The White House and Senate leaders of both parties announced agreement early Wednesday on an unprecedented $2 trillion emergency bill to rush sweeping aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. The urgently needed pandemic response measure is the largest economic rescue measure in history and is intended as…Read More
One U.S. senator is looking to bring up a vote on protecting churches from attempts to police their beliefs, after a presidential candidate said churches should lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has introduced a resolution in the Senate expressing support for freedom of conscience (S.J.Res. 58). He…Read More
Senators have introduced legislation to stop federally-funded research at the National Institutes of Health using embryonic stem cells, and instead promote stem cell research not involving the destruction or damage of human embryos. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the sponsor of the legislation, said that the bill, the Patients First Act, “would encourage the use of…Read More
The Senate yesterday passed a resolution saying it would be “unconstitutional” to consider membership in the Knights of Columbus a disqualifying criteria for public office. The resolution passed by unanimous consent, meaning it went unopposed by senators of either party. The Jan. 16 resolution was drafted and introduced by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) in response…Read More
In hunting, a “stalking horse” is a screen in the shape of a horse or some other animal that someone hides behind to disguise themselves from their prey. It’s a similar concept in politics, when you go after one target but your real intent is to strike another. We got a perfect illustration recently when…Read More
A judicial nominee faced questions from Senators this month about whether membership in the Knights of Columbus might impede his ability to judge federal cases fairly. The Knights of Columbus say that no candidate for public office should have to defend his membership in a Catholic service organization. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Kamala Harris…Read More
The Senate passed a huge criminal law reform bill on Tuesday night, seizing on bipartisan support for the broadest set of changes to federal crime statutes in a generation. A rare coalition of conservatives, liberals, activists, prosecutors and defense attorneys — spanning the political spectrum — pushed senators to pass the “First Step Act” by…Read More
U.S. Senator James Lankford delivered a floor speech on Thursday saying that the problems at the U.S. southern border are being exacerbated by a lack of progress on immigration policy. Lankford has been working on immigration policy issues, but no action has been taken by the Senate to move it forward.