Senate

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Sign of Hope? Harry Reid Postpones Debt Vote

It's now scheduled for Sunday afternoon as talks intensify

(Newser) - It's either a sign that a last-minute deal is truly in sight or one last tease: Harry Reid has postponed a 1am procedural vote on his plan to raise the debt ceiling until tomorrow afternoon, reports the Hill . Reid says the delay is intended to give negotiations with Republicans...

Default Deadline in Hands of McConnell, Reid Now

Pressure on Senate leaders to find a way

(Newser) - With all eyes on the Senate this weekend, one name keeps cropping up as pivotal deal-maker: Mitch McConnell. Politico and the Wall Street Journal see the Senate minority leader as key to any potential compromise that could be struck as Harry Reid's bill winds through the Senate. As Democratic...

House Passes Boehner Plan; Senate Rejects It

Harry Reid expected to push his doomed plan now

(Newser) - John Boehner finally got his debt ceiling plan through the House, and it survived all of two hours. The bill passed 218-210 today after the House speaker reworked it to appease Tea Party conservatives. As expected, the Senate promptly tabled it, meaning it is effectively dead. Just after the Senate...

Senate Kills House 'Cut, Cap, and Balance' Bill

As for larger deal: 'We're working on it,' says Obama

(Newser) - As expected, the Senate today blocked a House Republican bill to require Congress to slash spending and pass a balanced-budget amendment before raising the nation's borrowing powers. The Senate defeated the Tea-Party-backed "cut, cap, and balance" measure by a vote of 51-46. The defeat comes against the backdrop...

Behind the Gang of Six's Resurrection: Tom Coburn

Many Senate Republicans now back deal that includes new revenues

(Newser) - Tom Coburn got the old gang back together yesterday—the “Gang of Six” that is—reviving hopes that the Senate could forge a major debt reduction deal. “I’m back,” Coburn declared before a crowd of almost 50 senators from both parties, to a resounding round of...

Senator: Open Budget Talks or I'll Shut Down Senate

Ron Johnson threatens to block chamber's business

(Newser) - Every senator has the power to bring the chamber's business to a halt, but only freshman Ron Johnson is threatening to use it. The Wisconsin Republican vowed yesterday that he would block "business as usual" in the Senate by withholding his consent for basic procedures unless debt ceiling...

Obama Steps Into Budget Talks

President will meet with key lawmakers next week

(Newser) - Step aside, Joe. A day after congressional Republicans called off debt-reduction talks with Vice President Joe Biden, the White House announced President Obama will meet directly with key lawmakers next week, reports the Washington Post . Obama will meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on...

Senate Reverses, Votes to Cut Ethanol Subsidies

Shift could endanger $5 billion annually for farm states

(Newser) - The Senate voted today to repeal tax credits for producing ethanol, a vote that budget cutters hope will demonstrate a growing appetite in Congress to end special interest tax breaks to help reduce government borrowing. The Senate voted 73-27 to repeal the $5 billion annual subsidy, just two days after...

LulzSec: We Hacked Senate Site

Intrusion merely 'inconvenient,' says security chief

(Newser) - Hackers from the group Lulz Security have claimed responsibility for what they say was a "small, just-for-kicks" hack of the Senate website. The Senate sergeant at arms confirmed that hackers gained access to the server that supports the Senate’s public website, but said damage was minimal because the...

What Travel Austerity? Congress Globe-Trots in 2011

House lawmakers on track to take 35% more trips in 2011

(Newser) - Just last summer, congressional leaders pledged to spend less on travel—but they're not exactly traveling less. During the first five months of this year, special interest groups have spent more than $1 million on lawmakers’ trips, some 200 of them, nearly double the amount spent during the same...

Banks Lose Fight Over Debit Card Fees

Senate fails to delay new rules slicing payments from retailers

(Newser) - The Senate voted today to let the Federal Reserve slice the fees that stores must pay banks each time a customer swipes a debit card, handing merchants a victory over banks in a lobbying battle over billions in revenue. Senators supporting the banks' efforts to head off the proposal fell...

Senate Rejects Paul Ryan Medicare Plan

Five Republicans join Democrats in voting against budget blueprint

(Newser) - More bad news for Paul Ryan's Medicare proposal: The Senate today rejected Ryan's 2012 budget blueprint that calls for overhauling the system, reports Politico . All Democrats voted against it, as expected. But in a potentially troubling sign for GOP leaders, five Republicans broke ranks and joined them: moderates...

Senate Squashes Bill to End Big Oil Tax Breaks

Bill failed to get a 60-vote supermajority thanks to GOP opposition

(Newser) - Democrats’ bid to strip five top oil companies of some of their more generous tax breaks fell eight votes short of the 60 needed to proceed yesterday, with 45 Republican and three Democratic senators voting against it, the New York Times reports. But Democrats say they won't give up,...

Paul Ryan Won't Run for Senate

His decision clears way for Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin

(Newser) - Paul Ryan will stick with the House. The budget wonk has decided against running for the retiring Herb Kohl's Senate seat in Wisconsin, Ryan tells the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel . "It would make no sense to leave where I am right now because I have such a bigger impact,"...

Paul Ryan Considers Senate Run

He and Russ Feingold leave open possibility of Wisconsin run

(Newser) - Paul Ryan's fans want him to run for president , but they may have to settle for the Senate. Today's surprise announcement from Democrat Herb Kohl that he won't run for re-election next year in Wisconsin raises the possibility for the House budget wonk. In a statement, Ryan...

John Ensign Gives Farewell Speech—to Empty Room

Senator apologizes to (absent) family and colleagues

(Newser) - John Ensign took the Senate floor one last time yesterday and delivered a contrite farewell speech—to a whole lot of empty chairs. Not one of Ensign's senate colleagues showed up to hear the address; Democrat Chris Coons sat in the presiding officer's chair, but opened a folder...

27% of Senate Press Releases Taunt Other Side

Professor analyzes writings, finds lots of name calling

(Newser) - This could explain why Congress is having such a hard time agreeing on a budget: Its members are too busy taunting one another. A Harvard professor analyzed the writings of Congress members, and found that about 27% of the time, they're just insulting each other. “It’s jarring and...

GOP Files Ethics Complaint on McCaskill

They want investigation into use of tax money for flight

(Newser) - Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill is the target of a GOP-filed ethics complaint over her personal plane, Politico reports. McCaskill has acknowledged that she mistakenly used taxpayer money to cover the cost of one purely political trip last year, and she reimbursed the Treasury Department for it last week. Today, Missouri...

Election 2012: Republicans in Good Shape to Take Senate Majority
 GOP in Good Shape 
 to Take Senate Majority 
election 2012
Mar 6, 2011 1:08 PM CST

GOP in Good Shape to Take Senate Majority

Republicans need a net gain of 3 seats, and 5 Dem-held seats are toss-ups

(Newser) - Thanks in part to a rash of Democrats retiring from the Senate , things are looking pretty good for the Republicans in 2012. In the first edition of its 2012 race ratings, The Hill places five seats currently held by Democrats in the “toss-up” column—and Republicans only need a...

Another Democratic Senator Retiring

New Mexico's Jeff Bingaman will not seek reelection, sources say

(Newser) - Democratic officials say Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico intends to retire next year rather than seek a new term. Bingaman would be the latest in a string of departures to hit Democrats as they look ahead to the 2012 election season. He is currently serving his fifth term. Democratic...

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