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☆ In the Aging Senate, 80-Somethings Seeking Re-election Draw Little Criticism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

While President Biden tries to assuage voter concerns about his age in a presidential race that includes the two oldest men ever to seek the White House, a couple of miles away in the U.S. Senate, the gerontocracy remains alive and well — and little commented upon. The recent news that two octogenarians — Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont, 82, and Angus King of Maine, 80 — are each running for another six-year term generated little in the way of criticism or worry over age of the kind that Mr. Biden has faced. Their races, which both men are likely to win, are a reminder of how the Senate’s roster is chock-full of lawmakers staying in office at an age when most people are well into retirement. At the start of this Congress last year, the average age of elected officials was 64 in the Senate and 57.9 in the House. “They’re not in short supply around here,” Senator Peter Welch of Vermont, 77, said of octogenarians.

Persons: Biden, —, Bernie Sanders of, Angus King of Maine, “ They’re, Peter Welch of, octogenarians Organizations: U.S . Senate Locations: U.S, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Peter Welch of Vermont

☆ Middle East Crisis Israel Welcomes Senate Passage of Aid Bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Matt Surman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

An additional $2.4 billion is directed to U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Another $9 billion would go to “worldwide humanitarian aid,” including for civilians in Gaza. The package bars any of the funding from going to UNRWA, the main United Nations agency that provides aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The aid that is getting into Gaza is falling far short of the needs of its desperate population. Countries including the United States have tried to find air and sea routes to get more relief supplies in.

Persons: Israel Katz, “, Biden, Catie Edmondson, Robert Jimison Organizations: Wednesday, U.S . Senate, Ukraine, UNRWA, United Nations, United, Democrats, Democratic, U.S Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Rafah, U.S

☆ Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar again in the spotlight fighting the conservative Supreme Court on abortion
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For the fourth time since she became the federal government’s top Supreme Court advocate, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is arguing an abortion-related case. When Prelogar argues before the Supreme Court, she is arguing in front of several alumni of the US Office of the Solicitor General. She also clerked for her current boss, Attorney General Merrick Garland, when he was a DC Circuit judge, before her Supreme Court clerkships. She went on to litigate Supreme Court cases for private firms and worked on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Likewise, the abortion case Prelogar argued last month could have significant consequences for federal power.

Persons: Elizabeth Prelogar, Prelogar, Department’s, Biden, ”, Stephanie Toti, she’s, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Kagan, Obama, John Roberts, George H.W, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Roe, ” Prelogar, General Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller’s, Beth Brinkmann, Clinton, Brinkmann, Prelogar’s, Court’s Roe, Wade, –, Roberts, Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, ” Toti, “ That’s Organizations: CNN, Miss Idaho, NPR, Emory University, Harvard Law School, DC Circuit, litigate, The Justice Department, Idaho, Labor, Center for Reproductive Rights, Food and Drug Administration, Justice Department, Republican Locations: Bush, Texas, ” An Idaho, Idaho

☆ 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

☆ Senate Votes to Push Aid to Ukraine and Israel Toward Final Passage
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to move toward a final vote on the long-stalled $95.3 billion package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, taking a crucial step toward approving the measure and sending it to President Biden for his signature. The Senate’s action, on a vote of 80 to 19, teed up a vote on final passage as early as Tuesday evening, which would clear the measure for the president. Mr. Biden has urged lawmakers to move quickly so he can sign it into law. “But today those in Congress who stand on the side of democracy are winning the day. To our friends in Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to our allies in Israel and to civilians around the world in need of help, help is on the way.”

Persons: Biden, Mr, Chuck Schumer, “, ‘, ’, Schumer, ” Organizations: “, Senate Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, America, New York

☆ Senate on track to pass $95 billion foreign aid package this week
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Morgan Rimmer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Senate will take up the House-passed $95 billion foreign aid package this week, as the legislation nears its final congressional action after both sides of Capitol Hill have struggled for months to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The legislation ties together four bills that the House voted on separately in a rare Saturday session, providing nearly $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, over $26 billion for Israel and more than $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. Aid for Ukraine and Israel has been stalled after House and Senate Republicans demanded action on border security first, leading to months of negotiations in the Senate on a border package tied to foreign aid. “The Senate now stands ready to take the next step,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declared Saturday afternoon. Senators were supposed to be in recess this week, marking the Passover holiday, but they elected to return and wrap up work on the foreign aid package instead.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Donald Trump, “, Chuck Schumer Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Republicans, Senate, New, New York Democrat, Senators Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, American, New York, America

The clock ticks for TikTokThe push to either split TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or ban it in the U.S. is gaining momentum thanks to a legislative maneuver by the House Speaker Mike Johnson. The bill’s progress comes as The Times reveals more details about the video platform’s origin story — and the central role played by the Chinese subsidiary of the trading firm of a Republican donor, Jeff Yass. Johnson has bundled the TikTok bill into a foreign aid package. The speaker said on Wednesday that he would put up for a vote this weekend a spending measure for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that includes a modified version of the TikTok divestment legislation. The move may force the Senate’s hand: The House overwhelmingly passed the bill last month, but the Senate hasn’t been in a rush to take it up.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Jeff Yass, Johnson, hasn’t Organizations: Times Locations: U.S, 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

☆ House Democrats keep options open as effort to oust Johnson grows
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Lauren Fox | Kristin Wilson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

He’d let Putin take all of Europe,” Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz said on CNN after Massie announced Tuesday he’d join Greene in her effort to oust Johnson. “Let’s just hope that that does not happen, and that we can do our responsibilities, protect and defend our own democracy as we protect theirs,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “If Speaker Johnson wants to talk to Hakeem Jeffries, I think we’d be open to something like that. If only a handful of Republicans vote to oust Johnson, only a handful of Democrats would be needed to step in and help him keep his job. And that is where Democrats would have to decide if they’d help Johnson.

Persons: Mike Johnson, institutionalists, Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Kevin McCarthy, Israel, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie, He’d, Putin, Jared Moskowitz, Massie, he’d, Greene, Tom Suozzi, Johnson –, “ Let’s, Nancy Pelosi, “, Johnson’s, Sara Jacobs, ”, Jeffries, hypotheticals, McCarthy, Matt Gaetz, –, Chuck Schumer, ’ –, Alejandro Mayorkas –, wouldn’t, Ann Kuster, Mike Gallagher, they’d, ‘, ’ Jeffries, Gerry Connolly, “ It’s, Rosa DeLauro, We’ve, can’t, “ We’ve, Jamie Raskin, Jim Himes, “ Gerry, ” Himes Organizations: CNN — House, Democratic, Union, ”, CNN, New York Democratic, Republicans, California Democratic, Florida Rep, White, Foreign Intelligence, of Homeland, GOP, ” New Hampshire Democratic, Republican Rep, Louisiana Republican, Republican, Maryland Democratic, House Intelligence Locations: Israel, Europe, ” Florida, California, Ukraine, Louisiana, Haiti, Sudan, Gaza, “, Connecticut

☆ 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

☆ Robert MacNeil, legendary PBS News anchor, dies at age 93
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Longtime broadcast journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered some of the biggest headlines of the 20th century and co-anchored PBS nightly news for two decades, died on Friday, PBS announced. MacNeil “was an incredibly erudite reporter, anchor and writer who raised the bar for serious journalism in America,” Sharon Percy Rockefeller, president of NewsHour Productions, said Friday in a news release. Arriving at PBS in the early 1970’s, MacNeil began a decades-long partnership with fellow journalist Jim Lehrer, according to PBS The two led PBS coverage of the Senate’s Watergate Hearings in 1973. In 1975, the pair co-founded the MacNeil/Lehrer Report, a show that would later become PBS NewsHour. MacNeil sat at the helm alongside Lehrer before leaving in 1995, according to PBS.

Persons: Robert MacNeil, MacNeil “, ” Sharon Percy Rockefeller, Jim Lehrer, MacNeil, John F, Kennedy, Lehrer, WETA, ”, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Longtime, PBS, NewsHour, NBC, WETA, Cuban Missile, MacNeil, Television, Writers ’ Conference Locations: New York, America, Montreal, Canada, Nova Scotia, London, Washington, DC, Dallas, WETA, United States

☆ 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

☆ House Speaker Mike Johnson remains undecided on best path ahead on Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —House Speaker Mike Johnson is pledging to act on Ukraine aid when lawmakers return to Washington next week, but behind the scenes the Louisiana Republican is still undecided on the best path forward and keenly aware of his narrow majority and the threat to his speakership that looms. “He’s got a gun to his head right now,” Rep. Don Bacon, a swing-district Republican, said of the speaker. Greene and Johnson are expected to talk later this week, but the Georgia Republican has remained steadfast in her opposition to Ukraine aid. Given fierce conservative opposition and a narrow margin, it’s possible Johnson could need to bring any Ukraine aid bill to the floor under a suspension of the rules. In recent days, Johnson has also floated the idea of easing natural gas exports, but it’s not clear that would do much to assuage conservative backlash against Ukraine aid.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, “ He’s, ” Rep, Don Bacon, Churchill, ” Johnson, Mitch McConnell, –, Mike McCaul, “, Mike, Chip Roy, Matt Gaetz, I’ve, he’s, they’d, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, ” Greene, ”, Brian Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatrick, It’s, John Kirby, CNN’s Haley Talbot, Manu Raju Organizations: CNN —, Louisiana Republican, ”, Republican, GOP, Republican Rep, Fox News, CNN, Georgia Republican, Democratic, House, White, National Security Communications Locations: Ukraine, Washington, Louisiana, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, Texas, Pennsylvania, Gaza

☆ House Democrats want Speaker Johnson to outline path on Ukraine aid before agreeing to save his job
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —House Democrats may save Mike Johnson’s speakership – but he first must outline a pathway to approving aid to Ukraine, multiple Democratic sources told CNN. If Johnson tries to move on the House plan, Democrats may opt to save him but in smaller numbers, one Democratic source said. “We are going to grow this House majority despite things that go on the House floor day to day.”He argued that “Speaker Johnson is going to remain speaker” despite the threat to oust him. So, we need a speaker and I think Speaker Johnson has been an outstanding speaker and I stand behind him. Some hardliners are weighing whether they will vote to oust Johnson once it is brought up.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s speakership, Johnson, he’d, Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, doesn’t, Abigail Spanberger, Greene, “, that’s, Greg Pence, Greene’s, Pence, they’re, ”, it’s, Mark Green, “ I’m, …, we’ve, Richard Hudson, Eli Crane, Kevin McCarthy, Ralph Norman, Norman, we’ll, ” CNN’s Morgan Rimmer Organizations: CNN — House, CNN, GOP, Republican, Virginia Democrat, Republicans, ”, Indiana Republican, House Republicans, Homeland, House Republican Locations: Ukraine, Mexico, Virginia

☆ House GOP Biden inquiry stalls as impeachment becomes less likely
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Hunter Biden arrives at the Thomas P. O'Neil Jr. House Office Building for a closed door deposition on February 28, in Washington, DC. Abbe Lowell makes a statement to the press following a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee in the O'Neill House Office Building on February 28, in Washington, DC. “He was well-prepared for the kind of questions,” Issa recounted of Hunter Biden. GOP focus shifts away from impeachment probeInvestigating the Biden family and going after President Biden was a top priority for House Republicans when they reclaimed the majority and got control of committees. GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana said the three Republican chairmen leading the impeachment inquiry have the same message: “They say we’re not in a position to go forward on impeachment.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Jim Jordan, Comer, Donald Trump, Thomas P, O'Neil Jr, Countess, Merrick, Justice won’t, ” Comer, Mike Johnson, “, Jordan, Johnson, “ I’m, ” Johnson, Ralph Norman of, Troy Nehls, impeaching Biden, We’ve, Let’s, ”, ” Nehls, Alejandro Mayorkas, I’m, Trump, weaponized, ” Jordan, Vernon, Ed Siskel, ” Siskel, Hunter, Mary, ” Hunter, Abbe Lowell, Samuel Corum, Hunter Biden’s, Darrell Issa, ” Issa, Robert Hur, Garret Graves, Chip Roy, Texas, Lisa McClain, Richard Hudson of, it’s, Nick LaLota, ” Norman, Ryan Zinke Organizations: House Republicans, Department of Justice, CNN, Fox News, Merrick Garland’s Department, Justice, Louisiana Republican, ” Staff, GOP, Caucus, Democratic, Homeland, Senate, Trump, White, Getty, Committee, Republican, of, Hunter Biden, Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Judiciary, House, House Republican, “ Locations: Washington ,, Merrick Garland’s, Louisiana, House, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Miami, Vernon Hill, Florida, O'Neill, Washington , DC, California, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Richard Hudson of North Carolina, New York, Montana

☆ Opinion | Mitch McConnell Doesn’t Wear a MAGA Hat. I’m Not Fooled.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Late last month, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced that he would leave his position as Republican leader after the November elections. McConnell is not consequential for what he accomplished as a legislator or legislative leader — he’s no Robert F. Wagner or Everett Dirksen. He’s consequential for what he’s done to degrade and diminish American democracy. McConnell, as the journalist Alec MacGillis noted in “The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell,” was never driven by ideology. “At some point along the way,” MacGillis wrote, “Mitch McConnell decided that his own longevity in Washington trumped all — that he would even be willing to feed the public’s disillusionment with its elected leaders if it would increase his and his party’s odds of success at the polls.”

Persons: Mitch McConnell, He’ll, McConnell, — he’s, Robert F, Wagner, Everett Dirksen, Alec MacGillis, ”, ” MacGillis, “ Mitch McConnell Organizations: Kentucky, “ Locations: Kentucky, Washington

☆ House GOP’s campaign boss sees Trump boost in pivotal swing districts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And so I think it’s a net positive.”Even if Trump is convicted of a felony, Hudson predicted it wouldn’t “have an impact” on his candidates in swing districts. There are a limited number of House districts truly at play in the 2024 elections – given many district lines are gerrymandered in a way to protect one party over the other. Democrats have their eyes set on the 17 Biden districts, which will take the race for the House from New York to California. A total of 170 Democrats voted against the legislation, accusing Republicans of exploiting the tragic death of a nursing student in order to score political points. “We’ve pretty much seen the Republicans, especially House Republicans, wait to hear from Trump in terms of deciding whether they even want to move legislation forward.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Richard Hudson, “ He’s, Hudson, ”, “ I’ll, Suzan, ” DelBene, “ That’s, Mike Lawler –, –, I’m, Tom Kean Jr, North Carolina –, ” Hudson, “ We’re, “, Riley, Gabe Vasquez, Pat Ryan, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, Oregon, Laken Riley, “ They’re, Roe, Wade, Dobbs, DelBene, … we’ve, Laurie Buckhout, Don Davis, Republican David Valadao –, Mark Harris, Mark Robinson, Harris, Robinson, ” CNN’s Melanie Zanona, Christine Park Organizations: CNN — House Republican, GOP, ”, North Carolina Republican, CNN, Biden, Trump, Republican, Democratic Congressional, “, House Republican Party, Alaska –, Democrats, House, National Republican Congressional Committee, Republicans, House GOP, PAC, Congressional, Fund, Democrat, energize Locations: Washington, New York, United States, New Jersey, Trump, California, Maine, Alaska, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, North Carolina, New Mexico, Andrea Salinas of Oregon, Biden’s State

☆ Kyrsten Sinema’s exit puts the spotlight on the Senate’s shrinking pool of dealmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

For months, the two of them had worked tirelessly alongside Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to craft a bipartisan deal on immigration. “The base of each party wants individuals who will fight, but not individuals who will reach across the aisle to get things done,” Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said. “I’ve seen a shift towards basically really not wanting to do anything,” West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said. Last cycle alone saw the retirement of Ohio Republican Sen. Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, another GOP pragmatist, retired after the 2022 election, replaced by Sen. Eric Schmitt.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Sinema, Murphy, ” Murphy, “, ” Sinema, Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Joe Manchin, he’d, Romney, Trump, ” Romney, I’ve, ” West Virginia Republican Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, Ohio Republican Sen, Rob Portman, J.D, Vance, Trump . Missouri Republican Sen, Roy Blunt, GOP pragmatist, Eric Schmitt, appropriator Sen, Richard Shelby of, Richard Burr of, Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn, Anna Moneymaker, we’ve, Lamar Alexander, ”, Tim Kaine, “ We’re, Kari Lake, –, Mark Kelly, ” Corker, Kaine, Todd Young, Thom Tillis, It’s, Brian Schatz, ” Sen, Mark Warner, Nathan Howard, Manchin, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, isn’t Organizations: Democratic, Connecticut, Republican, CNN, Senate, ” West Virginia Republican, Ohio Republican, GOP, Trump . Missouri Republican, Intelligence, Senate Foreign Relations, 118th, Democrat, North Carolina Republican, Getty, America Locations: Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Ohio, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Hawaii, Washington , DC, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, America

☆ Opinion | Shining a Light on Long Covid, a ‘Vicious Affliction’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Could Long Covid Be the Senate’s Bipartisan Cause?,” by Zeynep Tufekci (column, Feb. 20):Like one of the people you interviewed, I, too, was an “Energizer bunny” before I contracted Covid. However, two active Covid infections within three months — in June and August of 2022 — left me virtually bedridden with long Covid for 18 months. To add insult to injury, there are too many dismissive doctors who treat long Covid in an ineffective manner and believe that long Covid is largely a psychological issue. We need strong, consistent funding and relentless, targeted research to identify effective diagnostic testing and successful therapies. We need to require insurance companies to fund experimental or off-label usage of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals (food products with health benefits).

Persons: Long, Zeynep Tufekci, Covid, —

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson faces critical decision on Ukraine aid as international pressure grows to act
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Melanie Zanona | Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Speaker Mike Johnson is facing international criticism over his lack of swift action on Ukraine aid, which is ratcheting up pressure to make a critical decision that will not only have massive implications for his rookie speakership but also for Ukraine’s ongoing war effort against Russia. “If there is a Mike Johnson plan, there aren’t any House Republicans that are aware of its existence.”The pressure cooker Johnson is facing has exposed some frustration over how he has approached his speakership. At a time when House Republicans are looking to their leader to make a decisive choice, the speaker has instead elevated members to bring forward their own ideas without articulating his own preferences. “Ukraine is in desperate need of the US aid, passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote on the floor of the United States Senate. “We’re looking at a number of options on our leadership team.”Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has repeatedly hammered Johnson over his inaction.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, –, Alexei Navalny, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, Sen, J.D, Vance, Johnson —, Warren Davidson, ” Davidson, Virginia Sen, Mark Warner, ”, Ben Cardin, “, ” Cardin, It’s, Brian Fitzpatrick, someone’s, Mitch McConnell, Vladimir Putin, ” Johnson, Steve Scalise, Trump, ” Scalise, Joe Biden, ” Biden, NATO … I’ve, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Putin “, Vladimir Putin’s, ” Schumer, it’s, There’s, Mike Turner, ” CNN’s Alex Marquardt Organizations: CNN, Russia, Democratic, Congress, Global, Security, Republicans, Republican, NATO, GOP, Caucus, languishes, Senate Intelligence, United, United States Senate, Senate, NATO …, New, New York Democrat, House Intelligence, Ohio Republican, Press, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Warren Davidson of Ohio, “, Munich, United States, Russia, Pennsylvania, Baltic, Florida, New York, Washington

☆ Opinion: Alexey Navalny, one man who stood up to a dictatorship
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. “In his courageous and too short life,” wrote Russia scholar Daniel Treisman, “Navalny became a symbol of hope for the younger generations of his compatriots. “He never gave up on the prospect of what he called ‘the beautiful Russia of the future,’” Treisman noted. “For a ‘beautiful Russia of the future’ to emerge in coming years, Putin must lose the war he started. Navalny understood this.”“Navalny’s death represents the extinguishing of all hope for Russia’s turnaround,” wrote Sasha Vasilyuk.

Persons: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Joseph Stalin “, “, ”, you’ve, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, Navalny, fearlessly, Putin, Daniel Treisman, “ Navalny, Navalny’s, ’ ” Treisman, Sasha Vasilyuk, Alexey Navalny’s, Peter Bergen, Andrei Sakharov, ” Putin, Bergen, Nick Anderson, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, authoritarians, Bill Bramhall, James Mattis, ” Peter Bergen, Frida Ghitis, Fidel Castro’s playbook, Patrick Mahomes, Andy “, Amy Bass, New York Democrat Tom Suozzi, George Santos, ” Suozzi, CNN Suozzi didn’t, Biden, isn’t, Long, Max Burns, ” “, Alejandro Mayorkas, ” “ Suozzi, Burns, Robert Hur’s, Norm Eisen, Richard Painter, Joshua Kolb, Hur, ” Joel Pett, Lawrence C, Levy, Julian Zelizer, Dean Obeidallah, Mark Dent, Dent, Saw, Clay Jones, David Orentlicher, ” Orentlicher, Will Cooper, Fani, Willis, Nathan, Wade, ” “ Willis, Antony Blinken, Batniji, Blinken, Fatah, Hussein, Don’t, David Horsey, Agency Jill Filipovic, Lynda Gorov, Taylor Swift, Jim Parrott, Mark Zandi, Brigid Schulte, Yuliya, Kara Alaimo, Frankie de la, Jackie Robinson’s, Jon Stewart’s, Jon Stewart, Matt Wilson, Jon Stewart skewered Trump, Bill Carter, Stewart, ” “ Stewart Organizations: CNN, IK, Moscow Times, Kremlin, Twitter, Facebook, Soviet, Tribune, Agency, Republican, Senate, Agency Former US Defense, Trump, , Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs, nab, New, New York Democrat, Democratic, GOP, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Super Bowl, Kansas, West Bank Locations: Soviet, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, New York, Washington, Georgia, ,, York, Glen Cove, Joel Osteen’s, Houston, Kansas City, America, ”, Kansas, Gaza, San Francisco, Israel, Iran

☆ How Senate Democrats Flipped the Border Issue on Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To Mr. Schumer of New York, the majority leader, the ultimatum revived unpleasant memories of his participation in difficult immigration negotiations in 2013 that yielded a compromise, only to collapse despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate. But saying no could doom the Ukraine aid and leave Democrats holding the bag. He and his staff grappled with the problem for a week, then gathered for a conference call on Sunday, Nov. 5. “We had an epiphany — sort of, lightning strikes,” Mr. Schumer recalled in an interview. The final package notably did not contain new border security provisions, after Senate conservatives opted to kill that element of the legislation despite their initial insistence that it be included.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, “, ” Mr, it’s Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Democratic, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, New York, Israel, U.S

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig is ending his Republican bid for an open U.S. Senate seat representing Michigan just over four months after launching his campaign, he told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “This is strictly a business decision," Craig told AP by phone. According to the latest finance reports filed last month, Craig had raised only $60,581 by the end of 2023, well behind other Senate candidates. Detroit-area businessman Sandy Pensler launched his second campaign for the Senate in December. He had been considered a favorite in that 2022 election, but he and four others were kept off the ballot due to the fraudulent signatures on nominating petitions.

Persons: James Craig, Craig, Donald Trump, “ I’m, Debbie Stabenow, Mike Rogers, Peter Meijer, Sandy Pensler, Rogers, Elissa Slotkin Organizations: Former Detroit Police, Senate, Associated Press, Republicans, U.S, GOP, Reps, Democratic, U.S . Rep, Detroit Locations: LANSING, Mich, U.S, Michigan, Detroit’s, Michigan's, Detroit

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, It’s, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch of, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Schumer, McConnell, “, ” McConnell, Republican Sen, James Lankford, J.D, Vance, Russia's Putin, Putin, Kentucky Sen, Rand Paul, Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Tillis, ” Sen, Jerry Moran, Moran, Trump, Russia “, Mike Turner, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turner, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, ” Johnson, Abigail Spanberger, Zelenskyy, ” Spanberger, Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican Party, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, Sens, Ukraine —, GOP, U.S . Senate, Trump, Ohio Republican, Kentucky, NATO, House Republicans, House Intelligence, Russia, ”, Senate, Virginia Democrat, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Oregon, Peter Welch of Vermont, Russia, Kyiv, China, Gaza, Ohio, Carolina, Europe, America, Virginia

☆ Opinion: Tom Suozzi wins New York election in a vote for normalcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Opinion Max Burns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Suozzi struck a tough tone on immigration, while Pilip seemed to drag her feet in acknowledging she had voted for Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Suozzi continued that theme into his victory speech on Tuesday night, emphasizing that voters want politicians who will fix problems. Progressive Democrats laid the blame for Santos’ election and Republicans’ strong 2022 performance squarely at the feet of New York state Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs. As a first-time congressional candidate facing a Democratic funding juggernaut, Pilip was outmatched by Suozzi at the debate and in field operations. After an eventful year and a half of Santos, voters were justifiably afraid of gambling on yet another political newcomer.

Persons: Max Burns, ’, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Max Burns Adrian Letechipia, Republican George Santos, George Santos, Santos, That’s, Tom Suozzi, Mazi Pilip, Pilip, Suozzi, Alejandro Mayorkas, They’ve, ”, Johnson, he’s, Suozzi’s, Biden, Jay Jacobs, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Jacobs, Joe Biden, Pilip couldn’t Organizations: Democratic, Twitter, CNN, Democrats, Republican, Republicans, GOP, Progressive Democrats, Santos ’, Democratic Party, Jay Jacobs . New York Democratic Rep, House, Facebook, Biden Locations: New York, New York’s, Suozzi, waffling, Long Island, Queens, Pilip, Jay Jacobs ., Alexandria, Santos

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