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☆ Biden’s Future Problem - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Katherine Miller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Between Kentucky and Ohio, there’s a bridge that will eventually be rebuilt and replaced. Billions and billions of infrastructure money is similarly slowly winding its way through various processes, but, as Politico recently reported in an in-depth look at Mr. Biden’s domestic agenda, only some of it has been actually spent. In reporting about voters’ views of Mr. Biden, it’s clear that at least some think he’s hardly doing anything at all — and that if re-elected, there might be no change. In the way the Biden campaign talks sometimes, they make it sound like manufacturing is already booming. He’s trapped in an in-between: Bigger changes are coming, the things people said they wanted are coming, but not for years.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Gina Raimondo, Mr, Biden, it’s Organizations: Politico, Intel, Companies Locations: Kentucky, Ohio, United States

☆ With Ukraine Funded, New Fight Emerges in Congress Over Pentagon Spending
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just weeks after Congress settled its long-running fight over military assistance to Ukraine, lawmakers have engaged in a new battle over the level of Pentagon spending for next year. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and minority leader, is pressing along with other Republicans for a significant increase in money for the military and to break the longstanding Democratic rule that domestic funding must rise equally with Pentagon spending. “This is the most dangerous time in the world since the Berlin Wall came down, and the military spending needs to reflect the needs of our country, which clearly argues against having an arbitrary line that doesn’t spend more on defense than domestic,” Mr. McConnell said. “So I certainly do disagree with that, and we’re going to have a vigorous discussion about it.”Democrats have demanded parity between domestic and military funding in recent years. They argue that social programs are as deserving as defense and should not get shortchanged — or absorb deeper cuts to accommodate more Pentagon spending.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Mr, McConnell Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Democratic, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine

☆ Bernie Sanders, 82, insists he has the energy to run for reelection
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Bernie Sanders is the second-oldest senator, and he wants to serve six more years. "I would not have run if I didn't think I had the energy," he said. That didn't deter the 82-year-old Vermont senator and two-time presidential candidate from announcing his reelection bid last week. Sen. Dianne Feinstein ran for reelection at 85, only to experience several public memory lapses before dying in office. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Bernie Sanders, Sanders, —, Sen, Dianne Feinstein, Mitch McConnell Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Vermont

☆ Biden threatens to cut Israel off from bombs and artillery shells if they invade Rafah
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden underlined his threat to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House has warned Israel of what will happen if they launch a large invasion of Rafah. Biden said he would cut off Israel from offensive weapons if such an invasion occurred. Israel has considered for weeks whether to launch a major invasion of Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, where more than a million Palestinians have fled. Biden is also facing immense political pressure on the left as protests on college campuses throughout the nation challenge his support for Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Biden, —, there's, CNN's Erin Burnett, it's, We're, we're, Netanyahu, Mike Johnson, Mitch McConnell Organizations: Israeli, Service, United Nations, Associated Press, Hamas, Republicans, Congress, Israel Locations: Rafah, Israel, Gaza's, Gaza

☆ Biden says U.S. won’t supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza. "We're going to continue to do what's necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself," Austin said. "But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah." A decision against Israel would further add to pressure on Biden to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel's military. "Over the years, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Israel, we're, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ali Jadallah, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Menahem Kahana, Gilad Erdan, Mike Johnson, Mitch McConnell, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Bernie Sanders of, Sanders, Netanyahu, Hatem Khaled, Itamar Yaar Organizations: Gateway Technical College, Reuters, Hamas, CNN, Israel, Anadolu, Getty Images, Biden, White House National Security, Palestinian Hamas, Afp, Getty, United Nations, Congress, Republican, Republicans, Austin, Reuters Privately, The State Department, Israel's National Security Council, Islamic State Locations: Sturtevant , Wisconsin, U.S, Israel, Rafah, Gaza, I'm, Palestinian, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, United States, Egypt

☆ Opinion | Chris Christie and Bill Barr Have Some Explaining to Do
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Frank Bruni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

He’s jumping, along with all the other Republicans in moral free fall. “Supporting a man McConnell has clearly deemed unfit for the office may make McConnell craven, cynical or absurd, but he’s not alone in his decision.” Far from it. Christie at least isn’t supporting Trump. And it’s a reason that he can hold his head higher than Sununu, Barr or McConnell can. I’m asking Christie to remember that less than six months ago, he called Trump “a dictator.” And seemed to believe that.

Persons: Sununu, Trump, Matt Lewis, Barr, Mitch McConnell, Shocker, McConnell, “, ’ ” Lewis, McConnell craven, he’s, Christie, Biden, ” I’m, ” Organizations: Daily, Republican, Trump, Republicans Locations: America, Chicago, United States

☆ A year after his detention, Trump for the first time calls for release of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Kate Sullivan | Michelle Shen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump, in an interview published Tuesday, called for the first time for Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained for more than a year. “The reporter should be released and he will be released,” Trump told Time magazine when asked about Gershkovich. “I don’t know if he’s going to be released under (President Joe) Biden. In contrast with Trump, the Biden administration’s condemnation over Gershkovich’s detainment has been swift. Why the silence, sir?”The Biden administration’s efforts to secure Gershkovich’s release have not yet yielded results.

Persons: Donald Trump, Evan Gershkovich, ” Trump, Joe, Biden, ” Gershkovich, Trump, Vladimir Putin, Gershkovich, “, ”, Sens, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Paul Whelan Organizations: CNN, Time, Street, White, ’ Association, US State Department, “ Locations: Russia, Russian, Yekaterinburg, Moscow’s

☆ Sanders voices support for pro-Palestinian protests as he condemns ‘all forms of bigotry’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Michelle Shen | Jalen Beckford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

That is a reality.”Sanders’ comments come as college campuses across the United States have erupted with pro-Palestinian protests. As the war continues, reports of antisemitic acts have surged across campuses, and Islamophobia has run rampant, too. The recent rise in protests has inflamed those tensions, forcing university leaders to decide when free speech on campus crosses a line and becomes threatening. Antisemitism is a disgusting and vile form of bigotry which has killed millions of people,” Sanders, Independent from Vermont, said Sunday. College officials’ responses to Israel-Hamas war protests have unfolded alongside a global debate over the US role in the conflict, as well as an intensifying race for the White House and for control of Congress.

Persons: CNN — Sen, Bernie Sanders, ” Sanders, CNN’s Dana, ”, “, Hitler, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Murphy, Mitch McConnell, CNN’s Dakin Andone, Casey Gannon, Annie Grayer Organizations: CNN, Union, Independent, Democratic, Fox News, ”, Kentucky Republican, CBS News . College, White, Elite Locations: Gaza, “ State, United States, Israel, Vermont

☆ Inside the White House’s monthslong push for Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Sullivan followed up four days later with a call to Johnson to highlight the measures in place to track aid in Ukraine. They spoke often with Johnson’s staff, including meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, Ricchetti and Goff spoke with Schumer and Jeffries and their staff almost daily to strategize on how to push Ukraine aid forward. Biden and Johnson spoke by phone the next day as the speaker briefed him on his plan to move the aid package forward. “We discussed the contents of the next US military aid package,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Joe Biden, Johnson –, speakership, Biden, Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Jake Sullivan, Shalanda Young, Sullivan, Taiwan –, Hamas, Putin, ” Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, “, ”, Steve Ricchetti, Richetti, Shuwanza Goff, Ricchetti, Goff, Jeff Zients, Schumer, Jeffries, Young, McConnell, Michael McCaul, Intelligence Michael Turner, Bill Burns, Ukraine Bridget Brink, Chip Roy, Texas, Ralph Norman of, Biden’s, Anita Dunn, Jon, Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Donald Trump’s, Burns, ” Zelensky Organizations: Washington CNN, Ukraine, White House, GOP, Management, Senate, Biden, Russia, House Democratic, White, Capitol, House Foreign, Intelligence, CIA, Republican, The Defense Department, House Republicans, National Intelligence, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, Ricchetti, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Washington ,, Johnson’s

☆ Bucking G.O.P. Isolationists, McConnell Was Linchpin in Winning Ukraine Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Mitch McConnell does not give much away even in the most private of settings. “I wasn’t trying to convince Johnson of anything other than we had a time problem,” Mr. McConnell said in an interview on Tuesday, recounting the White House meeting and his message that help for Ukraine could not wait for Mr. Johnson’s political problems to sort themselves out. “I didn’t think we had time to fool around.”Mr. McConnell did not get immediate results. It took almost two more months and some legislative circuity. But Mr. Johnson finally acted last week and the House sent the aid package to the Senate, which followed suit on Tuesday night in overwhelmingly approving more than $60 billion in assistance for beleaguered Ukraine after months of delay and political strife.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, “, Mr, ” Mr Organizations: Republican, Oval, Democratic, House, Senate Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv

I think providing aid to Ukraine right now is critically important,” the speaker added. House TVThe speaker’s embrace of Ukraine aid represents a remarkable evolution for Johnson, who voted against funding for the country as a rank-and-file member. Johnson drags his feetJohnson did not come to his decision on how to handle foreign aid quickly. “Slow,” New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said when asked how Johnson handled Ukraine aid. In recent weeks, allies counseled Johnson to keep the former president in the loop on his potential foreign aid plans.

Persons: Manu Raju ”, Johnson, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, Taiwan –, Michael McCaul, “, ” Johnson, Derrick Van Orden, Matt Gaetz, ”, Johnson –, Kevin McCarthy, –, Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, Mike Pompeo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Bill Burns, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ” Jeffries, Biden, Mitch McConnell, Gregory Meeks, Patrick McHenry of, Trump, Johnson’s, ” Trump, Eli Crane, McCarthy, Bob Good, Johnson “, Greene, Al Green, Van Orden, Gaetz, I’m, ” Van Orden, Chip Roy’s, Bob Good’s, Kent Nishimura, Paul Gosar, Johnson’s speakership, We’re, we’ve, Tom Cole of, ” Cole, “ There’s, Warren Davidson, CNN’s Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, CNN, Democratic, Louisiana Republican, Foreign, ”, Florida Republican, Senate, Republican, Ukraine, CIA, Naval Academy, Israel, Internal Revenue Service, New York Rep, House Foreign Affairs, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Lago, Arizona, Democratic Rep, Navy, Navy Seals, Wisconsin Republican, Capitol, Democrats, Republicans, GOP Rep, ” Veteran GOP Locations: Iran, Israel, Ukraine, Washington, Louisiana, Taiwan, Florida, American, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Patrick McHenry of North, Iranian, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, House, Arizona, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ohio

☆ Election 2024 Trump holds a rally in North Carolina, capping off the first week of his trial.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Chris Cameron | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

That changed on Thursday, when Mr. Brown appeared to address Mr. Gunter for the first time, at a private fund-raising event in Sparks, Nev., after Mr. Gunter accused him in ads and appearances of being disingenuous and not sufficiently pro-Trump. A group backing Mr. Brown’s campaign, the Duty First PAC, ran its first television ad this week since last year, a $322,000 reservation, according to the tracking firm AdImpact. Mr. Brown’s campaign declined to comment on Mr. Gunter. Mr. Trump made several posts seeming to express his approval for Mr. Brown on Truth Social, his social media platform, this month. Mr. Gunter said he was “running that place like clockwork,” and that the government report was “bogus.”

Persons: Nevada’s, Sam Brown, Jeff Gunter, Donald J, Trump, MAGA, Brown’s, Gunter, Brown, Mitch McConnell of, ” Mr, Jacky Rosen, Nev, Mr, Mike Berg, Gunter’s, Berg, Sam Brown’s, ”, Chuck Muth, Muth, he’s, California Democrat —, General Organizations: Republican, Senate, U.S . Army, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Trump, Democratic, The New York Times, Mr, “, “ California Democrats, Tarrance, Truth, Brown, Texas State House, Nevada State Assembly, California Democrat, Democrat, CBS Locations: Iceland, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Afghanistan, Sparks, California, “ California, Las Vegas, Nevada, Dallas

☆ US House to vote on long-awaited $95 billion Ukraine, Israel aid package
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday is set to vote on, and expected to pass, a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, over bitter objections from party hardliners. The Administration urges both chambers of the Congress to quickly send this supplemental funding package to the President's desk." A bipartisan 316-94 House majority on Friday voted to advance the bill to a vote, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told senators to be ready to work over the weekend if it passes the House as expected. "It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House," Johnson told reporters on Friday. The bills provide $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities; $26 billion for Israel, including $9.1 billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific.

Persons: Joe Biden, Republican Mitch McConnell, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Chuck Schumer, It's, it's, Kevin McCarthy, Bob Good, Biden, Schumer, Hakeem, Jeffries, Donald Trump Organizations: Republican, House, Democratic, White, Administration, Senate, Republicans, Caucus, U.S Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, U.S, America

☆ Schumer says senators struggling to reach deal to pass FISA before deadline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Ted | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

There is broad support in the Senate for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and it will eventually be approved. We want to get FISA done as soon as we can, because it’s very important for our national security. So, both sides need to fully cooperate, if we want to get FISA done,” Schumer said on the floor. Under FISA’s Section 702, the government hoovers up massive amounts of internet and cell phone data on foreign targets. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also pressed for passage of FISA bill, which he said has a number of changes in it to address past “abuses” by the FBI.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, “ We’re, ” Schumer, Critics, Schumer, ”, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: Washington CNN, Republicans, Foreign Intelligence, FISA, The New York Democrat, FBI, Kentucky Republican Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

The Senate is set for a showdown over the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as Democrats are expected to move quickly to dismiss the articles, while Republicans insist there must be a full trial. The House transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Tuesday and senators are expected to be sworn in as jurors Wednesday. Every time there’s a policy agreement in the House, they send it over here and tie the Senate in knots to do an impeachment trial? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that senators have a “rare” and “solemn” responsibility to consider the impeachment articles and said he would oppose any effort to table the articles. The deal faced a torrent of attacks from former President Donald Trump and top House Republicans.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Chuck Schumer, —, Mayorkas, ” Schumer, “, Mitch McConnell, ”, Democratic Sen, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, CNN’s Manu Raju, Casey, you’ve, It’s, Jon Tester, Montana, Pro Tempore Patty Murray, Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: Homeland, Republicans, Kentucky Republican, Biden, Republican, Democratic, Senate, ICE, CNN, Pro Tempore, Homeland Security, DHS, House Republicans Locations: Kentucky, Washington

☆ Senate dismisses two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security secretary, ends trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. Senators voted to dismiss both articles of impeachment and end the trial, with Democrats arguing that the articles were unconstitutional. Still, Republicans similarly moved to dismiss former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial in 2021, weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Johnson had said he would send them to the Senate last week, but he punted again after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare. The impeachment trial is the third in five years.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, impeaching Mayorkas, Mike Johnson, Mayorkas, Schumer, Chuck Schumer, William McFarland, Kevin F, Mark Green, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Michael McCaul, Clay Higgins, Ben Cline, Andy Biggs, Michael Guest, Laurel Lee, Harriet Hageman, Andrew Garbarino, Pfluger, Democratic Sen, Patty Murray, Murray, Missouri Sen, Eric Schmitt, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Donald Trump's, McConnell —, Trump, Johnson, he's, I'm, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump Organizations: Homeland, House Homeland Security, Biden, Cannon, Republicans, House Republicans, Democrats, —, Republican, of Homeland, Democratic, National Archives, Capitol, Senate, Democrat, Tennessee Rep, Congress Locations: Washington , DC, Mexico, U.S, WASHINGTON, Texas, Washington, Missouri, Ky, New York, New York City, Ukraine, Mayorkas

☆ Senate Democrats unceremoniously kill Mayorkas impeachment trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Wednesday, Senate Democrats voted to declare as unconstitutional both articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — effectively ending the trial. It put a swift end to what had been a monthslong process by House Republicans, championed originally by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Democrats agreed with Schumer's move, effectively rendering the articles moot and the trial over before House Republicans could present their case. Senate Republicans were also unsuccessful in their effort to pressure vulnerable Democrats to back their push for a longer trial. Greene forced her colleagues to vote on moving forward with Mayorkas' impeachment last November.

Persons: —, Alejandro Mayorkas —, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, he's, Chuck Schumer, Schumer's, Schumer, Eric Schmitt, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, Jon Tester, Montana, Mayorkas, Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin —, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, Greene, Mark Green of Organizations: Service, of Homeland, House Republicans, Business, Senators, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Texas Republican, Senate, GOP, White House, Homeland, Democrats, House Homeland Security, Homeland Security Locations: Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Alaska, Utah, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin, Southern, Mark Green of Tennessee

☆ Speaker Johnson to advance separate Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan bills after Iran attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., makes his way to the House floor on Friday, March 22, 2024. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to vacate him from the speakership, later in the day. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday said he plans to move forward with four individual bills to fund Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, separating out key components of a foreign aid package that has been shelved in the House for months. In March, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to vacate Johnson, but did not force a vote on the motion. "He's definitely not going to be speaker next Congress if we're lucky enough to have the majority," Greene added.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Iran's, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Hakeem Jeffries, John Kirby, Biden, Greene Organizations: House Republicans, Democratic, National Security, House Republican Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, Iran, U.S, Ky, D

☆ Israel says 300 Iranian drones and missiles downed in ‘unprecedented’ overnight attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Iranians are waving Iranian flags and a Palestinian flag as they celebrate Iran's IRGC UAV and missile attack against Israel on April 14, 2024. Iran rained a deluge of drones and missiles on Israel on Saturday night in response to a suspected Israeli strike that killed top Iranian officials in Syria, in a deep escalation of Middle East tensions. Last night marked the first instance of a direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory. Iran vowed revenge after a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1, which killed several top Iranian military commanders. The European Union has blasted Tehran's offensive: "The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable Iranian attack against Israel," EU High Representative Josep Borrell said late Saturday on social media.

Persons: Israel, Daniel Hagari, Bashar al, –, Iran's, Mohammad Bagheri, Gilad Erdan, Josep Borrell, Joe Biden, Washington, Steve Scalise, Mitch McConnell Organizations: Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Yemeni, Guards, Islamic Republic News Agency, . Security, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, European, EU, Biden, –, U.S . House, Republican Locations: Iran, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Strait, Hormuz, Gaza, Iranian, Damascus, France, Ukraine, U.S

☆ Congressional leaders at odds over Israel aid next steps as conservatives warn Johnson against including Ukraine funding
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Michelle Shen | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Johnson has vowed to put some sort of Israel aid bill on the floor this week, but said the details are still being finalized. The House previously struggled to pass a standalone Israel aid bill, but Johnson could draw ire from the right if he ties it to Ukraine or puts the Senate bill on the floor. How Congress reached this pointWhile the Senate passed its foreign aid bill in February, Johnson said he never planned to bring the bill to the floor. The House, in turn, tried but failed to pass a standalone package for $17.6 billion in Israel aid amid opposition from both Republicans and Democratic leaders. At a closed caucus meeting prior to the vote, House Democratic leadership made a forceful case against supporting the standalone Israel aid package to members.

Persons: Mike Johnson, We’re, ” Johnson, Maria Bartiromo, Johnson, Warren Davidson, Mitch McConnell —, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Chuck Schumer, “, ”, imploring Johnson, Schumer, McConnell, Republican Sen, Marco Rubio sidestepped, ” Rubio, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Democratic Sen, Chris Coons, ” Coons, Tapper, CNN’s Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox, Manu Raju, Aileen Graef, Avery Lotz Organizations: CNN, Congressional, House Republicans, Republican Party, Israel, Fox News, GOP, Senate, Democrat, Republican, Union, ” Democratic, Republicans, Democratic, Freedom Caucus, House Democratic Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Iran, Taiwan, Mar, Lago, Washington, “ State

☆ Trump’s extreme rhetoric is a mainstay of his 2024 campaign. Much of it could become a reality if he wins another term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Phil Mattingly | Andrew Seger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

His pledge to direct Justice Department investigations is backed by allies who view his second term as driven by a maximalist theory of a president’s authority. But it also underscores why a second Trump term would be dramatically different. Some in Washington saw them as guardrails for a White House intent on fracturing not one, but all three branches of government. Yet Trump, should he secure a second term, would enter the White House with his most powerful Republican critics on Capitol Hill almost all gone. That would be a position that isn’t backed by his second term policy plans, or his private impulses during his first term in office – or, for that matter, in the decades prior.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, guardrails Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, ” Trump, Biden, ”, Joe Biden, he’s, He’s, Liz Cheney, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, John Kerry, John Bolton, It’s, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Ryan, ” McConnell, Mike Johnson, “, aren’t, Trump’s, – “, Hugh Hewitt, ” “, Charlie Rose, Rose, Larry King, Erin Burnett Organizations: CNN, Republican, Department, Capitol, Democrats, Trump, White, GOP, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Democratic, Trump’s Justice, Bolton, Congressional Republicans, Wisconsin Republican, Louisiana Republican, Mar, White House, Justice Department, CNBC Locations: Washington, Wisconsin, Louisiana

☆ Senate Leaders Look to Curb ‘Judge Shopping’ But In Different Ways
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Plaintiffs in some high-stakes, high-profile cases have found that in some of the country’s federal courts, it’s not hard to cherry pick a sympathetic judge. Such judge shopping, particularly in cases challenging abortion rights and immigration policy, has been drawing increasing scrutiny. Last month, the federal judiciary’s policymaking body called for colleagues to curb the practice by making the assignment of the biggest civil cases random in the 94 federal district courts. Each says that the goal of their respective bills is to eradicate the pursuit of sympathetic judges by savvy litigants. It would end the most targeted form of judge shopping, where plaintiffs game a district’s case-assignment system by filing in a small division staffed by one or two judges.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Schumer’s Organizations: Republican, Judicial Conference Locations: Texas

☆ 'On life support': Senate Republicans are prepared to sink the child tax credit bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Teddy bears, meant to represent West Virginia children, appear on the National Mall during an event with the Unbearable Campaign to urge Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Finance Committee, said he'd be happy to see the entire tax bill fade away. Saying the bill would "create entitlement spending that would generate significantly higher deficits," he called for spending cuts to fund the child tax credit expansion. He said there's "no question" Senate Republicans are trying to sink the bill to deny President Joe Biden an achievement in an election year. "This tax bill looks like, to me, it's in very serious trouble," he said Tuesday.

Persons: Teddy, Jason Smith, Ron Wyden, Sen, Thom Tillis, he'd, Tillis, Mike Crapo of, Mitch McConnell, Crapo, Chuck Grassley, , Grassley, who's, Richard Neal, Joe Biden, Josh Hawley, Wyden, We're, Donald Trump, that's, Chuck Schumer, he'll, we'll, Schumer Organizations: Republicans, House, Senate, Republican, Democrats, Democratic, Finance, Finance Committee, GOP, NBC, Manhattan Project Locations: West Virginia, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Iowa

☆ Zelenskyy bashes the idea Ukraine would cede land to Russia — the core of Trump's reported secret plan to end the war
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Paul Ronzheimer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Trump's reported secret plan to end Russia's war. According to The Washington Post, Trump favors Ukraine ceding territory to Russia to end the war. "If the deal is that we just give up our territories, and that's the idea behind it, then it's a very primitive idea," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Axel Springer media outlets. AdvertisementIn a statement to the Post, Trump's campaign cast doubt on any claims that the former president has formulated a way to end the war. "President Trump is the only one talking about stopping the killing."

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump's, Trump, Zelenskyy, —, Donald Trump, Axel Springer, Joe Biden's, Karoline Leavitt, @ZelenskyyUa, Z69XAR0f0f, Paul Ronzheimer, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Mitch McConnell, Reagan, McConnell, Biden Organizations: The Washington Post, Service, Washington Post, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Crimea, Kharkiv, Russian, Israel, Taiwan, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

☆ Mitch McConnell's support of the TikTok bill is a big deal, but that doesn't mean the app is doomed
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The head of the GOP Senate caucus cast his support on Monday for the TikTok bill. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared his support on Monday for a bill circulating through Congress that would effectively ban TikTok, but the app's immediate demise is no guarantee. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: there's, —, Mitch McConnell, McConnell Organizations: GOP, Service, Microsoft, Business Locations: China

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