Senate

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Coleman's Lead Shrinks to 120
 Coleman's Lead Shrinks to 120 
Nov 22, 2008 11:16 AM CST

Coleman's Lead Shrinks to 120

(Newser) - The Minnesota Senate recount is more than half done, and incumbent Norm Coleman is seeing his slim lead erode day by day, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Republican’s lead over challenger Al Franken is now 120 votes—down from 215 on Tuesday and around 700 after the election....

Who Gets This Vote? You Decide

(Newser) - With the recount under way in the Minnesota Senate race, both sides are challenging ballots left and right. Minnesota Public Radio presents examples of some of the disputed ballots on its web site—circles not filled in, unclear notes, thumbprints, etc.—and asks viewers to weigh in. (Click on...

Stevens Yields the Floor a Last Time

Alaska Republican closes 'privileged' 40-year tenure

(Newser) - Ted Stevens said goodbye to colleagues in the US Senate today, ending a 40-year career after losing his Alaska re-election bid and being convicted on corruption charges, the Anchorage Daily News reports. “I really must pinch myself to fully understand that I’m privileged to speak on the floor...

Constitution May Sink Hillary's State Chance

Lawmakers can't take federal post for which their Congress raised the salary

(Newser) - Should Barack Obama nominate Hillary Clinton for secretary of state, the confirmation process could be the least of her worries, the Washington Post reports. The Constitution prohibits any member of Congress from assuming a federal post whose salary has been increased during the lawmaker’s term; cabinet salaries have risen...

Kerry Replaces Biden on Foreign Relations Committee

Nuclear nonproliferation among agenda items as Mass. Dem takes over from Biden

(Newser) - John Kerry will be the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Boston Globe reports, replacing Joe Biden when he assumes the vice presidency in January. Kerry plans to use his new post to ramp up anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to curb the spread of...

Stevens Concedes, Won't Seek Recount

Longest-serving GOP senator makes no mention of corruption conviction

(Newser) - Republican Ted Stevens conceded the Alaska Senate race today, bringing an end to a 40-year political career that culminated in scandal, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Stevens congratulated his Democratic opponent, Mark Begich, apparently deciding that a recount would be futile given his deficit of more than 3,700 votes.

Beau Biden Declines Dad's Job
 Beau Biden Declines Dad's Job 
Nov 19, 2008 2:21 PM CST

Beau Biden Declines Dad's Job

With state's AG saying he plans to keep that job, dance continues over filling Senate seat

(Newser) - Joe Biden’s son put an end to speculation he’ll replace his father in the Senate yesterday, saying he won’t accept any offer and looks forward to returning from Iraq to his position as Delaware’s attorney general, the Wilmington News Journal reports. The vice president-elect has yet...

Senate GOP Crafts Own Auto Bailout Package

Plan would repurpose $25B fuel-efficiency carrot already passed

(Newser) - Senate Republicans are crafting legislation that would repurpose an already-approved $25 billion Energy Department initiative to bail out struggling automakers, the Detroit News reports. The plan is at odds with Democratic efforts, which would use money from the $700 billion Wall Street bailout to help Detroit. The Energy money was...

Now Joe Owes Barack One
 Now Joe Owes Barack One 
ANALYSIS
Nov 19, 2008 11:45 AM CST

Now Joe Owes Barack One

(Newser) - Democrats everywhere, even in the Senate, are still furious with Joe Lieberman for campaigning against Barack Obama. So pushing to allow him to stay in the Democratic caucus, and continue as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, was a savvy political move on Obama's part, Time reports: Lieberman will owe...

McCain Will Run for Fifth Term in Senate

His advisers begin setting up a political action committee

(Newser) - Sen. John McCain, whose presidential bid was snuffed out two weeks ago by Barack Obama, is setting up a political action committee as a first step in running for a fifth term in the Senate. A McCain spokesperson said the 72-year-old Arizona senator decided with his senior advisers tonight to...

Detroit's Big 3 Plead Their Case in Washington

(Newser) - The CEOs of the Big Three automakers told the Senate today that a $25 billion bailout of the industry is necessary to prevent "catastrophic" effects on the economy, the New York Times reports. “If the domestic industry were allowed to fail,” said GM's Rick Wagoner, it would...

GOP Delays Vote to Oust Stevens

GOP senators wait for race to be decided

(Newser) - Senate Republicans will wait until Alaska announces a victor in the still-tight race for Ted Stevens' seat before voting on whether he will be allowed to keep it. The last batch of ballots in the race is expected to be counted today, as the longest-serving conservative senator—who trails by...

Kennedy Returns to Work on Capitol Hill

Senator anxious to pass stimulus, health care legislation

(Newser) - Ted Kennedy returned to the US Senate today, having undergone 6 months of extensive treatment for a brain tumor, the Boston Globe reports. Accompanied by his wife, Vicki, and their dogs, Kennedy was greeted by applause from his family and staff in the Russell Caucus Room under a banner that...

Ex-Sen. Gramm Sticks to His Guns on Deregulation
Ex-Sen. Gramm Sticks to
His Guns on Deregulation
ANALYSIS
Nov 17, 2008 10:29 AM CST

Ex-Sen. Gramm Sticks to His Guns on Deregulation

Republican touts benefits of subprime loans, credit-default swaps as critics cry foul

(Newser) - While some experts argue his work contributed to the economic meltdown, former senator Phil Gramm stands by his efforts to deregulate the lending and financial sectors, the New York Times reports. “There is this idea afloat that if you had more regulation you would have fewer mistakes,” Gramm...

Obama Quits Senate, Thanks Ill. for Showing Him the Way

Will meet with McCain today in Chicago

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s presidential transition moved forward this weekend as he officially stepped down as senator, the Washington Post reports, ahead of a lame-duck session on a new stimulus package for the economy this week. In a letter in Illinois newspapers announcing his senate resignation, he thanked his constituents and...

Lieberman Should Be Punished: Leahy

Dem wants McCain-backing independent stripped of committee chairmanship

(Newser) - Patrick Leahy thinks fellow Sen. Joe Lieberman, after campaigning for John McCain, should no longer occupy the chair of key committees, the Democrat told Vermont Public Radio today. The Connecticut independent currently caucuses with the Democrats, and chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees, the Hill notes. Lieberman went...

McCain Returns to Trail, Urges Ga. Voters 'Into Battle'

(Newser) - John McCain found himself back on familiar terrain tonight—the campaign trail. The Republican also-ran traveled to Georgia to stump for Saxby Chambliss, who's locked in a runoff battle for the Senate with Democrat Jim Martin, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. “I did not think I would be back on...

Obama Vacates Senate Seat, Effective Sunday

Dem's absence, and Biden's, could effect stimulus plan during lame-duck session

(Newser) - President-elect Obama will resign from the Senate effective Sunday, the Chicago Tribune reports. Illinois state law makes Gov. Rod Blagojevich responsible for choosing Obama’s successor, but states no deadline on the appointment. That could be problematic, with a vote possible during Congress’ lame-duck session on pressing economic issues; the...

Begich Leads Stevens by 814 Votes in Alaska
Begich Leads Stevens by 814 Votes in Alaska
UPDATED
Nov 12, 2008 9:16 PM CST

Begich Leads Stevens by 814 Votes in Alaska

Democrat takes first lead; another 40,000 votes to be counted

(Newser) - Democrat Mark Begich has taken the lead—by 814 votes—over Ted Stevens in the race for the Senate in Alaska, reports FiveThirtyEight.com. With about 40,000 absentee votes still to be counted, Begich leads 132,196  to 131,382. When the day began, Begich trailed by more than...

Pelosi Urges Lame-Duck Session to Push Auto Bailout

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi plans to convene a lame-duck House session to vote on an expanded rescue of the auto industry, the Wall Street Journal reports. “I am confident Congress can consider emergency assistance legislation next week,” the House Speaker said. Both GM and Ford have said they are cash...

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