October Current Events 2023: U.S. News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the U.S. news events you need to know so far for October 2023.
- Congress Of The United States Pass Bill Which Avoids Shutdown
- Probe Into Ford SUVs Concerning Engine Failure Expanded By The United States
- Republicans Ousts Kevin McCarthy Leaving Speaker Seat Vacant
- Another Round Of Student Debt Relief Announced By President Joe Biden
- Jim Jordan Backed By Donald Trump For House Speaker
- The Governor Of California Vetoes Bill To Ban Caste Discrimination
- Police Kill Driver Who Crashed Into Chinese Consulate In San Francisco
- Republican Nominee, Steve Scalise, Appears Short Of Votes For Speaker
- House Republicans Nominate Jim Jordan For Speakership
- Federal Judge Rules That Idaho’s Bill Can Take Effect
- Landlord Who Was Responsible For Killing Six-Year-Old Boy Charged With Hate Crimes
- Jordan Fails To Secure Enough Vote For The Second Time To Become Speaker Of The House
- Gag Order Against Mr. Trump In Federal Election Case Lifted Temporarily
- Republican Jim Jordan’s Hope To Become New United States House Speaker Ends
- At Least 160 Vehicles Crash In Louisiana Due To Fog, Killing Eight People
- United States House Of Representatives Elects Mike Johnson As Their New Speaker
Congress Of The United States Pass Bill Which Avoids Shutdown
Photo Source: AP Photo/Senate Television
Sunday, October 1, 2023 – The Government of the United States has avoided a federal shutdown after both the House and Senate agreed on a short-term funding deal. The bill which will ensure funding received overwhelming support and was signed into law by the President, Joe Biden before the deadline.
Most of the lawmakers were eager to avert the shutdown. The bill was backed by more Democrats than Republicans, with as many as 90 House Republicans voting against the bill. The passage of the bill landed a blow to a small group of right-wing Republicans who have held up negotiations in the chamber for with unyielding demands for spending cuts and no new aid for Ukraine.
Shutdowns occur when both chambers of Congress are unable to agree on the roughly 30% of federal spending they must approve before the start of each fiscal year on the 1st of October.
Source: BBC
Probe Into Ford SUVs Concerning Engine Failure Expanded By The United States
Photo Source: AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Monday, October 2, 2023 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed on Monday that it would upgrade and expand its investigation into 708,000 Ford Motor (F.N). sport utility vehicles and trucks concerning the catastrophic engine failures associated with its valves.
The investigation is focused on 2021 and 2022 model year Ford Bronco, Edge, Explorer, and F-150 and Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus vehicles. A preliminary evaluation of 25,000 vehicles began in July 2022, after opening a defect petition review in May, following a request from a couple of owners.
NHTSA confirmed that the analysis of the data that was released by Ford showed that “the alleged defect is present across the Nano engine family, which includes both 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost engine variants. Ford said the valves were manufactured out of an alloy known as Silchrome Lite, which appears to be the problem and has been subsequently changed to a different alloy.
Source: Reuters
Republicans Ousts Kevin McCarthy Leaving Speaker Seat Vacant
Photo Source: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 – Kevin McCarthy was removed as the speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was ousted by hard-right members of his own Republican party less than a year after his election. With the removal of McCarthy, it became the first time in the History of the United States that a speaker would be removed from office.
With the conflict amidst the Republicans, all the affairs of the House have been put on hold, until the House elects a new speaker. McCarthy however said he would not be running for speaker again, clearing the way for a new Republican speaker if a consensus can be reached by the party members.
Florida Republican congressman, Matt Gaetz filed the motion to oust McCarthy. McCarthy’s allies were not successful in blocking the motion from moving forward, and a final vote was held later which saw McCarthy removed as speaker of the House.
Source: The Guardian
Another Round Of Student Debt Relief Announced By President Joe Biden
Photo Source: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Thursday, October 5, 2023 – The President of the United States, Joe Biden has announced that his administration has approved an additional $9 billion in student debt relief for 125,000 borrowers. The President confirmed that he would explore other options to provide loan relief to Americans after his plan was blocked by the Supreme Court.
With the President’s recent announcement, the total approved debt cancellation by Biden’s administration sums up to $127 billion for close to 3.6 million Americans. President Biden also added that his administration is doing everything it can to deliver student debt relief to as many people as they can, as fast as they can.
While speaking, the President told the reporters that “this kind of relief is life-changing for individuals and their families. But it is also good for the economy.”
Source: Reuters
Jim Jordan Backed By Donald Trump For House Speaker
Photo Source: AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
Friday, October 6, 2023 – Former President of the United States, Donald Trump has endorsed conservative Congressman, Jim Jordan, who is seeking to become the next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Mr. Trump said on Friday that Jordan would be a great speaker of the House and that he has his complete and total support.
Mr. Jordan is one of the most vocal defenders of the formal president in Congress. He is currently serving his ninth term and has also led the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Several prominent conservatives have already backed the bid of Mr. Jordan.
Other possible successors include Kevin Hern and Patrick McHenry, who is serving as the Speaker of the House temporarily, while the process to appoint a permanent speaker of the House of Representatives takes place.
Source: BBC
The Governor Of California Vetoes Bill To Ban Caste Discrimination
Photo Source: AP Photo/José Luis Villegas
Sunday, October 8, 2023 – The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that was passed recently by the state legislature. The bill explicitly bans caste discrimination, but the Governor cited laws that already prohibit ancestry discrimination, which made the bill unnecessary.
The veto by Governor Newsom serves as a big setback for activists who had been advocating for the legislation. United States discrimination laws ban ancestry discrimination, though they do not explicitly mention a prohibition on casteism.
Democratic state Senator, Aisha Wahab, who is an Afghan American introduced and authored the bill in March. Before the Veto by the Governor, the movement to fight caste discrimination in North America had picked up energy in recent months.
Earlier this year, Seattle became the first city in the United States to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote.
Source: Reuters
Police Kill Driver Who Crashed Into Chinese Consulate In San Francisco
Photo Source: AP Photo/Eric Risberg
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 – Authorities confirm that the police killed the person who crashed a vehicle into the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. The spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department, Sgt. Kathryn Winters confirmed that the person crashed into the lobby area of the Consulate General of China, which handles visas.
Police responded to the scene of the crash within minutes and had a confrontation with the driver in the lobby. The driver was taken to the hospital after he was shot but was later pronounced dead. The number of people in the consulate before the crash was unknown, but it was confirmed that no one else appeared to be injured.
The spokesperson of the Consulate General of China condemned the crash, saying it damaged the building and put a lot of people at risk. He calls for a thorough investigation into the crash.
Source: CNN
Republican Nominee, Steve Scalise, Appears Short Of Votes For Speaker
Photo Source: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Thursday, October 12, 2023 – Republicans who control the House of Representatives nominated Steve Scalise to serve as the new speaker, after outing Kevin McCarthy. However, there is a delay as he appeared to be short of the support, he required to win a vote of the full chamber.
Scalise edged his rival, Jim Jordan in a secret ballot vote to secure his party’s nomination for the top post. Several supporters of Jordan said they would not support Scalise in a vote for the leadership of the House. Scalise had a total of 113 votes, while Jordan had 99 votes.
While speaking with reporters, Scalise said “They are working hard to get unified, and they need to get unified because the world is not waiting.” He also added that it is obvious that there is a lot of work to be done.
Source: Reuters
House Republicans Nominate Jim Jordan For Speakership
Photo Source: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Friday, October 13, 2023 – Republicans in the House of Representatives of the United States have picked the lawmaker from Ohio, Jim Jordan as the new speaker nominee. However, over 50 Republicans voted against supporting him on the House floor, which leaves the party in confusion as it has yet to elect a speaker since the historic ouster of McCarthy 10 days ago.
Jordan is facing a strong resistance in his bid to win the speakership on the floor, because of the same problem that ended the bid of majority leader, Steve Scalise, who had initially won the GOP speaker nomination.
Jordan was selected on Friday, after the House GOP vote ended in a 124-81, getting ahead of Austin Scott of Georgia, who made a surprise last-minute bid. Jordan only gained 25 supporters since he lost to Steve Scalise on Wednesday.
Source: CNN
Federal Judge Rules That Idaho’s Bill, Which Restricts Trans Students’ Restroom Use Can Take Effect
Photo Source: AP Photo/Sean Murphy
Friday, October 13, 2023 – A federal judge has ruled that an Idaho law, which requires students in public schools to use the bathroom that corresponds to their assigned sex at birth to take effect. The judge also allowed a challenge to the law by the family of a transgender student to continue.
Senior counsel at Lambda Legal, which represents the family, Peter Renn, said: “The ruling puts transgender students directly in harm’s way by stigmatizing them as outsiders in their own communities and depriving them of the basic abilities to go about their school day like everyone else.”
The Attorney General of Idaho, Raul Labrador said the judge’s ruling is a significant win, and said the law was aimed at protecting the students. Idaho’s bathroom bill permits students to sue schools for $5,000 if they encounter a transgender student in a bathroom in violation of the law.
Source: Reuters
Landlord Who Was Responsible For Killing Six-Year-Old Boy Charged With Hate Crimes
Photo Source: AP Photo/Nam Y. Hun
Monday, October 16, 2023 – A man who was responsible for killing a six-year-old boy by stabbing him to death because he was a Muslim has been charged with murder and hate crimes. The suspect, Joseph Czuba, who is 71-year-old was accused of killing the boy and also wounding his mother in Illinois. The Department of Justice in the United States has also opened a federal hate crime investigation into the attack.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden condemned the attack. He also said, “The horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against their fundamental values, freedom from fear and how they pray, what they believe in, and who Americans are.”
The office of the Will County Sheriff confirmed that Both victims of the attack were targeted by the suspect because they are Muslims and because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which involves Hamas and Israel.
Source: BBC
Jordan Fails To Secure Enough Vote For The Second Time To Become Speaker Of The House
Photo Source: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Thursday, October 19, 2023 – Jim Jordan has lost his second bid to become the speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Jordan, who was endorsed by former president Donald Trump, fell short of the required 217 votes he needs to fill the vacant speaker’s seat, as 22 Republicans and all 212 Democrats voted against him.
Jordan’s total vote of 199 was less than the vote he secured on Tuesday. It is also fewer than the votes McCarthy secured in any of the rounds of voting he endured before he was elected as speaker. Since ousting McCarthy, Republicans who control the house by a narrow margin have been unable to unite behind a speaker candidate.
Some Republicans are considering a fallback option, which would give increased power to Representative Patrick McHenry, who has been temporarily filling the speaker’s chair.
Source: Reuters
Gag Order Against Mr. Trump In Federal Election Case Lifted Temporarily
Photo Source: AP Photo/Seth Wenig
A judge in the United States has lifted a partial gag order that was imposed on the former President, Donald Trump temporarily. The gag order limits Donald Trump’s public statements about the federal criminal in which Mr. Trump is accused of illegally attempting to undo his loss in the 2020 election.
The temporary halt of the gag order comes on the same that that a judge in New York fined the former president $5,000 dollars for violating a gag order in a civil trial.
The judge puts the gag order she issued this week on hold, while she considers the request of Mr. Trump for a longer pause while he challenges it. The lawyers of Mr. Trump asked the judge to lift the restrictions while he asked the appeals court to strike down an order by the judge referred to as ‘breathtakingly overboard.’
Source: Reuters
Republican Jim Jordan’s Hope To Become New United States House Speaker Ends
Photo Source: AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough
The quest of Republican Lawmaker, Jim Jordan, to become the speaker of the United States House of Representatives has ended, after his fellow Republicans revoked their support after his third failed vote on the House floor.
The House will until next week remain unable to respond to the request of President Joe Biden for a $106 billion national security package, which includes military aid for Ukraine and Israel. The House would also not be able to take action to stave off a looming November 18 partial shutdown of the government.
The support for Jim Jordan faded through the week after he received a total of 194 votes in the third round of balloting, which is less than the 200 votes he received on Tuesday which is short of the majority he needed to win. Republicans afterward voted 112-86 in a closed-door meeting to revoke Jordan’s nomination.
Source: Reuters
At Least 160 Vehicles Crash In Louisiana Due To Fog, Killing Eight People
Photo Source: Getty Images
State police said Eight people have been confirmed dead after a slew crash along Interstate 55 in Louisiana’s St. John the Baptist Parish, which involved at least 168 vehicles. Louisiana State Police confirmed that at least 63 people were injured in the crashes.
All vehicles along I-55 have been cleared, and crews have started cleaning the debris, diesel, and other chemicals from the surface of the roadway. The state police said until the Department of Transportation and Development in Louisiana has conducted a damage assessment on the bridge at the crash site, the northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 will remain closed.
The governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards said that his prayers go to those that were killed and wounded in the crashes. He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “the combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog is dangerous, and he encourages all Louisianans in affected areas to take extreme caution while traveling.”
Source: CNN
United States House Of Representatives Elects Mike Johnson As Their New Speaker
Photo Source: AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib
The United States House of Representatives has elected Republican Mike Johnson as the speaker of the House on Wednesday. His victory ended a standoff that had stretched on for over three weeks.
Johnson, who needed 215 votes to become speaker got the support of all 220 Republicans who voted in the house, while all the 209 Democrats that were present voted for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries. In his speech after his victory, he promised to rebuild and restore the trust of the American people.
Johnson became the fourth Republican nominee in three weeks after he won the party’s nomination on Tuesday evening. He defeated Bryon Donald of Florida after three rounds of voting. President Biden called on the House to pass an aid package for allies of America such as Ukraine and Israel, but the House has been unable to advance any legislation without the presence of a speaker.
Source: The Guardian
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