Tag Archives: U.S. Republican Party

Congress unveils $1.2 trillion plan to avert federal shutdown and bring budget fight to a close

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work funding the government through September. Democrats were able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of …

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Lawmakers fault Defense Secretary Austin for a failure of leadership over his secret hospital stay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faced pointed bipartisan criticism at a congressional hearing Thursday for his failure to promptly notify President Joe Biden and other U.S. leaders about his hospital stay last month. Republicans demanded to know why no one has been disciplined. Members of the House Armed Services Committee condemned the lapse as an embarrassment and a …

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Mitch McConnell’s decision to step down as GOP leader reverberates in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Mitch McConnell’s decision to step down as Senate Republican leader in November is reverberating back home in Kentucky, setting off a wave of speculation about the future of his seat as well as the loss of influence for the Bluegrass State. McConnell was cagey enough in his announcement to leave room for guessing about whether he …

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Republicans block Senate bill to protect nationwide access to IVF treatments

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have blocked legislation that would protect access to in vitro fertilization, objecting to a vote on the issue Wednesday even after widespread backlash to a recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that threatens the practice. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Mississippi Republican, objected to a request for a vote by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who …

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Wyoming starts selecting presidential delegates Saturday. But there’s not a statewide election

WASHINGTON (AP) — Although the South Carolina primary has been the focal point of the GOP presidential nomination fight for much of the last month, it’s not the only contest on Saturday where Republicans will be voting for a presidential candidate or where all-important delegates will be at stake. More than 1,800 miles away, state GOP officials in Wyoming will …

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Stalled US aid for Ukraine underscores GOP’s shift away from confronting Russia

At about 2 a.m. last Tuesday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin stood on the Senate floor and explained why he opposed sending more aid to help Ukraine fend off the invasion launched in 2022 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I don’t like this reality,” Johnson said. “Vladimir Putin is an evil war criminal.” But he quickly added: “Vladimir Putin …

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Special counsel who questioned Biden’s memory to testify at House hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to keep a spotlight on President Joe Biden’s age, House Republicans will hold a public hearing next month with the Justice Department special counsel who found evidence that the president had mishandled classified information when he was out of office but who also concluded that criminal charges were not warranted. The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by …

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Gallagher says he won’t run for Congress again after refusing to impeach Homeland Security chief

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a key Republican Congressman who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, announced Saturday that he won’t run for a fifth term. The announcement comes just days after he angered his fellow Republicans by refusing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The GOP has been looking to oust Mayorkas as …

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Haley pushes forward after Trump’s allies in Nevada ensured her loss to ‘none of these candidates’

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Even without Donald Trump on Nevada’s Republican ballot, Nikki Haley was denied her first victory. The indignity of a distant second-place finish behind “none of these candidates” was a fresh blow for Haley, facilitated by the staunch Trump allies who lead Nevada’s GOP. They had already maneuvered to ensure Trump has a lock on the state’s …

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