US Senate

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Senate OKs $1.2T Spending Bill, Avoiding Shutdown
Shutdown Averted in Late-
Night Senate Wrangling
updated

Shutdown Averted in Late- Night Senate Wrangling

Biden signs bipartisan agreement reached despite conservative pushback

(Newser) - This file has been updated with President Biden's response. The Senate passed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills in the early morning hours Saturday, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that will push any threats of a government shutdown to the fall....

One Shutdown Averted, but Another Looms

Senate OKs $460B spending package to fund federal agencies right before deadline

(Newser) - The US Senate was able to fend off a partial government shutdown in the 11th hour on Friday, voting 75-22 to approve a six-bill, $460 billion spending package that will take care of budgets for various federal departments and independent agencies, reports Politico . Per that outlet and the Washington Post...

Krysten Sinema Won't Seek Second Term
Kyrsten Sinema
Is Calling It Quits

Kyrsten Sinema Is Calling It Quits

Independent senator from Arizona won't seek a second term

(Newser) - Arizona's first elected female senator is calling it quits after one term. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent in 2022, announced Tuesday that she will not be seeking re-election this year, NBC News reports. "Because I choose civility, understanding, listening, working together...

Republicans Block Senate Vote Safeguarding Access to IVF
GOP Senators Block IVF Vote

GOP Senators Block IVF Vote

Democratic bill puts pressure on Republicans who had criticized Alabama ruling

(Newser) - Senate Republicans have blocked legislation that would protect access to in vitro fertilization, objecting to a vote on the issue Wednesday even after widespread backlash to a recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that threatens the practice. GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith objected to a request for a vote by...

Longest-Serving Senate Leader Ever to Hang Up His Hat

It's been a record run in the job for Mitch McConnell

(Newser) - Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November. The AP reports McConnell, who turned 82 last week, is set to announce his decision Wednesday....

Two-Thirds of Senate Backs Aid to Ukraine, Israel

Test vote puts measure on track for final approval this week

(Newser) - The Senate voted to move ahead with emergency aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan on Sunday, capping a weekend of negotiations. "I can't remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as I've said all week long, we're going to...

Newsom Under Pressure to Replace Feinstein Fast

California governor has said he will choose Black woman for 'caretaker' role

(Newser) - The Senate is no longer split 50/50, so the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein won't temporarily return Republicans to the majority, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom is still under pressure to find a replacement fast. There are now 47 Democratic senators, plus three independents who caucus with them, and...

Kari Lake Preps for a New Fight
Kari Lake
Preps for a
New Fight

Kari Lake Preps for a New Fight

Republican to announce run for Arizona Senate seat next month, per 'WSJ'

(Newser) - While still appealing her loss in last year's Arizona gubernatorial race, Kari Lake will mount a new fight—to snag Kyrsten Sinema's Senate seat. The former TV news anchor tells the Wall Street Journal that she'll launch her campaign with a rally on Oct. 10, setting up...

Democrat Senators Stop Short of Saying Menendez Should Resign

But AOC does think he should step down

(Newser) - Add Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the list of politicians who think Sen. Bob Menendez needs to resign due to his indictment on corruption charges . The Democratic representative said the charges against Menendez, including allegations that he accepted bribes including a Mercedes-Benz, are "very serious," the Guardian reports. "Consistency...

Senate Goes Around Tuberville, Confirms Joint Chiefs Chairman

Charles Brown Jr. will succeed Mark Milley next month

(Newser) - Gen. Charles Brown Jr., a fighter pilot and former Air Force chief of staff, was confirmed as the nation's next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday. His nomination was approved on an 83-11 Senate vote after being held up for months by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville'...

Greene Says Senate, VP Are Possibilities

GOP congresswoman from Georgia isn't ruling either out

(Newser) - Marjorie Taylor Greene's social media has been ablaze ever since her home state Georgia indicted former President Trump on Monday, along with 18 others . The congresswoman is mainly in "defend Trump" and " slam Fani Willis " mode, but on Tuesday, Greene also revealed something else that's...

Report: Alabama's Senator Does Not Live in Alabama

Tuberville sold his last Alabama property last month, records indicate he lives in Florida

(Newser) - Sen. Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the US Senate but records—and his own statements—suggest that he's been living in Florida for years, according to the Washington Post . The Post, which dubs the Republican "Florida's third senator," reports that Tuberville sold the last properties he...

Feinstein Falls, Recovering at Home
Feinstein Takes
a 'Minor Fall'

Feinstein Takes a 'Minor Fall'

Senate's oldest member visited hospital, is recovering at home

(Newser) - The hits—or really, the falls and senior moments—just keep coming for a couple of the United States Senate's most venerable and aged members, Dianne Feinstein and Mitch McConnell , both of whom are facing calls from members of their own parties to step down. As CBS News reports,...

Senator Says She Was Hospitalized With Facial Numbness

Katie Britt says recovery could take weeks

(Newser) - Days after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of the oldest senators, caused concern by freezing up during a press conference , one of the youngest senators has disclosed that she is dealing with a health issue. Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama said Monday that she was hospitalized over the...

Harris Casts Historic Vote
Harris Casts Historic Vote

Harris Casts Historic Vote

It took John C. Calhoun much longer to record 31 tiebreakers

(Newser) - Kamala Harris, who made history as the first woman or person of color to serve as vice president, made history again Wednesday as she matched the record for most tiebreaking votes in the US Senate. The vote, her 31st, advanced the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity...

House or Senate Run? Top Dem Makes the Call

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin is going for his 5th term in the House of Representatives

(Newser) - Congressman Jamie Raskin has launched his latest election campaign—but it's not for US Senate, as some had speculated. WBFF reports that the Democrat, who represents Maryland's 8th District in the US House of Representatives, announced Friday he'll be running for his fifth term in the House,...

Baseball Legend Could Stir Up Race for Feinstein's Seat

Steve Garvey is a Republican, but also famous, so 'never say never'

(Newser) - You'd have to go back a generation—to 1988—to find the last time a Republican candidate won a US Senate race in heavily Democratic California. This time, the party might get an MVP on the ballot. Baseball legend Steve Garvey, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and...

Kyrsten Sinema: No, I Won't Join GOP

Senator, newly independent, says she's done with 2-party system

(Newser) - Kyrsten Sinema has no more interest in becoming a Republican than she had in remaining a Democrat, apparently. Asked on Face the Nation Sunday whether, now that the former Democrat is an independent , there's any chance she'll someday join the GOP, the senator said no, Politico reports. "...

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice Running for Manchin's Seat

Manchin has not yet announced whether he will run for reelection

(Newser) - West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced Thursday that he is running for Democrat Joe Manchin’s US Senate seat in 2024, setting up what could be a hard-fought campaign between two of the state’s most prominent politicians, the AP reports. Justice, an ultrawealthy businessman who is barred from...

Murkowski, King Want Court to Follow a Code of Conduct

Republican, Independent introduce bill, citing falling public confidence in justices

(Newser) - Despite revelations about Supreme Court justices ' failure to be forthcoming on financial transactions that could pose conflicts of interest, Chief Justice John Roberts and his colleagues have shown little interest in addressing the issue. One Republican and one Independent senator have moved to increase the pressure on them by...

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