Trump Signs Bill To End Government Shutdown

President Trump signed a short-term spending bill that will fund the government through Feb. 8, ending a weekend-long government shutdown. The measure also extends the Children's Health Insurance Program through 2023 and suspends three Obamacare-related taxes and fees.

Senate renews surveillance law that collects email from an unknown number of Americans

The House has already approved a six-year extension of the law, and the legislation is expected to be signed by President Trump. WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Thursday to renew for six years a surveillance program that collects the content of an unknown number of Americans' email, text messages, photos and other electronic communication without a warrant.

Civil libertarian(ish) groups cry foul over FISA reauthorization

Civil libertarian groups on both sides of the aisle aren't happy with the House's approval of the new FISA authorization. FreedomWorks heaped loads of criticism on the House, with Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jason Pye saying the Constitution doesn't matter to supporters.

Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch to retire, clearing way for Mitt Romney

Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch announced Tuesday that he won't seek re-election this year, clearing the way for Mitt Romney to return to the national stage by running for his seat. He said in a social media message, "after much prayer and discussion with family and friends I've decided to retire at the end of this term."

After Tax Cuts, Whata s Next on the GOPa s Agenda?Republicans want to…

Just days before the end of the year, congressional Republicans finally handed President Trump his first major legislative victory. But their effort to pass an unpopular and incoherent tax bill left them with little time to address many other pressing concerns.

What Sen. Marco Rubio got for his tax vote – Tue, 19 Dec 2017 PST

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., threw the Republican tax bill into chaos last week when he threatened to vote against it if it didn't include a more robust tax credit for working families. But by mid-Thursday, GOP leaders had increased the credit by enough to secure Rubio's vote for the bill.

For GOP, day finally arrives: Voting to begin on tax plan

They have them in the House. They have them in the Senate. This bill is expected to pass both chambers and be on President Donald Trump's desk by Wednesday, no small feat given the extremely fast timeline GOP leaders gave themselves when they unveiled their tax plans last month.

GOP set to roll $1.5T final tax bill through House, Senate

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to his office from the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bill on party-line votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bill on party-line votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017.

Trump defends tax plan as ‘great Christmas gifts’ to middle class

With a vote on the biggest tax rewrite in three decades set for Tuesday, Republicans were working to ensure party members were holding the line in favor of the legislation against entrenched Democratic opposition. The plan was finalized on Friday after Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Bob Corker pledged their support.

Final Republican tax bill slashes US corporate rate, voting next week

WASHINGTON: Congressional Republicans on Friday unveiled the final version of their dramatic US tax overhaul - debt-financed cuts for businesses, the wealthy and some middle-class Americans - and picked up crucial support from two wavering senators ahead of planned votes by lawmakers early next week. Passage of the biggest US tax rewrite since 1986 would provide Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump their first major legislative victory since he took office in January.

Rubio’s Gambit Pays Off, Partially – Deal Struck to Expand Child Tax Credit

Sen. Marco Rubio made headlines yesterday when it was reported that he would refuse to support the Republican tax bill unless the child tax credit was expanded. Now, it looks like Rubio's gambit has paid off - at least partially - as the latest version of the bill is said to contain an increased child tax credit.

What’s in the final version of the tax cut bill

That's a significant tax break for the very wealthy, The new tax break for millionaires goes beyond what was in the original House and Senate bills. a Starting on Jan. 1, 2018, big businesses would see their tax rate fall from 35 percent to 21 percent, the largest one-time rate cut in U.S. history for America's largest companies.

Star Wars, Oracle and Doubts About the Tax Bill – 5 Things You Must Know

U.S. stocks are indicated to open higher on Friday, rebounding from losses in the previous session that were brought on by doubts expressed by some GOP lawmakers over the tax bill in Congress. 1 . -- U.S. stocks were indicated to open higher on Friday, Dec. 15, rebounding from losses in the previous session that were brought on by doubts expressed by some GOP lawmakers over the tax bill in Congress.

Rubio’s demand to expand child tax credit threatens GOP’s slim margin on tax bill

The Republicans' razor-thin margin for driving their sweeping tax package through the Senate was thrown into jeopardy Thursday when GOP Sen. Marco Rubio declared he will vote against it unless negotiators expand the tax credit that low-income Americans can claim for their children. Rubio's potential defection complicates Republican leaders' goal of muscling the $1.5 trillion bill through Congress next week, handing President Donald Trump his first major legislative victory by Christmas.

The GOP’s latest tax plan would do exactly what Rubio warned them not …

Sen. Marco Rubio hinted he could create "problems" for the Republicans' tax plan if party leaders reject his plan to add more benefits for the working poor while increasing the corporate tax rate. Now, with his demand reportedly rejected in a particularly stinging fashion, Rubio has to decide how big he wants those "problems" to be.

Tribes: Trump’s monument order disrespects native people

President Donald Trump's rare move to shrink two large national monuments in Utah triggered another round of outrage among Native American leaders who vowed to unite and take the fight to court to preserve protections for lands they consider sacred. Environmental and conservation groups and a coalition of tribes joined the battle Monday and began filing lawsuits that ensure that Trump's announcement is far from the final chapter of the yearslong public lands battle.

No Matter What Trump Said In Utah, a ‘Sen. Romney’ Looms Large In Its Future

Few - if any - close observers of Utah politics doubted for a moment what President Donald Trump meant in Salt Lake City Monday afternoon when he praised Sen. Orrin Hatch and voiced hope that the seven-term Republican "will serve your state and your country in the Senate for a long time to come." At a time when it is widely assumed that Hatch, 83, will soon announce he is retiring from the Senate next year, the President is clearly hoping the senator will change his mind and thus stop the expected candidacy of the Republican widely considered heir apparent to his seat: Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican presidential hopeful and a sworn enemy of Trump.

The Latest: Protesters block traffic amid Trump’s Utah visit

President Donald Trump stands with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, left, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, center, after arriving at the Ronald R Wright National Air Guard Base in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. Protesters gather before a visit by President Donald Trump to announce that he is scaling back two sprawling national monuments, Monday Dec. 4, 2017, in Salt Lake City.

Trump arrives in Utah to announce scaling back of monuments

President Donald Trump arrived in Utah on Monday to announce that he is scaling back two sprawling national monuments, a move that is welcomed by the state's top Republican officials but opposed by tribes and environmental groups. Trump traveled west to announce his intention to shrink the Bears Ears and the Grand-Staircase Escalante national monuments.