Daily Updates

The Senate is expected to launch into a voting blitz on Thursday morning as it moves toward passing a budget reconciliation package that would fund immigration enforcement agencies.  A 53-46 party-line vote kicked off hours of debate, followed by a series of unlimited back-to-back amendment votes before final passage is expected later this week.   An…

With the House and Senate both finally back in session today for the sprint to July, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) says he’s “hopeful” that there may be enough Republican votes to advance a $72 billion budget reconciliation bill on the Senate floor later Wednesday, which would set up a marathon series of…

The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) to suspend senators’ pay during future government shutdowns, a new rule that could give lawmakers in the upper chamber a powerful incentive not to block funding bills ahead of key deadlines.  The Senate adopted the resolution by voice vote. It will…

Both the House and Senate are back in session this week.  Two Democratic Senators on Monday joined Republicans in voting to advance the nomination of Kevin Warsh to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, backing President Donald Trump’s nominee for chair of the Federal Reserve.  The upper chamber voted to advance Warsh’s nomination to the…

The House on Thursday passed a bill to fund the bulk of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), minus Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a major step toward ending the record-breaking, 10-week shutdown.  The bill passed by voice vote less than an hour after Republican leaders sent out a notice that the…

Members of the Senate panel that oversees the federal budget will meet Tuesday as they seek to fast track spending on immigration enforcement.  Republicans on Senate Budget Committee are slated to meet as senators prepare to advance a “skinny” budget resolution. Senators were originally supposed to meet late Monday afternoon, but it was rescheduled, and…

Senate Republicans are expected to take the first step this week toward passage of a party-line reconciliation bill funding ICE and Border Patrol, a crucial part of their effort to convince House Republicans to end the more than two-month-long DHS shutdown.  The Senate Budget Committee is expected to release a budget resolution by Tuesday that…

Earlier today, House Republicans defeated legislation designed to end the Iran War, marking a win for President Donald Trump and another setback for those fighting to reaffirm Congress’s unique powers to use military force overseas.  The vote was 213 to 214, with one Republican — Representative Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) — bucking GOP leaders to support…

The Senate will vote at 2 P.M. on a war powers resolution related to the Iran war. The resolution is aimed at blocking U.S. military operations in Iran until Congress explicitly approves it.  The vote is expected to fail like previous attempts by Democrats, but it’s the first time the Senate will vote on the…

Senators agreed by unanimous consent early Friday morning to a proposal that funds the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other critical agencies in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  The late-night Senate deal left out funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol after negotiators failed to agree on reforms demanded by…