Author: David Sivak

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) picked up the endorsement of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Tuesday as he locks down votes to become the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat. In a statement to Punchbowl News, Schumer revealed that he’s been helping Schatz convince his Democratic colleagues to back him when the Senate holds its internal caucus…

Happy Tuesday, this is Congress Editor David Sivak welcoming you to Capitol Tea, a weekly column dedicated to life on Capitol Hill. It’s the dog days of summer, so we’re bringing you an all-canine edition this week. Miss our last column? Catch up here. In this edition … – Jim Justice’s bird dogs. Babydog gets…

A majority of Senate Democrats voted to restrict military aid to Israel in a legislative push that was overwhelmingly defeated on Wednesday night. In a 27-70 vote, the Senate rejected a resolution of disapproval from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that would have blocked the sale of assault rifles to the Israeli government, which has faced growing criticism over reports…

Senate leadership’s hopes of passing a trio of spending bills before the August recess are dimming as senators from both parties raise objections. Two Republicans told the Washington Examiner on Monday evening that they were blocking a request to bundle the three bills together, while a bloc of Democrats signaled they, too, would throw up…

The White House is losing GOP support for the nomination of Paul Ingrassia to a key watchdog post, with at least one Senate Republican vowing to oppose him due to his sympathy for Jan. 6 Capitol rioters. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) told the Washington Examiner he will vote “no” on Ingrassia, tapped to lead the…

Happy Monday, this is Congress Editor David Sivak welcoming you to Capitol Tea, a new weekly column on the personalities, traditions, and oddities that make Capitol Hill tick. Why are we bringing this to you? We wanted to share the human side of Congress and its many quirks, setting aside to-the-point news writing and all…

President Donald Trump‘s quest to shrink the size of government is colliding with the strong-arm tactics of his second term as the White House seeks to make states comply with his policy agenda. Since his election in November, Trump has been laying the groundwork for scaling back the federal government, including job-slashing plans to shutter…

Congress is poised to claw back billions in foreign aid after the Senate narrowly passed $9 billion in DOGE-inspired cuts on Thursday. In a 51-48 vote, the Senate approved the White House request, known as a rescission bill, all but clearing the way for it to become law. Just two Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins…

Senate tax writers have offered to set aside $15 billion for rural hospitals as part of reconciliation, a late addition to President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” meant to win over centrist support. The proposed fund would allocate $3 billion a year across five years, according to a memo circulated to Senate GOP offices on…

Senate Republicans are straining to meet a July 4 deadline to pass President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill” as a flurry of last-minute negotiations and legislative changes threaten to delay a final vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has a daunting to-do list before he can bring the tax bill to the floor, with…