Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Almost two months have passed since the House of Representatives narrowly voted to approve two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, an election-year move so divisive that it required two attempts to pass the narrowly Republican-controlled chamber. Trump says abortion laws should be decided by US states Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Monday that abortion laws should be determined by U.S. states, stopping short of proposing a national ban that could have imperiled his chances with swing voters in the November election.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden plans to cancel student loan debt, 23 million Americans may be impacted

President Joe Biden announced on Monday plans to ease student debt that would benefit at least 23 million Americans, addressing a key issue for young voters whose support he needs as he seeks re-election in November. The plans, which the Democratic president detailed in Madison, Wisconsin, include cancelling up to $20,000 of accrued and capitalized interest for borrowers, regardless of income, which Biden's administration estimates would eliminate the entirety of that interest for 23 million borrowers.

US Justice Dept rebuffs Republican demand for audio of Biden interview

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday rebuffed demands by Republicans in the House of Representatives to hand over audio recordings of President Joe Biden's interviews with a special counsel whose report questioning Biden's memory set off a political firestorm. Special Counsel Robert Hur angered House Republicans by deciding not to pursue criminal charges against Democrat Biden for retaining classified records dating back to his time serving as vice president under Barack Obama. The department had charged Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for keeping classified documents after he left the White House.

US Republicans urge Ukraine aid vote, after 'Russian propaganda' warnings

Former U.S. President Donald Trump's secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, added his voice on Monday to growing calls from prominent Republicans to pass billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine, after some party members accused aid opponents of succumbing to Russian propaganda. Democratic President Joe Biden's request for $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel and other allies passed the U.S. Senate with 70% support but has been stalled for weeks in the House of Representatives as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to allow a vote.

Total solar eclipse: North Americans celebrate with cheers, music and matrimony

Throngs of skywatchers across North America gazed upward at a blackened sun in the midday dusk on Monday, celebrating with cheers, music and matrimony the first total solar eclipse to darken the continent in seven years. From a Mexican beach resort close to where the eclipse made landfall to the banks of the Ohio River and farther north beyond the roaring cascades of Niagara Falls at the U.S.-Canadian border, spellbound crowds reacted to the sight of "totality" with jaw-dropping expressions of awe and joy.

Senate Republican leader backs legislation to force Chinese divestment of TikTok

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday called for legislation to force TikTok's parent company, China's ByteDance, to divest the short video app used by 170 million Americans. "Requiring the divestment of Beijing-influenced entities from TikTok would land squarely within established constitutional precedent," McConnell said, adding "it wouldbegin to turn back the tide of an enormous threat to America's children."

Actor Jonathan Majors avoids jail after domestic violence conviction

Jonathan Majors, a fast-rising Hollywood star before domestic violence charges derailed his career, avoided jail and was sentenced to one year of domestic-violence counseling on Monday after being found guilty of attacking his former girlfriend. The sentence was imposed by Justice Michael Gaffey of the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, where Majors was convicted on Dec. 18 of one count each of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, neither a felony, against Grace Jabbari.

Tesla settles case over fatal Autopilot crash of Apple engineer

Tesla has settled a lawsuit over a 2018 car crash that killed an Apple engineer after his Model X, operating on Autopilot, swerved off a highway near San Francisco, court documents showed on Monday. The settlement was made on the eve of the trial over the high-profile accident involving Tesla's driver assistant technology, ending a five-year legal battle.

Trump loses last-ditch bid to delay hush money trial

A New York state appellate judge on Monday denied Donald Trump's bid to delay his April 15 criminal trial on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star while the former U.S. president seeks to move the case out of Manhattan. Associate Justice Lizbeth Gonzalez issued her decision shortly after a half-hour hearing at the Appellate Division in Manhattan, a mid-level state appeals court.

Republican impeachment of Biden's border chief may see swift end in Senate

The Democratic-majority U.S. Senate is likely to bring a quick end this week to House Republicans' months-long drive to impeach President Joe Biden's top border official, who they accuse of failing to deter record-setting levels of illegal immigration. Almost two months have passed since the House of Representatives narrowly voted to approve two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, an election-year move so divisive that it required two attempts to pass the narrowly Republican-controlled chamber.

Trump says abortion laws should be decided by US states

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Monday that abortion laws should be determined by U.S. states, stopping short of proposing a national ban that could have imperiled his chances with swing voters in the November election. Trump previously signaled support for a ban beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy but said political considerations were paramount in the first presidential election since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, ending a nearly 50-year federal right to the procedure.

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