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Bob Agnew
Reporting from Capitol Hill, Bob Agnew has updates on what’s going on in the Senate.
GOP Hopefuls Gather In South Carolina
Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Republicans who are seeking to lead their party in the 2024 presidential race are gathering in South Carolina this weekend. And they’re promoting a goal that’s at the forefront of their agenda — namely, taking on “woke ideology.” The Vision ’24 event in North Charleston is being held by the group Palmetto Family, which lobbies for what it considers to be “biblical values.” Organizers are describing the gathering as “casting the conservative vision” for the next White House race. More than 400 attendees are expected to hear from presidential hopefuls, including a former South Carolina governor who was Donald Trump’s U.N. ambassador, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Listen DownloadFetterman On A “Path To Recovery”, Aides Say
Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Aides say senator John Fetterman [D-PA] is doing well as he recovers from a bout of clinical depression. An aid says Fetterman is doing well and describes him as being “on a path to recovery.” The freshman senator checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical center earlier this month.
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AG Garland Set To Testify Before Senate Panel
Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 4:36 pm
Attorney General Merrick Garland this week makes his first appearance before a panel of the new Congress. Garland is scheduled to testify this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He’ll handle questions about the Justice Departments investigations into current and former presidents, at a hearing entitled : “Oversight of the Department of Justice”.
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Oklahoma Sen. Lankford Reads George Washington’s Farewell Address
Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 4:14 pm
Senator James Lankford has continued the tradition of reading President’s George Washington’s farewell address on the Senate floor to mark the first president’s birthday. Since 1893 the Senate has observed Washington’s birthday by selecting one of its members to read the Farewell Address. Washington’s actual birthday-February 22nd-was last week when members of the Senate were out of town on recess.
Listen DownloadSen. Paul Calls On White House To Declassify Documents On Covid Origins
Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 3:32 pm
Senator Rand Paul and others calling for the declassification of documents showing the Energy Department believes the Covid virus originated in a research lab in Wuhan, China. In a tweet Paul—who is the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee-said documents that were leaked and reported by the Wall Street Journal should be declassified by the White House. The U.S. intelligence community remains at odds over the origins of Covid. Some still believe the virus jumped from an animal to a human host outside a laboratory.
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Senator Grassley Calls On Fired AOC To Repay Taxpayers
Fri, Feb 24, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Senator Charles Grassley [R-IA] is pressuring the recently fired Architect of the Capitol to pay pack the $14,000 he allegedly cost taxpayers by misusing government vehicles for personal use. Blanton was fired by President Biden this month after an inspector general report accused him of using official vehicles for personal use. Blanton was also accused of trying to pass himself off as law enforcement. Grassley —one of the Senate’s leading watchdogs for waste, fraud and abuse — writes that Blanton’s behavior is an example of what a government official should never do.
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Ukraine War Convinces NATO Allies To Increase Security
Fri, Feb 24, 2023 at 12:30 pm
The war in Ukraine has awakened several European countries to the need for bigger armies. Retired U.S. Navy admiral James Stavridis says Poland is leading the way, devoting 4% of it’s GDP to forming the biggest army in Western Europe. Finland and Sweden will be joining NATO, presenting Vladimir Putin with a new 800-mile frontier
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More Fed Rate Hikes Seen As Response To Consumer Prices
Fri, Feb 24, 2023 at 11:49 am
The Fed appears likely to keep raising interest rates after the latest report on Consumer Prices shows inflation is still a problem. The Commerce Department says consumer prices rose 0.6% from December to January, up sharply from November-to-December’s 2% increase . Since March of last year, the Fed has attacked inflation by raising its key interest rate eight times.
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WV Sen. Manchin Keeping Options Open For 2024
Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 3:22 pm
Senator Joe Manchin [D-WV] has both parties guessing as the popular red-state Democrat says he’s keeping his options open for 2024. Manchin refused to rule out a bid for the White House saying only that “right now” he’s not running for his party’s nomination. Any departure by Manchin from the Senate would be cheered by Republicans.
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PA Gov. dismisses Calls To Replace Fetterman, Despite Depression Treatment
Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 2:44 pm
Governor Josh Shapiro told reporters he’s heard no calls to replace Fetterman and would reject them if he did. Fetterman’s fitness to serve is being questioned by some after he checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week for treatment of depression.
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WI Senator Baldwin Calls FDA Guidance On Milk Alternatives “Misguided”
Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 2:17 pm
Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin [D-Wisc.] is pushing back against the FDA’s decision to allow plant-based products to be labeled as “milk”. Baldwin calls the FDA ruling misguided and to clarify the point tweeted the Oxford English Dictionary definition of milk that states it comes from “female mammals”.
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First-Term Senator Says DC Is Out Of Touch With Average Americans
Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Freshman senator Eric Schmitt [R-MO] says much of Washington DC is out of touch with average Americans.
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Former Sen. Talent Warns U.S. Trailing China In Naval Power, Capacity
Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 11:23 am
Former U.S. senator Jim Talent is warning the U.S. is falling far behind China when it comes to naval superiority. Talent says China now has the best shipbuilding capacity in the world, follow by South Korea.
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Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy Enters GOP Presidential Race
Wed, Feb 22, 2023 at 11:30 am
Vivek Ramaswamy has announced he’s seeking the Republican nomination for 2024, vowing to restore fundamental American values if elected. The second-generation American holds in high esteem ideas like merit based achievement, saying excellence and exceptionalism lies at the heart of the American identity. He’s been described as the nation’s leading crusader against the imposition of ESG-Environmental,Social and Governance-standards in U.S. corporations to the harm of investors.
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Montana Democrat Senator Jon Tester Announces 2024 Re-election Bid
Wed, Feb 22, 2023 at 9:55 am
Montana senator Jon Tester [D-MT] says he’s running for re-election in 2024. Tester has enjoyed broad support in his pro-Trump state, but remains a key target for Republicans hoping to flip his seat in 2024.
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Sanders Says “Medicare For All” Is DOA In Divided Congress
Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 3:06 pm
Senator Bernie Sanders [I-Vt.] says his plan for universal healthcare has no chance of becoming reality over the next two years. When it comes to his “Medicare For All’ bill Sanders told NPR it “ain’t going to happen” over the next two years due to a divided congress. Senator Sanders is chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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Senate GOP Leader McConnell Pays Visit To United Arab Emirates
Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel [R-KY] has paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates. In the wake of the Munich security Conference the Senate’s top Republican made energy his focus. His meeting with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed comes amid growing anxiety about the global oil supply. In October OPEC decided to cut production by TWO million barrels a day, despite high demand.
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee To Run For Feinstein’s Senate Seat
Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 2:01 pm
California congresswoman Barbara Lee [D-Cal] says she’s running for the senate seat of retiring Diane Feinstein [D-Cal] in 2024. Lee describes herself as a “strong, progressive leader who has accomplished real things and delivered real change.” She joins a growing list of Democrat hopefuls who’ve lined up since Feinstein announced she won’t seek another term.
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Senate Environment Committee To Hold Hearings On Ohio Train Disaster
Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 5:24 pm
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee says it will hold hearings soon, but gave no date. Committee chairman Democrat Tom Carper [D-DEL] and Republican ranking member Shelley Moore Capito [R-W.VA.] say the hearings will focus on the local, state, and federal response in the immediate aftermath of the February 3rd accident. Scientists from the CDC plan to visit the site on Saturday.
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Majority Leader Schumer Meets With Indian Prime Minister
Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 4:48 pm
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer [D-NY] is in India stressing the importance of relations between the world’s two largest Democracies. Schumer met with Indian prime minister Narenda Modi on Monday, calling India “one of the leading powers of the world”, adding that a strong U.S.-India relationship is a must for democracy, technology advancement, and a strong global economy. He also a close relationship would amount to what he calls “a crucial counterweight to outcompete China” and respond to it’s authoritarianism.
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GOP Mixed On DeSantis Run In 2024
Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Some Republicans are putting pressure on Florida governor Ron DeSantis to throw his hat into the ring for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Many GOP insiders are pushing DeSantis as the party’s best alternative to former president Trump in 2024. Some of the pressure is coming from Senate lawmakers like Cynthia Lummis [R-WY] of Wyoming who calls DeSantis the “leader of the Republican Party and “He would add an enormously important voice to the race.”Others fear the anti-Trump faction’s singular focus on DeSantis may be misguided. One GOP senator who remained anatomous says momentum for the Florida governor hit its peak after his successful re-election in November, but may be fading over time.
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GOP Senator Lindsey Graham Praises Biden Trip To Kiev
Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Graham calls the president’s trip to Kiev“the right signal to send at the right time.” He calls Biden’s trip along with comments by Vice President Harris over the weekend—accusing Russia of committing crimes against humanity—a “powerful combination”. Unlike some in his party blasting the president’s international focus, Graham is calling for an even greater U.S. response in Ukraine. That includes designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and providing advanced fighter jets and training for Ukrainian pilots.
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Wyoming Rep. Hageman Endorses Trump 2024 Bid
Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 4:36 pm
The woman elected to replace Liz Cheney in Wyoming’s only congressional seat has endorsed the presidential campaign of former president Donald Trump. Hageman says “President Trump stood with me for my election in 2022, and I am proud to stand with him in 2024.”
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House Judiciary Issues Subpoenas To Big Tech CEO’s
Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 3:58 pm
House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan’s office says he’s been asking the heads of Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon and others for cooperation but “Unfortunately, the companies have not adequately complied with our requests.” All now have until March 23rd to hand over the documents in question.
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