This week in Washington

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks at a news conference with Republican leadership following the weekly Republican caucus luncheon. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI

Actress and Board Member of People For the American Way Alyssa Milano speaks during a protest sponsored by The League of Women Voters, People for the American Way and Declaration for American Democracy Coalition to put pressure on the Biden Administration to take action on voting rights and end the filibuster outside the White House in Washington, DC., on Tuesday, October 19, 2021. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Participants of a League of Women Voters rally hold signs in support of D.C. statehood outside the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Executive Director of the ACLU of D.C. Monica Hopkins speaks at the rally. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Delegate to the House of Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., speaks at the rally. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Participants of a League of Women Voters rally hold signs and a 51 star flag in support of D.C. statehood. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Chris Magnus, police chief in Tucson, Ariz., appears before the Senate finance committee considering his nomination to be commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Photo by Rod Lamkey/UPI

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., speaks to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., before the start of the hearing. Pool Photo by Mandel Ngan/UPI

Magnus testifies before the committee. Pool Photo by Mandel Ngan/UPI

President Joe Biden speaks with reporters during the Council of Chief State School Officers' 2020 and 2021 State and National Teachers of the Year event on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday. About 100 teachers were honored for their excellence in teaching and commitment to students' learning. Photo by Al Drago/UPI

First lady Jill Biden (R) applauds Juliana Urtubey, 2021 National Teacher of the Year, during the event. Urtubey is an elementary special education teacher in Las Vegas. Photo by Al Drago/UPI

Jill Biden (L), who teaches writing at a Virginia community college, hugs Urtubey. The first lady praised teachers for their hard work during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Al Drago/UPI

The American flag flies at half-staff afer the death of Colin Powell, former U.S. secretary of state, at the White House. Photo by Al Drago/UPI