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President Donald Trump officially declared the opioid epidemic a "national public health emergency" in an announcement at the White House Thursday. The move diverges from previous promises -- even as recently as Wednesday night -- to declare the epidemic a "national emergency." "Effective today my administration is officially declaring the opioid crisis a national public health emergency under federal law," the president said Thursday.

House Republicans narrowly approved the Senate-passed budget resolution Thursday, clearing a procedural hurdle and allowing the House of Representatives to take up a tax overhaul. The bill passed 216–212, with all Democrats and some Republicans opposing the measure.

Most popular on BostonGlobe.com Based on what you've read recently, you might be interested in theses stories WASHINGTON (AP) — In ringing terms, President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency — a step that won’t bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 Americans a day but will expand access to medical services in rural areas, among other changes. ‘‘This epidemic is a national health emergency,’’ Trump said in a speech at the White House, where he bemoaned a crisis he said had spared no segment of American soc

Most popular on BostonGlobe.com Based on what you've read recently, you might be interested in theses stories President Trump approved 2,800 records for release but had “no choice” other than holding others because of national security concerns, officials said.  President Trump outlined his plan for combatting the crisis that is killing more than 100 Americans a day, at times speaking on personal terms.  In a state hard hit by the opioid crisis, addiction specialists call for action and funding to back up President Trump’s words.  More questions arose about the behavior of the US amb

Most popular on BostonGlobe.com Based on what you've read recently, you might be interested in theses stories DATA: Twitter Daniel McLaughlin / Globe Staff © 2017 Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC

Most popular on BostonGlobe.com Based on what you've read recently, you might be interested in theses stories So what is happening?   CAPITAL SOURCE The GOP candidate for the US Senate collected about $50,000 in nearly six weeks between forming her fund-raising committee and Sept.

Most popular on BostonGlobe.com Based on what you've read recently, you might be interested in theses stories President Trump approved 2,800 records for release but had “no choice” other than holding others because of national security concerns, officials said.  President Trump outlined his plan for combatting the crisis that is killing more than 100 Americans a day, at times speaking on personal terms.  In a state hard hit by the opioid crisis, addiction specialists call for action and funding to back up President Trump’s words.  More questions arose about the behavior of the US amb

Potential changes to 401(k) accounts appeared to get new life on Wednesday, with a key GOP chairman declining to rule out their inclusion in tax legislation and President Trump leaving room for negotiation.  Trump on Monday seemed to take a hard line against changing the rules for retirement plans, tweeting that “there will be NO change to your 401(k).” But on Wednesday morning, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman MORE (R-Texas) — the lead drafter of the tax-reform bill — didn’t give a definitive answer when asked whether changes to 401(k)s were still being consid

The Justice Department on Wednesday night released a former FBI informant from a confidentiality agreement, allowing him to testify before Congress about what he witnessed undercover about the Russian nuclear industry’s efforts to win favorable decisions during the Obama administration. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores confirmed to The Hill a deal had been reached clearing the informant to talk to Congress for the first time, nearly eight years after he first went undercover for the FBI.  “As of tonight, the Department of Justice has authorized the in

Current and past leaders of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) say they had no knowledge that the national party was helping to fund a dossier compiled by a British spy that contained scandalous accusations about President Trump.