Category: John Cornyn

Trump Courts Cruz in WH Dinner to Help Grease AHCA

President Donald Trump appears to be courting former foe Sen. Ted Cruz, hoping the Texas conservative can rally support for the GOP House leadership’s healthcare plan. The president and first lady Melania Trump hosted Cruz, his wife Heidi, and their two daughters for dinner at the White House on Wednesday night a family friendly event that is a stark contrast to the bitter clashes between Trump and Cruz during their primary presidential race.

GOP Senators Cry Foul Over Medicaid Expansion Repeal

The House Republican plan to phase out the Obamacare Medicaid expansion by 2020 may be a nonstarter for some Senate Republicans-and could potentially threaten the larger repeal-and-replace process. Shortly before House lawmakers revealed a revamped version of their Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill Monday evening, four Republican senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying they would not support an earlier draft from Feb. 10 that repeals Medicaid expansion because it “does not meet the test of stability for individuals currently enrolled in the program.”

Pence Set to Break Senate Tie on DeVos Vote to Head Education

Vice President Mike Pence could make history Tuesday by breaking an expected tie in the Senate to confirm Betsy DeVos as U.S. education secretary, barring a last-minute defection by a single additional Republican to kill the nomination outright. The nail-biter is the unexpected first test of Democrats’ ability to thwart President Donald Trump’s agenda, gathering momentum after two Senate Republicans said they wouldn’t support DeVos, a longtime GOP donor.

Ted Cruz has $4.2 million for 2018 re-election campaign

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talks with Sen. John Cornyn and Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, during a TPPF Orientation conference on January 13, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas, has $4.2 million cash on hand as he prepares for a potentially competitive re-election race in 2018.

Republicans divided over border wall as Trump era begins

Congressional Republicans leave their annual policy retreat divided over paying for President Donald Trump’s border wall, one of several thorny issues looming to trip them up as the GOP adjusts to full control of Washington. Lawmakers welcomed a speech from Trump endorsing their goals on repealing and replacing former President Barack Obama’s health care law and overhauling the loophole-ridden tax code.

Trump acts to advance Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipelines

President Donald Trump shows off his signature on an executive order about the Dakota Access pipeline, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. President Donald Trump shows off his signature on an executive order about the Dakota Access pipeline, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

Senate Democrats to propose $1 trillion infrastructure plan

Senate Democrats say they plan to offer a proposal Tuesday to spend $1 trillion on transportation and other infrastructure projects over 10 years in an attempt to engage President Donald Trump on an issue where they hope to find common ground. Details of the plan provided to The Associated Press include $200 billion for a “vital infrastructure fund” to pay for projects of national significance.

Nikki Haley Easily Confirmed as UN Ambassador

The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Nikki Haley as ambassador to the United Nations, making her the fourth member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to be approved even as Republicans and Democrats battle angrily over the pace of confirmations. Republicans are upset at what they complain is a deliberate effort by Democrats to slow walk approval of Trump’s top government executives and argue the GOP was much more cooperative when President Barack Obama got seven Cabinet members confirmed on the day he was sworn in back in 2009.

Pompeo confirmed as CIA chief

JANUARY 12: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the director of the CIA, Rep.Mike Pompeo attends his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on January 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mr. Pompeo is a former Army officer who graduated first in his class from West Point.

Lockheed Martin CEO meets with Trump, announces 1,800 more jobs coming to Fort Worth

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson leaves after a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on December 21, 2016. Marillyn Hewson met with President-elect Donald Trump in New York on Friday, and emerged from the meeting promising to reduce the costs of the company’s signature fighter plane and to add 1,800 jobs at its Fort Worth facility.

Republicans may speed up parts of Obamacare replacement

Senate Republican leaders, under growing criticism for not having their own alternative to Obamacare, are actively exploring moving more quickly to replace key elements of the law earlier in the year. They are looking at folding some new health care provisions as part of the bill to repeal Obamacare, a proposal that Congress could enact as soon as this month, according to senior GOP aides and a top party leader.

No. 2 Senate Republican: Obamacare won’t be replaced all at once

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas said Thursday Republicans won’t offer a comprehensive bill to replace Obamacare, saying instead that the GOP will try to enact individual health care measures. So instead, top Republicans are looking at a mix of smaller bills that could attract bipartisan support in Congress and executive actions that could be pursued by President-elect Donald Trump and Rep. Tom Price if he’s confirmed as Health and Humans Services secretary.