Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Floods prompt warnings about tainted U.S. Northeast water supplies

State officials across the U.S Northeast are warning residents about contaminated water following mass floods last week that swept raw sewage, pesticides, runoff fuel and other types of pollutants into private and public water systems. Health officials in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have issued advisories this week cautioning that water sources across the region might not be safe to drink and physical contact could lead to rashes, sore throats and bacterial infections.

Donald Trump loses bid for new trial in E. Jean Carroll abuse case

A federal judge on Wednesday rejected Donald Trump's request for a new trial after a jury found the former U.S. president liable for sexually abusing and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million. In a 59-page decision, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan also dismissed Trump's arguments for reducing damages to less than $1 million.

US Senate considers sweeping defense bill, heads for showdown with House

Leaders of the U.S. Senate said on Wednesday they expected a sweeping defense policy bill to pass the chamber with strong bipartisan support, which could mean a clash with a largely party-line bill approved by the House of Representatives. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell told weekly news conferences they expected members from both parties to back the Senate version of the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA.

Stanford University president to quit after review finds flaws in his research

The president of Stanford University, one of the most prestigious U.S. schools, announced plans on Wednesday to resign his post after an independent review ordered by its board of trustees found flaws in his research as a neuroscientist. Marc Tessier-Lavigne said in a letter to the university community that he would step down effective Aug. 31 as president of Stanford, located in Palo Alto, California, but would remain on the faculty.

Factbox-From Hawaii to North Carolina, a mix of severe weather

Severe weather disrupted parts of the United States on Wednesday, with a tropical storm skirting Hawaii, a tornado ripping over a North Carolina pharmaceutical plant and a relentless heat wave broiling the country's southern tier. Poor air quality, which threatened to cause health issues for millions of Americans over the last few days, lifted in many places. But air heavily laced with smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada lingered in scattered locations.

Biden widens war on junk fees, says US consumers tired of being treated as 'suckers'

The White House on Wednesday expanded its war on junk fees to the rental housing market, announced a crackdown on price-fixing in food and agricultural markets, and unveiled draft merger guidelines as part of an ongoing push to aid U.S. consumers. President Joe Biden, who has made attacks on corporate greed and power a centerpiece of his presidency, explained the government's latest actions at the fifth meeting of his 18-agency Competition Council at the White House on Wednesday.

US Senate Democrats pursue Supreme Court ethics legislation

Senate Democrats are pursuing legislation this week that would set a binding ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court following revelations that some conservative justices have failed to disclose luxury trips and real estate transactions - a measure facing an uphill battle thanks to Republican opposition.

Senate Judiciary Committee members on Thursday are set to debate and vote on a bill introduced by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse that would impose on the top U.S. judicial body new requirements for financial disclosures and for recusal from cases in which a justice may have a conflict of interest.

Louisiana lawmakers reassert ban on gender-affirming care, overriding veto

A ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children is due to take effect in Louisiana on Jan. 1, after the state legislature overrode Governor John Bel Edwards' veto of the bill, according to state officials. The legislature, which acted late on Tuesday, becomes the latest Republican-led state to ban trans-focused healthcare.

New York to distribute flyers telling migrants at U.S.-Mexico border to 'consider another city'

New York City will distribute flyers at the U.S.-Mexico border telling newly arrived migrants to "consider another city" and limit shelter stays for adult asylum seekers to 60 days as the city's Democratic mayor says it is straining to house them. In an announcement on Wednesday, the office of Mayor Eric Adams said the flyers would seek to "combat misinformation at the border" and that the city would help migrants find other housing and "take the next step in their journey."

US House members want Biden to negotiation Taiwan tax deal

Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation on Wednesday that would authorize President Joe Biden's administration to negotiate a tax agreement with Taiwan, seeking to foster investment as Washington works to shore up the island against a rising China. The lawmakers, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and top Democrat Gregory Meeks, said the agreement, similar to a treaty, would facilitate investment, protect against tax evasion and allow businesses in both the United States and Taiwan to avoid double taxation.

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