U.S. Senate Republicans fended off an attempt Thursday to block the Department of Justice from using an “anti-weaponization” fund to pay people who feel they were wrongly prosecuted, as well as another proposal that sought to require congressional authorization for a new White House ballroom. Debate on amendments and motions, …
Read More »Senate Votes to Freeze Members’ Pay During Future Shutdowns
The U.S. Senate approved a resolution Thursday that will prevent lawmakers in that chamber from receiving their paychecks during any government shutdowns that begin after this year’s midterm elections. The voice vote on the measure from Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy will not impact members in the House of Representatives …
Read More »Senate Rejects Latest Effort to Limit Trump’s Iran War Powers
The Senate on Wednesday narrowly rejected a renewed effort to curb President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, marking the first major congressional test of Republican support for the war after the expiration of the War Powers Act’s 60-day limit on unauthorized military operations. The War Powers Resolution failed in …
Read More »No Bets: Senate Bans Lawmakers From Prediction Markets
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution banning lawmakers and their staff from participating in prediction markets, a move aimed at preventing officials with access to sensitive information from profiting on real-world events. The rule change, adopted by voice vote, takes effect immediately and reflects growing alarm on …
Read More »Senate Again Rejects Attempt to Limit Trump Action in Iran
An effort to force President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval for further war actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate for the fourth time Wednesday, with all but one Republican continuing to support the president’s Middle East conflict. Senators voted down the measure, 47-52, with a similar partisan …
Read More »House Retirements Near Historic High as 2026 Election Cycle Accelerates
The number of lawmakers retiring from the House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 elections has climbed to the second-highest level since recordkeeping began nearly a century ago, reflecting an unusually high turnover in Congress as both parties prepare for a competitive election cycle. A total of 53 House members …
Read More »Talarico Wins Democratic Primary for US Senate in Texas; Cornyn and Paxton go to GOP Runoff
In a critical 2026 battle for control of the U.S. Senate, The Associated Press early Wednesday declared James Talarico the winner of the Democratic primary in Texas, while incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will spend weeks to come competing in a runoff election. The AP …
Read More »Senate Republicans Block Attempt to Sue Trump Administration over Epstein Files
Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic proposal Thursday to sue the Trump administration over allegations that it did not fully release the Epstein files, as mandated under a law unanimously approved by senators and signed by the president nearly three months ago. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked for unanimous …
Read More »Senate Democrats Block Funding Package as DHS Talks Continue, Raising Shutdown Risk
Senate Democrats on Thursday unanimously voted to block a package of six government funding bills, keeping alive the possibility of a partial government shutdown in the coming days as negotiations with the White House continued over restrictions on immigration enforcement. The procedural vote failed 55–45, falling short of the 60 …
Read More »Senate Moves to Display Jan. 6 Plaque After Speaker Johnson Blocks Its Installation
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution to display a plaque honoring the law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, stepping around House Speaker Mike Johnson after he refused to install the memorial despite a federal law requiring it. The resolution directs …
Read More »Indiana Senate Rebuffs Trump’s Push for New Congressional Maps
Indiana’s Republican-dominated Senate voted Tuesday to adjourn until January, defying mounting pressure from President Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Braun to redraw the state’s congressional districts before the 2026 session begins. The 29–19 vote on “organization day,” the ceremonial kickoff of the legislative year, amounted to an explicit rejection of …
Read More »Congress Orders Release of Epstein Files in Rare Rebuke to Trump
Congress moved with rare speed and near unanimity Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, delivering a sweeping bipartisan rebuke to months of resistance from President Donald Trump and Republican leaders. The House voted 427-1 to approve the …
Read More »House to Vote on Repeal of Secret Senate Provision in Shutdown Bill
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that the House will vote next week to repeal a little-known provision slipped into the bipartisan bill that ended the 43-day government shutdown — a clause that could allow several Republican senators to sue the federal government for up to $500,000 each over a …
Read More »Trump Urges End to Senate Filibuster as Government Shutdown Enters 30th Day
President Donald Trump on Thursday called for the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, demanding that Republicans invoke the so-called “nuclear option” to end a 30-day government shutdown that has stalled funding for federal services and furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers. “It is now time for the Republicans to play …
Read More »Senate Rebukes Trump’s Tariffs as Bipartisan Majority Votes to Roll Back Global Trade Duties
The Senate voted Thursday to overturn many of President Donald Trump’s tariffs around the world, a rare rebuke of his trade policies that came just hours after Trump hailed his latest deal with China as a major economic victory. The resolution — passed 51-47 with four Republicans joining all Democrats …
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