US Domestic News Roundup: U.S. House votes to end foreign air traveler COVID vaccine requirement; Republican senators seek to reverse U.S. heavy-duty truck emissions rule and more

The 53-year-old Pennsylvania Democrat asked his staff to take him to a hospital in Washington after feeling lightheaded at a Senate Democratic retreat, his spokesman Joe Calvello said. Biden to appeal to seniors in bid to put Florida back in play U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Florida on Thursday to push his argument that only Democrats will protect Social Security and Medicare, and try to boost his chances of winning the battleground state that has moved to Republicans in recent years.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. House votes to end foreign air traveler COVID vaccine requirement

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19, one of the few remaining pandemic travel restrictions still in place. The vote was 227 to 201 with seven Democrats joining Republicans. No Republicans voted against the bill.

Republican senators seek to reverse U.S. heavy-duty truck emissions rule

A group of 34 Republican senators said on Thursday they would seek to overturn U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that aim to drastically cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks. The senators said the Biden administration rule finalized in December was overly challenging to implement, would make trucks cost prohibitive for small business owners and would increase supply chain costs.

U.S. Senator Fetterman being observed at Washington hospital

U.S. Senator John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke last year, was taken to hospital late on Wednesday but is in "good spirits" and showed no signs of a new stroke, his office said in a statement. The 53-year-old Pennsylvania Democrat asked his staff to take him to a hospital in Washington after feeling lightheaded at a Senate Democratic retreat, his spokesman Joe Calvello said.

Biden to appeal to seniors in bid to put Florida back in play

U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Florida on Thursday to push his argument that only Democrats will protect Social Security and Medicare, and try to boost his chances of winning the battleground state that has moved to Republicans in recent years. Biden's trip is part of a blitz to at least 20 states by the president and members of his Cabinet following his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday.

In State of the Union speech, Biden challenges Republicans on debt and economy

President Joe Biden challenged Republicans to lift the U.S. debt ceiling and support tax policies that were friendlier to middle class Americans on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that served as a blueprint for his 2024 re-election campaign. Assailing oil companies for making high profits and corporate America for taking advantage of consumers, Biden used his prime time speech to outline progressive priorities of his Democratic Party that are anathema to many Republican lawmakers.

In Wisconsin, Biden touts 'deal' with Republicans on Social Security

Fresh off a State of the Union speech to Congress that challenged opposition Republicans to help unite the country, President Joe Biden embarked on a tour of U.S. states crucial to his expected 2024 re-election bid. In Wisconsin, the Democratic president told workers at a union training facility "it looks like we negotiated a deal last night" on Social Security.

Fresh risk for Adani as MSCI probes free float of group stocks

India's Adani Group faced fresh concerns on Thursday after financial index provider MSCI said it was reviewing the free float designation of some group company securities. Billionaire Gautam Adani has seen some $110 billion wiped off the value of seven firms in the group he founded after U.S. short seller Hindenburg Research accused the group of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation.

U.S. lawmakers try again to end 'forever war' authorizations

Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Thursday seeking to repeal two longstanding authorizations for past wars in Iraq, renewing an ongoing effort to reassert Congress' role in deciding whether to send troops into combat. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, Republican Senator Todd Young, Republican Representatives Tom Cole and Chip Roy and Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee and Abigail Spanberger led the effort to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force, or AUMFs.

Factbox-Abortion battles in U.S. state capitols to watch in 2023

Battles over abortion are heating up in state capitol buildings across the United States as lawmakers wrestle with how much to restrict or expand abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Here is a snapshot of state legislation seeking to ban or protect abortion access in 2023.

With eye on China, U.S. Democrats want more resources for Indo-Pacific

Washington must commit more diplomatic and security resources to the Indo-Pacific to push back against China as Beijing seeks to create a regional sphere of influence and become the world's most influential power, U.S. Senate Democrats said on Thursday. The majority Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued the report - seen by Reuters before its release - almost exactly a year after President Joe Biden's administration released its strategy to modernize alliances in the region, strengthen emerging partnerships and invest in relationships.

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