Biden tries to unite Democrats on agenda
CBSN
In a series of meetings Wednesday, President Biden sought to bring Democrats together to pass his ambitious "build back better" agenda contained in two bills, one a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that would rebuild and repair traditional infrastructure in the U.S., and a broad $3.5 trillion measure that will have to pass with only the support of Democrats.
Mr. Biden met with three sets of Democrats, but there was little sign of movement after the meetings. House Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal said after the meeting that "a majority of our 96-member caucus will only vote for the small infrastructure bill after the Build Back Better Act passes."
So, although the Senate has already passed the bipartisan bill, which would be the biggest infrastructure bill approved in almost two decades, the House has not yet acted on it. At the same time, at least two moderate Democratic senators say the other bill's $3.5 trillion price tag is too high, and maintain it must be trimmed before they'll support it.
Ashley White received her earliest combat action badge from the United States Army soon after the first lieutenant arrived in Afghanistan. The silver military award, recognizing soldiers who've been personally engaged by an attacker during conflict, was considered an achievement in and of itself as well as an affirming rite of passage for the newly deployed. White had earned it for using her own body to shield a group of civilian women and children from gunfire that broke out in the midst of her third mission in Kandahar province. All of them survived. She never mentioned the badge to anyone in her battalion.
The knock at the door came at nighttime on Mother's Day 2008 in Oregon, where Jessica Ellis' parents lived. It was around 9:20 p.m. and his wife, Linda, was already in bed; her father Steve Ellis told CBS News, that he thought someone let their animals out — but two soldiers in Class A uniforms were standing at the door.