Bipartisan legislation would protect students and strengthen transparency at colleges and universities Tuesday, April 2 — Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and a bipartisan coalition of Senators in reintroducing legislation to combat sexual assault on college and university campuses. The Campus Accountability and Safety … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans weighed scaling back the tax cuts in their massive package to secure crucial support as congressional analysts said Thursday the legislation would add $1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Republicans were making major changes to the bill — a top political priority of President Donald Trump — … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday promised a tax overhaul by Christmas, a day after the White House signaled its willingness to strike a health care provision from Senate tax legislation if it’s an impediment to passing the tax bill. Speaking before a Cabinet meeting, Trump said: “We’re going to give the American … Continue reading
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The federal bribery trial of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez ended Thursday with the jury hopelessly deadlocked on all charges, a partial victory for him that could nevertheless leave the case hanging over his head as he gears up for re-election to a sharply divided Senate. U.S. District Judge William Walls declared … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic senators have joined forces on legislation to strengthen the FBI database of prohibited gun buyers after the Air Force failed to report the criminal history of the gunman who slaughtered more than two dozen people at a Texas church. Congress has taken no steps on guns in the weeks … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — A month before Alabama’s special election, Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore abruptly faced allegations Thursday of sexual misconduct with minors decades ago — and an immediate backlash from party leaders who demanded he quit the race if the accusations prove true. The instant fallout followed a Washington Post report in which an … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing ahead on a $36.5 billion hurricane relief package that would give Puerto Rico a much-needed infusion of cash. The measure also would replenish rapidly dwindling emergency disaster accounts and provide $16 billion to permit the financially troubled federal flood insurance program to pay an influx of Harvey-related claims. … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to clear away obstacles to a new era of self-driving cars is facing opposition from safety advocates who say it would give automakers free rein to put unsafe vehicles on the road. A Senate panel is scheduled to take up the measure on Wednesday. It would allow automakers to apply … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is on track to pass a defense policy bill that pumps $700 billion into the Pentagon budget, expands U.S. missile defenses in response to North Korea’s growing hostility and refuses to allow excess military bases to be closed. The legislation is expected to be approved on Monday by a wide … Continue reading
WASHINGTON – Prompted by the violence and domestic terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Va., on August 11 and 12, 2017, the U.S. Senate yesterday, Sept. 11, unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) condemning … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Congress and DACA (all times local): ___ 7:20 a.m. Sen. Lindsey Graham says he believes “there’s a congressional deal to be made” that could resolve the question of a legal shield for young immigrants living in the U.S. illegally while improving border security without building a wall. Graham says … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — With federal disaster reserves running out, the House is swiftly moving to pass President Donald Trump’s request for a $7.9 billion first installment of relief for victims of Harvey. GOP leaders also hope to use the urgent Harvey aid bill to solve a far more vexing issue: Increasing the U.S. debt limit … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will meet next week with House and Senate leaders at the White House, congressional aides said Wednesday, as lawmakers return from August break to face a pile of legislative bills they must tackle and pursue a goal that Trump and Republicans covet: Tax cuts. The meeting follows a recess … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans would cut Medicaid, end penalties for people not buying insurance and erase a raft of tax increases as part of their long-awaited plan to scuttle President Barack Obama’s health care law, congressional aides and lobbyists say. After weeks of closed-door meetings that angered Democrats and some Republicans, Senate Majority Leader … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and GOP leaders insisted Tuesday the Senate will vote soon on legislation to repeal and replace “Obamacare.” But even as senators headed toward the make-or-break vote before the Fourth of July, deep uncertainty remained about whether the emerging legislation would command enough support to pass. Meeting with Republican congressional … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — James Comey, fired last month as FBI director amid a federal investigation into connections between Russia and the Trump campaign, is set to testify next Thursday at a highly anticipated congressional hearing that could shed light on his private conversations with the president in the weeks before his dismissal. The Senate intelligence … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats needle Republicans on Thursday with the gloomy assessment that 23 million people would lose insurance under the Republican health care bill, and that premiums for seriously ill people would rise. The leader of the Senate GOP effort to dismantle President Barack Obama’s health care law faulted Democrats for not working with … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch enters the third day of his confirmation hearing — and his final day of testimony — largely unscathed by Democratic attacks, as Republicans confidently predict he will win Senate approval despite liberal opposition. A growing number of Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York … Continue reading
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez’s appeal of his corruption indictment, setting the stage for a federal trial in the fall. The justices let stand a lower court ruling that refused to dismiss charges including conspiracy, bribery and fraud against the Democratic lawmaker. … Continue reading
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — In a switch, the majority leader of the Virginia state Senate says he supports studying the decriminalization of marijuana. Media outlets report that Tommy Norment, one of the most powerful political leaders in the Commonwealth, announced his position Tuesday, November 1st, while speaking before a Norfolk City Council dinner at the Slover Library. Norment … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are sounding increasingly concerned about their chances of retaking control of the Senate, as Republicans demonstrate a commanding fundraising advantage and Hillary Clinton’s lead narrows in key battleground races. Although most Democrats still express confidence that they will win back the Senate majority in November, they now appear to have fewer … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Tuesday faced Senate Democrats skeptical about a rescue package for debt-stricken Puerto Rico, raising doubts about its fate just 10 days before the U.S. territory must make a $2 billion payment to creditors. “The question at the end of the day will be, does Congress act to … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a historic first, California voters Tuesday sent two Democrats, both minority women, to a November runoff for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. The matchup between state Attorney General Kamala Harris and 10-term Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez marks the first time since voters started electing senators a century ago that Republicans … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved its $1.1 billion plan to combat the Zika virus. That sets the stage for difficult negotiations with House Republicans over how much money to devote to fighting Zika and whether to cut Ebola funding to help pay for it. The 68-30 vote added the Zika measure to an … Continue reading
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The head of Michigan’s health agency said Monday, April 25, there was an eight-month gap between when he was made aware of an investigation into a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the Flint area in January 2015 and when the issue rose to his level again around the time the city’s lead-tainted … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 