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Laura Blessing

Senior Fellow, Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Georgetown University
Laura Blessing, Ph.D. is a Senior Fellow at the Government Affairs Institute (GAI) at Georgetown University and also teaches in the McCourt School of Public Policy. Prior to coming to GAI, she earned her PhD from the University of Virginia, where she was also a Miller Center National Fellow and a fellow for the Bankard Fund for Political Economy. Her interests include institutions, political parties, and policy, particularly tax and budget. She has worked on the Hill as an American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellow, serving as the legislative assistant for tax policy for a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee. She has published on the eroding budget process, tax policy in the 2016 Presidential campaign, social movements and the Presidency, and the importance of practical experience in politics informing scholarship. She has engaged in congressional testimony and other public commentary on politics in various media venues, including NPR’s Marketplace, CSPAN, and other politics outlets. She is currently working on a book on the politics of tax policy from the midcentury period to today.

Why the crisis in Israel is putting pressure on GOP to act over vacant House speaker role

Oct 12, 2023 07:30 am UTC| Politics

In the wake of the Hamas surprise attacks on Israel, and that countrys resulting heavy military response, calls for Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to pick a new speaker quickly have grown, including from...

What will this government shutdown shut down? Social Security and the IRS keep going; SBA loans and some food and safety inspections do not

Sep 28, 2023 02:48 am UTC| Economy Politics

The U.S. is moving toward a government shutdown. House and Senate appropriators are divided on spending levels, policy riders and additional items, such as support for Ukraine. As a political scientist who studies the...

Economy

Asian Markets Slide as Nvidia Earnings, U.S.-Iran Tensions and AI Valuations Weigh on Investor Sentiment

Asian stock markets declined on Friday as investors pulled back from risk assets, pressured by concerns over elevated technology valuations and persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite strong quarterly...

Gold Prices Steady in Asia, Set for Strong February Gains on Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices held firm during Asian trading on Friday, positioning the precious metal for solid monthly gains as rising geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty boosted safe-haven demand. Investors continued to...

Venezuela Oil Exports to Reach $2 Billion Under U.S.-Led Supply Agreement

Venezuelas oil exports under a flagship oil supply agreement with the United States are projected to reach $2 billion by the end of February, according to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Speaking to reporters in...

Stock Market Movers: Dell, Block, Duolingo, Zscaler, CoreWeave, Autodesk, Rocket, MARA

Major U.S. stocks posted sharp moves following earnings reports, updated guidance, and strategic announcements, driving heightened activity across the broader stock market. Dell Technologies (DELL) surged 11% after...

PBOC Scraps FX Risk Reserves to Curb Rapid Yuan Appreciation

Chinas central bank has taken fresh steps to manage the rapid appreciation of the yuan, signaling concern over the currencys recent strength against the U.S. dollar. On Friday, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) announced it...

Politics

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Meets President Trump to Tackle Housing Crisis and ICE Detentions

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described his latest White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump as productive, highlighting discussions on affordable housing and recent student detentions by federal...

U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Show Progress but No Breakthrough Amid Rising Military Tensions

The United States and Iran reported progress in high-stakes negotiations over Tehrans nuclear program, but no final agreement was reached, leaving the threat of potential U.S. military action still looming. Mediator Oman...

Philippines, U.S., and Japan Conduct Joint Naval Drills in South China Sea to Boost Maritime Security

The navies of the Philippines, the United States, and Japan carried out joint military exercises in the South China Sea this week, reinforcing defense cooperation and regional maritime security. The Armed Forces of the...

Denver Mayor Orders Police to Protect Protesters, Restricts ICE Access to City Property

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has signed a new executive order directing city police to protect peaceful protesters during federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and prohibiting ICE agents from using...

USITC to Review Impact of Revoking China’s PNTR Status, Potentially Raising Tariffs on Chinese Imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) announced Thursday that it will investigate the economic impact of revoking Chinas Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, a move that could significantly increase...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nintendo Share Sale: MUFG and Bank of Kyoto to Sell Stakes in Strategic Unwinding

Nintendo is reportedly preparing a major unwinding of strategic cross-shareholdings that could see MUFG Bank and the Bank of Kyoto sell significant stakes in the iconic Super Mario maker. According to sources familiar with...

Hyundai Motor Group to Invest $6.26 Billion in AI Data Center, Robotics and Renewable Energy Projects in South Korea

Hyundai Motor Group has signed a landmark agreement with the South Korean government to invest approximately 9 trillion won ($6.26 billion) in major industrial and technology projects along the countrys western coast....

Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company will not comply with a Pentagon request to remove critical AI safeguards, despite reported threats that the Department of Defense (DoD) could cut ties and block the firm from its...

Meta Signs Multi-Billion Dollar AI Chip Deal With Google to Power Next-Gen AI Models

Meta Platforms has reportedly entered a multi-billion dollar agreement with Google to rent advanced artificial intelligence chips, marking a major step in the intensifying race to dominate AI infrastructure. According to...

Coupang Reports Q4 Loss After Data Breach, Revenue Misses Estimates

Coupang reported a fourth-quarter loss and revenue below market expectations, as the South Korean e-commerce giant continues to grapple with the fallout from a massive data breach. The company posted $8.8 billion in...