Page 6 - Us Senate

US Senate confirms Lee Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency

The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a key role to help President Donald Trump fulfil his pledge to roll back major environmental regulations, including those aimed at slowing climate change and encouraging use of electric vehicles. The vote was 56-42 in Zeldin's favour. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, is a longtime Trump ally and served on Trump's defense team during his first impeachment. He voted against certifying Trump's 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden. Zeldin, 44, said during his confirmation hearing that he has a moral responsibility to be a good steward of the environment and pledged to support career staff who have dedicated themselves to the agency's mission to protect human health and the environment. Zeldin repeatedly declined to commit to specific policies, however, promising instead not to prejudge outcomes before arriving at EPA. When asked by Republican Sen.

Trump's second week tests his hold over Congress for agenda, cabinet picks

Facing him this week are talks to shape his tax and immigration bills and getting more cabinet nominees confirmed in the Senate

Trump's Cabinet picks: Where do they stand in confirmation process

It's been slow going in the procedure-heavy Senate since Monday's inauguration, with only two of Trump's top picks- Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe- confirmed

Senate passes immigrant detention bill, likely to be Trump's 1st signed law

Fresh off President Donald Trump's inauguration, the Senate on Monday passed a bill that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes, the first measure he likely will sign into law and giving more weight to his plans to deport millions of migrants. Trump has made a broad crackdown on illegal immigration his top priority, and Congress, with Republicans in control and some Democrats willing to go along, is showing it is ready to follow suit. Passage of the Laken Riley Act named after a Georgia nursing student whose murder by a Venezuelan man last year became a rallying cry for Trump's White House campaign was a sign of how Congress has shifted sharply right on border security and immigration. We don't want criminals coming into our country, Trump told supporters at the Capitol, adding he looked forward to holding a bill signing within a week or so. Trump is already ending many of former President Joe Biden's border and immigration progra

Trump meets with GOP senators as supporters cheer his Oval Office return

President-elect Donald Trump consulted privately with Republican senators Sunday before heading off to a series of events designed to celebrate his return to power and the Make America Great Again movement despite deep national political divisions on the eve of his inauguration. The private meeting featured a breakfast at Blair House, the president's official guest residence, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, and gave top GOP leaders a chance to lay last-minute plans barely 24 hours before Trump moves back into the White House. Meanwhile, Trump supporters, many arriving from around the country and decked out in their fanciest clothes, including fur coats, filled parties both formal and informal at hotels and restaurants close to the White House. As they moved between the festivities, some could be heard chanting MAGA or simply stating it as a greeting to fellow revelers. Sunday is Trump's first full day back in Washington since his election victory and gives him a

TikTok's fight against shut down gains support from key US lawmakers

Trump's incoming national security adviser said the new Republican administration will keep the social media app used by 170 million Americans alive in the US if there is a viable deal

Trump's pick to oversee US public lands and waters faces Senate hearing

Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is due before a Senate committee Thursday as lawmakers consider the Republican's nomination to be chief steward of US public lands and waters. President-elect Donald Trump in November tapped Burgum to be interior secretary and to lead the new National Energy Council, which is charged with promoting oil, gas and other energy development. The Interior Department oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore. Combined those areas produce about one-quarter of US oil, or more than 1 billion barrels of crude annually, making them a flashpoint in the debate over how to address climate change. President Joe Biden's administration scaled back new oil and gas sales from public reserves as part of its efforts to curb climate change. Nevertheless, oil production hit record levels under the Democrat as high prices spurred drilling on lands that were previously leased. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew

US Senate panel to hold hearings on Donald Trump energy picks next week

The committee will hold a hearing to consider Doug Burgum, Trump's nominee to be secretary of the interior, on Tuesday, Jan. 14

Trump's intel pick Tulsi Gabbard faces a tricky climb for Senate backing

Gabbard's priorities as director of national intelligence, she has told senators, would include China's cyber threat and fentanyl trafficking at the border

Senate approves 235th judge of Biden's term, beating Trump's tally

President Joe Biden secured the 235th judicial confirmation of his presidency Friday, an accomplishment that exceeds his predecessor's total by one after Democrats put extra emphasis on the federal courts following Donald Trump's far-reaching first term, when he filled three seats on the Supreme Court. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, teed up votes Friday on two California district judges, and they were the last judicial confirmations this year before Congress adjourns and makes way for a new, Republican-led Senate. The confirmation of Serena Raquel Murillo to be a district judge for the Central District of California broke Trump's mark. The tally also marks the largest number of confirmations in a single term since the Jimmy Carter administration. Come next year, Republicans will look to boost Trump's already considerable influence on the makeup of the federal judiciary in his second term. Biden and Senate Democrats placed particular focus on adding women, minorities and

US Congress approves funding bill hours before govt shutdown deadline

Hours to go before a midnight government shutdown, the House approved a new plan late Friday from Speaker Mike Johnson that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but drops President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year. Johnson insisted Congress would "meet our obligations" and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day's outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal -- if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures "start now". The bill was approved 366-34, and now goes to the Senate, for expected quick passage. "We are excited about this outcome," Johnson said afterward, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect "was certainly happy about this outcome, as well". It was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to achieve one of the basic requirements of the .

Donald Trump, Elon Musk threaten govt shutdown; here's what that costs

Trump also rejected the interim spending package House Speaker Mike Johnson negotiated to keep the government operating beyond a Friday lapse

US Senate passes bill to raise troop pay, aims to counter China's power

The Senate passed a defence bill on Wednesday that authorises significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to USD 895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children of military members. The annual defence authorisation bill usually gains strong bipartisan support and has not failed to pass Congress in nearly six decades, but the Pentagon policy measure in recent years has become a battleground for cultural issues. Republicans this year sought to tack on to the legislation priorities for social conservatives, contributing to a months-long negotiation over the bill and a falloff in support from Democrats. Still, the bill passed comfortably 85-14, sending it to President Joe Biden. Eleven senators who caucus with Democrats, as well as three Republicans, voted against the legislation. The bill "isn't perfect, but it still includes some very good things that ...

Time has come for US Congress to act on Bangladesh: Congressman Thanedar

Raising the issue of attacks over minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar has said that the time has come for the US Congress to act. "The crowds of the majority have destroyed Hindu temples, Hindu deities and Hindus who are practising their religion in peace," Thanedar said on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday. "The time has now come for the United States Congress to act and the US government to act ... every possible tool in our hands needs to be used to ensure that such atrocities in Bangladesh against Hindus stop right away," he said. Thanedar has consistently raised the issue of alleged violence against Hindus in Bangladesh since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. "Since 1971, when Bangladesh got its freedom from Pakistan, there have been numerous occasions where minority Hindus have been attacked. More recently, we have seen a Hindu priest being arrested and his lawyer was murdered," he alleged. On Thursday, the

US House passes massive defense policy bill, despite transgender provision

The tally was 281-140 in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, sending it for consideration by the Democratic-led US Senate

Trump nominates Harmeet Dhillon as civil rights' Assistant Attorney General

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday nominated Indian-American Harmeet K Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice. I am pleased to nominate Harmeet K. Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the US Department of Justice, Trump announced on Truth Social, a social media platform owned by him. Throughout her career, Harmeet has stood up consistently to protect our cherished civil liberties, including taking on big tech for censoring our free speech, representing Christians who were prevented from praying together during COVID, and suing corporations who use woke policies to discriminate against their workers, he said. Harmeet is one of the top election lawyers in the country, fighting to ensure that all, and ONLY, legal votes are counted. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia Law School, and clerked in the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Trump said. Harmeet is a respected member of th

Kash Patel meets US Senators as his nomination for FBI head gains momentum

The Nomination of Indian-American Kash Patel as FBI Director gains momentum as he meets several influential Senators at Capitol Hill, many of whom openly came out in his support. If confirmed by the US Senate, Patel would be the first-ever Indian-American to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the powerful investigating agency of the United States. Today I reminded Kash that transparency brings accountability, and it's badly needed at the FBI. As a former congressional investigator, Kash understands that cooperation with Congress is not optional and whistle-blower protection is essential, a statement from Senator Chuck Grassley, the incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said after meeting Patel. Once formally nominated, I'd look forward to holding a hearing on Kash's nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee, he said following the meeting. I just wrapped a wonderful meeting with Chairman Chuck Grassley. I share his love for government transparency and

Donald Trump, Republican senators plan potential agenda for first 30 days

President-elect Donald Trump dialed in to what was described as a love fest Tuesday with Senate Republicans as they begin laying the groundwork for control of government in the new year, and a potential first-30-days agenda. Trump's brief call was more celebratory than a prescriptive policy agenda, according to those attending the private GOP retreat, encouraging the senators to confirm his Cabinet nominees as they launch an agenda of tax cuts, deportations and other priorities. "It was a love fest," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. There was a real sense of unity in the room. The virtual visit comes as Congress is finishing up the final weeks of what, by most measures, has been among the more chaotic sessions in modern times. With the full sweep of party control, Republicans are eager to do better next year with Trump's return to the White House. Republicans want to notch an early accomplishment in the first 30 days after Trump's inauguration Jan. 20. Incoming Senate Republican lead

Trump 2.0 Cabinet combines diverse figures with conflicting views and roles

Donald Trump's personnel choices for his new Cabinet and White House reflect his signature positions on immigration and trade but also a range of viewpoints and backgrounds that raise questions about what ideological anchors might guide his Oval Office encore. With a rapid assembly of his second administration faster than his effort eight years ago the former and incoming president has combined television personalities, former Democrats, a wrestling executive and traditional elected Republicans into a mix that makes clear his intentions to impose tariffs on imported goods and crack down on illegal immigration but leaves open a range of possibilities on other policy pursuits. The president has his two big priorities and doesn't feel as strongly about anything else so it's going to be a real jump ball and zigzag, predicted Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence during Trump's 2017-21 term. In the first administration, he surrounded himself with more conservative ...

Donald Trump's Treasury pick fuels global relief rally against dollar

US Treasuries climbed across the curve in early trading with the yield on benchmark 10-year notes falling five basis points to 4.35 per cent, the lowest in a week