Author: Ledyard King, USA TODAY

Thirty-one states have a minimum wage law below $10. No state has a minimum wage at $15 or above, though the District of Columbia does.

In her first month in office, Vice President Kamala Harris has broken more Senate ties than Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Walter Mondale.

COVID efforts, $15 minimum wage and racial justice efforts will now need moderates in Congress.

The start of Biden’s presidency will be anything but normal with his remarkable inauguration illustrating the difficulty in calming a divided U.S.

Congress meets Wednesday in what may be a marathon joint session to count the Electoral College votes. Republicans are expected to challenge results.

The bill addresses the fallout of a virus that has killed more than 320,000 American and forced scores of businesses to shut down and lay off workers.

The delay imperils not only the $900 billion COVID relief bill but also a $1.4 trillion spending bill that would keep the government open past Monday.

Key states to watch include not only perennial toss-ups but also states Trump won solidly four years ago, including Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Texas.

Lawmakers are discussing an extension of the PPP but talks are stalled amid a stalemate over another round of COVID-19 pandemic stimulus relief.