Al Weaver

A split emerged on Tuesday between Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) over a possible supplemental bill to boost Pentagon spending levels above what was agreed to in the debt ceiling fight last week. McConnell on Tuesday insisted the $886 billion in funding for the Department of Defense as part of...

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is winning the trust of Republican senators who were skeptical about his ability to lead his caucus and avoid a crisis over the debt ceiling. Many GOP senators expected President Biden and the Speaker to hit an implacable stalemate that would force Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to step in...

The Senate late last night officially received the debt ceiling bill after the House passed it with bipartisan support, putting it on course to be passed by the upper chamber in the coming days. However, several things need to be ironed out before the legislation hits President Biden’s desk even as the chamber is on...

Pennsylvania and national Republicans are breathing easy after state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R) surprised many by announcing that he will forego a run for Sen. Bob Casey's (D-Pa.) seat and support whomever the eventual nominee is. Mastriano made the announcement after days of speculation that he would jump into the primary race and make life...

The Department of Justice is looking into whether Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) was given expensive gifts, headlined by a Mercedes-Benz, a luxury Washington apartment, jewelry and money, according to reports.  The main question for DOJ investigators centers around whether the gifts were from the owner or associates of IS EG Halal, based in Edgewater, N.J. The company...

Julie Su’s nomination to become Labor secretary is coming down to the wire as Democrats drag their feet on bringing her up for a final vote and admit her confirmation fight will be a close call. Su, the acting Labor chief who served as former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh’s No. 2 at the department, is...

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has placed himself at the center of a growing storm touching on abortion, the military and white nationalism, irritating colleagues and turning himself into a more high-profile political target. The former Auburn University football coach turned first-term Alabama senator has annoyed fellow Republicans with a hold on military promotions, earning rare criticism...

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is becoming a bigger problem for President Biden and Democrats in the Senate as he faces an uphill reelection battle in West Virginia, a state where former President Trump won one of his biggest victories in 2020. Manchin has criticized Biden and Democrats publicly, opposed various nominees and, this week, said...

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) returned to her post on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday and greenlit the passage of three judicial nominees who had been stalled during her lengthy health-related absence. Feinstein appeared roughly 90 minutes into the meeting to an ovation from senators and staff, and the nomination votes were held shortly after,...

Senate Republicans on Thursday received a major boost in their quest to retake the majority when West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) officially threw his hat into the ring, likely giving the party its best opportunity to take down Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Justice announced his plans during a Thursday event at the Greenbrier, handing...