Lisa Murkowski

Donald Trump’s six-month stall sparks a White House shake-up

Published on July 30, 2017 in 2017/Top Headlines by Associated Press

Six months into his presidency, Donald Trump is saddled with a stalled agenda, a West Wing that resembles a viper’s nest, a pile of investigations and a Republican Party that’s starting to break away. Trump on Friday indirectly acknowledged the troubled state of his unconventional White House when he abruptly replaced his chief of staff with hard-nosed retired Gen. John Kelly, until now the Homeland Security secretary. Kelly will take the desk of Reince Priebus, a Republican operative who was…

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Kathy Castor says now is the time for GOP and Democrats to come together and repair healthcare

Published on July 18, 2017 in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by Mitch Perry

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor is breathing a sigh of relief now that the GOP-Senate led repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act has blown up in spectacular fashion. On Monday night two Senate Republicans – Jerry Moran of Kansas and Mike Lee of Utah, came out in opposition to the bill, leaving Republican leaders at least two votes short of those needed to start debate on the measure. That prompted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to declare that he hoped…

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These senators will make or break the GOP’s health care push

Published on June 27, 2017 in 2017/Top Headlines by Associated Press

President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to repeal and replace “Obamacare” is now in the hands of a key group of GOP senators who are opposing —or not yet supporting — legislation Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing to bring to a vote this week. These lawmakers range from moderate to conservative Republicans, and include senators who were just re-elected and a couple facing tough re-election fights. Their concerns about the legislation vary along with their ideology, from those who…

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Marco Rubio to chair commission on China

Published on February 16, 2017 in 2017/Top Headlines by Staff Reports

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he has been appointed chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The commission was created in 2000 to monitor human rights and legal issues in China and submit an annual report to the president and Congress. Rubio previously served as chair of the 23-member body, which includes nine senators, nine representatives and five senior administration officials appointed by the president. “I am honored to continue leading the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and…

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Activists march at Marco Rubio’s Tampa office, calling to reject Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

Published on February 6, 2017 in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by Mitch Perry

Last month, Marco Rubio had harsh words for Rex Tillerson when he came before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Donald Trump‘s pick for Secretary of State. But the Florida senator ultimately went ahead and supported the former ExxonMobil CEO anyway. Now protesters are hoping Rubio won’t cave on Betsy DeVos. With the Tillerson turnaround fresh on their minds, more than two dozen activists gathered in front of Rubio’s Tampa district office Monday, urging him to reject DeVos as the next Secretary…

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Environment Florida wants Bill Nelson to reject Scott Pruitt as EPA head

Published on February 2, 2017 in 2017/Top Headlines by Mitch Perry

Scott Pruitt is one step closer to being the next leader of the Environmental Protection Agency. On Thursday, Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-0 to confirm Pruitt, who serves as Oklahoma Attorney General. Democrats on the committee boycotted the vote. Pruitt, a climate change skeptic, was one of 14 attorneys general suing the EPA over regulations to limit carbon emissions put in place by the Obama administration. The entire Senate will vote on his confirmation next week and the advocacy…

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GOP pushes 2 top Cabinet picks through to full Senate

Published on February 1, 2017 in 2017/Top Headlines by Associated Press

Republicans jammed two of President Donald Trump‘s top Cabinet picks through the Senate Finance Committee with no Democrats in the room Wednesday after suspending a rule that would have otherwise barred them from taking the vote. The tactic seemed a warning shot that they might deploy brute political muscle in the upcoming fight over the Supreme Court vacancy. With a near-toxic vapor of divisiveness between the two parties across Capitol Hill, nasty showdowns broke out elsewhere as well. One Senate…

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