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PHOENIX — Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego faced off in Arizona’s feisty first and only Senate debate Wednesday evening, trading shots over the border, abortion, tax policy and more. Lake has long made the border a cornerstone of her campaign, chastising Gallego for supporting the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies. Gallego, in turn, has made the bipartisan border bill that Trump and Lake opposed a big part of his campaign. “He acts like he cares about us,” Lake said of Gallego, “speaking directly to the women” watching the debate. Talking to the media immediately after the debate, Gallego said: “She needs to be loud, she needs to lie because she’s weak.

Persons: Kari Lake, Ruben Gallego, ” Gallego, Lake’s, “ We’re, Gallego, Lake, Donald Trump, Donald Trump doesn’t, Trump, “, “ Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, hasn’t, ”, Laken Riley, —, ” “, Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, GOP Sen, James Lankford, chastising Gallego, Arizonans, ” Lake, it’s, Katie Hobbs Organizations: PHOENIX, Democratic Rep, Progressive Caucus, ”, Lake, Arizona Republicans, Trump, Senate, “, Washington , D.C, NBC, Democratic, GOP, Biden, Border Patrol, UVF Locations: Arizona, Washington ,, Mexico, Georgia, Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma

☆ As threats grow, funds for election security see a squeeze
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Bob Ortega | Anna-Maja Rappard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

That’s why Maricopa County has spent over $864,000 in federal funds and more than $3 million in county funds to bolster its election security and processes over the past four years. Officials readily shared their worries with CNN, citing death threats, harassment, baseless lawsuits, onerous public-records requests and various security threats spurred by false claims about voter fraud. Amid these challenges, budgets for election security have been squeezed in several ways. Thousands of election workers across the country have reported receiving harassing, offensive or hostile communications, including since the 2022 midterms, according to the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force. As recently as Tuesday, Trump threatened to prosecute and imprison election officials if he wins in November, as he cast doubt on the integrity of the upcoming election.

Persons: ”, Bill Gates, MAGA, Donald Trump’s, —, Ben Hovland, ” Hovland, ” Ben Hovland, Patrick Semansky, Hovland, Joe Biden, Biden, Sen, James Lankford, “, Louisiana hasn’t, they’ll, Colorado —, CNN they’ve, “ We’re, they’ve, John Michael Catalano, Elijah Nouvelage, Isaac Cramer, Katharine Clark, we’re, Cramer, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg, Trump, Chan, George Christenson, Republicans don’t, Jim Jordan of, Alex Jones swooped, Kelli Ward, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Jenna Ellis, Kari Lake, She’s, Stephen Richer, Michael Chow, who’ve, Judge Scott Blaney, denialism, Kamala Harris, Arizona’s, Jeff Woolf, ” Woolf Organizations: Phoenix CNN, county’s, Supervisors, CNN, “, U.S, Election, Commission, National Association of, State, Help, Congress, FBI, US Postal Service, Tech, Civil, Center, Election Innovation, Research, Department, Force, South Carolina, South, Charleston County, Facebook, Democratic, Biden, Trump, FEC, GOP, Republicans, Democrats, Arizona Senate Republican, USA, Network, Arizona Superior Court, Republican Locations: Maricopa, Maricopa County, Washington, California , Georgia, Nevada , Oregon , Texas, Arizona , Georgia, North Carolina, Takoma Park , Maryland, Oklahoma, “ Louisiana, Nevada, Michigan, Louisiana, Delaware, Virginia, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Oregon, South, South Carolina, Fulton County, Atlanta, Charleston, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Pennsylvania, In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Jim Jordan of Ohio, China, Republic

☆ The Senate has a new plan to ban congressional stock trading. Here's what's in it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewOn Wednesday, a key Senate panel approved a bill that would ban lawmakers from trading stocks. The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee approved the legislation — known as the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act — by an 8-4 vote. AdvertisementPolling has shown for years that the idea of banning lawmakers from trading stocks in broadly popular among members of both parties. This is the most significant progress on a stock trading ban in yearsThe last time either chamber got close to passing a stock trading ban was in September 2022, when House Democrats proposed a sweeping bill that included a major loophole and had little time to be vetted by members. Many saw the effort as a sham designed to appease those who had been pushing for a stock trading ban.

Persons: —, Republican Sens, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of, Mitt Romney, James Lankford, Democratic Sen, Jeff Merkley, they've, There's, Merkley, Jon Ossoff, Josh Hawley, Missouri —, Gary Peters of, Wednesday's, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Service, Senate Homeland Security, Government, Committee, Holdings, Congressional, Republican, Business, Democratic, Treasury, House Democrats, Gary Peters of Michigan Locations: Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Utah, Oklahoma, Oregon, Georgia, Missouri

☆ These 38 GOP senators just voted against protecting contraception. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThe Senate failed on Wednesday to advance a bill designed to protect access to contraceptives nationwide. Just two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted with Democrats to advance the bill. Advertisement"Do people really think that even a significant minority of the Republican conference is against access to contraception?" AdvertisementBut still — if Republicans aren't against contraception, why won't they just vote for the bill? Glenn Youngkin of Virginia vetoed a bill to protect access to contraception, arguing that it violated principles of religious freedom.

Persons: —, — Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Alaska —, Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, — Schumer, it's, Tillis, Griswold, Roe, Wade, Clarence Thomas, They've, James Lankford, Lankford, Sen, Rick Scott of, Glenn Youngkin, John Barrasso of, John Barrasso of Wyoming Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee John Boozman, Arkansas Ted Budd of, Carolina Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia Bill Cassidy, Louisiana John Cornyn, Texas Tom Cotton, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North Dakota Mike Crapo, Idaho Ted Cruz of, Idaho Ted Cruz of Texas Steve Daines, Montana Joni Ernst, Iowa Deb Fischer, Nebraska Chuck Grassley, Josh Hawley, Missouri John Hoeven of, Missouri John Hoeven of North Dakota Cindy Hyde, Smith, Mississippi Ron Johnson, Wisconsin James Lankford, Oklahoma Mike Lee, Utah Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Roger Marshall of Kansas Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Rand Paul of Kentucky Pete Ricketts, Nebraska Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Rounds, South Dakota Marco Rubio, Eric Schmitt, Missouri Rick Scott, Florida Tim Scott of, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South Dakota Thoms Tillis, North Carolina Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Todd Young, Mike Braun, Indiana Katie Britt, Alabama Lindsey Graham of, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Carolina Bill Hagerty, Tennessee John Kennedy, Louisiana Jerry Moran of, Louisiana Jerry Moran of Kansas Mitt Romney, Utah Dan Sullivan, Alaska JD Vance, Ted Budd Organizations: Service, Nine Republicans, Democratic, Republican, Business, Republicans, GOP, Oklahoma Republican, Democrats, Republican Gov, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North, Nebraska, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South Dakota, North, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Locations: — Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, North Carolina, . Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Rick Scott of Florida, Virginia, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Arkansas, West, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Idaho, Idaho Ted Cruz of Texas, Montana, Missouri, Missouri John Hoeven of North Dakota, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Florida, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South, Alabama, Indiana, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana Jerry Moran of Kansas, Ohio

☆ 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

☆ Kyrsten Sinema announces she is retiring from the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Manu Raju | Clare Foran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of her term this year, blaming growing partisanship and mudslinging in Washington for driving her decision to not run for reelection. “I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” Sinema said, in a video announcing her decision. Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and former Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake are among the candidates who had been seeking to challenge Sinema. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, told CNN that Sinema’s decision not to run for reelection will help Lake’s candidacy. Senate Republicans initially demanded that any foreign aid package be passed along with border measures, but ultimately turned against the border deal and blocked it amid harsh criticism of the package from former President Donald Trump.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, “, ” Sinema, Ruben Gallego, Kari Lake, Sinema, Steve Daines, ” Daines, Jake Tapper, “ I’ve, I’ve, ”, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson Organizations: America, Democratic, Arizona Republican, CNN, Senate, Democrats, Republicans, Democratic Party, Republican, Senate Republicans, The Locations: Arizona, Washington, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Montana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Ukraine, Israel

☆ McConnell’s GOP critics grow louder as party descends into feud over Ukraine and immigration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Manu Raju | Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Mitch McConnell had long prided himself on maintaining GOP unity during his 17-year tenure as Senate GOP leader. Now they’ve spilled into public view as the Kentucky Republican heads into what could be his final year as leader. “We did what Donald Trump wanted.”With McConnell’s backing, the Senate is now taking a different approach. “Sen Cruz talks every day with his colleagues, and his conversations with fellow senators are confidential,” the Cruz spokesperson said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama and close Trump ally, said that “everybody” has concerns about McConnell’s handling of the talks.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, That’s, Donald Trump, McConnell, “, Mitch, ”, Sen, Kevin Cramer, “ Mitch, he’s, Cramer, Larry Hogan, ” McConnell, Trump, Alex Brandon, …, I’ve, Josh Hawley, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, what’s, McConnell’s, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, –, Trump –, “ Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, John Barrasso of, ” Sen, Ron Johnson of, “ He’s, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ” “, Ted Cruz, “ McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, Cruz, nodded, “ Cruz, “ Sen Cruz, Mike Rounds, Rounds, ” McConnell’s, Tucker Carlson, ” Romney, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, ” CNN’s Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, Kentucky Republican, North Dakota Republican, Republican, Democratic, Senate, 436th Aerial Port Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Lankford, Committee, Texas Republican, CNN, Trump, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Israel, Taiwan, Sens, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Washington ,, South Dakota, Alabama

☆ Sen. Chris Murphy, who helped broker the failed border security package, says it's 'worrying' that Mitch McConnell couldn't deliver more votes: 'No one is in charge over there'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview that "no one" is leading Senate Republicans. "You can't make policy if no one is in charge," Murphy told Politico Magazine. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "I just think it's really worrying that the leader of the Republican Party can't deliver more than four votes." But despite the setback, Murphy told the magazine he remained a "hopeless optimist" regarding the upper chamber.

Persons: Sen, Chris Murphy, Murphy, —, Chris Murphy of, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Mitch McConnell's, That's, — Sens, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Lankford —, McConnell, Donald Trump's, … Organizations: Republicans, Politico Magazine, Democratic, Service, Republican, GOP, Independent, Senate, Democrats, — Locations: Chris Murphy of Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, Utah

☆ Trump says US should no longer provide foreign aid unless it’s structured as a loan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Kate Sullivan | Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The day before the Senate is set to begin voting on a $95.3 billion foreign aid package that would provide for Israel and Ukraine, former President Donald Trump on Saturday said the US should stop providing foreign aid unless it is structured as a loan. Trump’s comments come after he launched a torrent of attacks on a $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package that Senate Republicans ended up blocking Wednesday. The former president’s comments Saturday suggest the new foreign aid package, on which the Senate is slated to begin procedural votes Sunday, will end up similarly torpedoed. Trump celebrated the failure of the $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package at a rally on Saturday. The $95.3 billion foreign aid package the Senate is currently working to pass was advanced on Thursday on a tally of 67 to 32.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, ” Trump, — James Lankford of, Joe, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, Kentucky —, ” Paul, CNN’s Manu Raju, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, UNITED STATES, Republicans, Trump, Israel, West Bank, White House, Republican, Senate, Russia Locations: Israel, Ukraine, — James Lankford of Oklahoma, Conway , South Carolina, Russia, Gaza, Trump

☆ Why Congressional Republicans are imploding before our eyes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Look no further than Tuesday night when House Republicans plowed ahead with two votes that they didn't have to hold. AdvertisementAcross the Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is facing increasing calls for him to step aside after conservatives nuked a bipartisan border security-Ukraine aid deal that some Republicans themselves said they had wanted. After all, it was Trump who instructed Republicans to kill the bipartisan immigration deal before the text was actually released. "Politics used to be the art of the possible," Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, told reporters, per Semafor. "Some of them have been very clear with me that they have political differences with the bill," Lankford said in a floor speech on Wednesday.

Persons: Mike Johnson, befuddled, Al Green, it's, Johnson, Mitch McConnell, nuked, McConnell, Trump, Donald Trump, George W, Bush, Sen, Mitt Romney, We've, James Lankford, Lankford, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Republicans, Republican Party, Business, GOP, Texas Democrat, Politico, Democratic, Democratic Senate, Utah Republican, Chamber of Commerce, Border Patrol Union, Trump, Oklahoma Republican Locations: Washington, Texas, Ukraine, Iraq, Utah, Oklahoma

Senate Republicans blocked a major bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package with assistance for Ukraine and Israel in a key vote on Wednesday amid a torrent of attacks on the bill by former President Donald Trump and top House Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to force a procedural vote on an emergency aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan — and drop the border deal. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Alex Padilla of California have both forcefully attacked the border deal. Schumer has harshly criticized Senate Republicans for opposing the package, accusing them of following Trump’s marching orders. “And instead of standing up to Donald Trump, Senate Republicans are ready to kill our best chance at fixing the border.”“They want amendments?

Persons: Donald Trump, – James Lankford of, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Schumer, Mike Johnson, McConnell, Johnson, – Lankford, Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Sinema, Lankford, Democratic Sens, Bob Menendez, Alex Padilla, Menendez, ” Padilla, “, ” Schumer, ” McConnell, CNN’s Kristin Wilson Organizations: House Republicans, Republicans, White, Republican, Senate GOP, Trump, Democratic, Israel, West Bank, Bob Menendez of New, Senate Republicans, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Israel, – James Lankford of Oklahoma, Trump, Taiwan, Arizona, Connecticut, Russia, Gaza, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, California, America

“I was embarrassed for our conference, for our party, because we can do better than we did last night,” said GOP Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas. It was a huge mistake,” said GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, an ally to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. And the stunning defeat, which prompted a chaotic scene on the House floor, completely overshadowed the Democratic opposition to the Israel bill. “The Democrats played hide and seek with us,” GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida told CNN. We’ll put it back up.”For their part, Democrats took a victory lap in their maneuvering that led to a nail-biter vote and embarrassment for House Republicans.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Troy Nehls, “, we’re, ”, Lance Gooden, GOP Sen, Lisa Murkowski, I’ve, I’m, Nancy Pelosi, George Santos, Pelosi, Ralph Norman of, Patrick McHenry of, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Johnson, “ He’s, Jen Kiggans, Johnson, speakership, ” Johnson, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell’s, James Lankford of, Kevin Dietsch, Mayorkas, Mike Gallagher of, impeaching Mayorkas, ” Gallagher, Hugh Hewitt, Dan Bishop of, Steve Womack, ” Womack, Mitch McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, they’re, ’, Steve Scalise, Tom Cole of, Al Green of, Carlos Gimenez, “ It’s, Scalise, We’ll, ” Pelosi, ” CNN’s Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox, Sam Fossum Organizations: Homeland, GOP, CNN, Texas, Republican, ”, Republicans, House Democrats, GOP Rep, Caucus, Congress, Navy, Capitol, Getty, Democratic, Democrat, Arkansas Republican, House Republicans Locations: “, Texas, Israel, Alaska, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Virginia, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Washington , DC, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Arkansas, ”, Washington ,, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Al Green of Texas, Florida

☆ Sen. Lankford says a 'popular commentator' threatened to 'do whatever I can to destroy you' if he negotiated a border deal during a presidential election year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. James Lankford was the top GOP negotiator on the failed border security deal. AdvertisementSen. James Lankford of Oklahoma spoke on Wednesday about the political challenges he's encountered while serving as the top GOP negotiator on a bipartisan border security deal. We'll let the presidential election solve this problem." Lankford went on to say that a "popular commentator" — without naming any names — threatened to "destroy" him if he negotiated the deal during a presidential election year, regardless of what was in it. Advertisement"I will do whatever I can to destroy you, because I do not want you to solve this during the presidential election," Lankford recounted the commentator saying.

Persons: Sen, James Lankford, Lankford, —, he's, “, — Sen, pushback, Israel —, John Barrasso of Organizations: Service, GOP, Fox News Locations: Oklahoma, Ukraine, Israel, John Barrasso of Wyoming

☆ Why Capitol Hill is a total failure right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Zachary Wolf | Analysis Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A plague on both these houses:The Senate seems to lack the political will for a bipartisan border deal. The House lacks an effective majority for a partisan impeachment effort as GOP leaders scramble for votes. Except, as the vote approached, they seemed to realize they might not have the votes to impeach Mayorkas after all. The only other time a Cabinet member was impeached, back in 1876, it was with a unanimous House vote. With hours to go before the Mayorkas impeachment vote is set to occur, there is a real possibility it could fail, and it can only pass by the slimmest of margins.

Persons: Joe Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas, Mayorkas, Ken Buck, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tom McClintock of, “ Maladministration, ” Buck, ” McClintock, –, Donald Trump, CNN’s Dana Bash, Sen, James Lankford of, “, ”, “ I’m, ” Lankford, Mike Johnson doesn’t, ” Johnson, Biden Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Democratic, White, House Republicans, Homeland, Senate Democratic, US, Republican, Biden, MAGA Republican Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Mexico, Central, South America, Ken Buck of, Tom McClintock of California, James Lankford of Oklahoma, “

☆ These 20 GOP senators are already opposed to the bipartisan border security proposal — and more could soon join them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewNearly half of the Senate Republicans have announced that they will oppose a bipartisan agreement to toughen US immigration laws and enact new border security measures. John Thune of South Dakota and Joni Ernst of Iowa, both members of the Senate GOP leadership. Former President Donald Trump has forcefully come out against the agreement while also saying that changes to border policy "should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form." Yet that's exactly what Republican senators insisted upon when President Joe Biden requested additional foreign aid from Congress in October. And while most of the GOP opposition stems from a desire for more stringent policies, some Republicans have suggested that they do not want to do anything that might help Biden politically.

Persons: —, John Thune of, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Mitch McConnell, Sen, James Lankford of, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Israel —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Service, Republicans, GOP, Business, Democratic, Independent, Senate, Israel Locations: Sens, John Thune of South Dakota, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Connecticut, Arizona, Ukraine

Fewer than 24 hours after a long-awaited, bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package was unveiled in the Senate, opposition is rapidly mounting in the chamber – making it increasingly possible the bill will not survive a key vote expected this week. The grim odds facing the bill in the Senate come as former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have continued to attack the deal, ratcheting up pressure on Senate Republicans to oppose it or risk facing a conservative backlash. So far, 18 Republican senators have publicly criticized the bill, including Montana Sen. Steve Daines, a member of Senate GOP leadership. For all of these reasons I will vote no when the bill is brought to the Senate floor this week,” he said. It’s unclear, however, whether a foreign aid package would be able to pass on its own as many Senate Republicans have demanded tighter border security in exchange for aid to those allies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Johnson, hasn’t, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Sen, Kyrsten, James Lankford of, Montana Sen, Steve Daines, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, ”, New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, California Sen, Alex Padilla, Menendez, ” Padilla, Bernie Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Lankford, CNN’s Kristin Wilson Organizations: Republicans, Israel, West Bank, Democratic, GOP, Republican, National Republican Senatorial, House Republicans, California, Trump, ICE, Border Patrol Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Montana, Texas, New Jersey, America, Vermont, United States, Israel

The border deal has placed one of the most vexing political issues at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda and forced him to take a tougher stance on an issue that has been a liability ahead of November. But former President Donald Trump and Johnson have attacked the border deal as too weak, and their opposition threatens to derail the legislation. “Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House,” the Louisiana Republican wrote on X. Johnson announced Saturday that the House will vote this week on a standalone bill providing aid for Israel. It’s unclear whether a foreign aid package would be able to pass on its own as many Senate Republicans have demanded tighter border security in exchange for aid to those allies.

Persons: Mike Johnson, hasn’t, Joe Biden’s, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Sen, Kyrsten, James Lankford of, Donald Trump, Johnson, ” Johnson, Steve Scalise, Bill, Biden, Trump, Marsha Blackburn of, Mike Lee of, Mitch McConnell, Lankford “, Chuck Schumer, McConnell, John Thune, “, ” Thune, CNN’s Manu Raju, Thune, “ It’s, ”, doesn’t, Greg Abbott, ” Abbott, What’s, Sinema, Lankford, Morgan Rimmer, Melanie Zanona, Sara Smart, Rosa Flores, Sara Weisfeldt Organizations: CNN, Senators, Israel, West Bank, Democratic, Senate Republicans, Louisiana Republican, Senate, Republicans, New, New York Democrat, GOP, Texas Gov, Texas, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, CBS, Trump Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Russia, Gaza, Mexico, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, ”, Louisiana, Taiwan, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Lee of Utah, New York, United States, Eagle

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate will hold a crucial test vote next week on legislation that would pair new policies at the southern border with wartime aid for Ukraine and other American allies, leaders pressing ahead despite heavy skepticism from Republicans and some Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will set in motion a test vote on the national security package for Wednesday. “Our southern border is in urgent need, in urgent need, of fixing,” Schumer said in a floor speech. The Senate readied to proceed towards a vote next week, but widespread support from Republicans, especially House Speaker Mike Johnson, remained doubtful. Many Senate Republicans have declined to offer support for the bill until they can dig into its details.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, ” Schumer, toiling, Joe Biden's, — buttressing, Mike Johnson, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Sen, James Lankford of, “ I’ve, ” Lankford, “, Johnson, Kyrsten, Sinema, Lankford, Biden, ”, Robyn Barnard, Chris Murphy, Donald Trump doesn’t, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Capitol, Johnson, Republicans, Republican, Trump, Migrants, Human, Border Patrol, Connecticut Democrat, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Asia, Russian, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Southern, Arizona, U.S, Connecticut

☆ Speaker Johnson to House GOP: Senate immigration deal ‘absolutely dead,’ members say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Clare Foran | Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Leaving their conference meeting, House Republicans said Johnson made clear the immigration deal is “absolutely dead.”“I just heard Speaker Johnson saying it’s absolutely dead, which is what I wanted to hear,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia told CNN. “I have talked to former President Trump about this issue at length and he understands that we have a responsibility to do here.”Johnson added, “The president of course, President Trump, wants to secure the country. President Trump is the one that talked about border security before anyone else did. Biden said in a statement on Friday the deal that Senate negotiators have worked toward is both tough and fair. Senior House Republicans on Tuesday attacked the Senate’s immigration compromise, despite not having final text, and vowed that it will not pass the House.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Johnson, ” “, it’s, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Roger Williams of, “, Trump, Joe Biden, derailing, James Lankford, Manu, ” Johnson, President Trump, Biden, “ What’s, –, ”, Lankford, Mitch McConnell, Jim Jordan, I’ve, Byron Donalds, Dusty Johnson of, ” CNN’s Kristin Wilson, Haley Talbot Organizations: Republicans, CNN, ”, White House, Democrats, Trump, House Republicans, GOP, Russia, Democrat, Senate, Senior, Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Republican, United States Senate, United States Senators Locations: Ukraine, Georgia, Roger Williams of Texas, James Lankford of Oklahoma, House, Florida, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota

☆ Biden endorses emerging deal to give US new power to clamp down on border crossings
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Biden, in a rare statement on ongoing congressional negotiations, said the deal that Senate negotiators have worked toward is both tough and fair. “It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. Moreover, if crossings exceed 8,500 in a single day, DHS would be required to close the border to migrants illegally crossing the border. The source said if the new legislation were in effect, the border would be shut down now to illegal migrants. But a number of top Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, say that the issue must be dealt with now since Democrats are willing to approve tougher restrictions.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, –, Trump, Biden, “ What’s, ”, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, —, Mitch McConnell, Betsy Klein Organizations: Senate, GOP, ”, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Independent, Democratic, Trump, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Arizona, Connecticut

☆ These 20 GOP senators still haven't endorsed Trump — and some of them probably never will
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Yet in the Senate, long a bastion of Republican resistance (or at least hesitancy) to Trump, there are still a number of holdouts. As of January 24, there are still 20 Republican senators — out of 49 total — who have not endorsed Trump's 2024 bid. AdvertisementSome of those senators can be expected to get behind Trump when his nomination becomes official, or at least uncontested. Four current GOP senators — Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah — voted to convict Trump for incitement of an insurrection following January 6. AdvertisementYet GOP lawmakers have faced pressure, both from Trump and their voters, to fall in line.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Nikki Haley, Haley, Ralph Norman of, Trump's, Trump, Mitch McConnell, Bill Cassidy of, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Utah —, it's, Sen, Todd Young, Young, JD Vance, Ohio, I've, haven't, John Boozman, Arkansas Shelly Moore Capito, West Virginia Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Susan Collins, Maine Joni Ernst, Chuck Grassley, Iowa Ron Johnson, Wisconsin John Kennedy of, Wisconsin John Kennedy of Louisiana James Lankford of, Wisconsin John Kennedy of Louisiana James Lankford of Oklahoma Mitch McConnell, Jerry Moran, Kansas Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Rand Paul of Kentucky Pete Ricketts, Nebraska Mitt Romney, Utah Mike Rounds, South Dakota Dan Sullivan, Alaska John Thune of, Alaska John Thune of South Dakota Thom Tillis, North Carolina Todd Young Organizations: Service, Republican, Business, Trump, Republicans, Senate, Todd Young of Indiana, New, Nebraska, South Dakota, Alaska John Thune of South Dakota, North Carolina Locations: Iowa, New Hampshire, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, Utah, Arkansas, West, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Wisconsin John Kennedy of Louisiana, Wisconsin John Kennedy of Louisiana James Lankford of Oklahoma, Alaska John Thune of South, Indiana

The dynamic is particularly unpleasant for House Republicans, many of whom would much prefer the hard-line border security bill they passed last year on a party-line vote, known as H.R. Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump," she said while campaigning in New Hampshire last week. Even GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has taken pains to support Trump, has called for House Republicans to back the border deal. “To those who think that if President Trump wins, which I hope he does, that we can get a better deal – you won’t,” Graham recently told reporters. So if you think you’re going to get a better deal next time, in ’25, if President Trump’s president, Democrats will be expecting a pathway to citizenship for that,” he said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, he’d, ”, It’s, Chip Roy, “, Roy, ’, Andy Biggs, Trump, Joe Biden, that’s, Christopher Devine, Devine, Senate – Arizona's Kari Lake, Pennsylvania's Mehmet Oz, Georgia's Herschel Walker –, parroted, Nikki Haley, Who, Sen, Lankford, Mitch McConnell, James Lankford, ” McConnell, GOP Sen, Lindsey Graham of, ” Graham, Trump’s, Mike Johnson, – Organizations: Republicans ’, Senate, GOP, Republican, Florida Gov, House Republicans, Texas Republican, Arizona Republican, White, Republican Party, Democrat, House, Republicans, University of Dayton, Trump, Virginia, South Carolina Gov, United States Senate Locations: Ukraine, Israel, There’s, Texas, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, state's, Down, Wisconsin, Trump's, Florida, New Hampshire, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, ’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will convene top congressional leaders Wednesday at the White House pressing for his $110 billion national security package at a pivotal time as senators narrow on a landmark immigration deal that could unlock the stalled aid to Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. “I will tell the President that I’ve been seeing it consistently since the moment I was handed the gavel,” said Johnson, R-La. But the speaker leads an ambivalent House GOP majority that wants to extract its own priorities on the U.S.-Mexico border in exchange for any overseas support. The speaker has insisted any border security deal must align with the House-passed strict border security bill. “It’s an opportunity to get some really conservative border policy that we haven’t been able to get for 40 years,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, I’ve, ”, Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, —, Biden “, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin's, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Zelenskyy, “, ” Johnson, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Alejandro Mayorkas, Lankford, McConnell, John Thune of Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Senate, Republicans, House Democratic, Republican, U.S . National, Zelenskyy, Washington, GOP, Homeland Locations: Ukraine, Israel, U.S, Mexico, D, Ky, Congress, Russian, Davos, Washington, Russia, James Lankford of Oklahoma, John Thune of South Dakota

☆ Mike Johnson seeks to avoid McCarthy's fate as he navigates shutdown and immigration
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. Under pressure from right-wing members, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faces stark challenges in keeping the government funded and responding to a potential Senate deal that would toughen immigration laws while providing funding for Ukraine. But passing the spending deal could make it politically more difficult for Johnson to support an emerging bipartisan Senate immigration deal that the right wing of the GOP is turning against. 2 is his position, but he was careful not to reveal specifics of what the House would accept if a Senate immigration deal came together, the sources said. Johnson's allies believe GOP opponents of the spending deal may vote against it but doubt they'll come for his job.

Persons: Mike Johnson, He's, Johnson, Chuck Schumer, Chip Roy, Steve Deace, Schumer, Brian Fitzpatrick, We've, it's, Doug Heye, Heye, Sen, James Lankford of, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, It's, Kevin McCarthy, Johnson's, they'll, Jodey Arrington Organizations: Republican, Ukraine, White, Congress, Republicans, GOP, Fox News, Democrats, United States Congress Locations: Louisiana, Washington , DC, Iowa, Texas, Ukraine, Russia, James Lankford of Oklahoma

Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma has taken on one of Congress’s most thankless and politically risky jobs: leading negotiations to overhaul the country’s immigration laws. Democrats and Republicans agree that a fix is overdue—the last major changes were passed in 1986. Past rounds of talks have gotten nowhere because the issue is so charged and the system so legally complex that any rewrites of the law risk cascading and unintended effects. Now Lankford is one of a trio of senators taking another crack at it, as migrant apprehensions at the Southern U.S. border hit a record 250,000 a month.

Persons: Sen, James Lankford of Organizations: Southern Locations: James Lankford of Oklahoma, Southern U.S

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