Senate

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin On February 1, Senators Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement announcing that marijuana reform bills would be merged as Congress moves toward some form of federal cannabis legalization . In the wake of this announcement, the cannabis market soared. Hopes are higher than ever that we are on the brink of widepsread cannabis reform in the United States and this would obviously have huge implications for the global marketplace and in turn, investment in the sector. The statement from these Senators echoed the sentiment of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act that passed the U.S. House of Representatives late last year . It focused on the social equity perspective and disproportionate criminalization of people of color in the War on Drugs. Further, that federal marijuana prohibition is critical to course correct, as well as measures … [Read more...] about Democratic Senators Elevate Federal Cannabis Reform To High Priority

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline New Hampshire lawmaker Chuck Morse conceded the Republican party’s Senate primary race in New Hampshire to far-right candidate Donald Bolduc early on Wednesday, a contest that has ended up being significantly tighter than pollsters' predictions but could complicate the GOP’s efforts to retake control of the Senate in November. Key Facts Morse’s concession, which was shared on Twitter, comes before the race has been officially called by The Associated Press or any other major outlet. With 87% of the votes counted, newcomer Bolduc holds a one point lead over Morse, who serves as the majority leader in New Hampshire’s state senate. The race has been a lot closer than polling predictions which showed Bolduc leading by more than 20 points. Bolduc, an army veteran, has been a vocal Trump supporter who has repeated the former president's falsehoods about a rigged 2020 election and has also … [Read more...] about Election-Conspiracy Supporter Bolduc Likely Winner In N.H. GOP Senate Primary—Opponent Morse Concedes

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas faced tough questions from U.S. senators in a hearing this afternoon about the social media giant’s ties to the Chinese government. Senator Josh Hawley, citing reporting from Forbes , expressed frustration that Pappas would not say whether any Chinese employees working on TikTok are members of the Chinese Communist Party. Hawley asked: “Are there members of the Chinese Communist Party employed by TikTok or ByteDance, or no?” Pappas answered that no person who “makes a strategic decision at this platform” is a CCP member. But with respect to the rest of the app’s staff, she said the company does not vet its employees based on their political affiliations. She noted that no other tech platform present at the hearing asks its employees what political parties they belong to. Hawley continued: “Would it surprise you to learn that Forbes Magazine recently reported that … [Read more...] about No TikTok Leaders Have Ties To The Chinese Communist Party, COO Says In Heated Senate Hearing

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The Senate voted Tuesday to advance a stop-gap spending package that would avoid a government shutdown Friday and keep the federal government funded until mid-December, after a contentious energy permitting deal backed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was removed from the bill at the last minute. Key Facts Lawmakers broadly supported taking up the legislation, with 72 senators voting to advance the bill and 23 voting no, but the Senate still needs to hold a vote on final passage before federal funding expires late Friday. Along with providing necessary funds to keep federal government operations up and running until December 16, the bill earmarks more than $12 billion for Ukraine aid, in addition to the $54 billion already pledged by lawmakers earlier this year, according to the New York Times . It would also set up funding for financial assistance to help Americans afford increasing energy … [Read more...] about Senate Advances Bill To Avert Government Shutdown After Manchin Drops Energy Permit Deal

Democrat have high hopes for the Senate, but that could all prove a bust, a New York Times polling guru warns. After months of polling that predicted a Red wave come November, the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act , slightly lowering gas prices, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade have worsened Republican chances in the midterms. As the New York Times wrote in August, “it has been increasingly hard to see the once-clear signs of a G.O.P. advantage.” Congress is a nail-biter, as FiveThirtyEight gives Democrats a slight edge to win the Senate, while the GOP maintains it’s favored spot to win the House. There’s just one problem, NYT’s Nate Cohn writes Monday . “Democratic Senate candidates are outrunning expectations in the same places where the polls overestimated Mr. Biden in 2020 and Mrs. Clinton in 2016,” Cohn says. Republican incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson is running against Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin. FiveThirtyEight predicts the race as a toss-up , … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: NYT Polling Guru Notices Something Strange (And Terrifying For Dems) In Senate Polls

New Hampshire will hold the last Senate primary before the 2022 midterm elections on Tuesday, with the contest influencing whether Republicans will control Congress next session. New Hampshire’s Senate race has captured the most attention, with the GOP vying to defeat Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, a first-term incumbent who won in 2016 by less than 1,000 votes and is seen as a “vulnerable” incumbent by Republicans. But her likely Republican opponent, Don Bolduc, could prove controversial in the blue state. The Republican Senate primary in which Bolduc is competing has been described by Politico as damaging to the party. Bolduc, a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and the current frontrunner, is seen by some Republicans as too populist – á la former President Donald Trump – to win a general election. Bolduc has embraced Trump ( who did not make an endorsement in the race) and suggested that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. He also made comments disparaging … [Read more...] about Bolduc Favored To Win New Hampshire GOP Senate Nod Despite Controversy

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin (Updated: 1:36 p.m. EST, Jan. 15 2020) Topline: The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to send two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate, ending a weeks-long standoff between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Lawmakers largely voted on party lines, with the Democrat-controlled House having the votes necessary to move the articles—but one Democrat voted against it. The vote occurred after a short debate, essentially putting into motion a long-expected formality in the impeachment process . Pelosi announced seven impeachment managers⁠—House Democrats who will act as prosecutors in the Senate trial⁠—in an earlier press conference Wednesday. Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler, Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, along with Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Val Demings, Jason Crow and Sylvia … [Read more...] about House Finally Sends Articles Of Impeachment To Senate; Trump’s Trial Imminent

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the masterminds behind the 9/11 attacks who currently resides at Guantánamo Bay, wants to speak with senators in regards to President Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel. Earlier this week, his lawyer asked a military judge for permission to share information about Haspel with the Senate Intelligence Committee. Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and alway will be, TOUGH ON TERROR! This is a woman who has been a leader wherever she has gone. The CIA wants her to lead them into America’s bright and glorious future! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2018 Haspel ran a black-site prison in Thailand, where detainees faced enhanced interrogation. It’s unclear at the moment if she was involved either directly or indirectly in Mohammad’s interrogation. According to The New York Times , an Intelligence Committee report about the 9/11 mastermind sai, he was … [Read more...] about 9/11 Mastermind Wants To Talk To Senate About Gina Haspel

Republican senators claimed in a Monday letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra that he has returned the federal agency to its “lawless and unaccountable” Obama-era “roots.” Led by Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, the 12 senators are taking aim at Chopra’s alleged “abuses of power” that are a “serious concern.” Chopra should “reverse course” and ensure the CFPB “stay[s] within the boundaries of law,” the senators wrote. (EXCLUSIVE: Biden Admin Hit With Lawsuit For Allegedly Hiding Records On ‘Hostile Takeover’ Of Key Regulator) The Republicans criticized a number of the agency’s recent moves — including its February labeling of overdraft bank protection as “junk fees.” Doing so amounted to a “smear campaign” and will lead to lost revenues from mothballed overdrafting protection services being shifted elsewhere onto consumers, the lawmakers said in their letter. “With overdraft protection, consumers willingly agree to pay a fee for the … [Read more...] about GOP Senators Claim Biden Appointee Has Turned Consumer Protection Bureau Into A ‘Lawless And Unaccountable’ Agency

- A + A WASHINGTON (Sept 14): A US Senate committee on Wednesday (Sept 14) approved legislation that would significantly enhance US military support for Taiwan, including provisions for billions of dollars in additional security assistance, as China increases military pressure on the democratically governed island. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 by 17 to five, despite concerns about the bill in US President Joe Biden's administration and anger about the measure from Beijing. The strong bipartisan vote was a clear indication of support from both Republicans and Biden's fellow Democrats for changes in US policy towards Taiwan, such as treating it as a major non-Nato ally. Sponsors said the bill would be the most comprehensive restructuring of US policy towards the island since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the bedrock of US engagement with what China views as one of its provinces since Washington opened up relations … [Read more...] about Senate panel advances bill to boost US ties with Taiwan