Tag: U.S. Senate

McConnell, Schumer to remain Senate leaders

Leadership elections were held even though the Senate majority has not been decided

Corrected, 2:23 p.m. | Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Democrat Charles E. Schumer of New York were reelected Tuesday to lead their parties in the Senate during the next Congress.

The leadership elections, which occurred behind closed doors Tuesday morning, were held even though it’s still unclear which party will hold the Senate majority. 

Races called in last week’s election have the chamber currently deadlocked at 48-48, and control could depend on a double runoff in Georgia for seats held by GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. Republican incumbents Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are leading in the two other uncalled races. Continue reading.

Senate roadblocks threaten to box in Biden

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The Senate is looming as a roadblock for several of President-elect Joe Biden‘s policy priorities as Democrats start to assemble their 2021 agenda.

Biden and congressional leaders pledged to tackle a bold, aggressive slate of legislation when they felt bullish about their chances for a Democratic trifecta for the first time since 2010 and amid fierce pressure from their base to go big after four years of President Trump.

But in a setback, Biden will at best have a 50-50 Senate majority or, more likely, find his party in the minority by a seat or two, a significant hurdle that will test his ability to cut bipartisan deals while making it difficult if not impossible to pass several Democratic priorities for at least two years. Continue reading.

McConnell Already Plotting To Obstruct President Biden

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is already planning to stonewall the agenda of a potential Joe Biden administration, all the way down to preventing Biden from appointing the Cabinet secretaries he wants, according to an article published on Thursday by Axios.

Biden has yet to be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, though the odds are looking good for him to defeat Donald Trump. And it is still unclear whether McConnell will control the Senate when the new Congress is sworn in next year, with the races for the two Georgia Senate seats headed to a runoff in January.

The current situation notwithstanding, Axios noted, “McConnell has a history of blocking Democratic presidents from passing anything — working to obstruct rather than cut deals.” Continue reading.

Fight for Senate majority boils down to Georgia

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Control of the Senate is boiling down to Georgia, likely dragging the fight for the majority out until early January. 

Democrats are pinning their hopes on being able to force a 50-50 Senate on a narrow, uphill path that requires them to win both seats in the typically red state. If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the White House, a 50-50 margin would hand them the majority because Vice President Kamala Harriscould break a tie.

Democrats know they will have a chance to win one race in a runoff on Jan. 5, when GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler will face Democratic nominee Raphael Warnock. Continue reading.

Uncertainty, Trump loom over packed year-end agenda

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Uncertainty is hanging over the congressional year-end agenda as Washington waits to see who will win the White House and Senate majority and tries to gauge President Trump’s willingness to cut big deals if he loses. 

Doubt about who will hold power, and the appetite for year-end barn clearing, is colliding with a lengthy to-do list that includes a fight over Confederate-named bases and hopes of getting a fifth coronavirus relief deal. 

Lawmakers also need to pass a government funding bill by Dec. 11 to avoid an end-of-Congress shutdown just before the holidays and with only weeks to juggle the competing items.  Continue reading.

Minnesota U.S. Sen. Tina Smith staves off Jason Lewis, wins second term

Appointed nearly three years ago as Al Franken’s successor in the U.S. Senate, Smith won her first full term from voters. 

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith held off former Republican congressman Jason Lewis on Tuesday in a Senate race that could help decide the balance of power in Washington.

Smith sought a full six-year term after being appointed to replace Al Franken, who resigned in 2017. A former Planned Parenthood executive and lieutenant governor, she won a special election in 2018 to serve out Franken’s term.

Smith vowed to overcome the divisions of the hard fought campaign. “We may not always agree, but I will always listen, and look for common ground,” she said in a statement. Continue reading.

McConnell Vows To Continue Court Packing Even If Republicans Lose

Instead of focusing on a viable stimulus plan to help the American people and the country’s flailing small businesses, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is focused on doing the one thing he and his Republican colleagues said Democrats would do: pack the courts.

During an interview with Conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt, McConnell admitted that he will continue to fill the courts with conservative judges who will likely uphold their views and strike down opposing views.

“We’re going to run through the tape. We go through the end of the year, and so does the President,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “We’re going to fill the 7th Circuit. And I’m hoping we have time to fill the 1st Circuit as well.” Continue reading.

Senate packs up with coronavirus relief bill on ice until after elections

Mnuchin, Pelosi still talking, but little sign of a breakthrough

Senators prepared to leave town Monday night for their October recess with virtually no prospect of passing new COVID-19 aid legislation before the Nov. 3 elections.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke by phone for 52 minutes on Monday in what has become a near-daily attempt to narrow differences on pandemic relief between Democrats and the Trump administration. But there was no indication of any major progress.

Democrats “continue to eagerly await the Administration’s acceptance of our health language, which includes a national strategic plan on testing and tracing,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted after the call. And Hammill suggested that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has resisted a large-scale aid deal, would need to show a greater willingness to compromise. Continue reading.

GOP clears key hurdle on Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination, setting up Monday confirmation

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Republicans cleared a key hurdle Sunday for Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination, paving the way for her confirmation on Monday.

Senators voted 51-48 to begin winding down debate on Barrett’s nomination. GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) voted with Democrats against moving forward.

A final vote to confirm Barrett to the Supreme Court is expected to take place by Monday evening, roughly a month after President Trumpannounced his intention to nominate her to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Continue reading.

While President Trump Vows to Rip Away Health Care from Millions of Americans, Jason Lewis Says He and Trump Are ‘Joined at the Hip’

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – In an interview with 60 Minutes this week, President Donald Trump made it clear he wants the Supreme Court to end the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Meanwhile, U.S. Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis affirms his unyielding loyalty to Donald Trump, instead of Minnesotans.

Lewis has always been quick to fall in line behind Trump. In an interview with Fox News this week, Lewis declared “I’m running with the President and glad to do it. We’re joined at the hip.”

It’s no surprise that Lewis is on board with President Trump’s plan to rip away health care from millions of Americans and gut protections for those with pre-existing conditions by overturning the ACA. Lewis has declared that he has “no disagreements” with President Trump and can’t name even one policy he disagrees with. The former congressman alsoadvocated to “get rid of the pre-existing condition mandate,” told struggling families who can’t afford insulin that the “government is not compassionate,” and said that if they needed help to “go out and find it.” This is all on top of hisrecord of voting to repeal the ACA.