Inside Washington: Writing a bill in private not unusual

In this May 23, 2017, file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, accompanied by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Republican effort to secretly craft a health care bill and whisk it through the Senate is striking, and it's drawing fire from members of both parties.

Democrats complain about GOP healthcare process, but can’t stop it

Democrats took to the Senate floor Monday to decry Republicans' efforts to ram a healthcare bill through the Senate but have little tools to derail the process. Democrats harshly criticized Republicans for drafting its version of the American Health Care Act, which partially repeals Obamacare, behind closed doors and without Senate hearings.

Dems say they’ll slow Senate work over secretive care bill

In this April 6, 2017 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks from his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democrats plan to slow the Senate's work, force votes and make late-night speeches in an effort to focus attention on how Republicans are crafting legislation revamping the nation's health care system behind closed doors, a senior Democratic aide said Monday, June 19, 2017.

Dems say theya ll slow Senate work over secretive care bill

Democrats plan to slow the Senate's work, force votes and make late-night speeches in an effort to focus attention on how Republicans are crafting legislation revamping the nation's health care system behind closed doors, a senior Democratic aide said Monday. The effort comes with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., hoping to weave together a bill dismantling much of former President Barack Obama's health care law so the Senate can vote on it before leaving for its July 4 recess.

Utah GOP to trim packed field running for Chaffetz seat

About 1,000 Utah Republicans will gather for a special convention Saturday to cut down a field 12 candidates vying to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz and advance one candidate to an August primary election. Chaffetz announced earlier this year he's resigning at the end of June, leaving an enticing open seat for Republicans in what's considered one of the most conservative congressional districts in the country.

US House passes bill to make it easier to fire VA workers, protect whistle blowers

On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson , the representative of Fort Bragg and author of bipartisan legislation to allow service connected veterans to choose care from private providers in their local communities, released the following statement after the House passed S. 1094, legislation to make it easier to fire Veterans Affairs employees for poor performance or misconduct and to establish whistle blower protections: "I recognize there are many good, hard-working people at our local VA hospitals many of them are veterans themselves. It's the unaccountable bureaucracy that hurts veterans and makes it impossible for them to get the timely care and benefits they deserve.

The Latest: Trump says new health care law will be a kinda

President Donald Trump is having lunch with Republican senators to discuss the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. Trump said President Barack Obama's health care law "had been broken and it's been a broken promise."

The Latest: Trump says new health care law will be ‘kind’

From left are, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen.... . Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa listen at right as President Donald Trump speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 13, 2017, before having lunch with Republican Senators.

Sessions asked Congress to let him prosecute medical marijuana providers

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is asking congressional leaders to undo federal medical marijuana protections that have been in place since 2014, according to a May letter that became public Monday. The protections, known as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, prohibit the Justice Department from using federal funds to prevent certain states "from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana."

Anger management but no jail in Gianforte body-slam saga

Congressman-elect Greg Gianforte avoided jail time after pleading guilty Monday to an election-eve assault on a reporter that turned the race for Montana's lone U.S. House seat into a full-fledged political spectacle. The Republican tech entrepreneur instead will serve 40 hours of community service and attend 20 hours of anger management classes for throwing Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs to the ground at Gianforte's campaign headquarters in Bozeman on May 24. For all the national attention the audiotaped assault brought to the race in its waning hours, the judge, prosecutors and the new congressman's attorneys maintained Monday he was treated like any other first-time misdemeanor offender.

Montana’s Gianforte avoids jail time for reporter assault

Montana's next congressman, Greg Gianforte, avoided jail time Monday after pleading guilty to assaulting a reporter the day before he was elected. Gallatin County Justice of the Peace Rick West sentenced the Republican technology entrepreneur to 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management counselling and ordered him to pay a $385 fine for the misdemeanour.