Category: US Senate

Capitol Police, DC National Guard leaders need emergency authority to act, review finds

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Task force led by Honoré recommends big changes to security apparatus

As part of the review of Capitol security after the Jan. 6 attack, retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré and his task force are recommending a boost to the Capitol Police chief’s authority in times of crisis, the deployment of a mobile fencing option and an upgrade in member security, along with changes to how law enforcement agencies in the region interact.

In January, Speaker Nancy Pelosi selected Honoré, well known for coordinating relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to examine improving security at the Capitol complex. 

Congressional hearings in the past two months have exposed the structure of the Capitol Police Board as inefficient and ripe for an overhaul, a sentiment shared by a bipartisan contingent of lawmakers and those who have served on the board.  Continue reading.

Report urges sweeping changes to Capitol security after Jan. 6 attack

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The U.S. Capitol Police were “understaffed, insufficiently equipped, and inadequately trained” to protect the complex from the mob attack of Jan. 6, according to security experts reviewing the rampage who are recommending nearly 900 new officers and a retractable perimeter fence.

The 13-page report, authored by a team led by Ret. Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, identifies a host of inherent flaws in the Capitol’s intelligence-gathering, communications structure and power hierarchy that hobbled efforts to repel rioters that day.

The analysts are recommending a long list of reforms to Capitol Hill security, from conspicuous infrastructure changes — like permanent but retractable fencing — to more obscure adjustments, like the adoption of a mounted unit to patrol the grounds on horses. Continue reading.

‘You don’t really believe that do you?’ Axios reporter’s bizarre interview with Lindsey Graham

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Axios reporter Jonathan Swan famously became a meme during an interview with then-President Donald Trump. During an interview with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Swan questioned the Trump golfing buddy about the future of the GOP and the former president.

Swan asked Graham about encouraging Trump to run again in 2024 when he made it clear that he can’t believe Graham would do something like that.

“I just don’t understand how you could — you don’t really believe that, do you? You’re just BSing so he doesn’t go off and form a third party?” Swan said, frankly. Continue reading.

In Trump’s GOP, They Can’t Handle The Truth

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Even if you don’t like or have never seen the 1992 film, or if you judge Jack Nicholson’s acting technique as, shall we say, a bit much, you can probably recite his signature outburst from “A Few Good Men,” with appropriate volume: “You can’t handle the truth!”

Why are so many in the GOP still insisting that the presidential election was rigged and that Donald Trump, the main attraction at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference, is the “real” president? Why would a 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — to avoid a repeat by the same forces who believed an election fraud lie — be a bad idea? Why all the squawking and attempts in some states to censor a social studies curriculum that presents a nuanced and complete history of a United States that has not always acknowledged the accomplishments and sacrifice of all its citizens?

Say it louder, Jack. I don’t think the Republicans present and represented at CPAC can hear you. Continue reading.

Early in Biden’s presidency, GOP shows the places they’ll go

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If you listened to the Republican Party over the past week, it might have been easy to think that the core planks of its platform were defending a deceased children’s author, a decades-old children’s toy — and a subspecies of human that went extinct 40,000 years ago.

That’s because GOP leaders have been vociferously protesting a decision to stop publishing Dr. Seuss books that include racially stereotyped images; the removal of “Mr.” from the Mr. Potato Head brand; and President Biden’s characterization of ending mask mandates as “Neanderthal thinking.”

Amid debate over one of the most expensive stimulus packages in American history and turmoil over the global pandemic, many Republicans have been focused on what they view as “cancel culture” run amok. Continue reading.

Congresswoman drops social media report on Republicans who tried to overturn the election for Trump

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A Democratic congresswoman has just released a massive report detailing the social media posts of her Republican colleagues who tried to overturn the U.S. presidential election results.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who represents California, posted the nearly 2,000 page Social Media Review report on her government website on Friday. The report is broken down by state and includes archived social media posts from “Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who were sworn-in to office in January 2021 and who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election.”

According to Rep. Lofgren, following the events of Jan. 6, when thousands of Trump supporters  stormed the U.S. Capitol, she instructed her staff to put together a review of public social media posts from members of Congress who voted to overturn the election results. The report also includes social media posts that correlate with the actions of that day, as well as any postings that claimed the 2020 presidential election results were illegitimate. Continue reading.

Early in Biden’s presidency, GOP shows the places they’ll go

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If you listened to the Republican Party over the past week, it might have been easy to think that the core planks of its platform were defending a deceased children’s author, a decades-old children’s toy — and a subspecies of human that went extinct 40,000 years ago.

That’s because GOP leaders have been vociferously protesting a decision to stop publishing Dr. Seuss books that include racially stereotyped images; the removal of “Mr.” from the Mr. Potato Head brand; and President Biden’s characterization of ending mask mandates as “Neanderthal thinking.”

Amid debate over one of the most expensive stimulus packages in American history and turmoil over the global pandemic, many Republicans have been focused on what they view as “cancel culture” run amok. Continue reading.

‘Not true’: MSNBC host refuses to let GOP senator off the hook after he attacks COVID relief bill

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As the Senate debated President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan this Friday, Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun (R) appeared on MSNBC and was asked by host Hallie Jackson why Senate Republicans won’t be voting for the bill despite the fact that almost 60 percent of GOP voters support it.

According to Braun, states like Indiana simply don’t need the bill since their economy wasn’t as devastated by the pandemic as other states. “My constituents don’t want to borrow more money … the only thing we have to replenish is our unemployment fund,” Braun said. “Everything else is done well because we had a good business climate, great economy.” 

Jackson pointed out to Braun that while Indiana might be in good shape, other states are not. Continue reading.

The 8 most absurd reasons Republicans don’t want to pass COVID relief this time

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President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan is overwhelmingly popular, even among GOP voters.

Senate Republicans are preparing to oppose the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan when the Democratic majority brings it up for considerationon Wednesday. Rather than back the wildly popular pandemic relief legislation, they are inventing an array of excuses to oppose it.

The bill, proposed by President Joe Biden to fund measures to curb the pandemic and help Americans struggling economically from its devastation, passed the House early on Saturday without a single Republican vote after GOP leaders pushed their members to oppose it. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told reporters last week that she does not expect a single GOP senator to back it either.

Here are eight of the worst arguments Senate Republicans are using to try to block the emergency bill: Continue reading.

Klobuchar, Collins Introduce Legislation to Expand Training and Support Services for Families and Caregivers of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

More than six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and by 2050 that number is expected to grow to 13 million. The nearly 11 million caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias report higher levels of stress and depression than those who provide care to individuals without dementia, which resulted in $11.4 billion in additional health costs for Alzheimer’s caregivers in 2017. This legislation would authorize grants to public and non-profit organizations to expand training and support services that improve caregiver health and delay long-term care facility admissions by keeping loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in their homes longer.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). Continue reading.