Lindsey McPherson

Senate advances repeal of methane fees, sending first Biden rollback to Trump’s desk

The Senate cleared legislation Thursday that would repeal a Biden administration regulation charging oil and gas producers a fee on methane emission leaks for President Trump's signature.

February 27, 2025

Speaker Johnson: Another stopgap funding bill ‘becoming inevitable’ given ‘unreasonable’ Democrats

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Republican-led Congress is unlikely to pass new spending bills for the current fiscal year because of "unreasonable" demands that Democrats have made in ongoing government funding negotiations.

February 26, 2025

House Republicans begin effort to dismantle Biden era energy regulations

The House GOP on Wednesday took the first step in its plan to dismantle a plethora of energy policies from the Biden administration, part of a broader push by congressional Republicans to roll back swathes of energy-related regulations.

February 26, 2025

Senate Republicans push for permanent tax cuts as they eye changes to House budget

Senate Republicans are planning changes to the House budget plan that was meticulously negotiated to earn the support of nearly every GOP lawmaker in the lower chamber, with a key focus on ensuring a permanent extension of President Trump's first-term tax cuts.

February 26, 2025

Trump calls on Congress to make tax cuts permanent

President Trump on Wednesday urged Congress to make the tax cuts enacted during his first term permanent as lawmakers debate a budget plan.

February 26, 2025

Johnson weathers opposition, House GOP adopts budget blueprint for Trump’s agenda

House Republicans adopted their budget blueprint on Tuesday despite public opposition among their ranks.

February 25, 2025

Senate starts effort to roll back Biden regulations, votes to repeal rule on oil and gas exploration

The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to repeal a rule that adds costs to oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf -- the first of many votes Republicans are planning to roll back Biden administration regulations.

February 25, 2025

Government funding talks at impasse over whether to restrict Trump and DOGE

A feud over whether to constrain President Trump's authority to ignore or shift funding that Congress approves is hamstringing bipartisan government funding negotiations, with the March 14 deadline to avert a shutdown fast approaching.

February 25, 2025

Speaker Johnson aims for Tuesday budget vote amid GOP holdouts

House Speaker Mike Johnson is hoping to proceed with a scheduled Tuesday evening vote on a GOP budget resolution needed to begin moving President Trump's agenda through Congress, despite at least five Republicans opposed to the plan.

February 25, 2025

Speaker Johnson acknowledges GOP opposition to House budget but confident ‘they’ll get there’

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he has not yet locked down enough Republican support to advance his chamber's budget resolution this week but is confident the holdouts will ultimately cooperate.

February 24, 2025

Senate adopts budget resolution paving the way for border, defense funding bill

The Senate adopted a budget resolution that outlines parameters to fund border security, immigration enforcement and defense needs, offering an alternative strategy to enacting President Trump's agenda than one that he and House Republicans are pushing.

February 21, 2025

Trump thanks Senate GOP for border funding plan

President Trump on Thursday thanked Senate Republicans for their efforts to fund his border agenda, tacitly greenlighting their decision to advance a budget blueprint that is in competition with a House plan he endorsed a day earlier.

February 20, 2025

House GOP details plans to repeal Biden regulations under Congressional Review Act

House Republicans are targeting eight of the Biden administration's energy-related rules and two of its online financial transaction regulations for repeal under the Congressional Review Act.

February 20, 2025

Blackburn, Ossoff push to record child interviews to help identify trafficking victims

Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Jon Ossoff are teaming up on a bipartisan bill to help identify child trafficking and abuse victims by encouraging states to record Child Protective Services interviews that can provide clues to law enforcement investigators.

February 20, 2025

McConnell won’t seek reelection, plans to retire after finishing term

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate GOP leader, announced Thursday that he won't seek reelection in 2026 and will retire after finishing his term.

February 20, 2025

Senate plows ahead with its budget even though Trump wants the House version

Senate Republicans are moving forward with a vote this week on their budget plan despite President Trump asking both chambers to approve the House budget that accommodates the "FULL America First Agenda."

February 19, 2025

Republicans confront difficult Medicaid choices in search of savings to help pay for tax cuts

Congressional Republicans are targeting Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income Americans, for hundreds of billions of dollars in savings to help pay for sweeping tax cuts, but the extent of reform is creating intraparty divisions.

February 15, 2025

Mitch McConnell goes maverick, bucks Senate GOP and Trump with votes against Cabinet nominees

Sen. Mitch McConnell's days of fierce party loyalty are gone as the former top Republican, free of his longtime leadership duties, forges a new reputation as a rebel in the Senate.

February 13, 2025

Rep. Luttrell proposes legislation to evaluate terrorist threats from post-Assad Syrian regime

A Texas Republican lawmaker is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate potential terrorist threats to the United States from Syria given the evolving political dynamics in the country after the fall of the regime of longtime leader Bashar Assad in late 2024.

February 13, 2025

Trump’s agenda finally moving in Congress, but House and Senate not on the same page

House Republicans unveiled a long-awaited budget blueprint on Wednesday to tee up President Trump's entire legislative agenda, while a Senate GOP committee advanced an alternative plan that begins with a smaller bite at the apple.

February 12, 2025