Without authorizing the use of force or additional spending, this legislation will begin to implement a more coherent U.S. strategy, both now and for the day after Assad, that is focused on trying to shift the momentum on the ground toward moderate opposition groups while also helping them build support within and outside Syria for a new government.Sen. Bob Menendez • Commenting on a bill he introduced in the Senate last week that would create a $250 million transitional fund for the Syrian rebels and post-Assad government that would inevitably follow a toppling of the existing Syrian regime. While the bill may have found new life in the Senate, thanks to changes which earned the support of Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, we suspect the Obama Administration will have a harder time selling support of the Syrian opposition to the American people if rebel forces fail to prevent future war crimes like the cannibalism story making the rounds today. source
Montana Sen. Max Baucus has confirmed that he will retire rather than seek re-election in the 2014 midterm elections in a new statement released on Tuesday. The Democrat currently serves as Senate Finance Committee Chairman, and his departure will undoubtedly add to the growing fear among Democrats that the party could lose its majority in the 100-member Senate in the very near future. (Photo via Ars Skeptica) source
Momentum grew for Senate passage of gun legislation when a bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday announced agreement on deals to expand background checks and tighten laws against gun trafficking.
The first breakthrough came in a deal on background checks announced by Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who agreed on an amendment that would exempt all “personal” transfers of weapons between individuals, but would close the infamous gun show loophole and also require background checks on Internet sales.
“All personal transfers are not touched whatsoever,” said Manchin. “We’ve done these two [gun shows and Internet sales], and we’ve done them and done them right.”
While the bill is likely to be passed by the Senate, it’s unclear if it has any chance of passage in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, with many GOP lawmakers remaining openly opposed to new gun control legislation. Still, the development is likely to be welcomed by many proponents of the bill, some of whom didn’t expect the agreement to survive a filibuster.
Johnson Confirms Retirement: According to The Hill, South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson will announce that he has no plans to seek reelection in 2014 on Tuesday, ending an 18-year career in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Johnson is the fifth Senate Democrat to announce retirement this year, leaving many to wonder if the Democratic Party will be able to maintain its majority after the midterm elections. (Photo via nnwo)
They think the whole world is a battlefield, including America, and that the laws of war should apply…that’s not my understanding of the way America works. I don’t think the laws of war apply to America, I think the Bill of Rights do and I think it’s a disservice to our soldiers that our senators up there arguing that the Bill of Rights aren’t important.Sen. Rand Paul • Responding to criticism leveled against him by fellow Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain on Thursday, less than a day after his impressive attempt to block the confirmation of John Brennan as head of the CIA. Both Graham and McCain attacked Paul on the floor of the Senate Thursday, saying the Kentucky Republican’s comments during his 13-hour filibuster were both untrue and disappointing. source
After weeks of delays, the U.S. Senate confirmed John Brennan as the next head of the Central Intelligence Agency on Thursday morning. Many lawmakers blocked Brennan’s nomination, as Republicans fought for access to classified documents related to the attack on U.S. diplomats in Libya last September, but Brennan was ultimately approved by a 63 - 34 vote. source
Only hours after a 12-day filibuster was broken, the U.S. Senate has confirmed Chuck Hagel as the nation’s next Secretary of Defense. The final vote was 57 - 41, with only four Republicans crossing party lines to vote for Hagel’s confirmation.
(Source: reuters.com)
The U.S. Senate is expected to confirm Hagel’s nomination at 4:30pm EST on Tuesday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized Senate Republicans for a 12-day filibuster which delayed the confirmation, saying it earned them “nothing” and sent “a terrible signal to our allies around the world.” source
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) could see a primary challenge from local businessman Matt Bevin, who sources say is reaching out to Tea Party groups in the state to gauge support for a 2014 Senate run.
Sarah Duran, president of the Louisville Tea Party, told The Hill that Bevin had been in touch with her over the phone to discuss his run multiple times over the past few weeks, and that he met with the group two weeks ago to discuss his interest in the race.
While exploring one’s options is far from being the same as declaring candidacy, the emergence of a strong Tea Party alternative like Matt Bevin could hurt McConnell in the long run, particularly if it forces the Senate stalwart to move any farther to the right on hot button issues. With many expecting actress Ashley Judd to challenge McConnell as well, the five-term Senator could have his work cut out for him during the 2014 midterm elections.
Barring an unexpected turn of legislative affairs, a ban on military-style semi-automatic assault weapons will not make it into law, top Hill aides and gun policy advocates say.
The ban will get a vote. But the purpose of that vote will be in part to facilitate its demise. The expectation is that there won’t be 60 members of the upper chamber to support the bill’s inclusion in the final legislative language.
The likelihood that an assault weapons ban ends up in the legislative scrapheap is hardly unexpected — the Wall Street Journal also reported on the issue on Monday morning. The ban is the most controversial of four major components of the gun control platform that the Obama administration introduced and that congressional Democrats have touted.
Long story short, Sen. Harry Reid is hoping that a Senate sub-committee strips out the assault weapons ban so that three more-popular gun control proposals might be passed by both chambers of Congress. Hit the jump for a detailed breakdown of the plan, and what it could mean for the gun control debate going forward.
Tagg Romney, son of former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, is considering a Senate run in Massachusetts’s upcoming special election, according to the Boston Herald.
The Herald reported Monday that Romney was considering a bid to replace John Kerry in the seat that opened up after Kerry became Secretary of State. The Herald would not identify the source of its information.
Something tells us that the guy who admitted to wanting to slug the President over an election debate probably isn’t going to have the most positive effect on Senate already rendered rather ineffective by partisanship and bickering. We’d like to say his election would at least be a step up from Geraldo Rivera, but even that seems questionable at best…
More on Barney Frank’s Senate push: Frank toyed with the idea the other day on television, but it looks like he’s putting in all of his chips. We can’t say we’re terribly surprised to see Barney Frank trying to jump back into politics so soon. Considering his three-decade run in the House, we’d be willing to bet more than a few Massachusetts residents would love to see Gov. Patrick select the former U.S. Representative as Sen. John Kerry’s replacement. That is, of course, assuming President Obama’s current nominee for Secretary of State is ever confirmed by Congress. source
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