Sanders Brings Down the House at J Street ‘Occupation runs counter to fundamental American values’

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders received a hero's welcome at the J Street conference in Washington today for a speech that suggested that the way forward for the left is to double down on progressive values. Toward the end of a wide-ranging address that touched on President Donald Trump, the Iraq War and climate change, Sanders asked the question that loomed over the J Street conference: What comes next for progressives during a Trump administration? Although Sanders did not explicitly answer his question, he proceeded to talk about values.

Trump looks to refocus his presidency…

With his first address to Congress, President Donald Trump has an opportunity to refocus his young administration on the economic issues that helped him get elected. His allies hope it will help him move beyond the distractions and self-inflicted wounds that he has dealt with so far.

What to watch for in Trump’s address to Congress

President Donald Trump is set to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night -- where he's expected to make the case for a budget that boosts defense spending and slashes funding for agencies. The speech -- a "State of the Union" address in all but the name -- will be Trump's biggest national audience since his swearing-in ceremony, a chance to try to bring the nation together and sell his agenda on Capitol Hill.

Big surge for military in Trump budget, big cuts elsewhere

President Donald Trump is proposing a huge $54 billion surge in U.S. military spending for new aircraft, ships and fighters in his first federal budget while slashing big chunks from domestic programs and foreign aid to make the government "do more with less." The Trump blueprint, due in more detail next month, would fulfill the Republican president's campaign pledge to boost Pentagon spending while targeting the budgets of other federal agencies.

Trump Looks To Refocus His Presidency In Address To Congress

President Donald Trump's first address to Congress gives him a welcome opportunity to refocus his young administration on the core economic issues that helped him get elected - and, his allies hope, to move beyond the distractions and self-inflicted wounds that have roiled his White House. Trump's advisers say he will use his prime-time speech Tuesday to declare early progress on his campaign promises, including withdrawing the U.S. from a sweeping Pacific Rim trade pact, and to map a path ahead on thorny legislative priorities, including health care and infrastructure spending.

A look at the 3 Pentagon reviews into the SEAL raid in Yemen

There are three reviews underway into the SEAL Team Six raid in Yemen last month that killed William "Ryan" Owens and some civilians, the Pentagon said Monday. Owens was killed during a Jan. 29 nighttime raid targeting a rural compound in southern Yemen believed to be a key planning location for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula .

Kansas tries to discern Washington’s direction on Medicaid

As the nation's governors wrapped a weekend of meetings with each other and President Donald Trump that included discussions about healthcare, Kansas is attempting to discern what direction Washington will go. A group of Republican governors is pushing a plan that would change Medicaid - which provides healthcare to poor, elderly and disabled individuals - from an open-ended federal entitlement to a program designed by each state within a financial limit.

Records show EPA’s Pruitt used private email, despite denial

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt occasionally used private email to communicate with staff while serving as Oklahoma's attorney general, despite telling Congress that he had always used a state email account for government business. A review of Pruitt emails obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request showed a 2014 exchange where the Republican emailed a member of his staff using a personal Apple email account.

Trump budget will hike defense spending by $54 billion

The White House says President Donald Trump's upcoming budget will propose a whopping $54 billion increase in defense spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid. The result is that Trump's initial budget wouldn't dent budget deficits projected to run about $500 billion.

Trump budget will hike defence spending by USD 54 billion21 min ago

The White House says President Donald Trump's upcoming budget will propose a whopping USD 54 billion increase in defence spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programmes and foreign aid. The result is that Trump's initial budget wouldn't dent budget deficits projected to run about USD 500 billion.

In warning shot, Moody’s calls Brownback veto of tax bill a – credit negative’

After announcing he would veto the tax bill sent to him by the legislature, Gov. Sam Brownback officially signed the veto, in his ceremonial office Wednesday, February 22, 2017, as he stood in front of the assembled media. Gov. Sam Brownback's veto of tax legislation represents a "credit negative" to Kansas, a ratings agency said Monday - a label that amounts to a warning shot for the fiscally challenged state.

House intel panel chairman downplays need for special prosecutor on Russia

The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Monday downplayed the need for a special prosecutor to probe contacts between the Russian government and members of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, after a fellow Republican called for an independent investigation. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told reporters in Washington that there was no evidence of serious crimes with regard to contact between Trump associates and Russian intelligence.

White House: No Reason to Pretend POTUS Is Friendly With the Media

If the television-obsessed President Donald Trump watched Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday night on HBO, he got a jolt of reality from Congressman Darrell Issa, the slippery Republican conservative from California. Issa was asked by the host whether Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III should recuse himself from the FBI investigation of Trump's campaign and its contacts with Russian operatives.

Arkansas delegation makes excuses for skipping town hall

Indivisible Central Arkansas drew several hundred people to a "Missing Persons" town hall Sunday afternoon at St. Michael's Episcopal Church attended only by photographs of Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. French Hill. Here's a link to video of the event.

Spicer Personally Arranged Calls with Intelligence Officials

"White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer personally picked up the phone and connected outside officials with reporters to try to discredit a New York Times article about Trump campaign aides' contact with Russia, then remained on the line for the brief conversations," Mike Allen reports. "The officials reached by Spicer were CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Senate Select Intelligence Committee Chair Richard Burr , according to a senior administration official.