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
Senate Republicans Tell Supreme Court Not to Be Swayed by Democrats’ Court-Packing Threats
Senate Republicans urged the Supreme Court not to be intimidated after Democratic lawmakers warned that its decision in a pending Second Amendment case could inflame the liberal push to restructure the court. Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island filed an amicus (or “friend of the court”) brief on Aug. 12 in a challenge to New York…Kevin Daley -
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Democratic Senator Faces Ethics Complaint After Warning Justices About Court-Packing
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island has attracted an ethics complaint and vigorous criticism from conservatives after raising the prospect of court-packing in a new legal filing before the Supreme Court. Depending on one’s perspective, Whitehouse’s extraordinary brief is either a cogent indictment of the court’s seemingly partisan valence or particularly blunt strong-arming of the nation’s…Kevin Daley -
- Opinion
Senate Resolution Cautions Against Federal Bailout of Fiscally Irresponsible States
Most of the public was outraged when, during the financial crisis of 2008, Congress provided a massive financial bailout, including $70 billion of taxpayers’ money to insurance giant AIG and $80 billion to U.S. automakers General Motors, Chrysler, and GMAC. Even most politicians who voted in favor of the bailouts did so begrudgingly, in part…Rachel Greszler -
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Senate Democrats Show What Real Confirmation Obstruction Looks Like
On March 13, 2012, then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., spoke on the Senate floor about the judicial confirmation process. He accused Republicans of applying “a different and unfair standard to President [Barack] Obama’s judicial nominees.” Today, Leahy and his fellow Democrats are demonstrating just what real obstruction looks like. Specifically, Leahy said that nominees…Thomas Jipping -
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Senate Defense Spending Bill Shows Promise in Rebuilding the Military
Congress could do more to shore up the U.S. military, but at least both houses now acknowledge the need to increase spending to some degree. The final markup of the National Defense Authorization Act that the Senate passed on May 23 by a 25-2 margin shows progress toward rebuilding the military with considerable investments in…Frederico Bartels -
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Democrat Senator Reveals His Ties to the Knights of Columbus
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., may be causing eyes to roll or shocks of horror in his own party after he disclosed that he is, in fact, a member of the Knights of Columbus during a Wednesday judicial nomination hearing. In a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for U.S. District Court Judge Peter Phipps to serve…Carmel Kookogey -
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Senate Republicans Renew Earmark Ban and Make It Permanent
The Senate Republican Conference adopted an amendment Thursday, pushed by Sen. Ben Sasse, to retain the Senate’s ban on spending earmarks. “The last thing taxpayers need is for the same politicians who racked up a $22 trillion national debt to go on an earmark binge,” the Nebraska Republican said in a statement. Congress enacted a…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Senate Picks Up the Pace in Confirming New Judges
Senate Republicans used the so-called nuclear option April 3 to eliminate one of the Democrats’ tactics for slowing down the process for considering President Donald Trump’s nominees. In a column here at the time, I wrote that Republicans “need to seize this opportunity so that the government that Americans elected in 2016 can function as…Thomas Jipping -
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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 -
- 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…Rob Bluey -
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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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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 -
- 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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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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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 -
- 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 -
- 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 -
- 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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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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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