Free Republic

Washington — A commission that advises the federal government on architecture and the arts voted Thursday to approve President Trump's overhaul of the White House East Wing, clearing a key hurdle before above-ground construction can begin on a new ballroom. Six members of the Commission of Fine Arts voted to give final approval of the project after discussing the plans at a virtual meeting. One member, the original architect of the ballroom, recused himself. All of the members were appointed by the president after he fired the previous members in October.

The Trump administration said it's ending a credit for automakers that install a so-called "start/stop feature" in the vehicles, part of a broader rollback of environmental regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The start/stop feature, which is today widely used in newer vehicles, shuts off gas engines when cars idle, such as when they're stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic. The Environmental Protection Agency described the technology as "almost universally hated" in its Thursday announcement about the broader overhaul. About two-thirds of cars are now manufactured with the start/stop feature, which is aimed at making internal combustion...