U.S. Senate News

FREDERICKSBURG, Va.—Blasting as “fundamentally un-American” the seizure of assets from citizens, a state lawmaker wants to rein in police powers in Virginia. Virginia law currently allows police to seize property without even a hearing. State Delegate Mark Cole, a Republican from Spotsylvania, has introduced legislation to be taken up in the General Assembly next January that…

In the first debate of their heated U.S. Senate race, the incumbent Democrat’s attacks last night on the policy positions of his Republican challenger took on a personal tone. Rep. Tom Cotton, the challenger, and Sen. Mark Pryor, the incumbent, squared off at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Joining them to debate who would serve…

Republican lawmakers say the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enjoys a “beyond cozy” relationship with a liberal environmental action group that seeks to reshape national energy policies in a way that would hurt American businesses and families. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, told The Daily Signal that the…

To understand Sean Haugh, know that instead of ending his phone conversation with a Daily Signal reporter by saying “Goodbye,” he implored: “Have fun.” Haugh, who begins conversations with a “Howdy,” appears to be a gentle, non-confrontational type who doesn’t fit the persona of a third-party candidate threatening to unhinge a Senate race. Haugh — pronounced…

A heartland contest between an embattled Republican incumbent and an upstart challenger could decide whether Democrats lose control of the U.S. Senate Republicans need to net six seats to take over the Senate, and in recent days, Kansas appears to have moved from leaning in independent candidate Greg Orman’s favor to a toss-up that could…

What can a Google search or Twitter mention tell us about a political race? Search interest and social media mentions can tell a story beyond the toplines of a poll. It’s a question the team at Echelon Insights wants to answer. Over the next several weeks, founders Patrick Ruffini and Kristen Soltis Anderson will produce…

Unable to break free from each other in the polls, North Carolina’s Senate candidates played offense Tuesday in their second debate. Incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan and her Republican challenger, North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis, both used a specific weapon — numbers — to make their attacks clear. With time running out before the Nov….

Answering a simple “yes or no” question at last night’s debate in Colorado’s U.S. Senate wasn’t easy for either the incumbent Democrat, Sen. Mark Udall, or his Republican challenger, Rep. Cory Gardner. “I don’t think we should shortchange serious issues with yes or no answers without being able to talk about them now,” Gardner said…

With airstrikes continuing in Iraq and Syria as part of the campaign to “degrade and destroy” ISIS, a Democrat and a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee today expressed differing opinions on whether there should be American boots on the ground in Iraq. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., discussed the United…

With Congress officially in recess until November, campaign season is in full swing and this fall brings no shortage of competition for control of the U.S. Senate. Since Republicans need to net just six seats to regain the majority in the upper chamber, Senate races from Alaska to Colorado to New Hampshire command the attention…

Just days before the Senate took a five-week summer recess, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., warned his colleagues that, come September, “There will be no weekends off.” In a July 31 address on the Senate floor, Reid detailed a handful of tasks that would keep the Senate busy throughout the month of September: We…

One popular notion is that members of Congress who oppose helping Syrian rebels confront the Islamic State terrorists fall into one of two groups: anti-war Democrats who don't want America in combat in the Middle East and hawkish Republicans who think more direct force is needed. But comments today from Republicans who voted in the House against aid…

In what is being billed as a reason for conservatives to be encouraged, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has been tapped to head the Senate Steering Committee, a conference of Republican lawmakers working to advance a conservative agenda. Lee will take the helm from Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, chairman for the past two years. In…

A Connecticut lawmaker hopes to open another front in the war on childhood obesity and diabetes. On Wednesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat, introduced a bill that would impose a national tax on sugary soft drinks. DeLauro’s legislation, the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Act, would levy a one-cent excise tax for every teaspoon of sugar within…

Could the IRS be governed by multiple commissioners? Some lawmakers hope so. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday heard pitches for proposed reforms aimed at preventing future targeting scandals at the Internal Revenue Service. One proposal is to name multiple members from both major political parties to a commission to govern the agency….

As lawmakers debate how to stem the flood of unaccompanied minors across the southern border, The Daily Signal has learned that Sen. David Vitter, R-La., will introduce a bill this morning to modify the anti-trafficking law identified as a key factor in the surge of young illegal immigrants. In a statement to The Daily Signal,…

Today on Capitol Hill, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had a message for President Obama and Senate Democrats voting to undermine the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision: “If you’re litigating against nuns, you have probably done something wrong.” Sixty votes were needed to debate the bill, which was sponsored by Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash.,  and Mark…