President Trump Addresses the Nation on Afghanistan
Earlier in the day, the Associated Press reported that Senator Rand Paul called it a "terrible idea" to send any more troops to Afghanistan.
Category Archives: Senator Rand Paul
To fix a unfaira bail system, will California copy Kentucky?
It's rare that a California lawmaker seeking a policy model to follow would turn to Kentucky. But with the Legislature on summer recess, that's precisely what Sen. Bob Hertzberg is doing.
Rand Paul assaulted at home in Kentucky, U.S. Senator suffers ‘minor injury’
A man has been arrested for assaulting U.S. Senator Rand Paul at his Kentucky home on Friday and causing a "minor injury," the state police said.
What if Trump pushed out McConnell? It might not change anything
President Donald Trump raised a lot of eyebrows on Capitol Hill this week by repeatedly going after Senate Majority Mitch McConnell, demanding that the top Republican do more to push ahead with plans to overhaul the Obama health law, and also to spur action on other top Trump priorities, like bills on tax reform, and new money for roads and bridges. Let's imagine for a moment that President Trump could wave a magic wand and get rid of McConnell would anything really change in the Senate? 1. If McConnell disappears, the music stays the same.
McConnell Says Tax Reform Won’t Be Easy, But It’s Necessary
As the upper chamber prepares to take on tax reform in September, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that the process won't be easy, but it's necessary for the party to fulfill promises. Senate Republicans are turning to reforming the tax code after failing to gain the 50 votes needed to move forward on repealing and replacing Obamacare.
Donald Trump looking into executive action on healthcare: Rand Paul
U.S. Senator Rand Paul said he spoke to President Donald Trump by phone about healthcare reform on Monday and told the president he thought Trump had the authority to create associations that would allow organizations to offer group health insurance plans. Paul, a Republican, told reporters that Trump was considering taking some form of executive action to address problems with the healthcare system after the Senate failed last week to pass a measure to reform the system.
McCain threatens to give his own Afghanistan strategy to Trump
Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain on Monday threatened to present President Donald Trump with his own Afghanistan strategy if the Trump administration won't develop its own. McCain issued a statement saying he would offer an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act in September that would provide a strategy for Afghanistan, the 16-year war that has been a divisive issue within the White House.
We Cana t Live in Fear of Our Own Intelligence Community
U.S. intelligence agencies are telling us not to worry about the FISA Amendments Act, a 2008 law that allows the NSA to tap into the communications of "non-U.S. persons" who are outside the U.S., even though this law sidesteps the Fourth Amendment as it allows the NSA to record the emails and phone calls of U.S. citizens who happen to be communicating with people overseas. How many American citizens is the government listening in on? We don't know, as the intelligence agencies told Congress they can't say just how many American citizens they've eavesdropped on .
McCain expected to return to Arizona to start cancer treatment Monday
There's a reason why Sen. John McCain was eager to pivot to the annual defense spending bill in the early hours of the morning right after he had killed the Senate's Obamacare repeal effort: The Arizona Republican's office announced McCain is planning to return to his home state to start cancer treatment Monday. That may also help explain why Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared willing to let McCain try to proceed to the the National Defense Authorization Act, even after he thwarted the GOP's plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act in the early hours of Friday morning.
The vote Mitch McConnell couldn’t win
If anyone could have resuscitated the troubled Obamacare repeal and replace bill, it was Mitch McConnell, the steady and disciplined Senate Majority Leader with a track record of getting really tough things done. But after years of pleading, months of negotiating, and weeks of just barely edging the contentious bill forward, it suddenly died.
Congress sends Russia sanctions bill to Trump’s desk, but it’s unclear whether he will veto it
The 98-to-2 vote sets the president up with a pivotal choice: veto the bill knowing that lawmakers are prepared to override, as his communications chief Anthony Scaramucci suggested Thursday morning on CNN that he might, or sign the legislation that binds his hands when it comes to altering sanctions policy against Moscow, a provision his administration lobbied hard against. Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., were the only senators to vote against the bill.
The Skinny Repeal Gets a Score
With eight hours left of debate in the Senate reconciliation process , it appears all of the Republicans' chances of repealing Obamacare will come down to a single option: the "skinny repeal." Not much is known about the skinny repeal, however.
Senate rejects proposal for Obamacare repeal
Republicans demonstrated they do not have the stomach to repeal Obamacare when it really counts, as the Senate voted 55-45 to reject legislation undoing major portions of Barack Obama's law without replacing it. Seven Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting an amendment by Rand Paul of Kentucky that would have repealed most of former president Obama's health care law, with a two-year delay but no replacement.
Republicans Dodge a Bullet. I Think.
Fifty Republican senators voted today to begin debate on an Obamacare repeal and replacement bill. Vice President Mike Pence cast the 51st vote to allow the legislation to move forward.
Inside the Beltway: Congress loves media, not voters: poll
Imagine this: A sleek member of the press and an earnest likely voter are standing side by side in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Which one would attract the most attention from passing lawmakers? Unfortunately, new research reveals a predictable, but shabby scenario.
Senate Republicans clear key hurdle on Obamacare repeal, but the hard part is still ahead
Senate Republicans clear key hurdle on Obamacare repeal, but the hard part is still ahead "This is just the beginning," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters after the vote. Check out this story on thestarpress.com: https://usat.ly/2v4pVPb Vice President Mike Pence was the tie-breaking vote as the Senate voted to advance the GOP health care bill that aims to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The Latest: Senate GOP showing some optimism on health bill
President Donald Trump is urging Republican senators to "do the right thing" on an Obamacare overhaul effort.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks into the Senate chamber at the Capitol on Thursday.
President Donald Trump pressured Republicans Monday to approve the Senate's wheezing health care bill, saying a showdown vote planned for this week is their "last chance to do the right thing" and erase the Obama health law. Trump's prodding came a day before leaders have said the Senate will vote on legislation shredding much of President Barack Obama's health care law.
Ahead of key vote, details of GOP health bill still unknown
The Senate will move forward with a key vote this week on a Republican health care bill but it's not yet known whether the legislation will seek to replace the Affordable Care Act or simply repeal it, the third-highest ranking Republican senator said Sunday. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will make a decision soon on which bill to bring up for a vote, depending on ongoing discussions with GOP senators.
Mike Pence makes nice with John Kasich
Mike Pence makes nice with John Kasich Vice President Mike Pence sought to smooth over a kerfuffle with Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Saturday evening. Check out this story on CurrentArgus.com: https://usat.ly/2vMpNjG The Republican Party spent Wednesday desperately trying to save its healthcare plan after the GOP's Senate leadership was forced to admit that it doesn't have the votes to repeal and replace Obamacare.