Author

Jennifer covers the nations capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.
勛圖tv is part of , the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Food and Drug Administration approves COVID boosters for upcoming season
By: Jennifer Shutt - September 11, 2023
WASHINGTON The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, as public health officials brace for another cold and flu season. An advisory panel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to vote on recommendations Tuesday, the final step in the process before people will […]
U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case
By: Jennifer Shutt - September 8, 2023
WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday asked the Supreme Court to decide whether the abortion pill should remain on the market after two lower courts issued differing opinions about its use. The case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will likely be the second time the conservative-leaning Supreme […]
Updated COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in September, federal officials say
By: Jennifer Shutt - August 26, 2023
WASHINGTON The Biden administration is gearing up for a fall vaccination campaign that not only includes updated COVID-19 boosters, but the annual flu shot and the newly approved RSV vaccine. Were going to be encouraging Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccine in addition to their annual flu shot, as well as the immunizations for […]
Trump absent but still dominates as GOP presidential rivals clash at first debate
By: Jacob Fischler, Jennifer Shutt and Samantha Dietel - August 24, 2023
Eight Republican presidential candidates gathered onstage Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a heated first primary debate heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump, though the partys front-runner refused to attend the two-hour event. Trump instead recorded a competing 46-minute interview with former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known as […]
FEMAs disaster relief fund is running low on cash. What happens now?
By: Jennifer Shutt - August 21, 2023
WASHINGTON The Federal Emergency Management Agencys disaster relief fund is in desperate need of cash, with the agency projecting at least a $4 billion deficit in the weeks ahead even as the government responds to devastating fires in Hawaii and hurricane season continues. FEMA, however, wont simply stop the response and recovery activities […]
Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order
By: Jennifer Shutt - August 16, 2023
WASHINGTON A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday the abortion pill can stay on the market, but it agreed with a lower court that ultimately use should revert to prescribing and dosage instructions that were in place before 2016. That appeals courtrulingwill immediately be put on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to […]
Congress brought back earmarks. Now theyre one more point of drama in a divided House.
By: Jennifer Shutt - August 10, 2023
WASHINGTON The new Republican chairwoman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committeesaidjust before taking over the panel that she planned to tweak how the chamber earmarks spending for community projects coveted state and local funding that members of Congress request. Some of those changes hinted at by Kay Granger of Texas have infuriated Democrats, […]
How the fake electors in seven states are central to the Trump Jan. 6 indictment
By: Jacob Fischler and Jennifer Shutt - August 2, 2023
WASHINGTON The federal indictment accusing Donald Trump of trying to stay in power after losing the 2020 presidential election includes detailed accusations of Trump and his alleged co-conspirators pressure on individual state officials. The central plot to overturn the election, as described inthe indictmenta federal grand jury in 勛圖tv, D.C.,handed up Tuesday, involved switching […]
Split in U.S. House GOP raises potential for government shutdown this fall
By: Jennifer Shutt - August 2, 2023
WASHINGTON Members of Congress jetted off for the August recess without a plan in place to avoid a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and the lawmakers who write spending bills acknowledge that its a real possibility, given deep divisions. The stalemate stems from a split among House […]
Fueled by lies, Trump charged with seeking to overturn 2020 election
By: Jacob Fischler, Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray - August 1, 2023
WASHINGTON A federal grand jury in 勛圖tv, D.C.,indictedDonald Trump on Tuesday, alleging that Trump and co-conspirators attempted to subvert the 2020 election to keep the former president in power through a series of illegal actions that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The former president faces four charges in […]
We should not fear a government shutdown: Far-right U.S. House members slam spending bills
By: Jennifer Shutt - July 25, 2023
WASHINGTON A handful of ultra-conservative U.S. House Republicans rebuked their leadership on Tuesday over the annual government funding process, but appeared at odds on whether they should force a government shutdown later this year. Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs at a news conference mostly ruled out a funding lapse, though Virginia Rep. Bob Good left […]
FEMA disaster relief fund faces August shortfall as feds scramble to find cash
By: Jennifer Shutt - July 13, 2023
WASHINGTON The Federal Emergency Management Agencys disaster relief fund is on track to run out of money as soon as next month, though the agencys administrator told Congress on Thursday that shes working with the White House to find a solution. Our current projections on the disaster relief fund is that we will go […]