Lindsey McPherson

‘Fascism’: Congress’ Democrats raise alarms about Trump’s crackdown on free speech

Congressional Democrats are sounding the alarm about the Trump administration's crackdown on free speech, accusing the president of trying to silence his critics and lead the country down a "road to autocracy."

September 18, 2025

House leaders temporarily double members’ monthly spending allotment for security

House leaders agreed to extend a pilot program for members to hire personal security guards for another two months and double the amount of money they can spend each month to $10,000.

September 18, 2025

Democrats dig in for shutdown fight over extending Obamacare subsidies

Twelve years ago, it was Republicans who shut down the government over Obamacare. Now, it's the Democrats' turn.

September 17, 2025

Republicans boost security funding for public officials in plan to keep government open

Republicans on Tuesday laid out their plan to keep the government open beyond Sept. 30 -- a mostly "clean," short-term extension of current spending levels and policies, with a few exceptions like additional funds to provide security for public officials.

September 16, 2025

House move to turn off lawmakers’ authority to overturn Trump tariffs causes brief GOP revolt

The House voted Tuesday to continue to suppress its own authority to repeal President Trump's tariff policies, leading to a mini-GOP revolt on the floor.

September 16, 2025

House Republicans float $30 million boost to lawmaker security in stopgap spending bill

A GOP stopgap spending bill to fund the government through mid-November will include a $30 million increase in funding for lawmaker security, House leaders announced Tuesday.

September 16, 2025

Trump urges GOP to ‘stick together’ on stopgap spending bill as dissent emerges

Congressional Republicans are planning to try to block Democrats with a stopgap spending bill, similar to their successful play in March, but are facing some resistance within their ranks.

September 15, 2025

Congress wants to spend more money on lawmaker security after Charlie Kirk’s assassination

Lawmakers may soon boost funding for their own security as concerns about political threats rise after the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk.

September 13, 2025

Senate Republicans go ‘nuclear’ on nominee rules after deal with Democrats falls apart

Senate Republicans, in a party-line vote late Thursday, changed the chamber's rules to speed up confirmation of President Trump's nominees, using the "nuclear option" after a glimmer of hope for bipartisan cooperation failed to materialize.

September 11, 2025

Senate Republicans reject Schumer’s ‘political stunt,’ kill move to release Epstein files

Senate Republicans late Wednesday killed an amendment filed by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer to the annual defense authorization bill to force the Justice Department to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case.

September 10, 2025

Senate GOP poised to change rules to force some Trump nominees through Democrats’ roadblocks

Senate Republicans on Thursday will give Democrats one final chance to quickly advance some of President Trump's nominees before they change the chamber's rules to remove the need for the minority party's cooperation.

September 10, 2025

Schumer to force vote on releasing Epstein files as part of defense bill debate

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Wednesday filed an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill to force the Justice Department to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case.

September 10, 2025

Schumer says extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies should be included in funding bill

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer wants an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire this year, added to a funding bill that Congress needs to pass by Sept. 30.

September 10, 2025

House Speaker Mike Johnson calls for ‘old-school’ House-Senate conference for spending negotiations

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday laid out his key demand for government funding negotiations: Spend less.

September 9, 2025

House speaker: D.C. crime emergency extension unneeded if locals cooperate with feds

Congress won't extend President Trump's expiring D.C. crime emergency declaration that has given the federal government power to take over certain law enforcement functions in Washington, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday.

September 9, 2025

Senate Republicans begin to change rules to clear backlog of Trump nominees

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday he planned to begin "necessary procedural steps to amend the rules" so that Republicans could more quickly confirm President Trump's nominees whom Democrats are universally filibustering.

September 8, 2025

September special elections can help secure enough House votes for releasing Epstein files

A discharge petition to force a House vote directing the Justice Department to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case is poised to earn enough signatures if two Democrats win special elections to Congress this month.

September 8, 2025

Lawmakers push to fulfill Trump’s request for War Department name

Sens. Rick Scott and Mike Lee and Rep. Greg Steube introduced legislation Friday to restore the Department of Defense's original name, the Department of War, as President Trump prepares to sign an executive order calling for the change.

September 5, 2025

Freedom Caucus hatches plan to stave off Democrats’ spending increases through 2026 elections

The House Freedom Caucus is putting the "finishing touches" on a proposal to freeze government funding levels for another year -- and potentially through the 2026 midterm elections, the group's chairman said Thursday.

September 4, 2025

Republicans eye Senate rule change to speed up confirmation of Trump’s nominees

Republicans plan to hold a vote to change Senate rules for processing lower-level nominations in an effort to expedite the confirmation of President Trump's nominees, whom Democrats are filibustering.

September 3, 2025