Author: David Sivak, Washington Examiner
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Thune navigates fresh Trump rough patch as Senate frustrations boil over
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) just finished a bruising week that left his relationship with President Donald Trump at a recent low point. Whether it gets worse will depend on how well Thune navigates the seemingly growing number of Republicans willing to buck Trump — and whether the president takes it personally if he…
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Thune blesses push to block senator pay during government shutdowns
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) put his stamp of approval on legislation Tuesday that would block senators from receiving paychecks during a government shutdown. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) has pressed leadership to call a vote on the legislation during the last two government shutdowns, and Thune said it came up again as the Senate…
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Markwayne Mullin wades into House-Senate fight over DHS funding
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Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin is jumping back into the thick of GOP infighting on Capitol Hill as he tries to speed up funding for the embattled agency he took over in the middle of a partial government shutdown. Mullin, who left the Senate in March to run the Department of Homeland Security, has…
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House Republicans split over SAVE America Act pressure campaign
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House Republicans are torn over how difficult to make life for the Senate as a band of rebels pressures Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to pass a national voter ID bill. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has cautioned House conservatives that there could be consequences to going to war with Thune, and at least one rebel…
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Trump gets DHS shutdown ‘bully pulpit’ with State of the Union address
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Republicans want President Donald Trump to use the first State of the Union address of his second term to make the case that Democrats, not the White House, are to blame for a drawn-out shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump will return to the Capitol next Tuesday for a prime-time address overshadowed by…
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Why it could take weeks to feel the brunt of a DHS shutdown
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The Department of Homeland Security’s broad reach means that everything from disaster relief to airport security could be hampered if funding runs out on Saturday, but it might take weeks before the public feels the impact. The dispute over how to reform the agency, sparked by the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last…
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Senate Democrats weigh skipping Trump State of the Union address
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EXCLUSIVE — Senate Democrats are grappling with whether to leave their chairs empty later this month when President Donald Trump travels to the Capitol to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term. Senior Democrats have been having “general discussions” about whether to skip the address on Feb. 24, according to…
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Thune nears spending deal with fiscal hawks ahead of Christmas recess
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Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is closing in on a deal to move the next set of spending bills, with the breakthrough leaving open the possibility the Senate could hold a floor vote before the Christmas recess. Leadership has run a hotline, a message to all Senate offices, to see if there are objections to…
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The Senate Democrats who voted with Republicans to reopen the government
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The Senate took the first step toward reopening the government, thanks to eight senators willing to break rank with their Democratic colleagues. The overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats opposed a vote to end the government shutdown on Sunday night, the 15th since funding lapsed on Oct. 1. That includes almost every member of Democratic leadership…
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Senate takes first step to reopen government, fueling Democratic split
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After 14 failed votes and a 40-day-long shutdown, the Senate took its first step toward reopening the government on Sunday, with enough Democrats relenting on their healthcare demands to allow Republicans to overcome a filibuster. The test vote, which took place during a rare weekend session, came shortly after Senate appropriators put the finishing touches on…