Reuters US Domestic News Summary

In a legal challenge filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, the voters claim Greene has violated a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the "Insurrectionist Disqualification Clause." Russian agents charged with targeting U.S. nuclear plant, Saudi oil refinery U.S. and British officials on Thursday accused the Russian government of running a years-long campaign to hack into critical infrastructure, including an American nuclear plant and a Saudi oil refinery.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Hershey workers at Virginia plant vote against unionizing

Workers at Hershey Co's second largest U.S. manufacturing plant voted against unionizing, even as unionization efforts have gained momentum among low-paid workers at large U.S. corporations. The Hershey plant, located at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, has around 1,400 employees and primarily makes products with peanuts, including Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and other candy bars like Almond Joy.

Biden says he would be lucky if Trump ran again

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday he would be lucky if his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, made another bid for the White House in the 2024 presidential election. A news conference after meetings with NATO leaders veered into U.S. politics when Biden was asked about European concerns that "a figure like your predecessor, maybe even your predecessor himself" could take office and undo U.S. and NATO efforts to address Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Lawsuit seeks to block 'insurrectionist' Marjorie Taylor Greene from reelection bid

A group of Georgia voters on Thursday asked state officials to block Republican U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from running for reelection, alleging she is unfit for office because of her support of rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol. In a legal challenge filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, the voters claim Greene has violated a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the "Insurrectionist Disqualification Clause."

Russian agents charged with targeting U.S. nuclear plant, Saudi oil refinery

U.S. and British officials on Thursday accused the Russian government of running a years-long campaign to hack into critical infrastructure, including an American nuclear plant and a Saudi oil refinery. The announcement was paired with the unsealing of criminal charges against four Russian government officials, whom the U.S. Department of Justice accused of carrying out two major hacking operations aimed at the global energy sector. Thousands of computers in 135 countries were affected between 2012 and 2018, U.S. prosecutors said.

U.S. House panel probing Capitol riot to vote on contempt charge against two more Trump associates

The U.S. House of Representatives committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol said on Thursday it was moving toward holding Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to ex-President Donald Trump, and Daniel Scavino, who was a Trump deputy chief of staff, in contempt of Congress for not complying with subpoenas. The Select Committee said it would hold a business meeting on Monday to vote on a report recommending the full House cite them for contempt of Congress and refer them for federal prosecution.

Arizona, Oklahoma legislatures pass transgender sports bans

Arizona and Oklahoma passed bills on Thursday that would ban transgender youth from participating in girls' sports, the latest in a flurry of state legislation passed by Republicans on the hot-button, election year issue. In addition to the Republican-sponsored "Save Women's Sports Act", Arizona lawmakers passed legislation that would prohibit physicians from providing gender-affirming surgery to minors. Both bills are now headed to the desk of Governor Doug Ducey, also a Republican.

U.S. sues Texas county, calls voting map discriminatory

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing a Texas county of adopting an electoral map that discriminates against Black and Hispanic voters. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Texas, seeks to block implementation of Galveston County's 2021 redistricting plan for its governing body, the Commissioners Court.

U.S. unveils rule to speed up asylum processing and deportations at border

The Biden administration on Thursday rolled out a sweeping new regulation that aims to speed up asylum processing and deportations at the U.S.-Mexico border, amid a record number of migrants seeking to enter the United States. The announcement of the new rule came as U.S. officials are debating whether to end a separate COVID-19-era policy that has blocked most asylum claims at the border. The asylum overhaul could provide a faster way to process border crossers if the COVID order is ended.

U.S. Supreme Court pick Jackson edges closer to confirmation

Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's U.S. Supreme Court nominee, on Thursday moved closer to securing Senate confirmation in the next two weeks, while experts from the nation's leading lawyers' group dismissed Republican claims that she was "soft on crime" including child pornography. As the Senate Judiciary Committee completed the fourth and final day of Jackson's confirmation hearing, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said the chamber was "on track" to confirm the federal appellate judge to the lifetime job before its expected break for Easter on April 8.

Texas demands drug companies turn over documents on 'puberty blocking' drugs for children

The Texas attorney general on Thursday ordered drugmakers Abbvie Inc and Endo International to turn over materials related to the sale of puberty blockers to children who believe they are transgender, part of an investigation into their off-label use. The demand comes during a growing controversy over the use of medication given to halt the development of puberty and secondary sex characteristics in children as young as 8 who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Transgender issues and treatments have increasingly become part of a national debate in America.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)