Politics and Government News

MPR News is your hub for the latest politics and government news coverage. Whether you're looking for the status of a recent Supreme Court ruling, or want updates on Minnesota's newest laws, we have comprehensive state and national news coverage ready for you.

The House approved the final version of the annual defense bill with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The legislation is facing several veto threats from the president, which Congress may override.
Simon warns senators not to spread election lies
DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon warned lawmakers against spreading misinformation about election results during a Senate hearing Tuesday convened by a Republican lawmaker who used to hold his job.
Biden's defense pick raises concerns over civilian control of the military
Gen. Lloyd Austin retired from the U.S. Army in 2016. He'll need a waiver from Congress to serve as the top civilian at the Pentagon. It was granted to Trump's first defense chief, Gen. James Mattis.
Feds passed up chance to lock in more Pfizer vaccine doses
The Trump administration's coronavirus vaccine effort is coming under new scrutiny after failing to lock in a chance to buy millions of additional doses of Pfizer's vaccine, which has shown to be highly effective against COVID-19. That decision could delay the delivery of a second batch of doses until manufacturer Pfizer fulfills other international contracts.
Safe harbor law locks Congress into accepting Biden's win
Other than Wisconsin, every state appears to have met a deadline in federal law that essentially means Congress has to accept the electoral votes that will be cast next week and sent to the Capitol for counting on Jan. 6. Those votes will elect Joe Biden as the country's next president.