In the News

This week, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania's 13th district joined Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez and Senator Kamala D. Harris in introducing a bill in both chambers that would seek to avoid the ambiguity that has surrounded the final death toll from Hurricane Maria to be repeated in the event of other natural disasters.

The Counting Our Unexpected Natural Tragedies (COUNT) Victims Act is designed to ensure an accurate death toll in the event of natural disasters so that adequate federal aid and resources are allocated.

Sure, there's North Korea.

But Northern Ireland is also on Washington's foreign policy to-do list.

Or so it is to be hoped.

As Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson scrapped the post of U.S. Special Envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process.

Before leaving office he revived it.

Separately, President Trump had indicated his support for the idea.

About 18 percent of eligible Democratic and Republican voters cast ballots during last month's primary election, according to unofficial returns, a slightly better turnout than the last midterm election.

But it's hardly a bellwether for citizen enthusiasm in the nation's democratic electoral process.

So, why haven't droves of voters gone to the polls?

Two Philadelphia-area Democratic lawmakers think they have part of the answer: It's Tuesday's fault.

WASHINGTON — Philadelphia's three congressmen on Friday urged House leaders to devote federal money to repairing the city's schools, which are suffering from mold, deteriorated asbestos, and peeling lead paint.

The letter from Democrats Bob Brady, Brendan Boyle and Dwight Evans came in response to the Inquirer and Daily News series "Toxic City: Sick Schools," which detailed the conditions and the sometimes devastating health consequences for school children.

Doubts have been raised about the appointment of a US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had not considered the matter.

Mr. Pompeo, appearing before a session of the House Foreign Relations Committee, was questioned about the matter by Philadelphia Congressman Brendan Boyle. But he indicated that he was not aware of the proposed appointment and a letter by 32 members of Congress late last year requesting that the position be filled.

The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday released more information about a temporary program to help social workers, teachers and other public servants at risk of missing out on federal student loan forgiveness because they enrolled in the wrong repayment plan.

Congress included a measure in the fiscal 2018 budget for a limited expansion of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a program that cancels federal student debt after 10 years of on-time payments for people who take jobs in the public sector.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Protesters gathered at City Hall on Monday, amid the historic transition of moving the U.S. embassy in Israel, from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

[That same day], Philadelphia, for the first time in the city's history, raised the Israeli flag over City Hall on the 70th anniversary of Israel's Independence Day.

"We are ecstatic to be able to celebrate Israel in this way," Naomi Adler, president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said.

The Irish government is standing in line with European partners in opposing the decision by President Donald Trump to rescind U.S. participation in the Iran nuclear deal.

"I am greatly disappointed by the U.S. announcement that it is withdrawing from the nuclear agreement with Iran, the JCPOA," said Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney.