Author: Alexander Bolton

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and President Trump are moving toward a deal to separate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from five other House-passed appropriations bills in hopes of avoiding a partial government shutdown this weekend, according to a source familiar with the discussions. No agreement has been reached yet but the discussions…

The risk of a partial government shutdown at the end of January grew more likely Saturday after Senate Democrats vowed to block a funding package over a fatal Minneapolis shooting involving federal law enforcement authorities. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) on Saturday evening said that Democrats will block a major government funding package if…

Five Senate Republicans voted Thursday to advance a bipartisan resolution on the War Powers Act to block President Trump from using military force against Venezuela, a proposal that if enacted would unravel the administration’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil exports. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the sponsor of the bipartisan measure, voted with Sens….

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) says that a U.S. military invasion of Greenland would be “weapons-grade stupid” and he doesn’t think that President Trump or Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attempt such a move despite tough talk from some White House officials. “Let me give you my perspective. Even a modestly intelligent ninth grader knows…

Two high-profile Republican senators on Monday warned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth against reducing Sen. Mark Kelly’s (D-Ariz.) military rank or pension as punishment for filming a video with several other Democratic lawmakers urging service members not to follow unlawful orders. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who has jurisdiction over the Pentagon’s budget as chair of…

A potential deal to fund large swaths of the federal government, including the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services, collapsed on Thursday night after Colorado senators demanded that Congress stop President Trump’s efforts to dismantle a key climate agency. A Democratic senator involved in the negotiations over passing a five-bill package of appropriations…

Senate Republican leaders are hoping that President Trump will intervene to quell a conservative rebellion in the upper chamber against a package of spending bills that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is trying to advance before Christmas. Conservative Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have brought a package of…

GOP lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned over signs that the 2026 midterm elections could be a wipeout for Republicans that could cost them control of the House and shave down their Senate majority by two or three seats. Republican senators say the off-year elections in New Jersey, Virginia and other parts of the country on Nov. 4 served…

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.), a prominent Senate progressive, held the Senate floor overnight and into Wednesday afternoon, speaking for more than 21 consecutive hours — and counting — to protest President Trump and his first nine months back in the Oval Office. Merkley began speaking speaking at 6:21 p.m. EDT Tuesday, and he was still speaking as of 3:22 p.m. Wednesday. The lawmaker, who turns 69 on Friday, criticized Trump’s record for hours, illustrating his arguments with visuals, such as a large green placard accusing the president of “weaponizing the Justice Department.” Shortly before 8 a.m., Merkley talked about…

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Monday that the White House should pull back President Trump’s nomination of Paul Ingrassia to head the Office of Special Counsel after Republican senators said they would not vote for him. Ingrassia’s nomination raised concerns among Republican members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Monday after Politico reported that he told a group of Republican associates that Martin Luther King Jr. Day should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell” and said he has a “Nazi streak.” Thune told reporters Monday that the White House should consider withdrawing Ingrassia’s nomination.…