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If there was any doubt that the state of our union is divided, look no further than what has transpired over the last month – we had the longest government shutdown in history, which cost our economy $11 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Not to mention the uncertainty about what happens after Feb.15 if Congress doesn't reach a compromise to keep the government open.

President Donald Trump will deliver his second State of the Union address Tuesday night. Two of his former housekeepers, both immigrants, will watch from the House chamber.

Each member of Congress gets at least one ticket for a guest, and though some bring family members, many are accompanied by a constituent whose story helps illustrate a policy priority.

A major perk of being the majority party in the U.S. Congress is getting to fill the leadership slots on every committee. For several new Democratic legislators, however, having their party regain control of the House of Representatives also creates an unprecedented opportunity to shape U.S. science policy.

On Wednesday, the newly configured House science committee will convene for the first time to adopt its rules and structure. To no one's surprise, the 39-member committee will choose Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–TX) as its chairwoman.

Newberg city officials recently held a marathon discussion with the owners of the defunct WestRock paper mill, discussing the vision for the mill property as well as the future of the riverfront area.

Mayor Rick Rogers, City Manager Joe Hannan, Community Development Director Doug Rux and Public Works Director Jay Harris all met with WestRock officials to discuss the property. Rux said the meeting was mostly just to communicate the master plan for the riverfront area the city is working on, as it includes the property the mill sits on.

At the start of the year, the 116th Congress was sworn into office, immediately becoming the most diverse Congress in history—all in the midst of a record-long government shutdown. Now, just days after the government has reopened, these members are ready to get to work on the issues that brought them to D.C. in the first place. On Tuesday night, during Rep.

The Democratic majority on the U.S. House of Representatives' education and labor committee has created a new subcommittee on civil rights and human services, which also will include a focus on equal employment opportunities, nutrition programs and the Older Americans Act.

Representative Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon Democrat and former consumer protection lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission, will lead the subcommittee. She also will serve on the higher education and work-force investment subcommittee.