Trump Receives Pre-Holiday Ego Boost From His Cabinet, GOP Leaders

Fresh off his only major legislative victory, President Donald Trump on Wednesday basked in the adulation showered upon him by a trifecta of Cabinet members, congressional Republican leaders and his own White House press team. In the morning came the celebratory Cabinet meeting that doubled as an ego boost, with administration officials praising the president for what they saw as the progress of his agenda so far.

Sen. Warner Cautions Trump Against Meddling in Mueller Probe

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee is warning President Donald Trump against firing special counsel Robert Mueller or pardoning any targets of the federal probe into Russia and the president's Republican campaign. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Wednesday that growing criticism of Mueller's probe pointed to an effort to lay the groundwork for Mueller's removal or other interference in the federal investigation.

Congress deals pair of blows to ‘Obamacare’

Two Republican senators abandoned their fight Wednesday for legislation this year to help contain premium costs by resuming federal subsidies to insurers, as Congress dealt a pair of blows to President Barack Obama's health care law. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Tennessee's Lamar Alexander ran into opposition from both parties to inserting the language into a must-pass bill preventing a weekend federal shutdown.

Ap Fact Check: Trump’s truth-warp on taxes; Dems drift, too

President Donald Trump speaks during a bill passage event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, to acknowledge the final passage of tax cut legislation by Congress. President Donald Trump speaks during a bill passage event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, to acknowledge the final passage of tax cut legislation by Congress.

Brownback sees rolled-back Kansas cuts still shaping debate

Outgoing Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback argues his experiment in aggressive tax-cutting pioneered a national debate over helping small business owners that has influenced Congress and other states, even though his home-state lawmakers rolled it back. In a year-end interview with The Associated Press, the conservative Republican governor predicted other states will look at lowering personal income taxes for small-business owners and pointed to provisions of a GOP federal tax overhaul as a sign that the idea has taken root.

Senator expects January vote on fate of young immigrants

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said Wednesday that party leaders have assured him the Senate will vote in January on bipartisan legislation to protect certain young immigrants from deportation. Flake, who had pressed for a guarantee during talks for his support on the tax bill, said in a statement he was pleased that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was committed to bringing the immigration bill "we are currently negotiating to the Senate floor in January."

GOP Poised For Tax Victory, After A Brief Delay

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, arrive at the press conference after the Senate passed the GOP tax bill early Wednesday morning. Congress is set to deliver on the first major GOP legislative accomplishment of the Trump era on Wednesday, as the House takes a final vote on a $1.5 trillion tax package that cuts individual rates for eight years and slashes corporate taxes to 21 percent permanently.

Manchin says tax plan is “not a responsible way;” Capito, Mooney disagree

For the first in more than 30 years, major changes to the U.S. tax code are on track to become law as early as the New Year. A final vote in the U.S. House on the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Mother, 28, donates her breast milk to dozens of families

Trump secures major victory as Senate Republicans pass $1.5 trillion tax cut bill despite Democrats warning they'll 'rue this day' and protesters screaming 'don't kill us' - paving the way for a final House vote today after earlier hiccup Trump: I'm a tax LOSER! White House says president will pay more under his plan - but admits his businesses will gain California, New Jersey and New York Republicans vote AGAINST tax bill over deductions for state and local taxes - and Trump fails to convince a single Democrat to back it Catt Sadler leaves E! News following 10 years at the network after learning her male co-host Jason Kennedy earns almost DOUBLE her salary Tis' the season for shopping stress - particularly if you're older! People over the age of 50 have even MORE anxiety about Christmas gifting than anyone younger Matt Damon backs out of Downsizing premiere after his latest remarks ... (more)

Senate Approves GOP Tax Plan, House to Revote Wednesday

In a vote in the early Wednesday morning hours, the Senate approved the final version of the first overhaul of the US tax code in more than 30 years, handing President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans their most significant legislative victory of 2017. The bill passed along party lines, 51-48 with the final result announced by Vice President Mike Pence who presided over the vote.

Poll: Trump and GOP never intended to strike a bipartisan tax deal

As Republicans rush their tax bill to the House and Senate floors for a final round of votes, a new poll shows that Americans do not believe that the GOP, in crafting the controversial legislation, reached out in good faith to Democrats. Only 27% say Republicans and President Trump sought meaningful input from their partisan opponents on Capitol Hill, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

House and Senate approve Trump’s massive tax overhaul, but last-minute glitch delays final passage

The House and Senate approved the most significant overhaul of the tax code in three decades, but Republicans will have to clear one more legislative hurdle before they can claim their first major legislative win and deliver the $1.5 trillion package to President Trump before Christmas, as he requested. The GOP's sweeping tax measure hit a glitch late Tuesday afternoon in the Senate when the parliamentarian ruled that three minor provisions included in the House-passed bill did not comply with the Senate's strict budget rules.

Officials: Why was train in fatal Amtrak wreck speeding?

A damaged Amtrak passenger train car is lifted from the tracks at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday.

The Real Message Sent By Alabama Is That The State Is Deeply Divided. And That’s All

"Alabama sends a message" declared a Wall Street Journal editorial the morning after last week's special election for United States Senator from Alabama. What message did Alabama send? For the Journal editorial board it seems the message is that morally flawed candidates are likely to lose because voters "will only accept so much misbehavior in a politician, no matter the policy stakes."

NY Times Mounts Sexist Attacks Against Sen. Susan Collins For Her Tax Bill Support

On Tuesday, Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins bitterly attacked the press's coverage of her ultimate decision to support the GOP's tax bill. Though Collins didn't name a media outlet in her criticism, the New York Times was primary purveyor of now-popular leftist memes, which Collins characterized as "unbelievably sexist," that she was "duped" by party leadership, and that she was so hard-hearted that she wasn't "brought to tears" by protesting Mainers who met with her last week.