House rejects effort to force a balanced budget in the US

Lawmakers rejected legislation Wednesday to compel the United States to maintain a balanced budget, a perennial pursuit of fiscal conservatives that stood little chance of becoming the law of the land. The House voted 211-207 against the resolution that would have launched an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to bar the federal government from […]

House Ethics will forge ahead with Cherfilus-McCormick trial

The House Ethics Committee will go forward with its plans to hold a rare public trial next week for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The beleaguered Florida Democrat faces allegations that she stole millions in FEMA funding and is also in the midst of a federal criminal case on the charges. She had previously asked to pause […]

Kiley switches parties, loses committees

Rep. Kevin Kiley, the former Republican who recently registered as an Independent, said in an interview Wednesday he plans to caucus with the House GOP and will seek to regain his committee assignments. The California lawmaker was formally removed from his panels Wednesday after giving official notice he was switching parties to serve as an […]

Tim Scott to run for reelection to the Senate

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will run for reelection in 2028, his campaign told POLITICO on Wednesday, reversing a promise to serve just two full terms in the chamber. Appointed by then-Gov. Nikki Haley to serve out the last two years of outgoing Sen. Jim DeMint’s Senate term in 2012, Scott had long said that 2022 […]

Quick vote on Mullin’s DHS nomination hangs on classified briefing

Hopes for a quick vote on Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination as Homeland Security secretary hang on questions about secretive travel the Oklahoma Republican undertook as a House member a decade ago that are now being examined by his Senate colleagues. Mullin was questioned extensively about the matter Wednesday by Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Gary […]

Mullin says he regrets calling Alex Pretti ‘deranged’

Sen. Markwayne Mullin said he regretted calling Alex Pretti “deranged” but stopped short of offering a direct apology to Pretti’s family. “I shouldn’t have said that,” the Oklahoma Republican said during his confirmation hearing Wednesday to serve as the next Homeland Security secretary. He was referring to his past comments regarding the U.S. citizen killed […]

Mullin markup still on

A committee vote on Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation as Homeland Security secretary remains on track for Thursday despite a fiery sparring session Wednesday between the Oklahoma Republican and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chair of the panel that must approve his nomination. A spokesperson for Paul said after the tense exchange — during which […]

Capitol agenda: Tulsi Gabbard takes the hot seat

Tulsi Gabbard heads into Senate Intelligence on Wednesday facing one of the most fraught moments of her tenure as director of national intelligence. The longtime anti-interventionist is set to be the main character at Wednesday morning’s worldwide threats hearing when she appears with other administration officials, after former top aide Joe Kent resigned as director […]

Elizabeth Warren backs Mallory McMorrow in Michigan Senate primary

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is wading into Michigan’s closely contested Democratic Senate primary, backing state Sen. Mallory McMorrow over two rivals. It’s a somewhat counterintuitive endorsement for the progressive U.S. senator who has made her backing of Medicare for All a core part of her political identity. McMorrow opposes Medicare for All, while Abdul El-Sayed, […]