#senate-republicans

#senate-republicans

Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday pushed back on claims that her extended absence from the Senate, and the Judiciary Committee, as she recovers from shingles has caused a significant delay in advancing and confirming judicial nominees.Feinstein indicated in the statement that she still plans to return but did not say when that would happen.

(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Barbara Boxer was once among the most liberal members of the U.S. Senate, a favorite of progressives, who much preferred her over California's other Democratic senator, the more staid and centrist Dianne Feinstein.So it's noteworthy to hear Boxer's advice for those most fervently wishing that Feinstein, who's dealing with well-chronicled maladies, would immediately join her in post-Senate retirement.

Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, whom national Republicans had tried to recruit, announced Friday he will seek reelection in the House instead.The Wisconsin congressman's announcement is a blow to Senate Republicans who had hoped Gallagher could flip the pivotal US Senate seat.As the representative of Northeast Wisconsin and Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, I have a rare, bipartisan opportunity in the 118th Congress to help restore American strength, prevent war in the Pacific, and defend our basic freedoms from communist aggression, Gallagher said in a statement.

President Joe Biden is determined to hold the line on demanding a clean debt ceiling increase as he prepares to meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday, White House officials say.Biden's goal is to move spending negotiations onto a separate track, officials say, removing the threat of default while giving Republicans assurances he will engage in good-faith negotiations about federal spending.

President Joe Biden says the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains some $370 billion in climate spending, represents the most sweeping government investment in clean energy "ever, ever, ever."To ensure that investment is worthwhile, he'll need an equally unprecedented overhaul of federal rules and regulations.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy talks with reporters about the debt ceiling negotiations in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall on May 24, 2023.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The Democratic co-chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus challenged House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to act on his words after the Republican leader conceded Monday that there is wasteful spending at the Pentagon, which has never passed an independent audit.

McConnell touted the fact that the omnibus contains more money for the military than non-military domestic priorities.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell participates in a Pop-Up Conversation with Punchbowl News at the AT&T Forum on March 31, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell celebrated what he called a win for the GOP as lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a sprawling government funding package that includes $858 billion in military spending and leaves out a Child Tax Credit expansion that Democrats and progressive advocates demanded.

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day-but your help is essential.If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us.Thanks for your support!Good morning, Portland!It's gonna cool down a bit this next week, but don't get used to it.

Joe Scarborough nearly sent Morning Joe off the rails cracking jokes about gay Republicans in the Senate supporting so-called Don't Say Gay bills.Morning Joe on Wednesday discussed the story of Jenna Barbee, the Florida teacher who is currently being investigated by the state's Department of Education for showing her students a Disney movie with a gay character in it.

Yet, McCarthy's decision to let Carlson access thousands of hours of Capitol footage from the riot has left a lingering cloud over his own leadership team, which was repeatedly pressed about the move as Carlson continues to downplay the violence of the siege by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

It's fair to say that many Republicans were hoping for a smoother opening day.Instead the House adjourned Monday without picking a speaker."The unsteadiness I see over there [in the House] concerns me.We get the majority, and then we start a circular firing squad," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of Republican leadership.

Three closely watched ailing senators remain away from the Capitol this week and it's not clear when they will return.One of them, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, has spoken directly with some members of his leadership team and conveyed to them he is doing well and anxious to get back to work.

(CNN)Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave a combative speech Tuesday evening in response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, drawing a sharp contrast with Biden as she delivered a series of blistering criticisms of the president.Sanders called Biden "unfit to serve as commander in chief," said his "weakness puts our nation and the world at risk" and described the political landscape in dire terms.

A Wednesday vote in the Senate would align with the House's plan to return that evening to start pushing the so-called omnibus across the finish line.And some senior aides think that whenever the spending package does make it to the House, the chamber could pull a late-night session, sending members home as quickly as possible to avoid the wintry weather.

By Gabby Orr, Manu Raju, Dana Bash and Alex Rogers | CNN Former President Donald Trump is calling up his allies in the Senate, GOP sources tell CNN, and making a suggestion as he seeks to divert blame for  Republicans' lackluster midterm performance: Take aim at Mitch McConnell.Trump, who is facing a round of sharp criticism from inside his own party for hurting Republican candidates in the midterms, has instead sought to gin up opposition to McConnell ahead of leadership elections next week  even as the GOP leader has already locked down enough support to win another two years, which would make him the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history.

WASHINGTON  Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, on Monday scrounged for the support he would need to become speaker of the House if Republicans gain control of the chamber, facing resistance from a newly emboldened right flank as Republicans grappled with their historically weak performance in the midterm elections.

With a few races still up in the air, New Yorkers were awakening Wednesday to signs of Democratic resilience in the face of some surprising Republican gains.Tuesday's most consequential result  Gov. Kathy Hochul's victory  still wasn't being acknowledged by her Republican opponent, Representative Lee Zeldin, who said late that night that he still had hope that Election Day voters might put him over the top.