Dick Durbin

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Senate Democrats Warm to Obama's Tax Deal

But Biden makes little progress in the House

(Newser) - Democrats are coming around on the tax cut deal President Obama struck with Republicans—at least in the Senate. Yesterday, the White House was showing off independent forecasts predicting that the concessions Obama won in the deal could create up to 2.2 million jobs, the Washington Post reports. “...

Deficit-Cutting Plan Fails to Advance

But it gets 11 votes, just 3 shy

(Newser) - An austere deficit-cutting plan by President Obama's budget commission has failed to win the supermajority required to force a quick vote in Congress. The plan won support from 11 of 18 commission members, however, more than expected just a few weeks ago. As a result, it could shape the coming...

Durbin, Schumer Jockeying for Reid's Majority Post

Senators quietly maneuvering to move in if leader goes down

(Newser) - Capitol Hill housemates Charles Schumer and Richard Durbin are likely to end up fighting over a lot more than the breakfast cereal if Harry Reid loses his re-election battle. The senators from New York and Illinois, Reid's top two deputies, are subtly building support for bids to become majority leader—...

Congress Arms Finance Reform With Big Guns

Unlike health care, bill is anything but watered down

(Newser) - After the pinball-esque drubbing health reform took before Congress spit it out, it's Wall Street's turn. But, reports Politico , the financial reform bill making its way through the Capitol is actually picking up fangs rather than being rendered toothless. Democrats know they have the wind at their backs, Republicans can't...

Democrats' ID Card Plan: Get Your Fingerprints

'Biometrics' a big part of immigration reform proposal

(Newser) - Now it's the Democrats' turn to be accused of trying to violate civil liberties in the name of immigration reform. A crucial part of their plan calls for what amounts to a high-tech national ID card. It would have a "biometrics" component—namely fingerprints—and every worker would need...

Schumer May Try to Rewrite Filibuster Rules

Hearings could be a sign he wants Harry Reid's job

(Newser) - Chuck Schumer plans to hold a series of Senate Rules Committee hearings to examine possible reforms to the filibuster rules so frustrating Democrats. Schumer, the committee’s chair, hatched the plan with senators Tom Udall and Carl Levin. In the first hearing, Senate historians will testify as to how the...

Bunning Hijacks Senate With Jobless Filibuster

'I'm trying to make a point to the people of the United States'

(Newser) - Jim Bunning held the Senate hostage last night, filibustering a move to extend federal unemployment benefits, which will otherwise expire on Sunday, for 30 days. The clash lasted until just before midnight, with Bunning complaining that Democrats had forced him to miss the Kentucky-South Carolina basketball game. But “I'll...

Reid Promises Vote on Jobs Bill Next Week

But so far, not one Republican senator is on board

(Newser) - Harry Reid plans to bring the first of several Democratic bills aimed at creating jobs to the Senate floor on Monday, with the goal of passing the measure by the end of next week. “For Senate Democrats, creating jobs is job number one,” the majority leader said. “...

Illinois Primary Could Muffle Tea Party Buzz

Moderate favored over 2 conservatives in today's Senate vote

(Newser) - If polls prove accurate, moderate Mark Kirk will emerge victorious from today’s Republican Senate primary in Illinois, beating out two more conservative candidates with tea party backing. His victory would put a dent in the tea party panic gripping the GOP, says Talking Points Memo . Republicans in states including...

Bernanke Nom Builds Steam


 Bernanke Nom 
 Builds Steam 
WH, DODD, GREGG 'VERY CONFIDENT'
Jan 24, 2010 9:05 AM CST

Bernanke Nom Builds Steam

Geithner, Dodd, Gregg all 'very confident' he'll win second term

(Newser) - Amid gathering clouds over his reconfirmation parade, Ben Bernanke's chances have appeared to turn around, with Tim Geithner joining key banking committee senators Chris Dodd and Judd Gregg in saying he is "very confident" the Fed chair would succeed. A White House aide further confirmed to Politico that President...

Illinois Prison Will Take Gitmo Inmates

 Illinois Prison Will 
 Take Gitmo Inmates 
UPDATED
Dec 15, 2009 6:43 AM CST

Illinois Prison Will Take Gitmo Inmates

Prison nearly empty, unemployment brutal in rural Thomson

(Newser) - A nearly vacant prison in a western Illinois town where unemployment is over 10% will be the new home of as many as 100 current Guantanamo Bay detainees. An announcement of the president's decision to acquire the 8-year-old jail is expected today, the Chicago Tribune reports. Gov. Pat Quinn and...

Harry Reid's No. 1 Priority Is Harry Reid
Harry Reid's No. 1 Priority
Is Harry Reid
dana Milbank
Dec 12, 2009 9:53 AM CST

Harry Reid's No. 1 Priority Is Harry Reid

A Senate majority leader needs to 'think bigger'

(Newser) - The Senate may be dealing with weighty issues like health care reform, but its majority leader's biggest concern is his own political skin, writes Dana Milbank. Harry Reid's selfish focus on re-election is getting in the way of his larger duties, and it's time Democrats woke up to this reality....

Ill. Dems Rally Around Plan to Take Gitmo Prisoners

Quinn, Durbin say detainees at empty prison would create 3,000 jobs

(Newser) - Illinois' governor and senior senator spent yesterday feverishly trying to regain momentum on their plan to use a nearly empty maximum-security prison 150 miles from Chicago to house Gitmo detainees. With federal officials visiting Thomson Correctional Center today, local GOP lawmakers had gone on the offense Saturday, calling it a...

Dems' Silent Fear: What if Reid Loses in 2010?
Dems' Silent Fear: 
What if Reid Loses in 2010?
ANALYSIS
Sep 30, 2009 6:24 AM CDT

Dems' Silent Fear: What if Reid Loses in 2010?

Party unity expected to take a hit if majority leader is voted out in 2010

(Newser) - Harry Reid hasn't kept a very high profile as Senate majority leader but the vital role he's been playing will become obvious if he is unseated in next year's elections, say Democratic insiders. Even the Nevada senator's critics admit that he's stopped liberal and moderate Democrats from feuding, and many...

McConnell: White House 'Demonizing' Health Critics

Angry protests 'clearly being orchestrated,' Durbin counters

(Newser) - The White House is “demonizing” the fiercely outspoken critics of its health care reform, Sen. Mitch McConnell told Fox News Sunday today. “To demonize citizens who are energetic about this strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position,” the Senate minority leader said, but...

Baseball Hall Pass Means Cushy Retirement

Players battle for spot with political-style campaigns

(Newser) - This weekend, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice are headed for baseball’s Hall of Fame—and a life without financial headaches, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retired players make money with autographs, speeches, and endorsements, and a place in Cooperstown means their values skyrocket. “‘HoF’ after a signature...

No Vote on Health Care Reform Before Fall: Reid

More time is needed to build support for bill, majority leader says

(Newser) - The Senate will not vote on the health-care bill before the August recess, Majority Leader Harry Reid said today, citing the need to build bipartisan support—or even unified Democratic support—for such comprehensive reform, the AP reports. “Working with Republicans, one of the things that they asked for...

Senate Dems Bring Down Concealed-Weapons Measure

Schumer leads effort to quash Thune amendment

(Newser) - Senate Democrats today narrowly defeated a measure that would have let concealed weapons be transported across state lines, the Hill reports. The amendment, which required 60 votes to pass according to a prior, bipartisan agreement, went down 58-39. Sen. Charles Schumer and majority whip Dick Durbin fought hard to drum...

Aug. Health Reform Looks Impossible

Divisions among lawmakers may make reaching goal impossible

(Newser) - President Obama has called for the passage of a health care bill by August—but that would require an unusually smooth few weeks on Capitol Hill, Politico reports. The Senate Finance Committee hasn’t released a version of the bill planned for early June; disagreements among Democrats in both chambers...

Durbin: Cheney 'Way Beyond' the Constitution
Durbin: Cheney 'Way Beyond' the Constitution
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP
Jul 12, 2009 10:46 AM CDT

Durbin: Cheney 'Way Beyond' the Constitution

Also, Palin resignation 'surprised' McCain; she 'did not call me'

(Newser) - The revelation that Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to withhold information from Congress “absolutely” warrants an investigation, Sen. Dick Durbin said today. “To give the president unbridled authority goes way beyond the United States Constitution,” Durbin told This Week. Over on Fox News Sunday, Sen. John Cornyn...

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