Jimmy Williams Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing for a test vote on border security and immigration legislation this week. The effort follows a previously blocked attempt in February, which included aid to Israel and Ukraine, but was derailed by opposition from former President Donald Trump. In a letter …
Read More »Manchin and Senate Democrats Strike Deal On Major Health, Climate, Tax Package
Jacob Fischler, Georgia Recorder Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck an agreement Wednesday for a Democrats-only reconciliation package that would allow negotiations on some Medicare prescription drugs, end corporate tax loopholes and address climate change as well as invest in energy projects. President …
Read More »Senate Strikes Bipartisan Agreement On $10 Billion In COVID-19 Funding
by Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent April 4, 2022 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate reached a bipartisan deal on pandemic aid funding Monday, settling on $10 billion for added testing, treatment and vaccines. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney released separate statements …
Read More »Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson Meets With Top Members Of U.S. Senate
by Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent March 3, 2022 WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began the arduous Senate confirmation process last week, meeting on Capitol Hill with four key senators. Jackson, who would become the first Black woman on the court if confirmed, started her morning with …
Read More »80+ Democrats Urge Pres. Biden to Deliver on Promise to Cancel Student Loan Debt
United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y), and United States Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 Senate and House colleagues calling on the Biden administration to release the Department of Education’s (ED) …
Read More »Student loan payment pause is extended — but many lawmakers and borrowers want more
Nadra Nittle Originally published by The 19th President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he’s extending the pandemic pause on federal student loan payments through May 1, 2022, a move that drew both quick praise from advocates and renewed calls to cancel student debt outright. A moratorium on payments has been …
Read More »Senate Republicans Block John Lewis Voting Rights Bill
Senate Republicans have once again blocked Democrats’ attempt to pass significant voting rights legislation, this time failing to allow debate on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill failed, 50-49, marking the second time Republicans have filibustered voting rights legislation in the last two weeks, and the fourth …
Read More »Democrats Announce Deal On Prescription Drug Pricing
On Tuesday, Congressional Democrats announced they had agreed on a plan to overhaul prescription drug pricing in the country. “Fixing prescription drug prices consistently has been a top issue for Americans year after year,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference. “We’ve heard this from people across …
Read More »Senate Republicans Once Again Block Voting Rights Bill
Senate Republicans have once again blocked a sweeping voting rights reform bill, a move that is certain to increase pressure on the majority to change the chamber’s filibuster rule. Every Senate Republican voted against the bill, known as the Freedom to Vote Act, which would make Election Day a federal holiday, …
Read More »Senate Reaches Short-Term To Extend Debt Limit To December
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that the upper chamber reached an agreement to lift the debt limit, averting the risk of a government default. “We have reached an agreement to extend the debt ceiling through early December, and it’s our hope that we can get this done as …
Read More »Senate Democrats unveil new election reform bill, Freedom to Vote Act
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections and campaign finance law, joined with her colleagues to introduce the Freedom to Vote Act, legislation to improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense election integrity reforms, and protect our democracy …
Read More »President Biden Surveys Ida Storm Damage In New York, New Jersey
President Joe Biden traveled to New Jersey and New York City Tuesday to survey damage in parts of the northeast that suffered catastrophic flash flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Biden declared climate change “everybody’s crisis” after touring the neighborhoods severely damaged by Ida. He said it’s time for …
Read More »Senate Passes $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
The Senate on Tuesday passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure bill in a 69-30 vote. The Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act puts $110 billion into roads, bridges, and other major projects, $66 billion into passenger and freight rail, $65 billion into broadband, $55 billion into water systems, and $39 billion into …
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