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☆ US proposes new checks on land sales to foreigners near military bases
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Buying land near eight U.S. military bases could become more difficult for foreign companies and citizens under a Treasury Department rule proposed by the Biden administration on Friday. Grand Forks Air Force Base houses air and space operations and includes a unit that operates military drones. The Air Force, Republican senators and community members voiced opposition to the real estate deal. The Grand Forks City Council in February voted to terminate its development agreement with Fufeng, preventing it from building the mill. North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer welcomed news of the proposed rule, which could have blocked the land sale to Fufeng.

☆ Opinion | Dianne Feinstein Has to Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Without Senator Dianne Feinstein, there might never have been an assault weapons ban in 1994. Or the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. Her absence is a failure that deprives American voters of full representation on legislation and appointments that will affect them for decades to come. (Proxy voting is allowed in the committee, but a proxy cannot be the decisive vote if the committee is otherwise evenly divided, as it often is.) Ms. Feinstein offered to step away from the committee, but Republican senators blocked any effort at appointing a temporary replacement.

☆ 'High wire act': U.S. Congress gears up for immigration reform as Title 42 ends
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

It has been 37 years since Congress passed significant immigration reform, but a persistently high volume of migrants and an acute labor shortage have galvanized lawmakers. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said the end of Title 42 "sets the table" for Congress to craft new border-control laws as Republicans predict a wave of new arrivals. STARS ALIGNINGThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business association, has launched a campaign urging Congress to act. Republicans argue that is where the border security component comes in. Finally, passage of an immigration bill coupled with beefed-up border security could boost President Joe Biden's re-election campaign and give Republican candidates something to cheer too.

☆ This GOP senator declared DeSantis the 'leader of the Republican Party.' Despite his recent struggles, she still thinks that holds true.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sen. Cynthia Lummis declared that Ron DeSantis was the "current leader" of her party in November. Ron DeSantis — not former President Donald Trump — was the "current leader of the Republican Party." That's why I think he's the leader of the party." Her initial November comments in support of DeSantis came on the heels of a poor midterm performance that many in the party blamed on Trump. In 2020, the party notably opted not to adopt a platform, citing pandemic-era restrictions and its "strong support" for Trump.

☆ Sen. JD Vance defends Tucker Carlson over leaked 'how white men fight' text: 'He says far more controversial things publicly every single day'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Tucker Carlson bemoaned that a group of Trump supporters didn't fight like "white men," per a leaked text. "By the way, I don't think that's why he was fired," the Ohio senator added. "I don't know why that would justify somebody getting fired, especially when you're talking about a private text message." "I'm highly skeptical that text message caused them to fire Tucker Carlson. "Once a week, I worry that something terrible will happen to Tucker Carlson," said Vance.

☆ Trump's Senate backers are fine with him skipping 2024 primary debates: 'Most of it's for entertainment anyway'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump is threatening to skip 2024 primary debates, and his Senate backers are just fine with that. In brief interviews with Insider at the Capitol on Tuesday, some of the 11 Republican senators who've endorsed Trump backed him up on those arguments. He famously skipped a primary debate before the 2016 Iowa caucus, allowing other candidates to criticize him without him being able to respond. Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, announced in April that the first GOP primary debate would be held in August in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On Sunday, when asked about Trump's threat to skip the debates, she said simply that it was "his choice."

☆ Cannabis stocks light up after a group of lawmakers again seeks to protect banks that work with legal marijuana businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cannabis stocks jumped Thursday as lawmakers sought again to pass a bill to protect banks that work with legal pot firms. The SAFE Banking Act of 2023 was refiled by Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate. The Secure and Fair Enforcement, or SAFE, Banking Act was refiled late Wednesday by House and Senate lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties. They say the proposal is aimed at dealing with safety concerns stemming from legal cannabis businesses being locked out of banking services. Merkley said there's now a path for the first time for the SAFE Banking Act to move through the Senate Banking Committee and to a Senate floor vote.

☆ US official says Chinese cloud companies like Huawei could pose threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Wednesday that Chinese cloud computing companies like Huawei Cloud and Alibaba Cloud (9988.HK) could pose a threat to U.S. security and vowed to review a request to add them to an export control list. A group of nine Republican senators on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Huawei Technologies Co's (HWT.UL) cloud unit, Alibaba Cloud and other Chinese cloud service providers. They want Raimondo to add the companies to the Entity List, which imposes U.S. export controls on foreign companies. Raimondo said the Chinese cloud companies could pose a threat. In May 2019, the Commerce Department added Huawei to the export control list over U.S. security concerns.

☆ Even Republican senators aren't sold on the GOP plan to fight over the debt ceiling again in a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kevin McCarthy plans to have the House vote on his debt ceiling bill on Wednesday. Other House GOP lawmakers wanted to see stricter work requirements for welfare programs in the legislation. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's proposal would only raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, or until March 31, 2024 — whichever comes first. Ensuring another debt ceiling fight just months before next year's elections is reportedly drawing some ire, or at least headaches, from fellow Republicans. "The American people expect and deserve serious, sensible action to address our soaring national debt," McCarthy and other GOP leaders said in a statement on the legislation.

☆ Biden should sanction Huawei Cloud, other Chinese firms -senators
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - A group of nine Republican senators on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Huawei Cloud and other Chinese cloud service providers, citing national security concerns, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The senators said Huawei Cloud launched its "Sky Computing Constellation" in co-sponsorship with Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute also known as "Spacety China" in 2021. Alibaba Cloud, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (9988.HK), did not immediately comment. Reuters reported in January 2022 that the Biden administration was reviewing the cloud business of e-commerce giant Alibaba to determine whether it poses a risk to U.S. national security. The letter said the Biden administration should consider further investigation or actions against China’s other cloud service providers including Baidu Cloud and Tencent Cloud which may impact U.S. national security.

☆ Senate Republicans call on Biden administration to clamp down on cloud companies with ties to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —A group of Republican senators on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to “use all available tools” to sanction cloud computing firms with links to China. They also called for the Biden administration to investigate other cloud companies operated by Baidu and Tencent. The letter comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and China, and as scrutiny mounts in Washington of businesses with ties to China, including TikTok. The Biden administration has threatened TikTok with a nationwide ban unless its Chinese owners sell their stakes in the company. Some lawmakers have also called for the app to be banned, citing national security risks.

☆ Tim Scott is the most intriguing GOP presidential hopeful most Republicans haven't heard of
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is far from well-known by Republican voters. But if he runs for president, Scott would be well positioned to break out if either Trump or DeSantis falter. "I hope he is considering jumping into the race," Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst recently told Insider while on her way back to her Senate office. But more than just his colleagues, Republican voters may also be just as effusive. It's difficult to find polling on Scott's national favorability, but a recent Monmouth University poll of self-identified Republican voters showed significant promise.

☆ This former Trump White House official says Republicans are 'such nerds' for pushing a 'ridiculous' ban on TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But John McEntee, a former Trump White House official, thinks that's "ridiculous." But John McEntee, who worked as a top White House staffer when former President Donald Trump attempted to ban the app via executive order, says he's unabashedly "pro-TikTok" and insists the push from the right to ban the Chinese-owned app is "ridiculous." "I think Republicans are such nerds for even doing this," McEntee, the one-time Director of the Official of Presidential Personnel, told Insider in an interview on Thursday. In that job, he reportedly scrutinized White House staffers for their perceived loyalty and played a significant role in the effort to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results on January 6, 2021. In one widely-viewed TikTok, McEntee dances to Demi Lovato's "La La Land" while riffing on liberals attending their first protest, making hand-horns as Lovato sings the phrase "converse with my dress."

☆ U.S. lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to help news media negotiate with Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers reintroduced a bill to allow news organizations to join together to negotiate ad rates with tech giants such as Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google. The measure would allow news broadcasters and publishers with fewer than 1,500 full-time workers to jointly negotiate ad rates -- many of which face financial struggles. The bill was introduced by Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee, along with Senator John Kennedy, a Republican. The News/Media Alliance, a media trade association, praised the bill it says will protect and sustain local journalism. Reporting by Diane Bartz; additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Premarket stocks: How big of a problem is greedflation?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“Executives at SVB and Signature [Bank] took wild risks and must be held accountable for exploding their banks,” Warren said. Republican Senators say the Fed’s focus on climate change led to banking turmoilRepublican Senators repeatedly insinuated on Tuesday that the recent US banking turmoil came as a result of the Federal Reserve’s focus on climate change. In his opening statement, Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the ranking member of the banking committee, called the Fed’s focus on climate change a waste of time. It’s what our supervisors do all the time.”In an interview with Montana Public Radio in 2014, Daines said that “the jury’s still out” on whether climate change is real. The public reasonably expects supervisors to require that banks understand, and appropriately manage, their material risks, including the financial risks of climate change.”

A pedestrian walks past the Federal Reserve Headquarters on March 21 in Washington, DC. Daines also accused the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco of prioritizing addressing climate change over the risks presented by higher interest rates. In an interview with Montana Public Radio in 2014, Daines said that "the jury’s still out" on whether climate change is real. These responsibilities are tightly linked to our responsibilities for bank supervision. The public reasonably expects supervisors to require that banks understand, and appropriately manage, their material risks, including the financial risks of climate change.”

☆ Biden's Education Department blasts the GOP's new plan to strike down student-loan forgiveness, saying it's a 'shame' for the borrowers who live in their districts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Cardona said it's a "shame" for the millions of borrowers who would benefit in the GOP lawmakers' districts. After the Republicans introduced the resolution, Cardona said in a statement that those lawmakers "represent millions of borrowers who have applied for student debt relief." Biden's plan to cancel student debt has been paused since November due to two conservative-backed lawsuits seeking to permanently block the relief. And Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat, previously called the debt relief "excessive." "We're talking about more than 2.1 million borrowers who have applied for student debt relief in Texas, more than 380,000 borrowers in Louisiana, more than 250,000 borrowers in Iowa."

☆ Republican senators could be stuck in the minority 'for the rest of the decade' if GOP doesn't flip chamber in 2024, campaign chair warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The head of the Senate GOP's campaign arm spoke this week about the stakes of the 2024 Senate races. Sen. Steve Daines said his party could be in the minority for the "rest of the decade" if they don't win in 2024. "We either deliver a majority in '24, or we are in the minority as Republican Senate for the rest of the decade," said Daines. In addition to those states, the GOP has potential pick-up opportunities in swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Yet despite a general geographical advantage in the Senate, Republicans have struggled to attain a lasting majority.

☆ A decorated former US F-16 pilot says he would fly fighter jets for Ukraine: 'You can count on me,' he told a VoA interview.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A decorated former US Air Force pilot said he would fly fighter jets for Ukraine if necessary. Retired Lt. Col. Dan "Two Dogs" Hampton discussed the potential of the US F-16 in the war over Ukraine. "I'll even go myself, you can count on me," the retired lieutenant colonel told a VoA interview. The highly decorated pilot, known as "Two Dogs," spent 20 years in the Air Force, fought in the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, and Iraq wars, and is a New York Times bestselling author for his memoirs from his time in the military. Meanwhile, a US Air Force official said that fighter jets were "worthless" over Ukraine earlier this week because both sides of the conflict have mastered long-range missile defense, Insider previously reported.

☆ We asked the GOP senators who've endorsed Trump for 2024 if an indictment might change their mind. They said it wouldn't.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Oma Seddiq | Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Trump may soon face an indictment in New York over a "hush-money" payment to Stormy Daniels. Insider asked all five GOP senators who back Trump in 2024 whether him being charged would alter their support. And Republican senators who have already endorsed his third White House bid appear to be sticking with him regardless. Schmitt, for his part, abruptly declined to comment when asked about the possibility of an indictment of Trump. Trump also recently suggested that an indictment could be politically beneficial for him — a notion that Tuberville agreed with on Thursday.

☆ Dozens of Senate Republicans oppose overturning the law that made the disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion possible
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Senate began the process on Thursday to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq War AUMFs. "It should be easy to remove," quipped Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a supporter of repeal. "I don't want to do anything that reduces the President's ability to kill somebody like Soleimani," said Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. For Sen. Paul, repealing the Iraq War AUMFs — which he called "symbolic" — isn't going far enough. The 2001 AUMF opened the door for the invasion of Afghanistan, launching the longest war in US history.

Once the party of foreign policy "hawks," Republicans have increasingly cooled on foreign entanglements and military support for allies, particularly after Trump took office in 2016. Republican senators Marco Rubio, who is from DeSantis' home state, and Lindsey Graham, both former presidential candidates, criticized isolationists within their party. "People care about foreign policy, but I think it's kind of mixed on Ukraine funding," said Trudy Caviness, a member of the Iowa Republican State Central Committee. By embracing Trump's hands-off brand of foreign policy, DeSantis risks turning off some of the white-collar Republicans that are most eager to move on from the former president. That will give the eventual winner of the Republican nomination significant power to shape the party's foreign policy preferences going forward.

☆ Trump extends lead over DeSantis in new poll of possible GOP primary field
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis, who will likely start as the former president's top competitor in the 2024 Republican presidential primary if he runs, according to a poll of a potential GOP field released Wednesday. Quinnipiac University's latest survey of Republican and Republican-leaning voters found Trump winning 46% of support in a hypothetical GOP primary field, with DeSantis receiving 32%. That's a welcome change for Trump, who held just a 6-percentage-point lead over DeSantis in Quinnipiac's February poll of the prospective primary field. None of the 11 other candidates in the poll's hypothetical GOP primary field received more than 2% of the remaining support. Quinnipiac found that larger shares of registered voters have negative views than hold positive views of Biden, Trump, DeSantis, Pence and Haley.

☆ Premarket stocks: Jerome Powell's testimony sent markets reeling. That may be a good thing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday cleared the way for larger interest rate hikes at this month’s central bank policy meeting, sending markets into a tailspin. The S&P 500 fell 1.5%, the Dow dropped 575 points, or 1.7%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite ended 1.3% lower. After Powell’s testimony, market expectations for a half-percentage point rate hike spiked. If inflation fails to continue falling, he said, the Fed will keep trying to cool things down by raising rates. Even if Powell was sure that January’s economic data was a fluke, he still wants to maintain the Fed’s credibility.

☆ US senators reintroduce bill to make daylight saving time permanent
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of 12 U.S. senators on Thursday reintroduced legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, nearly a year after the Senate voted unanimously to end clock switching. But the bill failed to get a vote last year in the U.S. House of Representatives because lawmakers could not agree on whether to keep standard time or permanent daylight saving time, said Representative Frank Pallone. Some sleep experts say daylight savings time makes it harder to be alert in the morning. Daylight saving time has been in place in nearly all of the United States since the 1960s after being first tried in 1918. The bill would allow Arizona and Hawaii, which do not observe daylight saving time, to remain on standard time.

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