Congressional & Capitol Hill News

The Daily Signal delivers comprehensive congressional news with reporting and conservative commentary on House and Senate activities, legislative priorities, committee investigations, leadership battles, and the fight for conservative policy in both chambers of Congress.
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  • news

    House Passes Equality Act
    The House voted 236-173 Friday to pass Democrats’ Equality Act, pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “This is not about tolerance,” Pelosi said in a video posted to Twitter. “This is about respect for our LGBTQ communities, this is about taking pride.”   “We won the fight in the House today, and we will continue…
    Rachel del Guidice
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  • opinion

    A Soldier-Turned-Senator Honors America’s Heroes in ‘Sacred Duty’
    Before becoming a U.S. senator, Tom Cotton served his country in Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned a Bronze Star and was elected to Congress from Arkansas in 2012. Two years later, he defeated a two-term Democrat incumbent to become a 37-year-old senator. And now, in a new book called "Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at…
    Robert B. Bluey | Rachel del Guidice
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  • opinion

    The Peculiar Case of Alaskan Senators’ Support for the Jones Act
    Things cost more in Alaska. A very expensive reason why is the century-old law known as the Jones Act. Section 27 of the act—named for Sen. Wesley Jones, R-Wash., who served in the Senate in the early part of the 20th century—requires that ships transporting goods between U.S. ports must be at least 75% U.S.-owned,…
    Patrick Tyrrell
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  • news

    Democrats Talk Impeachment as They Vote to Hold Attorney General in Contempt
    Some House Democrats openly talked Wednesday about impeaching President Donald Trump because he did something after the special counsel’s Russia investigation that he never did during the probe—invoke executive privilege. The House Judiciary Committee later voted 24-16 along party lines to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for not making the entire…
    Fred Lucas
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  • news

    Senate Confirms 3 to Board of Export-Import Bank, Reviving Agency
    The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm three board members for the Export-Import Bank, reviving—over the objections of conservatives—a controversial federal agency that allows foreign countries to borrow taxpayer dollars. “The Export-Import Bank is corporate welfare, giving taxpayer subsidies to some of the largest, most politically connected companies in the U.S. and around the world,” Sen….
    Rachel del Guidice
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  • opinion

    The Senate Has Confirmed Trump’s 100th Judge. Let’s Put That Number in Perspective.
    Last week, the Senate confirmed the 100th federal judge nominated by President Donald Trump. That’s a nice, round number, and it might sound like a significant milestone, but let’s put that number in perspective. Trump achieved that mark ahead of some presidents, but behind others. In fact, the 849 days it took for Trump is…
    Thomas Jipping
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  • news

    7 Big Moments in William Barr’s Senate Testimony on Mueller Report
    Amid partisan clashes over the aftermath of the special counsel’s Russia report, Attorney General William Barr faced tough questions Wednesday from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Barr will not testify as scheduled Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee, however, after the Democrat-controlled panel voted to have staff lawyers question him. The attorney general has…
    Fred Lucas
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  • opinion

    The Inside Story of Trump’s First 2 Years in Washington
    Jake Sherman, senior writer at Politico and co-author of Politico Playbook, is the co-author with Anna Palmer of the new book "The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump's America." The Daily Signal spoke to Sherman about the book and the ways President Donald Trump has transformed Washington. Our…
    Robert B. Bluey | Virginia Allen
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  • news

    Trio of Democratic Senators Introduces Environmental Justice Caucus to Fight ‘Systemic Racism’
    Three Democratic senators revealed on Earth Day that they are launching the Environmental Justice Caucus in the Senate to raise awareness and address environmental justice issues such as “systemic racism” and “discrimination.” “We cannot achieve economic justice or social justice in this country without also addressing environmental justice,” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said in a statement released…
    Molly Prince
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  • opinion

    Juan Williams Just Plain Wrong on Senate Rules Change on Nominations
    In the April 8 edition of The Hill, commentator Juan Williams made a series of claims and accusations against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that cannot be allowed to go unchallenged. First, Williams claimed that on April 4, the Senate ditched “more than two centuries of U.S. Senate rules to reduce the time senators have…
    Thomas Jipping
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  • news

    Washington Post Asks Court to Dismiss Covington Lawsuit
    The Washington Post asked a federal court Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann in February. Several Covington Catholic boys, including Sandmann, were caught in a viral encounter with American Indian activist Nathan Phillips in January. An initial video made it appear like the boys donning Make America…
    Neetu Chandak
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  • opinion

    Senate Republicans Have Triggered the ‘Nuclear Option.’ They Are Completely Justified.
    Most people agree that our system of government depends on an informed, participating citizenry. It can be hard enough to understand what Congress is doing, but it’s even harder to grasp how Congress operates.   And yet, rules that govern how things get done often determine what those things end up being. As such, it’s…
    Thomas Jipping
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  • opinion

    Senate Poised to Put More Disaster Spending on the Nation’s Credit Card
    The Senate is at it again, maneuvering to consider another poorly targeted disaster aid package that would add billions of dollars in deficit spending. At a $13.5 billion price tag for this latest disaster bill, Congress continues to abuse the disaster and emergency spending designation as a means to circumvent the Budget Control Act spending…
    Justin Bogie
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  • news

    Senate Democrat Says He Can’t Support Equality Act in Current Form
    Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Monday that he cannot support the Democrats’ “gender equality” legislation as pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “I strongly support equality for all people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” Manchin said in a formal statement. “No one should be afraid of losing their job or losing their…
    Rachel del Guidice
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  • opinion

    These 2 Senators Don’t Want Taxpayers Paying for ‘Plush’ Pensions for Wealthy Lawmakers
    With the federal debt now over $22 trillion, does it really make sense to provide “plush” pensions to federal lawmakers—many of whom are millionaires in their own right? Freshman Sens. Mike Braun, R-Ind., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., don’t think so, and they’ve introduced the End Pensions in Congress Act, legislation to phase out congressional pensions. …
    Rachel Greszler
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  • news

    Covington Student Sues Washington Post
    Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann is suing The Washington Post over its coverage of a January incident involving himself and Native American protester Nathan Phillips. Attorneys for Sandmann filed the lawsuit Tuesday, accusing the Washington newspaper of engaging in a “modern-day form of McCarthyism.” The lawsuit also blames CNN and NBC, “among others,” for taking…
    Tim Pearce
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  • news

    Washington Post Calls Ocasio-Cortez’s Claim of ‘Doctored’ Green New Deal Documents ‘Misleading’
    Washington Post fact-checkers ruled Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s claim of “doctored” Green New Deal FAQ documents floating around as “misleading,” but the outlet curiously did not give her any “Pinocchios.” “No one created ‘doctored’ versions of the Green New Deal that included these outlandish proposals,” Rizzo wrote in an article published Monday. Rizzo’s article…
    Michael Bastasch
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  • news

    Senate Democrat Blocks Infanticide Ban
    Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., blocked Monday night Republican Sen. Ben Sasse’s push to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act by unanimous consent. “We’re actually talking about babies that have been born,” Sasse, who represents Nebraska, said in a Senate floor speech Monday. “The only debate on the floor tonight is about infanticide.” The Born-Alive Abortion…
    Katrina Trinko
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  • news

    Republican Senators Look to End Death Tax
    Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and John Thune, R-S.D., reintroduced legislation this week to send the death tax to its grave. “Death should not be a taxable event, and I am proud to join with my colleagues to ensure working men and women, including America’s farmers, ranchers, and small business owners, are able to flourish,” Cruz…
    Courtney Joyner
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  • opinion

    A Freshman Senator Outlines the Reforms He Will Push in Washington
    Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., joins us to discuss how he’s ready to change Washington, D.C. The businessman-turned-politician shares why he advocates term limits and wants lawmakers to lose pay if they don’t pass a budget on time. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript below. We also cover these stories: Second lady Karen Pence…
    Robert B. Bluey | Rachel del Guidice
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