Donald Trump sits atop Republicans in Washington, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Senate will rubber-stamp everyone he picks for his Cabinet. While he can expect the Republican Senate to confirm the vast majority of his choices, the party’s narrow 52-48 edge and early infighting could slow or doom controversial ones. Sen. Rand Paul of […]
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Sens. Susan Collins, Angus King could gain power after election
A Politico story has us contemplating Maine having the two most powerful U.S. senators in the country. The story is built around the premise that the Senate, which is currently Republican-controlled, could end up in a 50-50 split between the major parties. “That could be a nightmare in the making for whoever wins the White […]
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Susan Collins, Angus King make list of most popular U.S. senators
A national survey ranks U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King as two of the nation’s most popular senators. Collins, a Republican, came in second to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — an independent from Vermont and candidate for the Democratic nominee for president — in Morning Consult’s ranking of the most and least popular U.S. […]
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Analysis: Susan Collins could face tough choice in Supreme Court battle
President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said he’ll nominate a successor to the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, but Republican leaders and presidential candidates have said the replacement should be picked by the next president. The nominee must win confirmation from the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. So, Obama has some options: He could […]
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Sen. Angus King heads to Iceland for Arctic Circle meeting
LEWISTON — U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, will head to Iceland later this week to participate in the 2015 Arctic Circle Assembly, King’s office announced Monday. The Assembly, which runs through next weekend, brings together hundreds of organizations from across the globe and is designed to increase participation in a dialogue about and strengthen the […]
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No shutdown: U.S. Senate, House pass temporary spending bills
WASHINGTON — Just hours before a midnight deadline, a bitterly divided Congress approved a stopgap spending bill Wednesday to keep the federal government open — but with no assurance there won’t be yet another shutdown showdown in December. Democrats helped beleaguered House Republican leaders pass the measure by 277-151 — a lopsided vote shrouding deep […]
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Senate advances bill to fund federal government until Dec. 11
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Monday delivered a strong vote of confidence to a bipartisan spending bill that’s needed to head off a government shutdown at midnight Wednesday. The 77-19 vote powers the measure past a filibuster by some of the chamber’s most ardent conservatives, who were angered that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stripped […]
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Sen. Susan Collins votes against GOP ban on late-term abortions
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats blocked Republican legislation Tuesday that would prohibit most late-term abortions, the second time since this summer’s release of videos involving Planned Parenthood that they’ve derailed an abortion-related drive by the GOP. Senators voted 54-42 to move ahead on the legislation, but that fell six short of the 60 votes needed to […]
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Sen. Susan Collins casts her 6,000th vote
UPDATED 12:45 P.M.: AUGUSTA — Sen. Susan Collins has become just the third U.S. senator ever to cast 6,000 consecutive votes. The Maine Republican hasn’t missed a roll call vote since taking office in 1997, and she reached the 6,000-vote milestone Thursday on two votes related to the Iran nuclear deal. She voted Yea on […]
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Video: Senate clears way for Obama’s trade agenda
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s trade agenda cleared a key Senate hurdle and advanced toward passage on Thursday despite the strong opposition of most Democrats. The 62-38 vote capped a long, tense roll call on a measure that will allow Obama to negotiate trade deals that Congress can only accept or reject, but not change. […]