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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., flanked by, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., left, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, discuss the bipartisan immigration deal they reached during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump, on Twitter on Friday, accused Democrats of abandoning "Dreamers" because they wouldn't back his immigration plan.
The Republican-led Senate on Thursday blocked both President Donald Trump's immigration plan and a bipartisan alternative, a failure that cast doubt on whether Congress will ever resolve the fate of hundreds of thousands of young illegal aliens known as Dreamers. In a series of afternoon votes, senators failed to muster enough votes for a Republican plan backed by Trump that would have granted legal status to 1.8 million of the young people and spent at least $25 billion to bolster security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
In a vote of 39-60, the Senate on Thursday rejected an immigration reform proposal by Sen. Chuck Grassley which was based on President Donald Trump's immigration reform framework. The measure was one of four that was rejected by the Senate, including two bipartisan bills - one by Sens. John McCain and Chris Coons and another by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Mike Rounds , and Susan Collins that were criticized by the Department of Homeland Security.
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The Senate has blocked a bipartisan proposal that would have provided 1.8 million young immigrants a chance for citizenship and $25 billion for a border wall. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., flanked by, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., left, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, discuss the bipartisan immigration deal they reached during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018.
President Donald Trump's administration stuck to its hardline immigration approach on Thursday and suggested it would not support a bipartisan U.S. Senate proposal to protect young "Dreamer" immigrants and tighten border security. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the plan, which would protect from deportation 1.8 million young adults who were brought to the United States illegally as children, saying it did not meet Trump's minimum criteria for immigration legislation.
In a rare move, the Senate will launch an unusual process late Monday afternoon to debate a legislative fix for the hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers who could face deportation come March 5. The process calls for a free-for-all debate on the Senate floor with an unlimited number of amendments that can be offered, all in the hopes Republicans and Democrats can reach a bipartisan solution in the contentious immigration debate. "I expect that virtually every issue under the sun will come up during this floor debate and that's fine," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told reporters last week.
While making the cable news rounds on Friday morning ahead of President Trump's State of the Union speech, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called out men who have been accused of sexual misconduct by name on two occasions. But both times, she forgot to mention her boss, who has been accused of sexual assault by 14 women, and Steve Wynn, the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee who is currently in the news for alleged serial sexual assault and harassment.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins: "It would be a devastating development if Mr. Mueller were in any way impeded in completing his investigation. It is absolutely essential that he be allowed to complete it" https://t.co/4fYEV1bMi3 Susan Margaret Collins Dems block 20-week abortion ban Pro-ObamaCare group launches new ads ahead of State of the Union, GOP retreat Portman gives Wynn donation to charities MORE must be permitted to finish his investigation into Russia's election meddling and any potential ties between Trump campaign staff members and Moscow.
Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have voted to release a classified memo they wrote that alleges that the FBI and the Justice Department improperly used government surveillance during the investigation into Russian election interference and contacts with President Donald Trump's campaign. That's according to Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the committee.
Two Republican senators said Sunday that President Donald Trump would be wise to keep a public silence on an independent investigation into his 2016 campaign's contacts with Russia in the wake of news reports that he sought to fire the special counsel. The senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine, also urged special counsel Robert Mueller to review whether Trump tried to fire him last June, an accusation the president has labeled "fake news."
Lawmakers in both parties said Sunday that the immigration debate should focus narrowly on efforts to legalize young immigrants known as "dreamers" and beef up border security, suggesting that President Donald Trump's demands to slash legal immigration levels are likely to sink a deal. Democrats have voiced fierce opposition to a White House plan, released late last week, that featured a path to citizenship for 1.8 million dreamers in exchange for $25 billion for his border wall and sharp cuts to family immigration visas.
Despite new protestations from the White House that President Donald Trump does not plan to fire Robert Mueller, two leading Republican senators Sunday called for a law to protect the special counsel leading the Russia investigation. "I've got legislation protecting Mr. Mueller, and I'll be glad to pass it tomorrow," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on ABC's "This Week."
Two Republican senators said Sunday that President Donald Trump would be wise to keep a public silence on an independent investigation into his 2016 campaign's contacts with Russia in the wake of news reports that he sought to fire the special counsel. The senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine, also urged special counsel Robert Mueller to review whether Trump tried to fire him last June, an accusation the president has labeled "fake news."
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said on Sunday that Congress should pass legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller following reports President Donald Trump considered firing him last June. But at the same time, Collins said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" that she ultimately had faith in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who has direct authority over the probe.
President Donald Trump would be making a "terrible mistake" if he fired Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - and should "never ever" discuss special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe with anyone but his lawyer, Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday. In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," the Maine Republican, reacting to a report that Trump wanted to fire Mueller last year, noted Rosenstein is the only one who could technically fire the special counsel.
Members of both political parties are emphasizing a need for compromise on immigration negotiations, amid pressure to reach a deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The calls for compromise follow the White House's proposed immigration framework, which would give 1.8 million undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
Sen. Susan Collins explained her vote to pass the recent tax bill citing the expert advice she received from Glenn Hubbard, dean of the Columbia Business School, and Douglass Holtz-Eakin, a Republican policy adviser and president of the American Action Forum. "Even the joint committee on taxation has projected that the tax bill would stimulate the economy to produce hundreds of billions of additional revenue.
On Monday, The Senate advanced a bill reopening federal agencies through Feb. 8 after Democrats relented and lifted their blockade against the legislation. The shutdown began Saturday after Democrats derailed a Republican measure that would have kept government open until Feb. 16. Democrats wanted to pressure the GOP to cut a deal protecting young immigrants from deportation and boosting federal spending.