Author: Mike Debonis
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McCain to halt treatment for brain cancer, family says
Sen. John McCain, who defied death in the skies over Vietnam, endured years of torture in enemy captivity and embarked on a storied political career that brought him to the precipice of the presidency, has ended medical treatment for the brain cancer he has fought for 13 months, his family said Friday. “John has surpassed…
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Shutdown looms as Senate Democrats dig in against GOP spending plan
WASHINGTON – The showdown over government funding shifted Friday to the Senate after the House passed a short-term extension that was cobbled together with enough GOP votes to overcome an internal revolt. Still, the possibility of a federal shutdown moved closer to a certainty after Senate Democrats rallied against the GOP proposal, announcing they would…
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Trump’s embrace of earmarks spurs push for congressional revival
WASHINGTON – There is a 14-mile gap in Interstate 49 outside Fort Smith, Arkansas, and local Republican congressman Steve Womack would very much like to secure the estimated $300 million in federal taxpayer dollars needed to fill it. A decade ago, it would have been fairly easy: Womack sits on the House Appropriations Committee, where…
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Rep. Bill Shuster, powerful transportation chairman, will retire from House
WASHINGTON – Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said Tuesday that he will not seek reelection, ending his congressional career after nine terms. Had he returned next year, Shuster would have lost his committee gavel due to House GOP rules that impose a three-term limit for chairmen. He…
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GOP faces 5-day scramble to pass tax bill, avoid government shutdown
Republicans return to Congress on Monday facing a packed agenda with little time to enact it, as party leaders aim to quickly pass their massive tax plan and then cut a budget deal with Democrats before the end of Friday to avert a government shutdown. Republicans’ tight timing on taxes is self-imposed. GOP lawmakers have…
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House passes GOP tax bill, upping pressure on struggling Senate effort
WASHINGTON – The House passed its version of the Republican tax overhaul Thursday, notching a key win for President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. But obstacles remain in the Senate, which is refining its own version of the legislation amid objections from key GOP senators. The bill passed with 227 votes in favor…
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Democrat stops just short of forcing House vote on Trump’s impeachment
A Democratic congressman stopped just short of forcing a House vote on President Trump’s impeachment Wednesday, pulling back under apparent pressure from his own party. Rep. Al Green (Tex.) read his impeachment resolution on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, bringing it up under rules that would force a rapid vote. But less than an hour…
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NRA says it backs regulations on bump stocks; top House Republicans open to legislation
The National Rifle Association has joined an effort to restrict a device that was used to accelerate gunfire in the Las Vegas massacre, after the White House and top Republicans signaled a willingness to debate the issue in response the tragedy. “In Las Vegas, reports indicate that certain devices were used to modify the firearms…
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Trump deals with Democrats on Harvey, debt ceiling
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump, a man of few allegiances who seized control of the Republican Party in a hostile takeover, suddenly aligned himself with Democrats on Wednesday on a series of key fiscal issues, and even gave a lift to North Dakota’s embattled Democratic U.S. senator. Trump confounded his party’s leaders when he cut…
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Democrats slam Trump’s military transgender ban, while GOP is caught by surprise
Congressional Democrats slammed President Trump’s decision, announced in a series of tweets Wednesday morning, to bar transgender Americans from serving in the military, while Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill remained largely perplexed or silent. “Trump makes our military weaker by arbitrarily kicking out high-performing soldiers based solely on gender identity,” tweeted Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.),…