Senate Conservatives Gather Enough Votes to Block Lame Duck Treaties
A group of Senate conservatives has gathered enough support to block any treaties that come up for a vote during the lame duck session. A… Read More
Senator Rand Paul on the “Charade and Farce” of Debate in the Senate
On Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul (R–KY) requested a vote on two amendments to S.3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV)… Read More
Inappropriate for Appropriations Bills (and Other Bills, Too)
This session, Congress has consistently increased criminal penalties through legislation. In what type of bills are they doing it? In appropriations bills, of course. Where… Read More
Senate Republicans Have Spoken: No Votes on Judges Until After the Election
On Monday night, Senate Democrats failed to reach 60 votes to cut off debate on the nomination of Robert E. Bacharach to the U.S. Court… Read More
Senate Opposition May Block Judicial Nominees Close to Presidential Election
On July 30, the Senate is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Robert E. Bacharach to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th… Read More
Morning Bell: Senate Votes to Raise Taxes on Small Businesses
Yesterday, the Senate narrowly voted (51-48) to raise taxes on 1.2 million small businesses, which will likely kill more than 700,000 jobs at a time… Read More
Cybersecurity Legislation Should Be Done Well or Not at All
Cybersecurity legislation will likely be taken up by the Senate tomorrow. Regrettably, the idea that we just need to do something about cybersecurity seems to… Read More
Filibuster Reform Is a Bad Idea
The Washington Post reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) has pledged to reform the filibuster—if and only if he retains his position as… Read More
House Repeals Obamacare; What’s Next
Now that the House has voted to repeal Obamacare, what happens next with H.R. 6079? The “Repeal of ObamaCare Act” will go to the Senate… Read More
Reid’s Unconstitutional Gambit on Small Business Taxes
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) is trying to use the Senate to message on tax issues. The problem is that this political ploy is… Read More
Senate Flood Insurance Compromise Will Reduce Taxpayer Cost of Disasters
Further scrambling to pay for transportation projects and the subsidized student loan interest rate freeze, Congress is now debating to add a five-year flood insurance… Read More
Senate GOP Will Use Reconciliation in Attempt to Repeal Obamacare
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare’s health insurance mandate is in fact a tax levied on those who do not purchase insurance,… Read More
News
Questions the Senate Should Ask NRC Nominee Allison Macfarlane
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing tomorrow on the nomination of Allison Macfarlane and the re-nomination of Kristine Svinicki… Read More
Online Chat on the Broken Congress
Congress is broken. There are rules that have been abused by the leadership in the Senate that make it difficult for all members to participate. … Read More
Reid Is Bouncing an Important Check
It seems odd to note this in an election year, but it’s important nonetheless: The Founding Fathers feared unbridled, direct democracy. The Senate is supposed… Read More
Morning Bell: A Glimmer of Hope for the American Dream
Yesterday in the Senate, America bore witness to the glaringly obvious division in Washington, as stark as the contrast between high noon in the desert… Read More
News
Morning Bell: What’s the Senate Thinking?
April 29 marks the third year in which the U.S. Senate has not passed a budget — a staggering dereliction of duty, particularly given the… Read More
Chairman Conrad’s Embarrassing Quasi-Budget
The Senate Budget Committee stretched a few definitions in announcing yesterday’s “Mark-Up of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2013.” Turns out… Read More
Morning Bell: Did You See the Senate’s Gas Price Sideshow?
In case you missed it, there was quite a performance in the U.S. Senate yesterday. Liberals put on an election-year show, with the personal encouragement… Read More
New York Times Flip Flops on Nominee Filibuster
In an editorial last month, The New York Times argued that the Senate should adopt President Obama’s plan requiring the Senate to vote on judicial… Read More
Senator Reid on the Budget: Not Interested
It is bad enough that, after more than 1,000 days since passing a budget resolution, the Senate has decided to forgo this fundamental obligation once… Read More
Senate’s Public Corruption Move Raises Overcriminalization Concerns
The Senate is currently considering the addition of a public corruption bill as an amendment to the STOCK Act. While the goal of reining in… Read More
1,000 Days Without a Budget: Facts on the Senate’s Failure
Tuesday, January 24, will mark the 1,000th day since the U.S. Senate has passed a budget—an egregious dereliction of duty on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D–NV) watch. By… Read More
Senate Conservatives Warn Reid Against PROTECT IP Blitz
Six conservative U.S. senators voiced concerns Friday over the substance and procedural context of controversial legislation to block Internet piracy, noting potential economic damages and… Read More
Obama DOJ Undercuts President’s ‘Recess’ Appointment Stunt
The White House announced Wednesday that President Obama would recess-appoint Richard Cordray as chairman of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and three new members… Read More
Flashback: Senator Outlines Objections to ‘Unaccountable’ Consumer Czar
Last fall Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) visited Heritage to talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the “unaccountable” nominee to head the agency. At… Read More
Morning Bell: Senators, Do Your Job and Get to Work
On the front page of the White House’s website, a clock slowly ticks away, second by second, counting down to the day, hour, minute, and… Read More
Morning Bell: The Truth About the Balanced Budget Amendment
In case you’re not keeping track, it has been nearly 1,000 days since the United States Senate passed a budget. Meanwhile, America’s fiscal nightmare keeps… Read More
Senate Lawmakers Launch Attack on Marriage
Last Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on legislation that would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). All 10 Democrats on the committee… Read More
Senate Poised to Vote on Resolution Blocking FCC’s Net Neutrality Rule
Congress could move a step closer to rejecting the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to regulate the Internet this week when the Senate considers a resolution… Read More
