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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- Opinion
Senate’s Highway Trust Fund Shenanigans Don’t Add Up
History proves that the U.S. Congress consistently excels in at least one thing: spending other people’s money. Lawmakers regularly budget to spend more than they collect, and it rarely occurs to them that they should spend less. The latest example is the U.S. Senate’s plan to “save” the highway trust fund. Congress has mishandled the fund—which, technically,…Norbert Michel -
- News
Cruz Attacks GOP Senate Leadership: McConnell ‘Very Effective Democratic Leader’
In a speech Thursday on the Senate floor, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sharply criticized the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, a budget deal between former House Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama. Cruz said the deal is yet another example of the failure of the “so-called Republican majority” to deliver on their promises to…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Temporary Patch Gives Lawmakers More Time to Pass Long-Term Highway Bill
House Republicans introduced legislation late last week to temporarily extend federal transportation funding for three weeks, giving lawmakers more time to work on a long-term highway bill. The funding “patch,” H.R. 3819, authorizes federal transportation spending for an additional three weeks by pushing the current expiration date back from October 29 to November 20. The…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
Be Careful What You Wish For. Getting Rid of the Senate Filibuster Is a Bad Idea.
Republicans hold majorities in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. They got those majorities by making promises that, once elected, they announced they couldn’t keep. The ongoing leadership shake-up in the House is one outcome of broken promises. But another one may be in the works that has a much more significant and, in…Genevieve Wood -
- Opinion
How Conservative Lawmakers Could Govern Better
What is missed by the mainstream pundits about the conservative movement in America and in Congress? First, let us acknowledge that during the post-New Deal political era, Republicans have rarely been in control of one chamber of Congress, and even more rarely has the GOP controlled both the House and the Senate. During the reign…Rep. Jeff Duncan -
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Conservative Lawmakers Ask the National Portrait Gallery to Remove Margaret Sanger Bust
Lawmakers have requested that a bust of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, be removed from the National Portrait Gallery. Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Louie Gohmert, both Texas Republicans, sent a letter to Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery, demanding the bust’s removal. Twenty-four House Republicans also signed the letter. In a…Kate Scanlon -
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As US Begins to Admit More Syrian Refugees, Senators Seek to Know It’s Safe
As the United States begins to wade into the refugee crisis straining Syria’s neighbors, national security concerns competing against a swift resettlement response are dividing lawmakers along party lines. Obama administration immigration and refugee officials traveled to Capitol Hill Thursday to smooth security concerns at a congressional hearing as the U.S. begins to open its…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
Sentencing Reform Advances in the Senate
A powerful bipartisan group of senators announced their intention today to introduce The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015. The bill addresses “front end” reform and contains some of key provisions (albeit in modified form) of what had been the Smarter Sentencing Act of 2015 (“SSA”), which had been introduced by Senators Mike Lee,…John G. Malcolm -
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Why One State Lawmaker Is Criticizing GE for Using the Export-Import Bank as a ‘Scapegoat’
A Wisconsin state lawmaker is criticizing General Electric for blaming its decision to move out of the state on the Export-Import Bank’s expiration. Wisconsin state Rep. Scott Allen accused the company of using the embattled agency as a “scapegoat.” In a statement released Monday, Allen said GE spokesman Patrick Theisen encouraged him to blame the…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Senators Reach Long-Elusive Deal to Reduce ‘Unjust’ Prison Sentences
A bipartisan group of senators have reached a long-elusive deal on criminal justice reform, with a proposal that would reduce mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain nonviolent drug offenses and allow well-behaved inmates to earn time off their prison terms. After months of negotiations, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s agreement — dubbed the Criminal Justice Reform…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
How Senate GOP Leadership Is Silencing Americans’ Voices With Procedural Tricks
As you may have heard, bad things are happening on Capitol Hill. Here’s the really bad news: it’s even worse than you probably think. In addition to GOP leadership caving on issue after issue, they are also stripping other members of Congress, and therefore the American people, of their ability and rights to have…Genevieve Wood -
- News
Find Out How Your Lawmakers Voted on Government Spending Bill That Averts Shutdown, Funds Planned Parenthood
On the last day of the fiscal year, Congress approved a short-term spending measure that keeps the federal government operating through Dec. 11. The bill passed easily in the Senate, 78-20: The bill faced strong dissension in the House, where 151 Republicans voted against it because the bill does not cut off federal funding for…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Lawmakers Are Saying They Can’t Defund Planned Parenthood. Here’s How to Respond to 8 of Their Claims.
Abortion giant Planned Parenthood has been a recipient of federal funding under Title X of the Public Health Service Act and via Medicaid reimbursements, among other sources. Last reporting year, Planned Parenthood received $528 million—41 percent of its total revenue—a significant portion of which comes from these federal government programs. This issue is now before Congress…Nick Barden -
- News
McCarthy Speakership Could Challenge GOP Senate Leadership
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Monday that he will be running for House speaker. If elected, McCarthy will replace Speaker John Boehner, who is set to resign at the end of October. “We have made real progress towards shrinking an overgrown federal government and reforming our broken entitlement system,” McCarthy wrote in an email…Sara Jones -
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Senate Advances Spending Bill With Funding for Planned Parenthood
The Senate voted 77-19 Monday to advance a short-term government spending bill, narrowing the chances of a federal shutdown days before Wednesday’s deadline. The Senate’s continuing resolution leaves intact taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, shelving a fight that conservatives wanted Republican leadership to wage with President Barack Obama. Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, is under scrutiny following a series…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
Failure Theater in the Senate
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has scheduled a vote for Monday that would fund the government through Dec. 11. The vote would not end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, but rather kick the can down the road for two-and-a-half months. Make no mistake: If Planned Parenthood is not dealt with now, Congress will have zero political will to…Jim DeMint -
- News
Senators Block Spending Bill Defunding Planned Parenthood for One Year
A government spending bill that prohibited Planned Parenthood from receiving federal dollars for one year and kept the government operating failed in the Senate today. The continuing resolution, introduced earlier this week by Senate Republican leaders, fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance in the upper chamber after senators blocked the measure, 47-52. Republican…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Senate Republican Leaders Introduce Government Spending Bill Withholding Planned Parenthood Funding for One Year
Senate Republican leaders unveiled a continuing resolution today that would fund the government for just under three months and prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding for one year. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill Thursday, which funds the government at a rate of $1.017 trillion annually until Dec. 11 and places…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Senate Democrats Block Bill Banning Late-Term Abortions
Senate Democrats have blocked the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act from moving forward in the Senate. The Pain-Capable Act needed 60 votes in order to invoke cloture, but failed Tuesday in a 54-42 vote. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., were the only Democrats to support the bill. Sens. Mark…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Lawmakers Push to Declare ISIS’ Targeting of Christians ‘Genocide’
U.S. lawmakers introduced a bipartisan resolution Wednesday to formally declare the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’s targeting of Christians “genocide.” “Christianity in the Middle East is shattered,” Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., said in a statement. “The ancient faith tradition lies beaten, broken, and dying.” In its fight to establish a caliphate governed by strict Sharia…Natalie Johnson