Author
Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.
New Jersey Monitor is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Vulnerable U.S. House Republicans who opposed student debt plan targeted in 2024
By: Ashley Murray - July 6, 2023
Critics take aim at GOP lawmakers in the 2024 election after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s student debt relief plan.
‘This is not a normal court,’ says Biden as GOP opponents praise affirmative action ruling
By: Ashley Murray - June 29, 2023
President Biden called the decision to end affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina “severely disappointing."
US Supreme Court strikes down use of affirmative action in college admissions
By: Ariana Figueroa and Ashley Murray - June 29, 2023
Chief Justice John Roberts said the admissions processes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
US Senate Democrats ask for more specifics on SNAP changes resulting from debt deal
By: Ashley Murray - June 27, 2023
The deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling expands work requirements for adults without dependents age 18 to 55, raising the previous cutoff age of 49.
White House unveils $42.5B to connect every American to high-speed broadband internet
By: Ashley Murray - June 26, 2023
Twenty-four million people lack access to high-speed internet because networks do not reach their homes or because of affordability issues, the White House said.
Swelling crowd of top military nominees blocked from U.S. Senate vote by Tuberville
By: Ashley Murray - June 16, 2023
Sen. Tommy Tuberville is provoking concern among his own party members as the highest-ranking U.S. Marine is set to retire July 10, and as Pentagon officials warn that the delay on nominations weakens military readiness
Tougher ethics rules for U.S. Supreme Court justices advocated in Senate hearing
By: Ashley Murray - June 15, 2023
The series of Senate hearings came after recent revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’ luxury travel and real estate transactions with a GOP donor.
Statue of renowned author Willa Cather unveiled in U.S. Capitol
By: Ashley Murray - June 8, 2023
Cather wrote the widely acclaimed “O Pioneers!,” “My Ántonia” and the Pulitzer-winning “One of Ours,” depicting the human experience in Nebraska and beyond in the years surrounding the turn of the 20th century.
Hate groups’ political influence growing, watchdog says
By: Ashley Murray - June 6, 2023
The report attributes some trends to “growing GOP extremism,” citing comments Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia made about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
New work requirements for some SNAP recipients included in debt limit deal
By: Ashley Murray - May 30, 2023
Work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and other government benefits were a sticking point during the months of stalemate.
Fentanyl-related drugs permanently made criminal under bill passed by U.S. House
By: Ashley Murray - May 26, 2023
The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently categorize lab-made substances with similar chemical structures to fentanyl among the most strictly regulated drugs under U.S. law.
Biden and McCarthy strike positive tone after debt limit talks, but no deal yet
By: Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray - May 24, 2023
Neither man divulged details about what remains unresolved nor how soon they hope to reach an agreement.