Editor Brian Harrod Provides Comprehensive up-to-date news coverage, with aggregated news from sources all over the world from the Roundup Newswires Network
Sen. John Cornyn said Sunday he doesn't think there'll be a government shutdown later this month despite fractious issues like proposed cuts to federal programs, and funding for a border wall. "I'm confident that we'll come up with something that everybody can live with," he said in answer to whether a shutdown would come to ensure funding for a border wall and increased defense spending at the expense of domestic programs.
WASHINGTON Republican and Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress introduced legislation on Thursday that would penalize international governmental organizations and foreign countries seeking to boycott, divest and sanction the State of Israel for its handling of its conflict with the Palestinians. The bill, supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, would amend the Export Administration Act of 1979 to include in its prohibitions on boycotts against "allies of the United States" those fostered by NGOs against Israel.
President Donald Trump finally delivered an unequivocal condemnation of anti-Semitism Tuesday in the wake of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers, winning him praise even from critics. But scores of people still took issue with how long the statement took.
President Donald Trump is ratcheting up pressure on Iran by preparing to punish the Islamic republic with new sanctions for testing a ballistic missile. As many as 17 entities connected with Iran's missile work and up to eight linked to terrorism will be named under penalties as early as Friday, according to two people familiar with U.S. strategy.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to repeal an obscure anti-corruption rule aimed at the oil and gas industry before the rule even took effect. Now oil majors like ExxonMobil or Chevron won't have to disclose payments they make to foreign governments while chasing resource deals around the world.
The Senate has voted decisively to approve President Donald Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Senators easily confirmed South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the post, 96-4, despite her lack of foreign policy experience.
In this Jan. 11, 2107 file photo, Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee narrowly approved on Monday President Donald Trump's choice for secretary of state, former oil executive Rex Tillerson, clearing the way for his confirmation vote by the full chamber. The panel voted along party lines, 11-10, to recommend Tillerson's nomination to the full Senate, where the former chief executive of Exxon Mobil is almost certain to be confirmed by the Republican-led chamber.
A Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group is filing a lawsuit on Monday alleging that President Trump is violating the U.S. Constitution by illegally receiving foreign payments through his businesses. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington says Mr. Trump is getting cash and favors from foreign governments through guests and events at his hotels, leases in his buildings and overseas real estate deals.
Steven Mnuchin, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Treasury secretary, faced tough questioning at his confirmation hearing Thursday, as members of the Senate Finance Committee grilled him on his role in IndyMac, the failed bank that was seized by the U.S. government, and his stance on sanctions. "In the press, it has been said that I ran a foreclosure machine," Mnuchin said at the start of his hearing.
Senator Ben Cardin speaks during a press conference introducing the Iran Policy Oversight Act on October 1, 2015 in Washington, DC Legislation expanding the 2012 U.S. Magnitsky human rights act from Russian citizens to cover abusers in any country passed the U.S. Senate on Thursday as part of an annual defense policy bill, leaving the landmark measure on the verge of becoming law. The legislation was included in the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, setting policy for the Department of Defense, despite the recent election of Republican Donald Trump as the U.S. president.
Gov. Nikki Haley will be on Capitol Hill later this week to meet with many of the senators who will determine whether she gets to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Haley's deputy chief of staff and spokesman, Rob Godfrey, told The Post and Courier that Haley would "meet some senators as a part of the confirmation process."
Since returning to work after President-elect Donald Trump's victory, congressional Democrats have taken or requested at least nine separate actions seeking to address their concerns about the Trump transition. It is traditional for members of the opposing party to request inquiries and information about the policies, and sometimes the personnel, of the White House, but the given the unique nature of Trump's incoming presidency, the congressional requests themselves are unusual and noteworthy.
Citing his meeting with Indian businessmen, Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns over "conflict of interest" of Donald Trump, with one Senator planning to introduce a resolution asking the President-elect to ensure that his dealings do not violate the Constitution. Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and a senior Member of Senate Finance Committee, has said he will introduce a resolution next week stating the sense of Congress that President-elect Trump should convert his assets to simple, conflict-free holdings, adopt blind trusts, or take other equivalent measures, in order to ensure consistency with the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution.
Maryland congressional lawmakers have asked the U.S. Justice Department about the status of talks on reforming Baltimore's troubled police department, according to a letter released on Tuesday. The letter from Maryland's senators, a senator-elect and three congressmen said they were hearing growing concern from constituents about delays in drafting the settlement.
Four Maryland congressional members expressed outrage Thursday after a court in Gambia sentenced a state resident to three years in prison following her arrest there during an anti-government protest led by her prominent dissident uncle. Fanta Darboe Jawara's conviction and sentencing made a mockery of civil rights guaranteed by the Gambian constitution, said the joint statement from senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski and representatives Chris Van Hollen and John Delaney, all Democrats.
A Maryland man says his wife has been wrongfully sentenced to three years' imprisonment in Gambia following her arrest during an anti-government protest there. Ebrima Jawara of Frederick said Thursday he learned of the sentence from news reports and a relative in the west African nation.
Sen. Ben Cardin is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a roundtable discussion on the aerospace industry in Maryland. Federal, state and local officials are scheduled to attend. Representatives from more than 70 companies and organizations also will be in attendance.