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WASHINGTON — The Senate voted 74-24 early Saturday morning to pass a sweeping $1.2 trillion government funding bill after heated last-minute negotiations caused senators to breach the midnight deadline to avert a shutdown. The legislation, which passed the House on Friday morning by a vote of 268-134, now goes to President Joe Biden, who has said he'll sign it into law. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said it was "typical" and "juvenile" for the Senate to wait until the 11th hour to act on the bill. And at nearly six months into the fiscal year, it's unusually late in the game to be haggling over the funding measures. The latest bill was released Thursday and passed by the House on Friday morning, leaving little time for the Senate to act.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Joe Biden, Biden, Sen, Chris Murphy, Conn, Murphy, John Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, It's, Schumer, it's Organizations: U.S . Capitol, WASHINGTON, White, NBC News, State , Defense, Labor, Health, Human Services, Homeland Security, Senate Locations: Washington , DC, Congress

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., attends a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol to call for the reversal of the Biden administrations Title 42 expansion and proposed asylum transit ban on Thursday, January 26, 2023. Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is considering running for re-election in November as an independent, two sources who spoke with him directly tell NBC News. He is now making calls to allies about his record and career and is preparing to collect petitions to run in November as an independent, the sources said. But running as an independent would give him more time; in that case, he would need only 800 signatures by June 4 to qualify for the ballot. Several New Jersey Democrats have already filed to run for Menendez's seat, including Rep. Andy Kim and the state's first lady, Tammy Murphy.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Biden, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Andy Kim, Tammy Murphy Organizations: U.S, Capitol, NBC, New, New Jersey Democrat, Senate Foreign, Democrat, New Jersey Democrats, Democratic Locations: New Jersey

In a striking turn of events, Senate Republicans threatened Monday to block a major, bipartisan border security and asylum restrictions package, just one day after their chief negotiator signed off on it. "I would anticipate Wednesday the cloture vote does not pass," Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the lead GOP negotiator in the border talks, told reporters after the meeting. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters that Republicans worry there "hasn't been adequate time" to process the bill yet. The 370-page bill, finalized and released on Sunday, was crafted with the input of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who advocated for it on the Senate floor Monday, warning of crises at the southern border and internationally. McConnell told Republicans that if they have reasons to vote against the bill, they could, given that talks on amendments and how to proceed are ongoing, said a source familiar with the meeting.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Sen, James Lankford, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, John Thune, It's, McConnell —, —, McConnell, I've, Brian Schatz Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Republican, Radical Left Democrats, Democratic Locations: Washington , U.S, Ky, Ukraine, Israel, Hawaii

☆ Congress announces tax deal to expand child tax credit and revive breaks for businesses
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Sahil Kapur | Kate Santaliz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Senior lawmakers in Congress announced a bipartisan deal Tuesday to expand the child tax credit and provide a series of tax breaks for businesses. The deal, details of which were reported earlier by NBC News, would enhance refundable child tax credits in an attempt to provide relief to financially struggling and multi-child families. Democrats had demanded a larger child tax credit after an earlier version they passed for less than one year expired, causing child poverty to fall and then rise again after it lapsed. And Republicans were motivated to revive some expired portions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts for businesses. Wyden has said he hopes to pass the deal by the beginning of tax filing season, which is Jan. 29.

Persons: Cara Baldari, Evie, Sarah Orrin, Vipond, Otto, Jason Smith, Ron Wyden, Smith, " Wyden, Wyden, That's Organizations: D.C, U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON —, Congress, NBC News, American Locations: China

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., arrives for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with U.S. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., announced Tuesday that he is dropping the bulk of his monthslong hold on hundreds of military nominations. Tuberville told reporters that he has lifted his hold on all military promotions three-star and below, amounting to over 400 promotions. Tuberville told reporters. Tuberville had signaled last week that he might drop some of his holds on military promotions "very soon."

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's, Bill Clark, WASHINGTON — Sen, Tuberville, Nikki Haley, Lloyd Austin, Chuck Schumer, John Thune Organizations: U.S, Senators, Inc, Getty Images, Alabama Republican, Defense, Pentagon, GOP, Tuberville's, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel

☆ Senate sends funding bill to Biden's desk, averting a government shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Scott Wong | Kate Santaliz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Senate on Wednesday night passed a stopgap funding bill, punting the GOP's spending fight and the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays. The funding bill next heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his expected signature. The CR is designed to buy more time for House Republicans to pass appropriations bills and for House and Senate negotiators to reach a deal on funding. The House has passed seven of the twelve annual appropriations bills that fund the government for a full fiscal year, while the Senate has passed three. Johnson and his leadership team sent House lawmakers home for the Thanksgiving holiday early on Wednesday after two appropriations bills ran into trouble.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Jack Reed, Joe Biden's, Schumer, Mike Johnson's, Johnson, Scott Perry, we're, I've, we've, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, — Frank Thorp V, Garrett Haake Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republicans, New, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Defense Department, House Republicans, House, Caucus, Democrats, Congressional Black Caucus Locations: Washington, Israel, Ukraine, D

The White House has been working urgently in the past 24 hours to get a Senate confirmation process in motion for President Joe Biden's nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, according to two White House officials. But the White House officials said they hope lawmakers in both parties will agree with the president on the need to quickly confirm Lew amid the war between Israel and Hamas. "Everyone understands the importance behind it," one White House official said. Tom Nides, Biden's former ambassador to Israel, told NBC News in an interview that the Senate needs to confirm his successor "immediately" upon return. One official said Lew is "eager" to get to work, and the White House hopes he is confirmed with bipartisan support.

Persons: Jack Lew, Joe Biden's, Obama, Biden, Lew, Tom Nides, Nides, Sen, Chris Murphy, Israel, Chris Coons, Coons, hasn't, Ted Cruz, Bill Clinton Organizations: International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, IMF, White, Foreign Relations, White House, West Bank, Palestinian Health Ministry, NBC News, Connecticut, U.S, State, Counterterrorism, U.S . Agency for International Development, USAID, Republicans, Senate, Washington, Management, Israel, Organization, Economic Locations: Europe, Washington , DC, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Ted Cruz of Texas

☆ Senate Republicans try to blame Chuck Schumer for Tommy Tuberville’s military blockade
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is seen in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. WASHINGTON — As Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., keeps hundreds of military promotions in limbo for a sixth straight month, his Republican colleagues are trying to deflect criticism by pointing the finger at a familiar GOP foe: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "Sen. Tuberville has created a problem that pervades our entire military, and trying to glue one hole closed does not fix that problem." "Sen. Tuberville has created a problem that pervades our entire military, and trying to glue one hole closed does not fix that problem." As he digs in on his tactic, the number of promotions that have not been approved by the Senate only grows.

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, WASHINGTON —, Chuck Schumer, Roger Wicker of, John Cornyn, Cornyn, Schumer, CQ Brown, Tuberville, Brown, Mark Milley, McConnell, Thune, It's, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Elizabeth Warren, Jack Reed, Kate Santaliz Organizations: U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON, Joint Chiefs, Republican, Armed Services Committee, Air Force, Republicans, Republican Party, Defense Department, Senate, Services Locations: Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Texas, Sen, Ky

☆ AI wrote a bill to regulate AI. Now Rep. Ted Lieu wants Congress to pass it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kate Santaliz | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julie-Tsirkin-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — One way to get Congress to support regulating artificial intelligence is by using it to write a resolution calling for just that. Write a comprehensive congressional resolution generally expressing support for Congress to focus on AI.”The resolution doesn’t specify that it was written using artificial intelligence. And as a member of Congress, I am freaked out by A.I., specifically A.I. Lieu isn’t the first member of Congress to bring artificial intelligence to the House chamber. 34-year-old Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., delivered a speech Wednesday on the House floor written by Chat GPT.

WASHINGTON — Embattled Rep. George Santos is refusing to face the music, but he appears to be relishing his moment in the spotlight. The New York Republican and freshman fabulist, the subject of federal, state, local and international investigations, was spotted Wednesday night by NBC News smiling, laughing and taking dozens of selfies with patrons during karaoke night at a popular D.C. barbecue joint. “It’s bizarre.”Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., whose office is just down the hall from Santos’, suggested all that attention could benefit Santos. “You always know more than I do about myself.”Later that night, Santos strolled into Hill Country, where he spent more than an hour schmoozing and chatting up patrons. A Santos staffer belted “Build Me Up Buttercup.”Approached by NBC News at Hill Country, Santos said: “You’re not going to try to interview me.

Haines also refused to discuss the sensitive material, citing ongoing special counsel investigations, according to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee who attending the classified briefing. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was so furious after the briefing that he threatened to block presidential nominees or funding for some federal agencies until the Biden administration shows key lawmakers the classified documents. “Whether it’s blocking nominees or withholding budgetary funds, Congress will impose pain on the administration until they provide these documents. The bipartisan leaders of the Senate Intelligence panel emerged together from the secure briefing room and rejected the administration’s argument. “I’m not saying anything bad about the three [Biden, Trump and Pence], but classified information in the wrong hands can create problems for our country, put people at risk.

☆ McCarthy says Santos will be removed from Congress if Ethics Committee finds he broke the law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that while he stands by Rep. George Santos, the freshman congressman from New York would be removed from office if the Ethics Committee finds he broke the law after he admitted fabricating parts of his background. Asked whether he is standing by Santos because his resignation would cut into the House Republicans' narrow majority, McCarthy pushed back. “If for some way when we go through Ethics that he has broken the law, then we will remove him, but it’s not my role,” McCarthy said. The voters elected him to serve,” McCarthy said earlier this month. “If there is a concern, he has to go through the Ethics [Committee]; let him move through that.

NBC News has repeatedly contacted Santos’ team with requests for comment about his lies and other allegations against him. Here is a timeline mapping out the controversy:Nov. 3, 2020: Santos loses his first bid for Congress to Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi. Sept. 6, 2022: Santos files his personal financial disclosure report, claiming his assets are as much as $11 million. The New York Times later reported that none of the 49 victims appear to have worked at the various firms named in his biography. In another Dec. 26 interview with the New York Post, Santos acknowledges some of the specific fabrications in his résumé.

This year, women will hold all four of the top positions on the House and Senate Appropriations committees for the first time in history. “Oftentimes people say, you know, ‘We need to have women at the table.’ Well, women are the table.”Spending and debt fights loomOver the decades, these women have seen their share of spending fights. But I’m absolutely convinced that we have to stand together,” said Granger, who last week became the first female Republican to chair the House Appropriations Committee. Women, Murray said, are good communicators, and she and her colleagues can translate a big, complicated appropriations bill for everyday Americans. But as a 14-year House Appropriations staffer, she also intimately knows each of the top appropriators and recognizes the significance of this glass-ceiling-shattering moment.

☆ NY Republican leaders and lawmakers call on GOP Rep. George Santos to resign over campaign lies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

“George Santos’ campaign last year was a campaign of deceit, lies and fabrication,” Nassau County GOP Chairman Joe Cairo said at a news conference with other party officials. But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said that Cairo’s call for Santos’ resignation doesn’t affect his thinking on the issue. The New York State Conservative party said it stands with the Nassau County GOP in calling for Santos’ resignation in a statement. It will work itself out in the end.”Nassau County GOP officials initially endorsed Santos in the 2022 election cycle. Wednesday's announcement from Nassau County officials also comes amid several investigations into Santos' campaign and other calls for him to resign.

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that embattled freshman GOP Rep. George Santos, who is facing growing calls to resign after admitting to fabricating much of his personal biography, should not be seated on any top committees. "No," McCarthy said emphatically as he headed into a GOP Steering Committee meeting where members are deciding which colleagues should serve on certain committees. Lawmakers of both political stripes argue that seating Santos on committees could be a national security risk. Democrats say that McCarthy and the leadership team shouldn't seat Santos on any committees, while some Republicans agree with McCarthy: Keep Santos off the panels that handle the most sensitive, classified information. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, the head of the Main Street Caucus, said Santos shouldn't serve on any committees.

“I’m not telling you we have an agreement,” McCarthy said at one point, according to two people. Share this -Link copiedReporters appear to be live tweeting the GOP conference call Members of the Capitol press corps were live-tweeting what was being said on the House GOP Conference call Friday morning. Share this -Link copied‘I’m not even a congressman’: House lawmakers and staffers can’t function while speaker fight drags on WASHINGTON — There is no speaker of the House. And because of the GOP’s new razor-thin majority, McCarthy can only afford four GOP defections on any speaker vote. If members are not present for votes, it would lower the threshold McCarthy, of California, needs to win a majority and become House speaker.

Ali Alexander said he believed White House wanted him to lead rallygoers to Capitol "Stop The Steal" organizer Ali Alexander believed the White House wanted him to lead attendees of Trump's Jan. 6 rally to the Capitol, the report said. Alex Jones, who has claimed the White House told him to lead the march, texted Wren at 12:27 p.m. Finally one of the staffers told Trump they thought he should focus on his speech. Trump told Jan. 6 demonstrators at the Capitol in a Twitter video that he loved them but that they should go home. The information was expected to be available as soon as Thursday — the day the House Jan. 6 committee is set to issue its final report on the riot.

☆ Jan. 6 committee live updates: Panel votes on criminal referrals for Trump and others
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Summer Concepcion | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +42 min

Committee details Trump allies' efforts to obstruct its investigation In its report summary, the committee detailed some of the efforts to obstruct its investigation. On far-right groups drawing inspiration from Trump: Trump has not denied that he helped inspire far-right groups, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, to violently attempt to obstruct the official certification proceedings on Jan. 6. "There is no question from all the evidence assembled that President Trump did have that intent." Share this -Link copiedInside the final Jan. 6 committee meeting The Jan. 6 committee met for what’s likely its final public meeting, with many of the usual faces present. The committee will likely reveal Eastman’s referrals during Monday’s meeting, in addition to expected criminal referrals for Trump.

☆ Jan. 6 committee live updates: Panel to vote on criminal referrals, adopt final report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Summer Concepcion | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

The committee's final public meeting is getting underway The Jan. 6 committee has gaveled in for its final public meeting. Key aides, however, aren’t expected to provide any formal reaction or weigh in on any of the possible criminal referrals and will likely defer to the Justice Department, these sources say. Share this -Link copiedHouse Republicans planning their own report to counter committee Republicans plan to release a counter report designed to serve as a rebuttal to the Jan 6 committee’s final report. Axios was first to report of the GOP plans to counter the Select Committee’s report. The committee will likely reveal Eastman’s referrals during Monday’s meeting, in addition to expected criminal referrals for Trump.

☆ Jan. 6 meeting live updates: Committee to vote on criminal referrals, adopt its final report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Kate Santaliz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Jan. 6 committee: By the numbers The Jan. 6th committee spent nearly 18 months investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol and the events surrounding it. Each of them are charged with seditious conspiracy and other felonies for their actions leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2021. Although Tarrio was not physically in D.C. on Jan. 6, prosecutors allege he helped plan the group’s strategy and actions during the Capitol attack. Jury selection is expected to take place throughout this week before opening statements on Jan. 3. Share this -Link copied

WASHINGTON — The House Jan. 6 committee met Sunday to finalize its plans to issue at least three criminal referrals for former President Donald Trump, NBC News has learned exclusively. NBC News previously reported that obstruction, conspiracy and incitement of an insurrection were among the charges the committee was considering to recommend against Trump. The criminal referrals carry no official legal weight, and it remains up to the Justice Department to decide whether or not to charge Trump and anyone else the committee might refer. The committee also plans to refer several Republican members of Congress to the House Ethics Committee for their defiance of congressional subpoenas, NBC News has learned. “None of the subpoenaed members complied,” Raskin said during Sunday’s meetings, presenting the findings of the subcommittee responsible for referrals.

WASHINGTON — Democrats are grappling with how to handle a potential re-election bid by newly minted independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024, fearing that a three-way battle could split their voters and throw the race to Republicans in Arizona. Asked how the DSCC should handle a possible Sinema 2024 run, Sinema's Arizona colleague, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, “I haven’t given that any thought." Schumer said he has granted Sinema’s request to preserve her committee assignments through the Democratic Party, meaning the 51-49 partisan organization of the chamber won’t change. She wouldn’t say if Democrats should back her but said her working relationship with Sinema won’t change. Prior to her party switch, Sinema had stronger relationships with Republican senators than just about any Democrat.

But first: The results from five counties will help tell us if Democrat Raphael Warnock is on track to win tonight’s Senate runoff in Georgia. Warnock got 56.9% of the vote in Cobb when he won the Jan. 2021 runoff, and he got just under that last November (56.8%). And in Gwinnett, Warnock got 60.6% of the vote in the 2021 runoff, compared with 58.9% last month against Walker. In rural Chattooga — one of NBC News’ “County to County” counties — Warnock got just 20.5% when he won the 2021 runoff, and he got less than that in the November general election (19.8%). Data Download: The number of the day is … $7.79 billionThat’s how much money was spent on political television, radio and digital ads this entire cycle (starting the day after the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff through today’s runoff), per AdImpact.

Senate Republicans who weighed in on Trump's remarks on Truth Social from Saturday focused more on the importance of upholding the Constitution. “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” Trump wrote. Romney added that he doesn't think Trump's comments will affect his chances of winning the GOP nomination in 2024. Sen. Mike Rounds, meanwhile, tied Trump's remarks to his 2024 ambitions. Some GOP senators, including Rick Scott of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri, said the electorate should determine if Trump's remarks were disqualifying.

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