U.S. Senate News
This section focuses on the upper chamber of Congress, from major policy debates to confirmation hearings. The Daily Signal provides a conservative look at Senate priorities.
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- News
2 Senators Flip-Flop on Keystone XL Pipeline, Thwarting GOP Bid to Save It
Two Democratic senators—Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana—who initially voted in favor of a Republican amendment reversing President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline later reversed themselves and voted with other Democrats to kill the amendment. Both Tester and Manchin voted late Thursday night for the amendment from…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
‘Talk Is Cheap,’ New Congresswoman Says About Left’s Calls for Unity
Freshman Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, says she is committed to focusing on the “meat and potato issues that affect people’s daily lives.” Van Duyne was the first female mayor of Irving, Texas, from 2011-2017. Now, she says, she’ll draw on her experience in local government to listen to the needs and concerns of Americans…Virginia Allen -
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Sen. Mike Lee Explains Why the Senate Has the Filibuster and Why It Would Be a Mistake to Abolish It
Now that Democrats have President Joe Biden in the White House and narrow majorities in both houses of Congress, some on the left argue that it’s time to get rid of the Senate filibuster. The Senate filibuster rule often slows down legislation and makes it so that 60 votes are required to pass bills, rather…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Schumer Is Wrong About Debt. Congress Must Take Debt Danger Seriously, Not Spend Recklessly.
The combination of unified control of the federal government along with the COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly caused some elected officials to think there are no consequences to new spending proposals. However, they must wake up to the dangers posed by recklessly adding to the national debt. On Thursday, Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., exemplified this…David Ditch -
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Conservative Leaders Urge Senate to Preserve Filibuster
Heritage Action for America and a coalition of other national and state grassroots groups have sent a letter to members of the Senate urging them not to abolish the legislative filibuster. They said the filibuster “protects the rights of the minority party” in the Senate and “is an essential part of ensuring a strong system…Steven Hall -
- Opinion
New Congresswoman Vows to Stand Against Radical Agenda of Leftist ‘Squad’
Freshman Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., is one of several new members of Congress who have formed the “Freedom Force.” The group of conservative Republican leaders says it will stand against the far-left agenda being promoted by the so-called squad led by fellow New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other liberal Democrats. Malliotakis is the daughter…Virginia Allen -
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In the Last House Race Undecided, the Republican Leads by 29 Votes
The only remaining congressional race still not certified will have to wait until at least Jan. 27—and even after that, legal appeals will likely ensue. Republican Claudia Tenney currently leads Democrat Anthony Brindisi by 29 votes in the race in New York’s 22nd Congressional District. But late Wednesday, a state judge ordered the Oneida County…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
3 Ways Congress Tested Its Commitment to Constitution Over 7 Days
While “unprecedented” seemed to be an apt word to describe much of 2020, the beginning of 2021 seems to be continuing the trend by being precedent-breaking in its own right. In the first weeks of 2021, America witnessed Congress face a series of monumental tests of its commitment to the U.S. Constitution, with the outcome of…Kay C. James -
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Ocasio-Cortez Says Congress Must ‘Rein in’ Media Environment
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., says that Congress is looking into reining in “our media environment” to prevent the spread of disinformation. Ocasio-Cortez discussed how she feared for her life during last week’s Capitol riot in a livestream Tuesday evening on Instagram, Fox News reported. A viewer asked Ocasio-Cortez if Congress is discussing “truth and reconciliation…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
Inside the Grassroots Effort to Win Georgia’s 2 Senate Races
Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff appear to have defeated Georgia’s incumbent Republican senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, giving the Democrats a majority in the U.S. Senate. Georgia’s two runoff elections were required under state law after no candidate received a majority of the vote Nov. 3. Janae Stracke, the grassroots director of Heritage…Virginia Allen -
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7 Big Moments in Congress’ Debate of Electoral College Vote for President
Congress has certified Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, making him the nation’s 46th president, following lawmakers’ debate Wednesday that went past midnight after being interrupted by rioters who stormed the Capitol in the afternoon. The rioters forced a lockdown of the Capitol that suspended lawmakers’ debate in a joint session of Congress over counting and…Fred Lucas -
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Everything You Need to Know as Congress Debates Electoral College Vote for President
President Donald Trump sounded confident during a rally Monday night in Georgia about his chances for victory after the House and Senate convene a joint session Wednesday to count the Electoral College votes for president. But the probability of altering former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead of 302 votes to Trump’s 232 votes in the…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
How Does Congress’ Electoral College Certification Process Work?
Congress is set Wednesday to certify the results of the Electoral College vote. What is the Electoral College certification process, and how does it work? Additionally, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and 10 other Republican senators are asking for an “emergency ‘audit’ of results in battleground states where President Donald Trump disputes the outcome,” according to DallasNews.com….Rachel del Guidice -
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3 Keys to Understanding Senators’ Proposal to Audit Presidential Election
In a move that isn’t without precedent, 11 Senate Republicans are pushing for a special panel to investigate questions of fraud arising from the presidential election. Some conservatives oppose such objections to the election outcome, in which former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, claimed an Electoral College victory of 306 votes to the…Fred Lucas -
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Conservatives Mock Use of ‘Amen and Awoman’ to End Prayer Opening 117th Congress
Conservatives mocked a Democratic representative’s decision to conclude a Sunday prayer opening the 117th Congress with the words “amen and awoman.” “We ask it in the name of the monotheistic God, [unintelligible], and God known by many names and by many different faiths. Amen and awoman," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., an ordained United Methodist pastor, said at…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
New Radical Rules for a New Radical Congress
The House of Representatives was expected to vote Monday afternoon on a rules package that will govern their processes for the 117th Congress. This package represents an ultimate power grab by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was reelected to the post by a razor-thin vote of 216-209. The rules give us an insight as to…Mike Howell -
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11 Republican Senators Will Object to Electoral College Certification
Eleven Republican senators, led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, announced Saturday that they would object to the certification of states’ Electoral College votes when Congress meets Wednesday in a joint session “Congress should immediately appoint an Electoral Commission, with full investigatory and fact-finding authority, to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns…Andrew Trunsky -
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Congress Braces for Dramatic End to Disputed 2020 Election
The House and Senate are poised to debate a presidential election outcome for only the third time since 1887, when Congress passed the Electoral Count Act. The prospect comes amid litigation that seeks to force the hand of Vice President Mike Pence ahead of the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress to finalize the election…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Congress Is Right Not to Pass Bailouts for States and Cities
It looks as though Congress won’t be including additional direct aid to state and local governments in the end-of-year COVID-19 relief package. Congress is right to deny an additional bailout. >>> What’s the best way for America to reopen and return to business? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled…Adam Michel -
- Opinion
Flying Blind: Congress Votes on 11th-Hour, 5,600-Page Spending Bill Unread
A terrible 2020 is coming to a close, and the American people are about to get handed a massive bill. After months of delays and waiting, a federal stopgap spending package, combined with $900 billion in COVID-19 relief, is finally being released to the public. The bill, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, is nearly 5,600 pages…Jarrett Stepman