John Thune

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In New Spending Bill, a GOP Move Against Jack Smith

8 Republican senators may be able to sue thanks to new measure over seized phone records

(Newser) - A new provision in a government spending bill would let US senators sue the federal government for up to $500,000 for each violation if their phone records are searched without their knowledge. The measure, included in a funding bill for the legislative branch, could have immediate consequences for eight...

Thune Rejects Schumer's Plan to Extend Credits, End Shutdown

Democrats' proposal includes one-year deal on ACA subsidies

(Newser) - Senate Republicans have dismissed an offer from Democratic leaders to end the government shutdown, calling the proposal to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for one year a "nonstarter." The plan, presented by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, included a short-term funding bill, a bundle of three appropriations bills, and...

GOP Has New Offer to End the Shutdown

But Democrats are expected to reject it in Friday vote

(Newser) - Senate Republicans are making another attempt to end the government shutdown, now the longest in history, but Democrats are apparently unswayed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is preparing a new vote to reopen the government on Friday, the 38th day of the shutdown. His latest offer swaps the stopgap funding...

Thune: Scrapping Filibuster Is Not Going to Happen

But other GOP senators are wavering

(Newser) - President Trump urged Republican senators to scrap the filibuster at a White House breakfast Wednesday, but Senate Majority leader John Thune made it clear that there aren't enough votes. "We have to get the country open. And the way we're going to do it this afternoon is...

GOP, Thune Stand Up to Trump on Filibuster Rule

Senate Republicans insists it's a safeguard for minority power, shutdown or no

(Newser) - Republican senators brushed aside President Trump's latest demand to eliminate the Senate filibuster on Friday, even as their party tries to exert pressure on Democrats to end the government shutdown. Trump's call to remove the 60-vote threshold to pass most legislation, delivered on Truth Social, injected new uncertainty...

Shutdown Talks May Be Finally Starting to Thaw

Hopes emerge of a deal next week

(Newser) - Is a thaw underway in shutdown talks? The Hill reports that Senate Republicans and Democrats are quietly searching for a way out as early as next week. Semafor similarly reports on an "unmistakable shift" below the leadership level, and the outlet also sees next week as a distinct possibility....

13th Time Wasn't Lucky for Bill to End Shutdown

GOP-backed stopgap spending bill voted down yet again on day 28 of shutdown

(Newser) - The second-longest government shutdown in US history dragged into its 28th day Tuesday, with the Senate again unable to break a deadlock over funding. For the 13th time, Senate Democrats blocked a GOP spending bill, insisting on protections for health care funding, the Guardian reports. The latest defeat for the...

Trump Nominee Withdraws After GOP Support Collapses

Office of Special Counsel nominee Paul Ingrassia came under fire after report on offensive texts

(Newser) - Paul Ingrassia has withdrawn from consideration to lead the Office of Special Counsel. President Trump's nominee to lead the federal watchdog agency announced the move Tuesday, a day after Politico reports that the 30-year-old had made offensive remarks in a text message chain, saying in one text that he...

Greene Points Finger at GOP Leaders Over Shutdown

Republican breaks with party on shutdown and other key issues

(Newser) - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is once again challenging her own party's leadership, this time pointing fingers at top Republicans for the ongoing government shutdown. Speaking Thursday morning on CNN , the Georgia Republican made it clear she's not blaming the president. Instead, she singled out House Speaker Mike...

Dems Get an Unlikely ObamaCare Ally in MTG

Republican congresswoman pushes to extend subsidies, warning of spiking insurance premiums

(Newser) - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her staunch conservative views, broke with GOP orthodoxy this week by urging action to extend ObamaCare subsidies—aligning herself, at least on this issue, with Democrats, per the AP . In a lengthy post on X , Greene acknowledged her general opposition to the Affordable...

Some Republicans Question WH Budget Chief's Shutdown Plans

GOP and Democrats spar over blame as layoffs loom

(Newser) - As the government shutdown drags on, Senate Majority Leader John Thune warns Democrats that the real risk may be the unchecked power of White House budget chief Russ Vought, whose aggressive plans could reshape the federal workforce. Thune, not exactly a fan of Vought's "slash-and-burn" approach, told...

A Day Before Deadline, Trump, Congressional Leaders to Meet

Neither party is sure president will negotiate on avoiding government shutdown

(Newser) - President Trump and the top congressional leaders from both parties have agreed to meet Monday afternoon, one day before the deadline to avoid a government shutdown. Trump had canceled a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries last week, citing a lack of...

After Senate 'Nuclear Option,' an Explosion of Confirmations

GOP confirms 48 Trump nominees at once

(Newser) - The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Trump's nominees at once, voting for the first time under new rules to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats. Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to...

Senate GOP Goes 'Nuclear' to Speed Up Trump Nominees

Chamber will be able to approve presidential picks by the dozen, upending its procedures

(Newser) - Senate Republicans on Thursday voted to change the chamber's rules to accelerate confirmation of President Trump's nominees and sideline Democratic opposition. The move marks a dramatic shift in Senate procedure, NBC News reports. The 53-45 party-line vote gives Republicans the ability to change the rules with a...

Pirro Wins Confirmation as DC's Top Prosecutor
Senate Confirms Jeanine Pirro
Aug 3, 2025 10:00 AM CDT

Senate Confirms Jeanine Pirro

Vote along party lines approves former Fox News host as US attorney

(Newser) - Jeanine Pirro, a vocal supporter of President Trump as a Fox News host, has been confirmed by the Senate as the new US attorney for the District of Columbia. The vote on Saturday was a party-line 50-45, CBS News reports. Pirro, who previously served as a county prosecutor and...

Senate GOP Shy of Magic Number, With Murkowski Key

Vote marathon continues on the 'big beautiful bill'

(Newser) - The Senate has been up all night voting and haggling on the "big beautiful bill" that would pay for President Trump's agenda, but Senate Republicans still don't have the needed votes, reports Punchbowl News . Trump wants the bill passed by July 4.
  • Focus on Murkowski: The math
...

House GOP Balks as Senate Rewrites Trump Tax Bill

Senate changes on Medicaid, SALT drive Republican backlash

(Newser) - House Republicans are threatening to derail a sweeping tax and immigration bill backed by President Trump and Senate GOP leaders, citing major changes to the original House version. The Senate's rewrite of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act adds deeper Medicaid cuts, which detractors warn could hurt rural...

'Razin' Caine Will Head the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Senate confirms retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine in a 60-25 overnight vote

(Newser) - The Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff early Friday, filling the position almost two months after President Trump fired his predecessor. Trump nominated Caine to become the top US military officer in February after...

Senate OKs Plan for Spending Cuts, Tax Breaks After All-Nighter

The 51-48 vote in GOP's favor saw 2 prominent Republican defections: Susan Collins, Rand Paul

(Newser) - Senate Republicans plugged away overnight and into early Saturday morning to approve their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts framework, hurtling past Democratic opposition toward what President Trump calls the "big, beautiful bill" that's central to his agenda. The vote, 51-48, fell along mostly party lines, but with...

Democrats Are in a Shutdown Pickle
Democrats Are in
a Shutdown Pickle
Mar 13, 2025 6:22 AM CDT

Democrats Are in a Shutdown Pickle

They don't want to vote for the GOP spending measure, but fear the alternative is worse

(Newser) - The government will shut down at midnight Friday unless Congress passes a spending measure before then, and the deadline is putting Senate Democrats in a bind: They don't want to vote for the GOP-authored resolution before them, but they fear the alternative of triggering a shutdown is worse. Coverage:...

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