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.
-
- Opinion
There’s Good and Bad in Senate’s Version of Defense Authorization Bill
As early as next week, the full Senate could take up legislation to establish the defense budget for the 2016 fiscal year. The Senate Armed Services Committee has finished its work, approving a 900-page bill on May 14 and releasing its text last week. The National Defense Authorization Act likely will be amended on the…Justin Johnson -
- Opinion
Lawmakers Had 10 Months to Fix Broken Transportation Funding. They Didn’t Do Anything.
Another day, another punt on important policy matters by members of Congress. Faced with a May 31st deadline, lawmakers’ latest “fix” for highway funding—a two-month extension of current policy—comes after members had given themselves ten months to devise a long-term solution. To almost no one’s surprise, the ten months flew by without a whisper of…Michael Sargent -
- News
Lawmakers Propose Short-Term Extension for Highway Trust Fund
Unlikely to reach an agreement by the end of the month, Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would temporarily extend the authorization of the Highway Trust Fund until the end of July. The Highway Trust Fund finances federal highway and transportation projects, and is funded by the federal tax…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
This Program Epitomizes Waste and Favoritism. Lawmakers Now Have a Chance to Repeal It.
Do legislators truly care about waste and cronyism? We may get a chance to see how serious (or not) legislators are about these issues if the Senate takes up an amendment to repeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s catfish inspection program as part of its consideration of the trade promotion bill. Admittedly, it’s easy to…Daren Bakst -
- News
After Blocking Out Some Conservatives, House Passes Iran Review Bill
The House easily passed a bill today imposing congressional review over a proposed nuclear deal with Iran after party leadership blocked changes proposed by conservatives. Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus had proposed a series of amendments in an attempt to “strengthen” the bill, which the Senate previously passed, but House Speaker John Boehner…Josh Siegel -
- News
House Passes Bill Banning Most Abortions After 20 Weeks
The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The bill, passed by a 242-to-184 vote, would prohibit abortion after 20 weeks—approximately halfway through a pregnancy—with exceptions for victims of rape or incest, or if the life of the mother is at risk. The bill removed a provision in the…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Senate Version ‘Not Strong Enough,’ So House Conservatives Seek Changes to Iran Bill
A group of House conservatives is pressuring GOP leadership to allow the chance to “strengthen” a Senate-passed bill imposing congressional review over a proposed nuclear deal with Iran. Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus are proposing a series of amendments because some believe the Senate bill does not give Congress enough power to actually…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
How Lawmakers Could Reduce Health Insurance Costs for Young Adults By 44%
How should Congress respond when the Supreme Court hands down its decision in King v. Burwell? At issue in the case is the Obama administration’s regulatory interpretation of the statute governing payment of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance subsidies. If the Court rules against the administration then those subsidies cannot be paid to individuals…Edmund Haislmaier -
- Opinion
What Lawmakers Can Do If They’re Serious About Ending Bailouts
There’s still a widespread belief that the federal government will bail out large financial firms if there’s another crisis. Curbing the Federal Reserve’s ability to spread money around would be a great way to lower the chances of future bailouts. So it’s encouraging to learn that Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and David Vitter, R-La., have…Norbert Michel -
- News
Senate Votes to Give Congress Review Over Iran Nuclear Deal
The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday to give Congress at least some voice over a proposed nuclear deal with Iran. The bill, which passed 98-1, would allow Congress to prevent the removal of legislative sanctions against Iran and force the Obama administration to periodically show that Tehran is following the terms of any nuclear…Josh Siegel -
- News
Conservative Lawmakers Speak Out on Supreme Court’s Same-Sex Marriage Case
Following Tuesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments on same-sex marriage, The Daily Signal spoke to two conservative members of Congress about the issue. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., shared their perspective from the steps of the court.Paul Runko -
- Opinion
How Lawmakers, Including Republicans, Just Hiked the Deficit (Again)
The new Congress isn’t getting Washington’s crazy spending under control. In fact, it’s just made it worse. By enacting the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2), lawmakers increased the nation’s deficits by $141 billion over the next ten years and guaranteed even larger debt beyond that. So much for their formal commitments and resolutions…Robert Moffit -
- News
Why a Confirmation Vote on Loretta Lynch Is Imminent in the Senate
Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s nominee for attorney general, is one step closer to a confirmation vote in the Senate after lawmakers today reached an agreement on a bipartisan human trafficking bill. Lynch’s confirmation was stalled after Democrats and Republicans disagreed on a provision in the anti-trafficking bill that would prevent a restitution fund for victims—funded…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Senate Passes Bill Stabilizing Doctors’ Payments, Adding $141 Billion to Deficit
With just hours to go before Medicare physicians potentially faced deep cuts in payments, the Senate passed legislation that stabilizes such payments but adds $141 billion to the deficit. Fresh off of a two-week recess in their home states, the Senate voted 92-8 to pass the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
What’s Wrong With New Senate Version of No Child Left Behind
Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., have released a draft of their No Child Left Behind rewrite, which is slated to be considered in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Tuesday. The 601-page proposal has many of the hallmarks of the House No Child Left Behind rewrite—the Student Success Act—which…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
How Lawmakers Could Reward Main Street
With more and more Americans feeling unheard and disenfranchised by a political system that works for the well-connected while doing little to address their anxieties, Congress has an opportunity to deliver at least one easy victory to Main Street this year. The question is: Will they take it? This June, the Export-Import Bank is up…Mike Needham -
- News
Will Harry Reid’s Retirement Shake Things Up in the Senate?
Five-time Democratic Senator and Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced his retirement Friday, starting a series of events in motion as Democrats look to anoint the first new leader they’ll have had in almost a decade. News of Reid’s retirement sent the rumor mill swirling. A replacement to the minority leader will officially be…Melissa Quinn -
- News
House Passes Medicare Doc Fix Bill. How Did Your Representative Vote?
The House Thursday passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015—the so-called “doc fix” bill. The legislation was approved in a 392-37 vote. >>> Click Here to See How Your Representative Voted The bill, a bipartisan deal by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is an effort to make…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Reflections on the Conservative Budget From the Lawmaker Tasked With Crafting It
The Republican Study Committee’s budget didn’t pass the House, but the lawmaker in charge of crafting the proposal as head of the group’s Budget and Spending Task Force is reflecting on the mark it’s made on the Republican conference. The House voted on six budget proposals Wednesday, which included the Republican Study Committee’s “Blueprint for…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
The 2016 Senate Budget Vote-a-rama Begins!
This morning the Senate concluded debate on the budget resolution and started off on an unofficial procedure known as “vote-a-rama,” a fast-track budget process of addressing amendments that were not disposed of during the previous 50 hours of debate on the budget resolution. The role of the budget resolution is to provide an important framework…John Gray