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
Ron Johnson Predicts GOP Senators Will Put Up Roadblock To ‘Stop the Process’ On Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said Sunday on CNN that he believes there will be enough GOP members to halt President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” until their concerns are addressed. Despite Trump pushing Republicans to pass his budget reconciliation package, some GOP lawmakers have remained unconvinced. While on “State of the…Hailey Gomez -
- Opinion
The Librarian of Congress Should Support the Founders’ Goal of Protecting American Creators
President Donald Trump fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on May 9. Since then, he’s announced that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will assume the role of acting librarian of Congress. Trump’s ultimate decision of whom to appoint as the librarian of Congress is of more consequence than people might think. The classic image of…Adam Mossoff -
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Who to Watch in Senate as ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Advances
Republicans this week made major progress when they passed the “big, beautiful” budget reconciliation package out of the House, but there's still a long road ahead to President Donald Trump’s desk. The package—dubbed the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act—now heads to the Senate. The GOP currently has a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber, and…Jacob Adams -
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Mike Collins Within Striking Distance of Sen. Jon Ossoff in Senate Matchup, Poll Finds
New polling shows Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins within “striking distance” of incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff in a hypothetical matchup for one of the Senate seats representing the Peach State. The Cygnal poll, conducted from May 15 to May 17 among 800 likely voters, found Ossoff leading Collins 45.7% to 43.3%—well within the survey’s…Jacob Adams -
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EXCLUSIVE: Senators to Introduce Bill Promoting Holistic Fertility Methods
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Two Senate Republicans will introduce legislation to promote a holistic approach to healing infertility. Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and James Lankford, R-Okla., will introduce the Reproductive Empowerment and Support Through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act on Thursday to address underlying causes of infertility like endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. “So many couples…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
WATCH: Rubio Leaves Democrat Senators in Shambles
LIVE on “The Tony Kinnett Cast” at 7 p.m. EDT: Secretary of State and acting national security adviser Marco Rubio goes toe-to-toe with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Tuesday—and only one is left standing. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., is charged with assault, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., flies in to simp for her. The Supreme…Tony Kinnett -
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‘We’re Just Getting Started,’ Noem Tells Senate During DHS Budget Hearing
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before a Senate panel Tuesday on her department’s budget request for fiscal year 2026, touting the work the Department of Homeland Security has already accomplished under President Donald Trump while responding to questions on the budget and legal matters related to the detention and deportation of illegal aliens. “Now, at…Virginia Allen -
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Senate Dems Critical of Bondi’s Easing of Journalist Subpoena Rules Were Mum on Obama, Biden Actions
Ten Democrat members of the Senate Judiciary Committee—including former Chairman Dick Durbin of Illinois—have accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of attacking constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press by making it easier for the federal government to issue subpoenas to journalists for their testimony and sources. “When asked at your confirmation hearing to commit to ‘respect…Mark Tapscott -
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Senate Panel Hearing Spotlights Charter Schools for Special-Needs Kids
Sen. Bill Cassidy on Thursday urged parents and school choice advocates to continue efforts to promote the educational benefits of charter schools, with an emphasis on children with special needs. Cassidy, R-La., who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, hosted a hearing on the charter school movement, “Chartering Excellence: A Policy Briefing…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
EXCLUSIVE: Marshaling Senate Support for the Justice for Angel Families Act
This morning, I sat down with Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., to discuss the Justice for Angel Families Act, a bill he’s pushing alongside Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas. The legislation would extend support to “Angel Families”—immediate relatives of those killed by illegal immigrants or international drug cartel members. By amending the 1984 Victims of Crime Act,…Tony Kinnett -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: Congress Answers Call to Defund Second-Largest Transgender Hormone Provider
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The House Energy and Commerce Committee has announced its portion of the reconciliation bill would slash Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer funding. Now, a conservative think tank is urging Republicans in Congress to act to defund the abortion giant. The reconciliation bill contains language removing funding for organizations that participate in transgender medical…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
Congress Must End, or Radically Amend, Temporary Protected Status for Immigrants
The Temporary Protected Status immigration program was enacted into law in 1990. Its original intent was to give a brief safe haven to aliens in the U.S. without regard to their legal or illegal status when man-made situations or natural disasters temporarily made return to their countries unsafe. The law gives the homeland security secretary…Dan Cadman -
- Opinion
Alcatraz: Should Congress Turn Part of a National Park Back Into a Prison?
President Richard Nixon, a native Californian, promoted an idea in 1972 to turn an iconic stretch of California's coastline into a national park. It would include the headlands around the Golden Gate and two nearby islands. One was Angel Island, and the other was Alcatraz—where a federal prison had been permanently closed nine years earlier….Terence Jeffrey -
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The Fight That Will Define This GOP Congress Is Happening Right Now
Piece by piece, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans are assembling President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill.” House committees have acted fast on their instructions laid out in the budget resolution, slashing or increasing spending to deliver on the agenda that propelled Republicans to victory in the November elections. Nevertheless, the biggest fights, on taxes and…Bradley Devlin -
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Un-Kemp’d: Georgia’s GOP Governor to Forgo Senate Bid
Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that he will not run for Senate in 2026, dashing hopes that he would help flip Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff’s seat from a state that Donald Trump won in 2024. “I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and…George Caldwell -
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‘Unjustified Burdens’: Senate Passes Resolution to Repeal Biden-Era Appliance Rule
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The Senate passed a joint resolution to repeal a Department of Energy appliance standard on Wednesday by a margin of 52-46, further advancing the rollback of Biden-era green energy regulations on household appliances. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., is the lead sponsor of the joint resolution of disapproval, HJ Res. 42, which aims to nullify a rule issued…Audrey Streb -
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Contender to Replace Durbin as Senate Democrat Whip Is Pro-Abortion, Pro-LGBTQ
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a hard-core liberal, is seen by insiders as a leading contender to succeed the retiring Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois as the Senate Democratic whip in the next Congress. Schatz has served in the Senate since December 2012 and currently serves in a party leadership role as the chief deputy whip….Jacob Adams -
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Democrat NH Senator Backs Rep’s Bid for Elevation to Retiring Lawmaker’s Senate Seat
Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., received a major political boost in his bid to move up to the Senate when he was endorsed Friday by Sen. Maggie Hassan, his fellow New Hampshire Democrat. Pappas is running for the nomination to be the Democrat candidate in the November 2026 election to replace Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Shaheen…Jacob Adams -
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Durbin Confirms Intent to ‘Pass the Torch,’ Setting Off Jockeying by Would-Be Senate Successors
In the wake of longtime Illinois Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin announcing his retirement Wednesday, politicians are looking back on the 80-year-old Senate minority whip’s tenure and also looking ahead to who will replace him. “In my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be…George Caldwell -
- Opinion
Will Congress Ensure Only Citizens Vote?
By May 7, all U.S. citizens are supposed to have their federally required “Real ID” so that they can travel by air or enter a federal building. But what about using them to register to vote to ensure they are legally present in the country and eligible to vote in our elections? The SAVE Act,…Joe Thomas