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☆ 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

☆ We can use AI to fight predatory robocalls, experts tell senators
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Senators took a bipartisan stance against abusive robocalling on Tuesday, appealing to experts for enforcement measures as more scammers employ deceptive artificial intelligence. Witnesses told the Senate Commerce's Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband that generative AI can also work in regulators' favor. Mike Rudolph, chief technology officer for robocall-blocking firm YouMail, Inc., said the AI could flag insufficient mitigation controls in the Federal Communications Commission's Robocall Mitigation Database. "That's a great place where you could apply that [AI] technology and probably discard half the entries in the database in an afternoon or a week of work," Rudolph said. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., chair of the subcommittee, said robocalls have eroded the public's trust in the nation's communications networks.

Persons: robocalling, Mike Rudolph, Rudolph, Sen, Ben Ray Luján, Chuck Schumer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Senate, Communications, Media, Inc, Federal Communications, Capitol

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez on potential resignation: 'We will announce it when it comes time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, and his wife Nadine Arslanian, arrive at the US District Court, Southern District of New York, in New York City on September 27, 2023. WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey on Wednesday seemed to open the door to resigning over his bribery indictment after having previously flatly ruled out leaving the Senate for that reason. Asked by NBC News if he was planning to resign, Menendez replied that he "will announce it when it comes time." Menendez until Wednesday had said he would not resign despite most Senate Democrats calling on him to do so. He, his wife, and the trio of businessmen are set to go on trial beginning May 6.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nadine Arslanian, WASHINGTON — Sen, Menendez, Nadine Organizations: Democrat, Court, Southern District of, Bob Menendez of New, Senate, NBC News, Democratic, Wednesday Locations: New Jersey, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York City, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey

☆ Sen. Durbin renews call for a Supreme Court code of conduct amid ethics concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin called on the Supreme Court to create a code of conduct as its new term begins Monday. Durbin for about a dozen years has, without success, asked the Supreme Court to adopt an enforceable code of conduct. Supreme Court justices are the only federal judges who are exempt from the official ethics rules. The Supreme Court has been under scrutiny this year because of media reports about justices receiving luxury travel, gifts, and other benefits. Durbin earlier this year asked Chief Justice John Roberts to appear before the Judiciary Committee to discuss Supreme Court ethics after the articles were first published.

Persons: Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M, Gorsuch, Brett M, Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, John G, Roberts, Jr, Samuel A, Alito, Elena Kagan, Dick Durbin, Durbin, ProPublica, Harlan Crow's, Samuel Alito, Paul, John Roberts Organizations: Supreme, WASHINGTON, Elliott Management Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON —, Argentina

☆ Sen. Tommy Tuberville says U.S. military not an 'equal opportunity employer'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.,speaks to reporters outside the Senate chamber in the Capitol on Thursday, July 13, 2023. WASHINGTON — Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican and former football coach, said Tuesday that the U.S. military is "not an equal-opportunity employer." The military is an equal-opportunity employer, and the Pentagon has an "Office of Equal Employment Opportunity." "I heard some things that he talked, about race and things that he wanted to mix into the military," Tuberville said about Brown. "We're not looking for different groups, social justice groups," Tuberville said.

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, WASHINGTON — Sen, Tuberville, Charles, CQ, Brown Organizations: Alabama Republican, Pentagon, Bloomberg, Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff

☆ Watch: Sen. Bob Menendez speaks in New Jersey on heels of bribery indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

This stream starts at 11:30 a.m. Please refresh your browser if it does not show up. WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is set to hold a press conference on Monday following mounting calls for him to resign. Menendez and his wife were indicted on federal bribery charges in New York last week. Prosecutors accused the 69-year-old Democrat and his spouse of allegedly accepting lavish bribes including, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz car and mortgage payments.

Persons: WASHINGTON — Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez Organizations: Bob Menendez of New, Prosecutors, Mercedes, Benz Locations: WASHINGTON, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, New York

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez suggests cash found in bribery raid came from 'personal savings'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey suggested Monday that the cash seized by federal investigators from his home came from his personal savings account. "I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, what I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba," Menendez said during a press conference on Monday. "Now this may seem old-fashioned but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived," he added. Menendez and his wife were indicted on federal bribery charges in New York last week. Prosecutors accused the 69-year-old Democrat and his spouse of allegedly accepting lavish bribes including, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz car and mortgage payments.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, WASHINGTON — Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez Organizations: Bob Menendez of New, Prosecutors, Mercedes, Benz, New Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Cuba, New York, Englewood Cliffs , New Jersey

☆ Sen. Menendez defiant after second corruption indictment: 'Prosecutors did that the last time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., walks through the Senate subway on his way to a vote in the Capitol, in Washington, D.C., May 4, 2023. Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesWASHINGTON — Sen. Robert Menendez on Friday vowed to remain in the Senate while he fights federal charges of bribery and extortion announced earlier in the day. The indictment was the second time the New Jersey Democrat had been prosecuted for alleged corruption as a sitting senator. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez holds one of the most powerful gavels in Congress. The senator and his wife, Nadine Menendez, were indicted Friday on three criminal counts each after a multiyear federal investigation.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Bill Clark, Getty Images WASHINGTON — Sen, Robert Menendez, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Damian Williams, Nadine, Alexi J, Rosenfeld Organizations: Washington , D.C, Cq, Inc, Getty Images WASHINGTON, New, New Jersey Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, NBC News, Southern, of, Attorney, U.S, Getty Locations: Washington ,, New Jersey, Jersey, of New York, U.S, New York City

☆ Florida Sen. Rick Scott expects Congress will avoid government shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) speaks after the Senate Republican GOP leadership election on Capitol Hill in Washington, November 10, 2020. WASHINGTON — Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, on Wednesday said he expects Congress will reach a deal to avoid a government shutdown less than two weeks before a looming deadline. "We ought to stop this idea that we're going to see government shutdowns," Scott told CNBC's "Squawk Box." Scott said the conservative House Freedom Caucus is working on a plan that will cut what he called wasteful spending, secure the U.S. border and lower inflation rates. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, are developing a continuing resolution that, while not a "perfect solution," will work toward preventing shutdowns, he said.

Persons: Rick Scott, WASHINGTON — Sen, Scott, CNBC's, shutdowns Organizations: Republican, Capitol, Florida Republican, Senate Republicans Locations: Washington, Florida, U.S

☆ Sen. Warren calls on Yellen, FSOC to do more to shore up regional banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Emily Wilkins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is sounding alarm bells about the future of regional banks in a new letter Thursday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and a top advisory group for bank regulators. In the letter to Yellen, obtained exclusively by CNBC, Warren addresses the secretary in her capacity as chair of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and asks her and the council to investigate several looming threats to banks. "I urge you to take strong action to address the alarming fallout from high interest rates and protect the safety of our financial system," Warren writes. The request follows an August announcement by Moody's that it was downgrading 10 regional banks, and putting another 17 banks either under review or changing their outlooks from stable to negative. The Massachusetts senator has been an outspoken critic of the increases, warning Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell and others that higher interest rates will ultimately hurt working Americans, even if they appear to exert downward pressure on inflation.

Persons: Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Janet Yellen, WASHINGTON — Sen, Yellen, Warren, Jay Powell, Wells Organizations: Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, WASHINGTON, CNBC, Consumer Financial, Biden White, Biden Locations: Washington, Washington , DC, Massachusetts, Wells Fargo, Warren

☆ Elizabeth Warren calls for an investigation into Musk and Starlink in Ukraine after biography claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for a probe Tuesday following a claim that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk curbed a Ukrainian military operation aimed at Russia's Black Sea fleet last year by limiting access to SpaceX's Starlink satellite network, a report said. CNBC has reached out to Warren's office to confirm the statement. The call for an investigation stems from an excerpt released last week from biographer Walter Isaacson's book titled "Elon Musk," in which the author details how a Ukrainian drone sneak attack on the Russian fleet was disrupted by a disconnect from Starlink. In an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box," Isaacson further elaborated on the excerpt from the biography that triggered alarm bells in Washington, among NATO allies and the Ukrainian capital. Isaacson said developing a military-grade version of Starlink will help resolve concerns expressed by Tesla and Musk regarding the satellite networks' use in combat.

Persons: WASHINGTON — Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Tesla, Elon Musk, Warren, Walter Isaacson's, CNBC's, Isaacson Organizations: SpaceX, Bloomberg, CNBC, NATO Locations: Ukrainian, Washington

☆ Manchin warns government to step up after Fitch credit rating downgrade
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) arrives prior to Israeli President Isaac Herzog's address to a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 19, 2023. WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin on Thursday called on his colleagues to take sorely needed budgetary steps to strengthen the economy after Fitch credit analysts' recent decision to downgrade the United States' long-held foreign issuer default rating. Fitch downgraded the U.S. credit rating from AA+ to AAA on Tuesday, months after having placed the nation's rating on negative watch in May. The credit rating firm cited the U.S. government's lengthy debt ceiling debate, along with the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, in its decision. Manchin's warning comes a day after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called the Fitch downgrade decision "entirely unwarranted" based on a "flawed assessment."

Persons: Joe Manchin, Isaac Herzog's, WASHINGTON — Sen, Fitch, Manchin, CNBC's, we're, Janet Yellen Organizations: U.S, Capitol, AAA, U.S . Capitol, West Virginia Democrat Locations: Washington, States

☆ Senators aim to protect small businesses from foreign IP theft with new bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If passed, the IDEA Act will reauthorize a state and local law enforcement intellectual property enforcement program at $25 million per year from 2024-29. They include China, Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia — areas where IP theft against U.S. small businesses is particularly rampant. Bipartisan lawmakers from both houses of Congress have often highlighted the urgent need for targeted solutions toward IP theft. Other IDEA Act initiatives include:An IP Protection Legal Aid program to counsel and protect small business owners. "Intellectual property crimes cost American businesses hundreds of billions of dollars each year, and small businesses often lack the resources to protect themselves against foreign bad actors," said Cornyn, R-Texas.

Persons: –, Mike Gallagher, Tammy Baldwin, John Cornyn Organizations: WASHINGTON, American IP Defense, IDEA, American Intellectual, U.S . Trade Representative, U.S, Republican, Rep, Chinese Communist Party, Justice Department, Government, Office, Joint, IDEA Act's, Texans Locations: Austin , Texas, Jackson , Mississippi, Chicago, China, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Sens, America, Texas

☆ Mitch McConnell freezes at Senate press conference, is briefly unable to speak
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) reaches out to help Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after McConnell froze and stopped talking at the microphones during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans U.S. Capitol 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly froze and was briefly unable to speak at a Senate press conference Wednesday, prompting his colleagues to rush in and help him walk a few feet away from the cameras. The chilling moments came during the Senate GOP leadership's weekly press conference in the Capitol, where McConnell, 81, was standing at a lectern when he fell silent all of a sudden. After a few minutes, McConnell returned to the lectern and finished the press conference. This potential leadership vacuum was on stark display Wednesday when a reporter asked McConnell whether he had "anybody in mind to replace you when you're no longer conference leader?"

Persons: Sen, John Barrasso, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, John Thune, Barrasso, Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, Frank Thorp Organizations: Republicans U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON, GOP, Kentucky Republican, Iowa Republican, NBC, Republican, Senate, White Locations: Washington , DC, WASHINGTON —, Washington

☆ Schumer urges FDA to probe Prime energy drink backed by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Logan Paul and KSI pose with Prime hydration bottles prior to a regular season game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers on March 31, 2023, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. The brand offers a bottled hydration drink and a canned energy beverage, which is said is not intended for children. Several countries, including Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand have already banned Prime Energy drinks or its caffeine-free version, Prime Hydration, in some schools. The company's lack of sufficient warnings about its caffeine content also invites scrutiny, he wrote. "This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink."

Persons: Logan Paul, Brandon Sloter, Chuck Schumer, KSI, Schumer, Robert Califf, Red Bull, Califf Organizations: Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodger, Getty Images, WASHINGTON, Food and Drug Administration, YouTube, Futbol Club Barcelona, Energy, CNBC, Prime Energy Locations: Los Angeles , CA, Washington, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand

☆ Senate Democrats pressure PayPal, Venmo, Cash App over fraud protections
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Thursday urged PayPal and Cash App to better protect users of their peer-to-peer payment applications from fraud. The letters were sent to PayPal president and CEO Dan Shulman and Cash App CEO Brian Grassadonia. PayPal, Venmo and Cash App did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Cash App transactions also brought in over $203 billion in inflows among 51 million monthly users as of December 2022, according to a Block annual report. The letter is part of an ongoing inquiry into P2P platform consumer safety spearheaded by Warren over the past several years.

Persons: Sen, Sherrod Brown of, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Rhode Island Sen, Jack Reed, Jack Reed and New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, Dan Shulman, Cash, Brian Grassadonia, PayPal's, Warren, Menendez, Reed Organizations: PayPal, Massachusetts, Block, CNBC, Pew Research Center Locations: WASHINGTON, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Rhode Island, Jack Reed and New Jersey

☆ Schumer seeks to fast-track debt ceiling bill through Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on May 31, 2023. "The Senate will stay in session until we send a bill avoiding default to President Biden's desk, we will keep working until the job is done," Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor at the opening of Thursday's session. WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will attempt to fast-track a bill through the Senate on Thursday to raise the debt limit for two years and cap government spending, as the U.S. barrels toward a June 5 deadline to avert a debt default. In exchange for giving their amendments a separate vote, McConnell hopes holdouts will agree to proceed with a full Senate vote on the debt ceiling bill before the weekend. Passing the debt limit compromise bill and sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature would "soothe the country and soothe the markets," McConnell said.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, luncheons, Biden's, Schumer, Utah Republican Mike Lee, Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, Tim Kaine, Kaine, Lee, Janet Yellen, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, holdouts, Paul, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Biden Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Utah Republican, Kentucky Republican, Management, Budget, Capitol, Schumer, Republicans Locations: Washington ,, WASHINGTON, U.S, Utah, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, United States

☆ Sen. Tim Scott pushes bill that would require disclosure of apps' country of origin
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is pushing for more transparency from social media applications amid privacy concerns about China-based apps like TikTok. App stores would be charged to warn users of the risks of downloading foreign applications and provide a filtering method by country of origin. Four out of 5 of the top most popular apps in March are of Chinese origin, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Requiring app stores to display an app's country of origin is a commonsense solution that can help them do just that." "The Know Your App Act would bring much-needed transparency to app stores, empowering Americans to safeguard their families from exploitation," he added.

☆ Sen. Elizabeth Warren presses regulators for answers on First Republic takeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., greets Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, during the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. WASHINGTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is asking federal financial regulators for answers over what she called a "deeply troubling" deal that saw JPMorgan Chase take over First Republic Bank. "Our financial strength, capabilities and business model allowed us to develop a bid to execute the transaction in a way to minimize costs to the Deposit Insurance Fund." Instead, the insurance fund was allowed to take a multibillion-dollar loss after billions of dollars worth of the bank's uninsured deposits were rescued during the deal, Warren said. "The FDIC appeared to prioritize First Republic's uninsured deposits at the bank before the Insurance Fund," she said.

☆ Feinstein Returning to Senate, Bringing Democrats Back to Full Majority
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was not clear if Ms. Feinstein, 89, would make it back in time for a vote scheduled for Tuesday night, a spokesman said. But her return to the chamber would restore a Democratic majority to the Judiciary Committee, where Democrats were becoming increasingly concerned about their limited ability to move forward with judicial nominations. Ms. Feinstein, who was hospitalized in February for shingles, for weeks gave no detailed updates about her health as she recovered in San Francisco, and provided no timeline for her planned return to the Senate. Her prolonged absence left her colleagues in the Senate fearing that they would be short a vote not only on the Judiciary Committee but also on other crucial matters. “The bottom line is the business of the committee and the Senate is affected by her absence,” Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

☆ G.O.P. Vows to Block Feinstein Swap, Leaving Democrats in a Conundrum
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pressure is mounting for Ms. Feinstein, 89, who was hospitalized with shingles in February and has announced she will not seek re-election in 2024, to resign now. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said later Tuesday that he still planned to move forward with a request to replace Ms. Feinstein temporarily with Senator Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland. But the move would take the unanimous consent of the Senate — or at least 60 votes — and Mr. McConnell made it clear that would not happen. “Senate Republicans will not take part in sidelining a temporarily absent colleague off a committee just so Democrats can force through their very worst nominees,” Mr. McConnell told reporters. The sentiment was echoed throughout the Republican conference.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) waves to reporters as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol on April 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman both returned to the Capitol on Monday after significant medical absences, leaving only one senator, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, still away with no firm return date. Fetterman, a 53-year-old from Pennsylvania, stepped away from the Senate in February to seek inpatient treatment for clinical depression at Water Reed Army Medical Center. "I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works," Fetterman said in a statement after return home from the hospital. The return of both Fetterman and McConnell this week after the Senate's Easter recess has served to highlight the one senator who has not returned from their prolonged medical absence: the California lawmaker Feinstein, an 89-year-old who last voted in the Senate in early February.

☆ Senate Democrats led by Elizabeth Warren press federal bank regulators to implement stronger capital requirements
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are pressing federal banking regulators to toughen bank capital requirements following back-to-back congressional hearings where officials testified about the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. "We write to urge you follow through with establishing strong capital requirements that protect consumers and taxpayers, and preserve the safety and soundness of our banking system," Warren, along with Sens. Under the "stress capital buffer" implemented at the time, the capital requirements for banking firms is determined annually according to supervisory stress tests. The lawmakers urged regulators to enforce strong capital requirements to fend off aggressive lobbying from Wall Street and safeguard against more bank failures. "In order to prevent future bank crises and protect working Americans, I urge your agencies to quickly implement strong capital requirements and resist industry pressure to weaken or delay these requirements."

☆ Top Democrat gives 'failing grade' to Biden administration on classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Ginger Gibson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Warner, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, chided the Biden administration Wednesday for the lack of information being shared about classified documents that were found at the homes of current and former presidents. "This is where the Biden administration gets an absolute failing grade," Warner said on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." Lawmakers have become increasingly critical of administration officials ignoring requests to be briefed on the classified documents that have been found. Hundreds of pages of documents with classified markings were recovered from Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump's Florida home and private club. Months later, a handful of documents were found at an office used by current President Joe Biden before he was elected.

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