Eye on Congress

Democratic leaders hoped to pass a $2.2 trillion climate change and social safety package known as Build Back Better by Christmas. Instead, negotiations between President Joe Biden and West Virginia's Senator Joe Manchin will continue into the new year. CQ Roll Call's Jennifer Shutt and David Lerman discuss whether Democrats will be able to pass the measure in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this wide-ranging, year-end conversation, Mary C. Curtis speaks with New York Times columnist Charles Blow about what he considers the dramatic rollback of the nation's civil rights, inequity and whether President Joe Biden has been proactive enough to help stem inequity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been, to put it mildly, a momentous year. It started off the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and has been defined by the continuing pandemic. But it's also seen the first woman vice president and other milestones. CQ Roll Call's Tom Williams and Bill Clark discuss their approach to their work, what moments stay with them and the images that defined the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duane Pozza, a former top FTC consumer protection official, explains where unexpected regulatory risk may lurk for privacy, competition, and crypto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate cleared a bill to let Democrats increase the debt limit on their own, delaying the next bipartisan debate over the debt limit until after the midterm elections. CQ Roll Call’s Jennifer Shutt and David Lerman break down the bipartisan effort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives for years now and killed millions. What are the biggest changes it has caused? And could we have done things differently? CQ Roll Call Health Editor Rebecca Adams discusses, and we also discuss with Matthew Heineman "The First Wave," his documentary about the early days of the pandemic in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Circle's Dante Disparte breaks down the company's inclusion plans and how the stablecoin giant is aiming to reshape crypto's conversation with minority banks, HBCUs and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is so much left for Congress to do before the end of the year — a vote on the debt limit and the sweeping climate and social spending package. But divisions are so sharp that even the smallest of tasks like agreeing on a stopgap funding measure have become monumental tasks. CQ Roll Call’s David Lerman and Peter Cohn break down everything you need to know about the reconciliation package, the debt ceiling and the latest continuing resolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The weather outside might not be so frightful, but Congress’ inability to do anything on time sure does suck. Here we are in December, and, as usual, there is a mess of legislative business to attend to. That makes the most wonderful time of the year, at least on Capitol Hill, not so wonderful. It also begs the question: Is working on Capitol Hill worth it? As the parties work furiously to recruit stars to run for the House and Senate, what's their selling point? Here to discuss on Political Theater are CQ Roll Call’s own Niels Lesniewski and Bridget Bowman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Equity is top of mind this week. First, the omicron variant is now the topic of global conversation. How the story unfolded in the U.S. illuminates how disparity and racism are intrinsic to keeping the virus evolving. Harvard University public health expert Dr. Ingrid Katz speaks with Mary C. Curtis about how global vaccine equity is the only way through this pandemic and the only path to preparing for the next. Then we feature a conversation with Housing Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge about housing, infrastructure and reconciliation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Ruben Gallego’s new book, 'They Called Us "Lucky": The Life and Afterlife of the Iraq War's Hardest Hit Unit,' isn’t your typical political memoir. It’s earthy, candid and, in the words of our own Jim Saksa, a “warts and all account of war.” Jim sat down with the Arizona Democrat to talk about the book and the stories behind it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, shares how the central bank launched one of the world's first central bank digital currencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House voted 220-213 Friday morning to send the Senate the $2.2 trillion reconciliation package -- capping off overnight drama when GOP leader Kevin McCarthy stalled passage while speaking for more than eight hours.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2022 midterm elections are less than a year away, and CQ Roll Call politics team has been keeping an eye on vulnerable members, races to watch, and other dynamics and issues that will shape the battle for control of Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civil rights leader and National Urban League president and CEO Marc Morial says he is "damn worried" about the state of American democracy. Mary C. Curtis sits down with Morial to talk about voting rights, Infrastructure, the filibuster and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michele Alt, Dan Awrey and Caitlin Long provide an overview of the world of bank charters and fintech charters — and what they mean for crypto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House could vote as soon as next week on the roughly $2 trillion reconciliation package, sending it to the Senate where it's provisions could be changed. CQ Roll Call’s Jennifer Shutt and David Lerman break down the latest around the reconciliation package. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a good time to be Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. With President Biden about to sign an infrastructure bill into law, Buttigieg is one of its chief salesmen. CQ Roll Call's Jessica Wehrman joins the Political Theater podcast to discuss the bill, how Buttigieg is approaching it and what she has learned from covering the former South Bend mayor-turned-Cabinet secretary. And at the end of the week, the documentary “Mayor Pete” will start streaming, giving the public a look at his private life and political rise. We speak to “Mayor Pete” director Jesse Moss about his portrayal of Buttigieg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conan French, senior advisor at the Institute of International Finance, sits down with Fintech Beat to talk about the major regulatory themes and developments in the IIF, IMF, World Bank, and DC Fintech Week conferences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Financing concerns left moderate Democrats queasy about voting for a budget reconciliation package to expand the safety net and combat climate change. The plan hinges on new taxes, prescription drug cost savings, and increased tax enforcement. CQ Roll Call's David Lerman and Laura Weiss explain the financing behind the package and some last-minute negotiations that could still trigger further changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices