In Congress’ last action of the year, the Senate passed a funding patch early Saturday with more than $110 billion in disaster aid, averting a government shutdown and closing out the 118th Congress. Final passage of the bill, which made it through the House Friday evening, caps off a tumultuous week on Capitol Hill as […]
The Senate broadly approved a measure expanding Social Security payments to millions of certain public sector workers, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature. The vote on the Social Security Fairness Act was 76-20. It previously passed the House in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 327-75 in November after rank-and-file lawmakers used […]
Incoming Senate GOP Leader John Thune late Friday night unveiled the Republican conference’s committee assignments for next term. A press release from Thune’s office noted the assignments “have been ratified by the Senate Republican Conference and are expected to be ratified by the full Senate early next Congress.” Here’s who’s where: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and […]
Democrats on Friday hit a major milestone, confirming more judges under President Joe Biden than Republicans did in President-elect Donald Trump’s first term. It deprives Trump of putting a bigger conservative stamp on the judiciary — and Democrats will have leverage to continue fighting next year. Senate Democrats, despite a narrow majority, have approved 235 […]
OAKLAND, California — Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee said Friday she will announce in early January whether she plans to run for mayor of Oakland as the city holds a special election following the recall of its last mayor. Lee, who leaves Congress early next year, tweeted that she is considering running — the first official […]
The House passed a stopgap package Friday evening that pushes the government funding deadline to March, as Congress races to avoid a looming deadline that would shut down the government in six hours. The package passed 366-34, with the support of 196 Democrats and 170 Republicans. It now moves to the Senate, where leaders are […]
The White House has endorsed a revised bill funding the government, pledging to back the stopgap measure even as it blasted Republicans for reneging on an earlier bipartisan deal. “President Biden supports moving this legislation forward and ensuring that the vital services the government provides for hardworking Americans,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a […]
Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, is helping Kristi Noem with transition planning for the Department of Homeland Security, according to four people familiar with the Trump transition. In recent weeks, Lewandowski has sat in on transition meetings with Noem, Trump’s pick to head DHS, and consulted with her on political appointees for the […]
Outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, in a speech Friday reflecting on his time in leadership, urged lawmakers to find ways to get things done amid Congress’ ongoing government funding meltdown. “Folks come to Washington to do one of two things. To make a point. Or to make a difference … it’s usually not that […]
House GOP leaders laid out a plan Friday to avert the upcoming debt cliff on their own next year, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s insistence that Congress handle it before he takes office. During a closed-door conference meeting Friday afternoon, House Republican leaders proposed a commitment to raising the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion early in […]