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Tag: U.S. Senate

Thune squeezes Democrats with transgender athlete Senate vote
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National, Washington Examiner

Thune squeezes Democrats with transgender athlete Senate vote

By David Sivak | Washington Examiner Senate Democrats will take a politically difficult vote on Monday when Republicans bring to the floor a bill preventing transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which withholds federal funding to schools that permit transgender participation, is not likely to become law due to the Senate filibuster. But the vote, teed up Thursday by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), suggests the continued potency Republicans see in transgender politics after putting it front and center in the 2024 election. It is one of the first bills Senate GOP leadership is prioritizing since retaking the majority in January. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
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Trump undercuts Lindsey Graham budget plan ahead of key Senate vote
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National, Washington Examiner

Trump undercuts Lindsey Graham budget plan ahead of key Senate vote

By Rachel Schilke | Washington Examiner President Donald Trump sided with House Republicans in a brewing fight over whether to pass his agenda in one or two parts on Wednesday, undercutting Senate GOP leaders poised to take a key vote advancing their plan later this week. In a post to Truth Social, Trump praised both chambers for doing a “SPECTACULAR job of working together” but said House Republicans’ budget resolution, which tackles tax reform alongside priorities such as the border, is better than Sen. Lindsey Graham‘s (R-SC) because it “implements my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it!” The measure put forward by Graham, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, focuses on border security, defense, and energy but l...
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Senate 2026: Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s on the fence for reelection
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National, Washington Examiner

Senate 2026: Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s on the fence for reelection

By Samantha-Jo Roth | Washington Examiner The race for control of the Senate in 2026 has kicked off with incumbents up for reelection making decisions about their political futures, shaking up the map for next year’s midterm elections. Political handicappers like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have predicted that Democrats have few opportunities to claw back the majority. But, Sen. Tina Smith’s (D-MN) retirement announcement this week, the second Democratic incumbent to bow out of the 2026 election after Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), is making their efforts even more challenging. In order to take back control of the chamber next year, Democrats would need a net pickup of four seats, but only a handful...
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Fleetwood: Mitch McConnell has worn out his welcome in politics
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Commentary, National, The Federalist

Fleetwood: Mitch McConnell has worn out his welcome in politics

By Shawn Fleetwood | The Federalist, Commentary Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., may be nearing the end of his political career, but that doesn’t mean he’s done stabbing Republican voters in the back. During the past few days, the former Senate GOP leader has voted against several of President Donald Trump’s high-profile cabinet picks. On Wednesday, McConnell was the lone Republican to side with Senate Democrats in opposing Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation as director of National Intelligence. (Gabbard has notably criticized America’s failed foreign interventionism — a starkly different position than McConnell’s unhinged obsession with engulfing the U.S. in overseas forever wars). READ THE FULL STORY AT THE FEDERALIST Editor’s note: Opinions express...
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Chris Wright, the Coloradan who could head up the Energy Department, wants to cut regulations, return to dominance
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ABC News, National

Chris Wright, the Coloradan who could head up the Energy Department, wants to cut regulations, return to dominance

By ABC News Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be secretary of the Department of Energy, laid out his key priorities, including restoring "energy dominance," increasing technological innovation and cutting regulatory red tape, during a nearly three-hour confirmation hearing on Wednesday. "I see three immediate tasks where I will focus my attention if I get the privilege of being confirmed. The first is to unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore our energy dominance," Wright said. "Second, we must lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs." "Third, we must build things in America again and remove barriers to progress," he added. "Federal policies today make it too easy to stop projects and very hard, hard to start and complete project...
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Why some Trump nominees might be confirmed with a voice vote, and why some might not
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Fox News, National

Why some Trump nominees might be confirmed with a voice vote, and why some might not

By Chad Pergram | Fox News The Senate will likely have a few Cabinet nominees who are relatively non-controversial. In the interest of time, senators could agree to expedite the process and confirm an individual nominee or several nominees by voice vote or unanimous consent. As long as there are no objections among all 100 (currently 99) senators.This speeds things up in the Senate, where floor time is at a premium.However, there’s a good reason why some Democrats may oppose a streamlined process for this. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS
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What a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate means for Americans
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National, Rocky Mountain Voice

What a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate means for Americans

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Republicans held their first U.S. Senate majority from 1869-1871, after the Civil War. When the 119th Congress meets on Jan. 3, 2025, the seventh Republican Senate majority in history will get to work. With this Senate majority, President Trump will likely have the legislative support to enact his GOP platform without significant roadblocks. As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kent., steps down, choosing his successor for the new majority is key. It will shape the Senate's direction. After being sworn in on Jan. 3, the next leader will be chosen. McConnell held a hearing this week to discuss election outcomes. He stressed that, by regaining the Senate, Republicans could "set the guardrails" on legislation. "One of the...
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Senate approves bill to give Colorado two more federal judges
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Senate approves bill to give Colorado two more federal judges

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill on Thursday that would add judgeships to Colorado's federal trial court for the first time in 40 years. The bipartisan JUDGES Act would expand the size of district courts across the country in two-year increments over the next decade. Colorado's U.S. District Court currently has seven presidentially appointed judges, and the number under the bill would increase to nine by 2033. The Judicial Conference of the United States, which is the governing body for the federal courts, has repeatedly recommended Congress give two additional judgeships to Colorado based on caseloads. Data from 2022 showed 558 cases filed per judge on Colorado's federal trial court, a higher number than neighbo...
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Sen. Joe Manchin rethinking retirement is ‘long-shot scenario’, he says
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National, THE HILL

Sen. Joe Manchin rethinking retirement is ‘long-shot scenario’, he says

By ALEXANDER BOLTON | The Hill West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) said in a new interview that he’s still planning on retiring despite Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) reported entreaties that he reconsider his decision not to run for reelection. “I think that’s a long, long, long-shot scenario,” Manchin told CNN’s Manu Raju. “So I don’t anticipate that happening. “I don’t anticipate running.” Manchin announced in early November that he would retire from the Senate and last month ruled out the possibility of launching a third-party bid for president. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE HILL
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How Republican Senate leadership candidates stack up on earmarks
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denvergazette.com, National

How Republican Senate leadership candidates stack up on earmarks

By Samantha-Jo Roth | Washington Examiner The resurgence of earmarks has divided Republicans as Congress grapples with a looming partial government shutdown and the choice for new Senate leadership in the fall. As a second chunk of spending bills are expected to be revealed in the coming days to fund the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, State, and Homeland Security, Senate Republicans remain at odds over more earmarks, or community project funding, which direct federal dollars to specific “pet projects” in members’ home states and districts. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) have declared their candidacy for GOP leader after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will step down after the 2024 electio...
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