6 mins read

Congress must review Iran agreement, senators say

Congress needs to be able to review the agreement between the Trump administration and Tehran that is intended to end the Iran war, senators in both parties said Monday. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States and Iran had reached a memorandum of understanding to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz […]

2 mins read

Blanche makes Senate visit ahead of confirmation push

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche started his Senate goodwill tour Monday in his bid for Senate confirmation to run the Justice Department permanently, sitting down with Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Charles E. Grassley. The Iowa Republican is the first lawmaker to meet with Blanche since President Donald Trump tapped him to lead the DOJ last […]

14 mins read

Inside John Thune’s arithmetic

John Thune is rubbing his jaw, one of his telltale signs he’s tired. What should’ve been a week of celebration after muscling through his party’s second budget reconciliation package as Senate majority leader — nearly a year and a half into his tenure — was instead spent navigating hurdles set by the other end of […]

7 mins read

Fight night: FISA and beyond

Brawling in the ring at Sunday’s UFC fight came with a show of Republican unity, as congressional leaders like Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson turned up to watch the event on the White House lawn. But outside the Octagon and behind the scenes, another fight was brewing over reauthorizing Section 702 […]

8 mins read

Rogers earmarks money for nonprofits he helped launch

Old habits die hard for Republican Rep. Harold Rogers — at least when it comes to earmarks. Known by his critics as the “Prince of Pork,” the long-time appropriator over the years earned a reputation for bringing largesse to his Kentucky district, catching criticism for funneling tens of millions in earmark money to entities he […]

5 mins read

Senate panel sets markup on college sports bill

The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled the markup of a bipartisan measure that proposes sweeping changes to collegiate athletics and has the backing of President Donald Trump. The panel is expected to take up several amendments at the markup on June 18, including one aimed at protecting non-revenue sports. Some athletics departments in recent years […]

5 mins read

College sports bill authors making pitch to Black caucus

The authors of a Senate bill that would overhaul college athletics warned this week that a lack of congressional action this year could financially wreck historically Black colleges and universities and could reduce chances for college educations for minority students. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said they […]