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☆ How a narrowly divided nation could frustrate Trump’s vast ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-06 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But the Louisiana Republican on Thursday put his finger on one of President-elect Donald Trump’s greatest challenges. He delivered the smallest House majority since the Great Depression. Trump will need to manage Republican power more effectively in Washington than he did in his first term. The 2016 election gave Republicans a House majority of nearly 50 seats. In a House majority limited to a handful of seats, every lawmaker becomes a kingmaker.

Persons: CNN — Sen, John, Donald Trump’s, Kennedy, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, ” Kennedy, CNN’s Lauren Fox, Trump, won’t, –, Kamala Harris, he’s, he’ll, can’t, Donald Trump, Brandon Bell, Republicans balk, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Hegseth’s, Johnson, Tim Burchett, Kasie Hunt, Republican Sen, John Thune of, Pete Hegseth, Musk, ” Musk, Donald Trump's, Jose Luis Magana, isn’t, Ramaswamy, Republicans —, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, Collins, “, ”, Richard McCormick, Stephanie Bice, Obama, Sen, CNN’s Fox Organizations: CNN, Louisiana Republican, of Government Efficiency, GOP, SpaceX, Trump, Republicans, Republican, America, Tennessee, Democratic, Government, Capitol, White, Social Security, Medicare, ”, Fox Business, Oklahoma Republican, Security, Democrats Locations: Louisiana, Washington, Brownsville , Texas, New York, John Thune of South Dakota, Washington ,, Maine, Oklahoma, Clinton, ”

☆ The Fed's interest-rate cut put Trump even more at odds with the central bank
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee announced an interest-rate cut of 50 basis points, the first cut Americans have received in over four years. AdvertisementHe's argued in the past that the Fed would only cut rates close to the election to aid Democrats, which he reiterated leading up to the central bank's announcement. Trump sought to use his presidential power to appoint members to the Fed board who supported his unorthodox views of the central bank. Trump has flip-flopped his views on his most important appointment to the Fed: Powell. Trump's tepid support of Powell underlines just how mercurial he can be when it comes to the central bank.

Persons: —, Donald Trump isn't, Jerome Powell, Trump, they're, He's, Powell, Judy Shelton, Shelton, Sen, Susan Collins, Herman Cain, Stephen Moore, Michelle Bowman, Christopher Waller, he's, reappoint Powell, Trump hasn't Organizations: Service, Federal, Market Committee, Democratic, Business, Federal Reserve, Street, Trump, Bloomberg, Fox, Fed, Governors, Maine Republican, Fed Board, Bloomberg News Locations: New York, Michigan, Maine

☆ Bipartisan Tax Bill Is Stuck in Senate Limbo After Broad House Approval
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A bipartisan bill to expand the child tax credit and reinstate a set of business tax breaks has stalled in the Senate after winning overwhelming approval in the House, as Republicans balk at legislation they regard as too generous to low-income families. The delay of the $78 billion tax package has imperiled the measure’s chances and reflects the challenges of passing any major legislation in an election year. Enacting a new tax law would give President Biden and Democrats an achievement to campaign on, something that Republicans may prefer to avoid. The package, which would be in effect through 2025, would expand the child tax credit and restore a set of tax breaks related to business research costs, capital expenses and interest. It would also include a boost to a tax credit encouraging the development of low-income housing, tax relief for disaster victims and tax breaks for Taiwanese workers and companies operating in the United States.

Persons: balk, Biden Organizations: Republican, Senate Locations: United States

☆ These 3 Democratic senators voted against a $95.3 billion Ukraine and Israel aid bill — citing the war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Three Democratic senators voted against a $95.3 billion bill to give aid to Israel and Ukraine. Other Democratic senators who have been critical of the war voted for the aid anyway. AdvertisementEarly on Tuesday morning, the Senate passed a $95.3 billion bill to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan by a 70-29 margin. Most of the votes against the bill came from Republicans, some of whom were opposed to providing $60 billion in Ukraine aid while others protested the lack of border security provisions. It requires any country receiving foreign aid, including Israel, to submit written assurances that they are complying with human rights laws.

Persons: —, Peter Welch of, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders of, Sanders, Welch, Netanyahu, Israel, Joe Biden, Biden, Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Mike Johnson, Johnson Organizations: Democratic, Service, Senate Democratic Conference, Senate Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Gaza, Taiwan, Peter Welch of Vermont, Oregon, Bernie Sanders of Vermont

☆ With Border Deal Doomed, Schumer Plans Test Vote on Ukraine and Israel Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Senate Democrats are planning to make a last-ditch effort on Wednesday to salvage an aid bill for Ukraine and Israel, with Republicans expected to kill a version of the package that includes stringent border security measures that they had demanded be included. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, has told his Democratic colleagues that after a critical test vote set for early Wednesday afternoon, in which Republicans are expected to block the border and Ukraine package, he plans to quickly force a vote on a stand-alone bill that would send tens of billions of dollars in funding to Kyiv and Israel. A bipartisan group of senators had spent months negotiating a compromise that paired a crackdown against migration into the United States with an emergency national security spending package that has been stalled for months. But with Republicans balking at the immigration deal, the outcome of that vote was clear: It did not have the 60 votes it needed to advance. Anticipating its failure, Mr. Schumer told the White House this week that he had a Plan B: If Republicans scuttled the bipartisan agreement, he would immediately seek to push through the foreign aid without the border deal, according to a Democratic aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the discussions.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, balking, Schumer Organizations: Democratic, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel, New York, Kyiv, United States

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin state Senate is poised to approve a plan to spend more than half a billion dollars of public funds to help the Milwaukee Brewers repair their stadium over the next three decades. The Senate is expected to vote on the proposal during a floor session set to begin Tuesday morning. As of last week, Republican Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu was still trying to lock down enough votes to push the package. Brewer officials initially said the team might leave Milwaukee if they didn't get public dollars to help with the repairs. The Assembly last month approved a plan that calls for the state to contribute $411.5 million and the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to contribute a combined $135 million.

Persons: Devin LeMahieu, Julian Bradley, Steve Nass, Van Wanggaard, Sen, LaTonya Johnson, Robin Vos, Tony Evers, Evers, Britt Cudaback, Brewer, Rick Schlesinger, Mark Attanasio, Vos Organizations: Milwaukee Brewers, Republican, GOP, Milwaukee Democrat, Gov, Brewers, Yahoo Finance, Forbes, Legislative, Milwaukee, Major League Baseball, Republicans Locations: MADISON, Wis, The Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County

Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week ran into increasing opposition on Monday from hard-line Republicans. But with Democratic opposition softening, it appeared the plan could be headed toward bipartisan approval within days. The shifting alliances came as the House planned to take its first action on the bill as early as Tuesday. The move cost Mr. McCarthy his speakership. But Mr. Johnson — who is far more conservative than Mr. McCarthy — was not expected to face similar blowback from Republicans, who are not eager to repeat the dysfunction and paralysis that followed their last speaker’s ouster.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Johnson —, McCarthy — Locations: Israel, Ukraine

Tuesday’s election results drove home to some Republicans in Congress what they already know and fear — that their party has alienated critical blocs of voters with its policies and message, particularly on abortion. And the results stiffened their resolve to resist such measures, even if it means breaking with the party at a critical time in a high-stakes fight over federal spending. “The American people are speaking very clearly: There is no appetite for national abortion law,” Representative John Duarte of California, a Republican who represents a district that President Biden won in 2020, said on Thursday. Between mainstream Republicans’ resistance to the abortion provision in the financial services bill and rising discontent among the hard-right flank that the legislation did not include a measure barring funding for a new F.B.I. building, it became clear the bill did not have the votes.

Persons: John Duarte, Biden, ”, Duarte Organizations: Republicans, Republican, Republican Party Locations: John Duarte of California

☆ The Senate’s Feinstein Question
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ms. Feinstein was forced to return to Washington well before many close to her believed she was ready so her party could continue advancing President Biden’s judicial nominees. No definitive answer has emerged — and the proposition may never be tested since Ms. Feinstein has said she is not going anywhere. But the question has major implications both for the Senate itself and for California politics. Should Ms. Feinstein resign early, California’s governor would appoint a temporary senator who might then have a leg up in the hotly contested Democratic race to succeed her in January 2025. The idea that an early departure by Ms. Feinstein might imperil Mr. Biden’s judicial nominees has been seen as yet another reason for her to stay.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, Feinstein, Biden’s, California’s, Gavin Newsom, Mr Organizations: Democratic, Senate, Gov Locations: California, Washington

A failure by Congress to deal with its self-imposed debt ceiling before June 5 could trigger a default that would shake financial markets and send the United States into a deep recession. Hours before the deal was announced, some hardline Republicans balked at McCarthy cooperating with the White House. Progressive Democrats in both chambers have said they would not support any deal that has additional work requirements. This deal does, sources say, adding work requirements to food aid for people aged 50 to 54. But Republicans and Democrats will need to battle over which ones in the months to come, as the deal doesn't specify them.

☆ Top Republicans Balk at WinRed’s Plan to Charge More for Online Donations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Shane Goldmacher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A battle over a threatened price increase has exposed growing tensions between top Republican Party officials and the company with a virtual monopoly on processing Republican campaign contributions online. Party leaders have risen up in opposition to the plan to raise prices, which would siphon millions of dollars from G.O.P. campaigns less than 20 months after the company, WinRed, had said its finances were robust enough to forego an extra fee on every transaction. Mr. Lansing’s company, a private for-profit firm responsible for processing almost all online Republican political donations, charges 3.94 percent of almost every donation made online. But he said it wasn’t enough, citing an unforeseen slowdown in online G.O.P.

☆ As McCarthy laments 'no progress,' here's where U.S. debt ceiling talks stand
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that there has been "no progress" in debt ceiling negotiations between House Republicans and the White House, as the U.S. inches closer to risking a first-ever default. House Republicans have refused to lift the debt ceiling without promises of spending cuts. The U.S. already hit its debt limit, forcing the Treasury to take so-called extraordinary measures to keep paying its bills. It has been nearly two month since McCarthy and Biden met to discuss debt ceiling measures. Not lifting the debt ceiling would have catastrophic effects on the U.S. economy.

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