Torrence Banks

Capitol Hill reporter @BGOV. @merrillcollege @Morehouse alum | Past: @NOTUS | @usnews | @Miamiherald | @wsmv | Tip? Contact me on Signal: BanksReports37.40

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Yesterday was my final day @washingtonsun. I’m grateful for my experience, and the variety of talented reporters and editors I had a chance to work with along the way.

Later this month, I will be going to @BGOV as a Capitol Hill reporter. I’m looking forward to joining the team!

[Rachel Schilke @rachel_schilke]

New: On Election Night, Speaker Mike Johnson got a call from Majority Leader Steve Scalise. He wanted to know if Johnson planned to seek the GOP leader post before deciding his own plans.

Johnson, in his trademark style, thought on it and prayed with his wife of 27 years, Kelly. He called Scalise back and said, “I’m releasing you. If you need to make calls to friends…no harm, no foul, because I can’t make this decision yet.” The next morning, Johnson told his staff he wouldn’t seek the leader position.

“I have a real peace in my heart in knowing there's not a single additional thing I could have done to change the outcome of the Election Night,” he told me and @MaeveSheehey.

In his *first* sitdown interview since the midterms, Johnson discussed his rapid ascension to the speakership in 2023, his decade in the House prior, and the three years holding the gavel. We reveal new details into Johnson’s Election Night, his methodology for dealing with lawmakers (lots of patience and Scripture), and what comes next.

Johnson said he promised his colleagues transparency and a “member-driven, bottom up” approach.

“If there’s any contribution I made to the institution,” he said, “I hope that’s how it’s reflected.”

Read more from us @BGOV
https://t.co/33YzCSMu0h

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

This week, I contributed to Bloomberg's Business of Sports Newsletter. I wrote about the prospects of the Protect College Sports Act after the election. Check it out below:

https://t.co/Lu4ksiehGN

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

Federal college sports regulations face an uncertain path in Congress’ lame-duck session following a dominant midterm performance by Democrats that saw them win control of both the House and Senate. https://t.co/FmsglVmb11

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Officials and tax experts say a proposed change to the 2030 census that would use tax records to verify address could cause a significant number of respondents to be undercounted or counted at an address that isn’t their home.
https://t.co/m6Oiznkgy7

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Researchers are concerned that a citizenship question and other proposed changes for the next census in 2030 will create faulty data for businesses, local governments, and other organizations that rely on the statistics to make decisions.

https://t.co/EFhN07wwKg

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Exclusive: A business nonprofit estimates the Trump administration’s proposed changes to data collected in the next census could affect $778 billion in capital investment and market-related spending each year.
https://t.co/5w2jBljlVT

[Seamus Hughes @SeamusHughes]

A few months ago, a Bloomberg Law editor threatened me with a good time.

"...according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of 11,000 pages of files that were accessible only by going to the court in person and obtaining them on paper."

https://t.co/a7CQmwwSAP

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Several Senators were still pushing for changes to the Protect College Sports Act ahead of today's procedural votes.

Rep. Michael Baumgartner, lead sponsor of the House's companion measure, gave the bill a 60% chance of becoming law if it advances @BGOV

https://t.co/ns8rtwgiFm

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

Senate Democrats are panning the latest text of a bill meant to regulate cryptocurrency. Democrats weren’t ready to commit Monday regarding a Senate procedural vote, citing concerns over the ethics language as their main deterrent. https://t.co/bhp7GUUosP

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Monday his bill providing nationwide guidelines to college sports will be voted on “within the next 10 days.” https://t.co/hgstrVXS3A

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Intraparty disputes and the revelation of loopholes that would prevent enforcement of athlete protections against sexual assault and hazing injuries are threatening passage of a bill providing federal standards for college sports. @BGOV

https://t.co/KNXBzPV8CU

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Rep. Richard Hudson said last week legislation to modernize 911 communications has gained momentum following a cost study released in April.

Funding challenges has left some supporters skeptical that they'll be able to get it to the House floor.
@BGOV

https://t.co/Vl54fQxVWm

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

Out on the campaign trail, Democrats and Republicans alike are bashing data centers, aiming to use the animosity and suspicion over the facilities as political fuel. It’s one of the few issues that unite high-profile candidates in both parties. https://t.co/DXlbttyx14

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

House Republicans Can Request Election Observers for Midterms https://t.co/AiodabCqpe

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is working on legislation to curb the taxes on earnings from endorsement deals after a legal change allowed student-athletes to license their personas.

@BGOV w/@maconatkinson

https://t.co/Lzf3pX4Q5O

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Lawmakers are advancing efforts to deploy election observers ahead of the November midterms.

Last week, Rep. Joe Morelle, top Democrat on the administration panel, urged lawmakers to ask their staff to volunteer for the election observers program. @BGOV

https://t.co/O3rDu1bvWo

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Lawmakers’ most recent effort to create federal standards for college sports is facing an uncertain path even as its sponsors press for clarity in what has become big business. For @BGOV
https://t.co/xszwOVbybQ

[Rachel Umansky-Castro @rachelj_uc]

Senate Democrats tell me they are still pushing for a 2-year delay in the GOP tax law's provision forcing states to shoulder more of SNAP's costs. w/@BanksTorrence

[Torrence Banks @BanksTorrence]

Lawmakers are holding off on supporting legislation meant to bar certain private equity firms and other large investors from funding local sports programs, as parents of young athletes face rising participation costs.

https://t.co/BgD2SuibdI

[Bloomberg Government @BGOV]

Bipartisan legislation authorizing water infrastructure projects across the country advanced unanimously out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday. https://t.co/Zq0nMKXQ1f