Senate

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Senators Near Deal on Immigration Reform

Bipartisan group includes Rubio, Schumer: Washington Post

(Newser) - Comprehensive immigration reform has been stuck in limbo for years, but President Obama's domination of the ever-growing Latino vote last fall seems to have changed that, reports the Washington Post . It says a group of six senators from both parties—including Florida's Marco Rubio—is close to the...

Saxby Chambliss Won't Seek Re-election

Republican decides to avoid potential 2014 primary challenge

(Newser) - Saxby Chambliss will announce today that he doesn't intend to run for re-election when his Senate term ends in 2014, sources tell the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Chambliss reportedly told his senior staff about the decision this morning. Chambliss was considered one of the Republicans most ripe for a primary challenge...

Reid, McConnell Close to Deal on Filibuster

But don't expect a return to actually having to talk to do it

(Newser) - Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell are close to a deal to tweak the filibuster, in an agreement that will likely disappoint proponents of a major overhaul, but save Reid the hand-wringing that would come if he used the so-called " nuclear option " to reform the rules without GOP cooperation....

Washington's Next Brawl: Senate's Budget Plan

Schumer: A 'great opportunity' for new revenues

(Newser) - So the fiscal cliff battle is over, and House Republicans look ready to approve a debt-ceiling increase through March. But taxes aren't out of the spotlight: Now, the stage is set for a tussle over Senate Democrats' budget blueprint, which Dems like Charles Schumer are calling "a great...

House to Vote on 3-Month Debt Ceiling Bump

But they'll demand that Senate pass budget in exchange

(Newser) - House Republicans have decided to vote on a bill to raise the debt ceiling for three months—provided the Senate agrees to pass a budget by the April 15 statutory deadline, John Boehner announced in his closing remarks for his caucus's three-day Williamsburg retreat. "Before there is any...

After Meeting, Chuck Schumer Backs Hagel

Nominee 'regrets' comment on 'Jewish lobby'

(Newser) - Amid concerns over Chuck Hagel's past comments on "the Jewish lobby," leading Jewish Democrat Chuck Schumer had a 90-minute one-on-one with the Pentagon nominee, and emerged supporting his confirmation. Schumer came to the conclusion, despite "previous concerns," and applauded Hagel's support for "Israel'...

Barney Frank on Senate: 'Coach, Put Me In!'

Former congressman admits he'd like John Kerry's seat

(Newser) - Barney Frank wants to temporarily fill John Kerry's probably-soon-to-be-empty Senate seat, and he's not making a secret of it. "I'm not going to be coy. It's not something I've ever been good at. I've told the governor that I would now like, frankly,...

Joe Biden: 'Spread Your Legs, You're Gonna Be Frisked'

VP is Biden-esque form at mock swearing-in of senators

(Newser) - Joe Biden was in jokesy Uncle Joe mode today at the mock swearing-in of new senators. BuzzFeed takes note of the most talked-about line, when he bantered with North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp and her family as they got directions from the photographer:
  • “Spread your legs. You’re gonna
...

Goodbye, 112th Congress, We Hardly Liked Ye
Goodbye, 112th Congress,
We Hardly Liked Ye
OPINION
Jan 3, 2013 10:42 AM CST

Goodbye, 112th Congress, We Hardly Liked Ye

Pundits remind us just how do-nothing this Congress has been

(Newser) - Today sees the end of the 112th Congress and the start of the 113th , and that has a few pundits shedding a tear—from laughing so hard at how futile and ridiculous this last wave of Congress has been. Among the adieus to the 112th:
  • Gail Collins, the New York
...

Congress Votes Down Pay Hike for Itself

Obama's executive order draws fire

(Newser) - It seems lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can agree on one thing: They don't deserve a raise. The Senate's fiscal cliff bill contains a single sentence provision that will stop Congress from getting a scheduled cost-of-living salary bump, Roll Call reports. President Obama had issued an...

8 Senators Rejected Cliff Deal
 8 Senators Rejected Cliff Deal 
Jan 1, 2013 7:55 AM CST

8 Senators Rejected Cliff Deal

3 Democrats, 5 Republicans said no to bipartisan plan

(Newser) - A deal to neutralize the fiscal cliff cruised through the Senate 89-8 in a late-night session and is headed for the House, whose session today begins at noon . The deal contains the first federal income tax hike in nearly 20 years, but the eight refuseniks weren't all Republicans, the...

Senate Passes Cliff Deal
 Senate Passes Cliff Deal 
Jan 1, 2013 2:28 AM CST

Senate Passes Cliff Deal

Plan sails through 89-8; House vote comes later

(Newser) - The Senate passed legislation early New Year's Day to neutralize a fiscal cliff combination of across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that kicked in at midnight. The vote two hours after the deadline was a lopsided 89-8 in favor. Senate passage set the stage for a final showdown in...

McConnell: We've Agreed 'on All Tax Issues'

GOP senator calls for passage of 'tax relief portion now'

(Newser) - Hours away from the fiscal cliff deadline, GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor today that "we've reached an agreement on all of the tax issues." He added that negotiators are "very, very close" to striking a deal and said he agreed with President...

Senate Report Blasts State Dept. on Benghazi

Lieberman-Collins report echoes independent probe

(Newser) - The State Department didn't provide its Benghazi team with enough protection against possible threats, a bipartisan Senate report finds, marking the second slap at State this month over the Libya attack. What's more, intelligence pointed to the attack being the work of terrorists all along—but the Obama...

There's Hope: 'Major Progress' on Fiscal Cliff

But sticking points exist after flurry of overnight negotiations

(Newser) - So just where are we on the fiscal cliff? After Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid hit an impasse yesterday , McConnell called in Joe Biden, and after a flurry of offers that included President Obama and went throughout the night, Politico finds "major progress" and reason for hope this morning....

Reid: House 'Watching Movies' as We Go Over Cliff

Accuses Boehner of running House like a 'dictatorship'

(Newser) - It "looks like" America is headed over the fiscal cliff, and if it does, Harry Reid is placing the blame squarely on House Republicans "who are out watching movies," reports Politico . Speaking on the Senate floor this morning, Reid excoriated John Boehner for not simply bringing the...

Ted Kennedy Jr. Won&#39;t Run for Senate
 Affleck Also 
 Not Running 
 for Senate 
UPDATED
Dec 25, 2012 2:14 PM CST

Affleck Also Not Running for Senate

Joins Ted Kennedy Jr. in declining to run for Kerry's seat

(Newser) - Ben Affleck is done being coy about his political ambitions, and is joining the growing list of people who won't be running for John Kerry's Senate seat, reports Politico . "I love Massachusetts and our political process, but I am not running for office," Affleck wrote on...

Fiscal Cliff's Great Last Hope: the Senate?

But Democrats would need assurances from Mitch McConnell

(Newser) - With Plan B dead and gone , could Plan S save the day? The New York Times today shifts its attention from the gridlocked House to the Senate, following yesterday's plea by GOP Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Johnny Isakson to Senate leaders to make a scaled-back deal with President...

Idaho Senator Arrested for Drunk Driving

Mike Crapo previously said that as a Mormon he doesn't drink

(Newser) - A conservative Utah senator has apologized to "my family, my Idaho constituents, and any others who have put their trust in me," after being arrested in Virginia in the wee hours of yesterday morning with a blood-alcohol level of .11, reports Politico . Mike Crapo was arrested after police...

Leahy 3rd in Line to Presidency
 Leahy 3rd in Line to Presidency 
Dec 18, 2012 3:27 PM CST

Leahy 3rd in Line to Presidency

He is now president pro tempore of the Senate

(Newser) - The death of Daniel Inouye of Hawaii yesterday has Democrats shuffling committee posts and such, but one change in particular carries some import with the Constitution. Patrick Leahy of Vermont got sworn in as president pro tempore of the Senate, which puts him third in line to the presidency behind...

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