Category: Senate

Senate Breaks Filibuster on Gun Deal, Clearing the Way for Final Passage

The U.S. Senate on June 23 voted to break the filibuster on a controversial gun deal hammered out between Republicans and Democrats, clearing the way for its final passage. The bill, as with most bills in the Senate, needed the support of at least 60 lawmakers to overcome the filibuster threshold and close out further…


Senate Breaks Filibuster on Gun Deal, Clearing Way for Final Passage

The U.S. Senate on June 23 voted to break the filibuster on gun control legislation that was hammered out this week between Republicans and Democrats, clearing the way for its final passage in the chamber. The bill, as with most bills in the Senate, needed the support of at least 60 lawmakers to overcome the…


Rand Paul to Introduce Amendments to Senate Gun Bill

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will put forward amendments to a Senate gun bill hammered out between Republicans and Democrats over weeks of closed-door negotiations. The bill, coming in the wake of a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two adults dead, has received mixed reactions on Capitol Hill. Some provisions have…


McConnell Says Gun Bill Will ‘Protect Second Amendment Rights of Law-Abiding Citizens’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) defended the gun agreement worked out by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers during a June 22 speech on the Senate floor. McConnell said the bill would protect the rights of gun owners while also undercutting gun violence. In the wake of a school shooting that left 19 children and…


NRA Responds to Senate’s Gun-Control Bill

The National Rifle Association (NRA) responded to the Senate’s gun control package by saying it “falls short on every level.” “The NRA will support legislation that improves school security, promotes mental health services, and helps reduce violent crime. However, we will oppose this gun control legislation because it falls short at every level. It does…


Katie Britt Wins Alabama US Senate Primary Runoff Election

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Katie Britt defeated Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) in the Republican primary runnoff election for the U.S. Senate ballot berth in the November general election. Britt received more than 67 percent of the vote as of 9:19 p.m. on June 21, and was declared the winner by Decision Desk HQ with 18 percent of the…


Progress on Senate Gun Control Package Stalls as Senators Fail to Reach Final Agreement

After some optimistic signs for Democrats hoping to reach a bipartisan agreement on a gun control package, progress in the negotiations has begun to stall as lawmakers failed to reach a final agreement on the legislative text on Thursday. Following a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two adults dead, the…


House Lawmakers Propose 1,000 Percent Tax on AR-15s

A group of Democrats, led by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), are proposing a 1,000 percent tax on AR-15-style weapons in a gun-control bill intended to significantly restrict access to the popular firearm. The bill, called the “Assault Weapons Excise Act,” was introduced Tuesday by Breyer and 36 House Democrats and would apply to “assault weapons”…


Biden Administration Plans to Extend COVID-19 Emergency, Official Suggests

President Joe Biden’s administration plans to extend the emergency declaration over COVID-19 before it expires, an official indicated on June 16. Dawn O’Connell, the administration’s assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said on Capitol Hill during a Senate hearing that the administration is sticking with its promise to give states ample notice prior to terminating…


Fauci Joins Senate Hearing Remotely After Testing Positive for COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci on June 16 joined a Senate hearing after testing positive for COVID-19. Fauci, 81, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, tested positive on Wednesday. The National Institutes of Health, which employs Fauci, said the doctor was experiencing mild symptoms. Fauci has received not only a primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine, but…