Today, the full House passed legislation that would ban assault weapons for the first time in nearly two decades. The measure stands virtually no chance in the evenly divided Senate, but Democrats hope that House passage will send a message that the party is serious about gun-safety legislation following a spate of high-profile mass shootings across the country.
Earlier Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) held a ceremony to celebrate passage of the $280 billion Chips and Science Act, a measure that would subsidize domestic semiconductor manufacturing and invest billions in science and technology innovation. The legislation now goes to President Biden for his signature.
Meanwhile, Pelosi did not say whether she intends to visit Taiwan when asked about an upcoming trip to Asia during her weekly news conference. Her office has been silent on her plans to this point, citing security issues. Some Biden administration officials are concerned that Chinese leaders would see a visit by Pelosi to Taiwan as a provocation.
