GOP fears political fallout after health care ‘epic fail’

Weary Republicans in Washington may be ready to move on, but conservatives across the country are warning that the GOP-led Congress cannot abandon its pledge to repeal "Obamacare" without triggering a political nightmare in next year's midterm elections. NEW YORK>> Weary Republicans in Washington may be ready to move on from health care, but conservatives across the United States are warning the GOP-led Congress not to abandon its pledge to repeal the Obama-era health law - or risk a political nightmare in next year's elections.

Race for Chaffetz’s House seat heats up, in GOP primary debate

Republican candidates for the seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz jockeyed to burnish their conservative credentials in a Friday debate that got heated over one candidate's former Democratic ties. Provo Mayor John Curtis defended himself by saying his principles never changed despite a two-decade-old "fling on the dark side."

WashPost: Senate’s Failure on Repeal Puts Push on Tax Overhaul

Friday morning's failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act is putting pressure on the Republican Party to push through a complex tax overhaul measure, while heading into the 2018 midterm elections that could flip control of the House and Senate back to the Democratic Party. Lawmakers have not given up on the seven-year-long effort to undo Obamacare, reports The Washington Post, but with Friday's failure to push through a "skinny repeal" measure that would have stripped many mandates from the healthcare plan, incumbent lawmakers are left with accusations that they did not live up to the promises that got them elected.

Crawford: It’s time to show some common sense on tax breaks

Is Georgia doling out too many tax breaks? You could certainly make that argument. In this year's General Assembly session, lawmakers passed 10 bills granting various forms of tax breaks and exemptions that totaled nearly half a billion dollars: $483 million over the next five years, by one estimate.

Foxconn goes to… Wisconsin

Even as the chairman of Foxconn Technology Group watched President Donald Trump this week claim credit for the contract manufacturer's investment, folks back in Michigan are training their eyes on another prize. That'd be a separate Foxconn investment in southeast Michigan, one that would produce smaller liquid crystal displays for automotive and electronic device applications.

Analysis: Trump gets a major bill, and it’s Russia sanctions

The most consequential piece of legislation that the Republican-led Congress has delivered to President Donald Trump after seven months is a new package of financial penalties against Russia that he didn't want to sign into law.

LoBiondo Applauds House Passage of – Make America Secure Again’…

U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo applauded House passage of four appropriations bills dubbed "Make America Secure Again" Appropriations bill, which included a number of his priorities. The consolidated appropriations package, which also includes a 2.4 percent pay raise for military personnel, passed the House last night 235 to 192, sending it to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

US politician with local links criticised for praising former IRA leader

An American congressman who has family in Banbridge has been defended for praising Martin McGuinness during a church service in Washington DC. A spokesman for Richard Neal, a Democratic Party congressional representative based in Massachusetts, issued a statement in response to criticism of a eulogy which the politician delivered at a memorial mass on Tuesday.

Trump replaces chief of staff Priebus with General Kelly

His White House in turmoil, President Donald Trump abruptly announced late yesterday he was appointing Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to be his chief of staff, ending the tumultuous six-month tenure of Reince Priebus. After months of speculation about Priebus' fate, Trump tweeted his decision just as he landed in Washington after a speech in New York in which he lavishly praised Kelly's performance at Homeland Security.

Reince Priebus replaced: From Trump power centre to war with the Mooch

His departure follows a series of public attacks from newly appointed White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci , a Washington outsider and former Wall Street financier. So how did Mr Priebus go from Oval Office gatekeeper to following his political allies in the Trump administration out the door.

GOP unsure what to do about Affordable Care Act

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was one of three Republicans to reject the 'skinny repeal' plan. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Hundreds of people stood outside the U.S. Capitol Thursday, to protest the Republican health care bill as the Senate worked overnight on the legislation.

US Rep. John Delaney of Maryland to run for president new

A three-term Maryland Democrat who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress is the first to announce he'll seek his party's nomination to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Rep. John Delaney said Friday that he would seek the presidency, rather than the Maryland governorship or re-election to his House seat in 2018.

Why ban transgender troops? Only Trump knows

President Donald Trump took to Twitter this week to a declare that transgender men and women would henceforth be banned from military service . Indeed, top Department of Defense officials quickly reassured the public that there will be "no modifications" to the military's transgender policy as a result of the tweet, and the military will continue to "treat all of our personnel with respect."

House moves to extend choice program, end VA budget crisis

The House overwhelmingly approved a $3.9 billion emergency spending package to address a budget shortfall at the Department of Veterans Affairs that threatens medical care for thousands of veterans. The bill provides $2.1 billion to continue funding the Veterans Choice program, which allows veterans to receive private medical care at government expense.

Leaders in McCain’s home state frustrated by repeal failure

Sen. John McCain sent shockwaves through the Senate early Friday morning when he cast the deciding vote rejecting the GOP's heath care effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. While his dramatic thumbs-down rejection drew gasps and cheers in Washington, D.C., leaders in Arizona have responded with a mixture of disappointment and frustration - but little in the way of direct criticism in this Republican-heavy state.

John McCain’s maverick moment

Shortly before Sen. John McCain entered the Senate chamber in the wee hours of Friday morning, reporters wanted to know how he'd vote. McCain killed his party's narrowly-crafted Obamacare repeal bill Friday not because he was opposed to dismantling the Affordable Care Act, but because he fundamentally believed the process -- the lack of hearings, the one-party, closed-door negotiations, the fact that in the end all that Republican senators could agree upon was a shell of the plan they'd promised -- was flawed.