Senate

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House Makes a First Move on Gun Laws

Chamber passes legislation, but it stands no chance in the Senate

(Newser) - The House passed a wide-ranging gun control bill Wednesday in response to recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds. The legislation...

Domestic Terrorism Bill Fails in the Senate

Bipartisan group begins work on new guns measure

(Newser) - Democrats’ first attempt at responding to the back-to-back mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, failed in the Senate Thursday as Republicans blocked a domestic terrorism bill that would have opened debate on questions surrounding hate crimes and gun safety, per the AP . Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to...

Senate Clears Ukraine Aid After Rand Paul's Block

$40B package on its way to president's desk

(Newser) - The Senate overwhelmingly approved a $40 billion infusion of military and economic aid for Ukraine and its allies on Thursday as both parties rallied behind America’s latest, and quite possibly not last, financial salvo against Russia’s invasion, per the AP . The 86-11 vote gave final congressional approval to...

Abortion Rights Bill Fails in 51-49 Senate Vote

Joe Manchin votes with all 50 Republicans

(Newser) - In what Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said was a decision that "will live in infamy," legislation to protect abortion rights in federal law was rejected in a 51-49 Senate vote Wednesday. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin joined all 50 Republicans in the chamber to vote against proceeding, but...

It's Looking More Likely That Finland, Sweden Will Join NATO

Finland's decision is expected 'within weeks'

(Newser) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Finland and Sweden not to join NATO , but both countries are edging closer to the military alliance even so. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said a decision on whether to apply is expected "within weeks," the BBC reports, and if Finland decides...

2 More Republicans Back Jackson, Giving Her 51 Votes

Murkowski, Romney say they'll support confirmation

(Newser) - Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney announced Monday that they'll cast yes votes on Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination for Supreme Court justice, giving her enough for confirmation. Another Republican, Sen. Susan Collins, already had committed to voting to confirm. Those three votes give Jackson at least 51, the...

House Passes Bill to Legalize Marijuana

Backers say measure corrects a racial injustice

(Newser) - The House approved legislation Friday to end all federal criminal penalties over the manufacture, distribution, or possession of marijuana. Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the House the measure rights injustices and is "one of the most important criminal justice reform bills in recent history." The legislation cleared 220-204 and...

House to Slow, if Not Stop, Daylight Saving Time Bill

Lawmakers say they aren't in the rush the Senate was

(Newser) - Time might stand still for the legislation to make daylight saving time permanent. The bill sailed through the Senate last week, but House members are less sure about it, the Hill reports. Several lawmakers of both parties said that they'd like to see more research on the issue or...

Senate Approves Short-Term Funding
Senate Votes
to Avert Shutdown
Feb 17, 2022 7:10 PM CST

Senate Votes to Avert Shutdown

Measure to fund government for 3 weeks goes to Biden

(Newser) - Down, again, to hours before money to run the federal government would run out, the Senate passed a bill to keep the machinery humming for another three weeks. The 65-27 vote sent the measure, which the House endorsed last week, to President Biden for his signature, CNBC reports. In the...

Obama: Nix the Filibuster, Pass Voting Rights Legislation

In first op-ed since leaving office, former president calls on Senate to 'do the right thing'

(Newser) - President Biden recently called for altering Senate rules if necessary to remove the obstacle of the filibuster so that voting rights legislation can be passed. Now, a big voice is joining in that same chorus. In what USA Today says is his first op-ed since leaving office in 2017, former...

Congress Hit by 'Unprecedented' Surge in Cases

Lawmakers urged to meet virtually amid wave of COVID-19 cases

(Newser) - The Capitol physician is warning lawmakers of an "unprecedented" number of cases hitting members of Congress and their staffers. At the on-site testing center, the 7-day positivity rate is higher than 13%, compared to less than 1% before the rise of the omicron variant, Politico reports. Omicron accounts for...

Senator Says He Invited Manchin to Join GOP

Biden still hopes to get Build Back Better done

(Newser) - After delivering a potentially fatal blow to President Biden's Build Back Better plan, Sen. Joe Manchin is not a popular man with his fellow Democrats—but he's gained some Republican fans. Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn told KXAN Tuesday that he had sent the West Virginia a text...

House Clears Bill to Avert Shutdown
Congress Clears Bill
to Avert Shutdown
UPDATED
Dec 2, 2021 10:49 PM CST

Congress Clears Bill to Avert Shutdown

Senate passes stopgap measure shortly after House

(Newser) - Update: Shortly after the House passed a stopgap bill to avert a partial government shutdown, the Senate did the same, by a vote of 69-28. There had been talk of GOP members holding up the measure, but that didn't come to pass. "I am glad that in the...

Voting Rights Bill Hits GOP Wall
GOP Turns Back
Voting Rights Bill
Oct 20, 2021 6:45 PM CDT

GOP Turns Back Voting Rights Bill

Democrats to lobby each other on changing filibuster rule after another loss

(Newser) - Republican senators put a stop Wednesday to Democratic legislation to overhaul elections. The Freedom to Vote Act needed 60 votes; the count was 49-51, the Hill reports. "For every two steps forward, sometimes there are those who try to pull us one step back," Sen. Chuck Schumer said....

Democrats Say They'll Take Deal on Debt Limit

Mitch McConnell offered short-term extension

(Newser) - Update: Both sides claimed victory Wednesday after Democratic senators agreed to accept Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's offer of a short-term deal on raising the debt limit, Politico reports. After a closed-door caucus meeting, Senate Democrats said they were prepared to accept the Republican's offer of an emergency...

Biden Surprises Reporters With Remark on Filibuster

He says rule change to raise debt limit is a 'real possibility'

(Newser) - To get around Republican obstruction, President Biden said Tuesday that Democrats are considering a change to the Senate's filibuster rules in order to quickly approve lifting the nation's debt limit and avoid what would be a devastating credit default. "It’s a real possibility," Biden told...

Senate Parliamentarian's Ruling a Big Blow to Dems

In particular, a blow to their immigration push

(Newser) - Democrats can’t use their $3.5 trillion package bolstering social and climate programs for their plan to give millions of immigrants a chance to become citizens, the Senate’s parliamentarian said, a crushing blow to what was the party’s clearest pathway in years to attaining that long-sought goal....

Senate Democrats Hand Biden a Win
Senate Democrats
Hand Biden a Win
Aug 11, 2021 6:55 AM CDT

Senate Democrats Hand Biden a Win

Budget resolution approved on party-line vote

(Newser) - Democrats pushed a $3.5 trillion framework for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs through the Senate early Wednesday, advancing President Biden’s expansive vision for reshaping federal priorities just hours after handing him a companion triumph on a hefty infrastructure package. Lawmakers approved Democrats’ budget resolution on a...

Senate Launches 'Vote-a-Rama' on $3.5T Budget Blueprint

Amendment against defunding police passes 99-0

(Newser) - Democrats pushed their expansive $3.5 trillion framework for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs toward Senate passage Tuesday, as Republicans unleashed an avalanche of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next year’s elections. Congressional approval of the budget resolution, which seems assured, would...

Senate Passes Massive Infrastructure Bill, 69-30

It's seen as a bipartisan win for President Biden

(Newser) - With a robust vote after weeks of fits and starts, the Senate approved a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan on Tuesday, a rare coalition of Democrats and Republicans joining to overcome skeptics and deliver a cornerstone of President Biden's agenda, per the AP . The 69-30 tally provides momentum for...

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