Washington Chuck Schumer is used to drinking from a firehose. But the incoming United States Senate majority leader has never taken on such a torrent of challenges, with the opening days of both the Biden administration and Democratic control of the Senate coming at the very moment an impeachment trial gets underway.A 38-year veteran of Congress…Continue Reading
The Senate Intelligence Committee has postponed a confirmation hearing — originally scheduled for Friday — for President-elect Biden’s nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, until next week.Why it matters: Biden’s team has pushed for swift confirmation hearings for his national security nominees, especially in the context of last week’s attack on the Capitol,…Continue Reading
Last week, only hours before armed but frequently maskless insurrectionists invaded the U.S. Capitol, there was a spot of bright news for Covid-19 relief in Washington. Democrats Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both won Senate seats in Georgia’s runoff election, creating a narrow majority across both sides of Congress for the political party interested…Continue Reading
Atlanta; Savannah, Ga; New York Democrats won both Georgia Senate seats – and with them, the United States Senate majority – as final votes were counted Wednesday, serving President Donald Trump a stunning defeat in his last days in office while dramatically improving the fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s progressive agenda.Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock,…Continue Reading
After angry Trump loyalists, after the president himself whipped them into a vandals frenzy at a midday rally near the White House, broke into the Capitol, several GOP senators rose in the chamber to announce they would drop plans to join any further House objections.The final tally was 93-6 to reject the objection.As the chamber…Continue Reading
Gain a global perspective on the US and go beyond with curated news and analysis from 600 journalists in 50+ countries covering politics, business, innovation, trends and more. Choose your subscription Trial Try full digital access and see why over 1 million readers subscribe to the FT For 4 weeks receive unlimited Premium digital access…Continue Reading
In one of the strangest political ads of 2020, a helmeted, grubby-faced Atilla the Hun sits astride a throne in his yurt, grunting orders at an underling with a quill. “Fight China!” he commands. “Attack big government!” “Eliminate the liberal scribes!”This agenda is apparently too timid for Kelly Loeffler, Georgia’s Republican junior senator, who ran…Continue Reading
President Donald Trump’s push for bigger $2,000 stimulus checks stalled Tuesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell led a Republican effort to block a Senate vote on increasing individual COVID-19 relief payments to Americans.McConnell has remained silent on the matter but blocked two proposals to expand the amount of the direct checks.After blocking Senate Minority…Continue Reading
A couple of days ago, it looked impossible that $2,000 COVID relief checks — up from the $600 checks for individuals in the package President Trump signed Sunday — could pass the Senate. That has changed with Trump’s final-hours advocacy for bigger checks, Republican sources tell Axios.The state of play: It’s still an uphill battle.…Continue Reading
When the Rev. Raphael Warnock preaches from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, he sees the line of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. extending to the present day. “The grand story that connects King to … Ebenezer, to all of the great struggles we’ve seen in this country … is about the enlargening of our democracy ……Continue Reading
This live coverage has ended. Continue reading the Coronavirus Liveblog from Dec. 22, 2020.Congress struck a deal Sunday on a nearly $900 billion Covid-19 relief package that includes a new round of direct payments and help for jobless Americans, families and businesses struggling in the pandemic.The agreement includes stimulus checks of up to $600 a…Continue Reading
