Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team has read this week.
Articles of Impeachment: The House Judiciary Committee has approved two articles of impeachment against President Trump, one for Obstruction of Congress and one for Abuse of Power. After a 14 hour debate lasting well into Thursday night, the Committee voted to send the articles to the full House. Republicans argue the articles are rushed and biased, while Democrats argue impeachment is their constitutional duty. If the full House votes to approve the articles next week, President Trump will be the third US President to be impeached. Live updates at CNN.
Defense Bill to Include Foreign Influence Provisions: The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is set to be passed imminently, will create two new bodies aimed at preventing the theft of sensitive research. One body will be based at the White House and will work to protect research from foreign threats. Meanwhile, another body will be based at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and will bring together academics, industry leaders, and government officials to discuss how best to protect American research. Full story at Science Magazine.
Brits Go to the Polls: The UK General Elections were on Thursday, December 12th. The Conservative Party led by PM Boris Johnson won a major victory. Updates at BBC.
America Needs Rural Physicians: A special issue of Health Affairs featured research analyzing the trend of rural students entering medical colleges. In a time when rural physicians are desperately needed, the less students from rural areas are applying to medical school. The article notes students from rural areas are more likely to return to practice in their hometown and bring new perspective to medical school classes. Full story at Reuters.