Tag Archives: Senate

Senate Finally Sets Confirmation Hearing For Openly Gay US Army Secretary Nominee Eric Fanning

The Hill reports: A Senate confirmation hearing for Eric Fanning, President Obama’s pick for Army secretary, is now scheduled for next week, months after he was nominated. Fanning stepped aside as acting Army secretary last week, after senators raised concerns that he was in the position without being yet confirmed. The confirmation hearing for Fanning, who would be the first …

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Openly Gay Army Acting Secretary Eric Fanning Steps Aside As Senate Drags Feet On His Confirmation

The Associated Press reports: Acting Army Secretary Eric Fanning is stepping aside, at least temporarily, because Senate hasn’t confirmed his nomination, officials said Monday. The Army’s undersecretary, Patrick Murphy, was confirmed last week, so he will oversee the Army. Fanning is expected to step down and move into another Pentagon post for now. He would return to the Army leadership …

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Senate Votes To Repeal Obamacare

This one will actually get to Obama’s desk. The Hill reports: The Senate on Thursday passed legislation repealing the core pillars of ObamaCare, taking a major step toward sending such a bill to the president’s desk for the first time. Republicans hailed it as a political messaging victory and a fulfillment of their promise from the 2014 midterm election to …

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Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Staffer Arrested For Bringing Loaded Gun Into Capitol Office Building

Roll Call reports: Capitol Police arrested an employee with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms for attempting to bring a loaded handgun into a Senate office building. Christopher Carpenter ‎of Stafford, Va., was arrested around 7 a.m. Tuesday at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, when an X-ray bag screening required to enter the building revealed a gun. Capitol Police Spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider wrote …

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REPORT: The Real Reason Paul Singer Is Backing Rubio

According to International Business Times, billionaire investor Paul Singer’s backing of Marco Rubio may be tied to Rubio’s position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. At a discounted price, Singer purchased debt owed by Argentina and is suing them for full repayment. And Rubio can help with that. They write: Bloomberg reports that Singer’s firm, Elliott Management — through a …

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Al Franken: Democrats Can Flip The Senate In 2016

Sen. Al Franken has launched a year-long battle to help Democrats flip the five Senate seats needed to assume the majority in 2016. Politico reports: In a rare interview in his Capitol office, the Minnesotan described his most ambitious effort yet to help elect Democrats in his more than six years in Washington. Franken is using his celebrity to help …

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Florida Paper To Marco Rubio: Do Your Job Or Resign

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel is furious with Marco Rubio, who has essentially abandoned his Senate duties in pursuit of the GOP nomination. From their editorial board: Rubio has missed more votes than any other senator this year. His seat is regularly empty for floor votes, committee meetings and intelligence briefings. He says he’s MIA from his J-O-B because he finds …

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Top Republicans: Rand Paul Should Drop Out And Focus On Saving His Senate Seat

Earlier this year Rand Paul pushed through a Kentucky rule change that allows him to simultaneously run for the presidency and for the Senate. With his White House bid in the polling cellar, top GOP officials are now openly saying that it’s time for Paul to drop his presidential campaign and focus on saving his Senate seat. Via Talking Points …

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FLORIDA: Libertarian Who Sacrificed A Goat & Drank Its Blood Is Running For US Senate [VIDEO]

I don’t even know how to start this post. How about a quote? “It has been said that I associate with neo-Nazis and skinheads. You’re goddamn right I do. I am a criminal defense lawyer, and I am proud of the work I have done for the American Front. Every Libertarian in America should be supporting them as victims of …

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NEW HAMPSHIRE: Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan Announces 2016 Bid For US Senate

Democrats will have an opportunity to flip a battleground Senate seat in 2016 as New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan today announced her bid to unseat GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte. The Hill reports: Democrats have been pushing Hassan to run, as polling shows she’s the only Democrat in the state who is competitive in a head-to-head match-up against Ayotte. Recent polling …

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Ted Cruz Convenes Senate Hearing On “SCOTUS Activism” – Calls Hate Group Leader John Eastman As Witness

Yesterday Ted Cruz convened a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, which he chairs, in order to call for reining in the “judicial tyranny” of the Supreme Court. One of the three witnesses he called was NOM chairman John Eastman. MSNBC reports: Eastman agreed with Cruz’s proposals on judicial term limits and retention elections, but added one more …

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FLORIDA: Rep. Alan Grayson Announces 2016 Senate Bid To Succeed Marco Rubio

Politico reports: Next year’s Florida Senate primary between Reps. Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy will test whether Sunshine State Democrats are ready to embrace a deep-blue liberal. The contrasts between the two are stark: Grayson is a progressive, hip-shooting firebrand beloved by hardcore liberals; Murphy is a cautious, scripted candidate favored by the Democratic establishment in Washington and Tallahassee. The …

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Bomb Threats Clear White House Briefing Room And Senate TSA Hearing

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FRC Celebrates Vote Denying Benefits To Veterans In Non-Marriage Equality States

Via press release from the FRC: There may be a consensus in the courts for same-sex “marriage,” but not Congress. In a quiet — but significant — vote, the Senate made it clear that the legislative branch understands exactly where the people stand on marriage — and it isn’t where the Left would have you believe. During yesterday’s vote on …

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Senate Rejects Same-Sex Benefits For Veterans In Non-Marriage Equality States

Via the Washington Blade: An amendment failed in the Senate on Thursday that would have ensured veterans in same-sex marriages have access to certain spousal benefits wherever they live, although eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the measure — which is along the lines of her standalone legislation known as the Charlie …

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Thousands Of Sites Block Congress In Protest Against The Patriot Act

Via The Hill: Thousands of websites are blocking Congress’s access to their sites in a show of force to protest the Patriot Act. Led by the online activist group Fight for the Future, more than 10,000 sites have added code that redirects any visitors from Internet protocol (IP) addresses from Congress away from their site and towards a protest page. …

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Rand Paul Begins Patriot Act Filibuster

The Patriot Act is up for re-authorization and Rand Paul has begun his promised filibuster on the Senate floor. Watch live on C-SPAN 2 (cable log-in required). Can Rand Paul outdo Ted Cruz’ legendary Green Eggs & Ham filibuster?

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Think Progress Explains Trade Deal

If you’re uninterested in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, at least you get to see Igor model some jeans.

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Rand Paul Vows To Filibuster Patriot Act

Sen. Rand Paul said yesterday that he plans to filibuster against the impending reauthorization vote for the Patriot Act. “I’m going to lead the charge in the next couple of weeks as the Patriot Act comes forward,” he said in a one-on-one interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader. “We will be filibustering. We will be trying to stop it. …

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Cyndi Lauper Testifies Before Congress On Behalf Of Homeless LGBT Youth

Yesterday Cyndi Lauper testified before a Senate subcommittee on youth homelessness. After the hearing, she and GOP Sen. Susan Collins discussed the Senate’s recent refusal to reauthorize an LGBT-inclusive funding bill. Via the New York Times: The problem, Ms. Collins said, was “confusion” over parts of the amendment, including a measure misinterpreted as a restriction on faith-based organizations’ ability to …

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