing on national security threats from the top U.S. intelligence officials. The intelligence officials named four major foreign threats to U.S. security: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Here, btw takes a closer look at their remarks, and at what the Biden administration plans to do to […]
Examining the New Congress
The 117th Congress was sworn into session last week, even as several seats still remain empty due to undecided Congressional races in New York, and Iowa. This incoming Congress is unique because it is the most diverse legislature in the nation’s history. Here, btw takes a look at the new face of the U.S. Congress. […]
Year of the (Republican) Woman
This year, the nation celebrated the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave white women the right to vote in 1920. However, even in 2020, women remain very underrepresented in U.S. politics. Currently, the United States has 435 voting members of the House of Representatives, and 100 in the Senate. In […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
McBride Makes History In 2018, Danica Roem became the first openly transgender person to serve in a state legislature. This year, that ceiling was further broken by Sarah McBride, who has just become the first openly transgender state senator. This makes McBride the highest-ranking transgender person to hold political office in the United States. McBride, […]