Audio
Bob Agnew
Reporting from Capitol Hill, Bob Agnew has updates on what’s going on in the Senate.
Senate Set To Hold Confirmation Vote For Hegseth
Fri, Jan 24, 2025 at 2:45 pm
The Senate is expected to confirm Pete Hegseth today (Friday) as Defense Secretary. If Hegseth is confirmed as expected today, it won’t be by much. He narrowly survived a final procedural vote on Thursday despite th GOP’s 53-47 majority. The 51-49 cloture vote came as two Republicans—Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—sided with Democrats. Hegseth retired from the Army with a rank of major after deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Senate Set To Hold Confirmation Hearings For Patel Next Week
Fri, Jan 24, 2025 at 12:43 pm
The Senate will begin hearings next week on Kash Patel’s nomination for FBI Director. Patel held several national security roles during the first Trump administration. A vocal critic of what he sees as the weaponization of the Justice department under President Biden. Patel has also said he would shut down the FBI Hoover buiding on Day One,and -quote-“reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state. Patel is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Listen
Download
Hegseth Passes Cloture, Confirmation Vote Expected Friday
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth has passed the final procedural hurdle on his way to an expected final confirmation vote on Friday. A simple 51-49 majority vote was all it took to get Hegseth past cloture and on his way to confirmation by the GOP controlled Senate. A vote is expected late Friday or on Saturday. Allegations of past marital infidelity and alcohol problems were enough to switch moderate Republicans Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins to the “no” column. Supporters say Hegseth-a decorated war veteran-will help President Trump return the military’s focus to keeping American safe, and away from “woke “ ideology.
Listen
Download
Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe As CIA Director
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 3:36 pm
By a vote of 74 to 25 the Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe as Director of the CIA. Ratcliffe previously served as director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021. He previously served as the U.S. representative for Texas’s 4th district from 2015 to 2020. During his time in Congress, Ratcliffe was regarded as one of the most conservative members. He was oppose by many democrats for his involvement with the Heritage Foundation and contributions to it’s Project 2025 agenda.
Listen
Download
Republicans Vow To Preserve Filibuster. Blast Democrats‘ Hypocrisy
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Republicans are blasting Democrats for making full use of the filibuster even after trying to eliminate the 60-vote threshold when they were in the majority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune [R-SD] says even though they have the power to end the filibuster now, Republicans won’t do so, but rather allow Democrats to exercise the minority power intended by the founders
Listen
Download
Sen. Committee Approves Trump VA Secretary Nominee Doug Collins
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 11:57 am
President Trump’s selection to head the department of Veterans Affairs has passed out of committee on an 18-1 vote. The nearly unanimous bi-partisan result means former Georgia GOP Rep. Doug Collins’s would appear to be headed for easy confirmation in the full Senate. Collins is a Navy veteran, and Air Force Reserve chaplain, and former pastor. The lone opposition vote came from Hawaii Democrat Mazie Hirono [D-Hawaii] concerned Collins may overturn a Biden policy that allows military hospitals to perform abortions even in states where the procedure is not allowed.
Listen
Download
Thune Files For Cloture On Duffy Nomination, Urges Swift Confirmation
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 11:28 am
Senate Republicans are urging Democrats to allow a swift confirmation vote for former congressman Sean Duffy [R-Wisc] as Transportation Secretary. Majority leader John Thune [R-SD] notes that Duffy’s nomination passed out of committee Wednesday on a 28-0 vote
Democrats have the right to demand hours of debate on Duffy, over several days, but Thune says the outcome for him, and other Trump nominees will be the same, confirmation.
Listen
Download
Thursday Vote Will Send Hegseth Toward Final Confirmation
Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 5:10 am
The House has given final congressional approval to the Laken Riley Act. The House passed an amended version of the bill that made its way through the Senate earlier this week. The 263-156 vote tees up a major immigration victory for President Trump. The bill-named after slain Georgia nursing student Laken Riley- mandates that those in the country illegally be detained if they commit robberies and other crimes. 46 House Democrats broke ranks with their own party to join Republicans and vote in favor of the bill.
Listen
Download
Hegseth Headed For Final Votes On Defense Secretary Nomination
Wed, Jan 22, 2025 at 7:01 pm
It appears former Fox News host Pete Hegseth will be confirmed as U.S. Defense Secretary by the end of the week. Despite last minute efforts to delay the vote, the senate is on scheduled to hold a final procedural vote on hegseth’s nomination on Thursday. That sets the stage for his final confirmation vote on Friday or early Saturday if the process drags on.
Listen
Download
House Gives Final Congressional Passage To Laken Riley Act
Wed, Jan 22, 2025 at 6:58 pm
The House has given final congressional approval to the Laken Riley Act. The House passed an amended version of the bill that made it’s way through the Senate earlier this week. The 263-156 vote tees up a major immigration victory for President Trump. The bill-named after slain Georgia nursing student Laken Riley- mandates that those in the countryillegally be detained if they commit robberies and other crimes. 46 House Democrats broke ranks with their own party to join Republicns and vote in favor of the bill.
Listen
Download
Senate Seeks To Advance Abortion Survivors Bill
Wed, Jan 22, 2025 at 5:28 am
A Senate vote today will determine the fate of the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The bill expands upon the protections contained in the Born Alive Infants Protection Act passed by Congress and signed by then President George W. Bush in 2002. The new bill would impose punishment on health care providers unless they provide abortion survivors the same level of life-saving care given to newborns of the same gestational age, such as premature babies. Today’s vote will determine whether the bill survives for a final vote. If so it’s expected to pass with ease in the GOP conrolled Senate.
Listen
Download
Senate GOP Seeks Cloture On Abortion Survivors Legislation
Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 2:59 pm
The Senate votes Wednesday on a bill aimed at ensuring medical care for unborn children who survive a botched abortion. It’s called the Born alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. It expands upon the protections for abortion survivors in the Born Alive Infant Protection Act of 2002, which merely defined abortion survivors as human beings, This new bill imposes a pro-active obligation of the health care provider to provide life-saving care. If the bill can muster the 60 votes it needs to break a Democrat filibuster, it will advance to a final vote later this week.
Listen
Download
Senate Reintroduces “Protecting Students On Campus Act”
Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 1:57 pm
A bi-partisan bill in the Senate would put new pressure on the Education Department to safeguard students from anti-semitism and other forms of discrimination on campus. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy [R-LA] and Democrat John Fetterman [-PA] have reintroduced the Protecting Students On Campus Act. First put forth shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, it was crafted in response to the anti-semitic demonstraions that occured on U.S. college campuses. Senator Cassidy says the bill-in his words- “holds universities accountable to address discrimination and maintain a safe learning environment for all students.”
Listen
Download
Treasury Nominee Bessent Advances to full Senate on bipartisan vote
Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 1:02 pm
President Trump’s selection to head the Treasury Department is one step closer to confirmation. The Senate Finance Committee has voted to advance Scott Bessent’s (BESS’-sent] nomination to the Senate for a floor vote possibly as early as this week. The vote was 16-11 with two Democrats -John Warner of Virginia , and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire – joining all Republicans in supporting Bessent for the top economic job in President Trump’s cabinet.
Rubio Confirmed as Senate Moves Forward On Other Nominees
Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 12:31 pm
The Senate is working hard to confirm as many Trump nominees as it can this week. It all began with the unanimous confirmation of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State Monday night. Meanwhile three key security related nominees advanced of out committee. Those include Defense Secetary nominee Pete Hegseth, CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe, and Kristi Noem, President Trump’s nominee for Homeland Security secretary. Floor votes all all three could come as early as this week.
Listen
Download
Rubio Shoo-In For Secretary Of State Confirmation
Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 1:53 pm
Long before inauguration day Senators from both sides of the aisle signaled their support for Rubio as Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the nation’s top diplomat. Rubio is viewed as one of Washington’s top experts on foreign affairs. And even some Democrats who may be reluctant to drop their opposition to Trump nominees were otherwise inclined to support a fellow senator as he takes on a new role in the administration.
Listen
Download
Senator Cruz Predicts Tik Tok Sale Within 90 Days Under Trump
Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 1:50 pm
Now that Donald Trump is back in the white house, one Republican senator predicts Tik Tok to remain up and running after it’s sold to a new owner. Senator Ted Cruz says the 90-day reprieve President Trump promised the social media app will give it time to be sold to owners not controlled by the Chinese military A law forcing the sale or threatening a shutdown by this past Sunday was passed with bi-partisan support, and upheld last week by the U.S. Supreme Court. Cruz notes the purpose of that law wa never to ban Tik Tok-quote-“The purpose of the law was to end the Chinese Communist government ownership and control,” A transition Cruz predicts will take place in the next 90 days.
Listen
Download
GOP Senate To Work More Closely With Trump 47 Than Trump 45
Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 1:48 pm
Senate Republicans plan to work more closely with President Trump than they did during his first term. There’s no question Republicans plan to fulfill their constitutional duty to advise and consent when it comes to presidential appointments and treaties. But many are eager to embrace a more coniliatory stance toward the 47th president even when it comes to some of his more controversial suggestiions. Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham [R-SC] may speak for many in his party when he points to Trump’s accomplishments-quote- “ “He did better than all of us politically. It’s in our interest to keep working with him,”. Bob Agnew, Capitol Hill.
Listen
Download
Security, Winter Blast Combine To Restrict Access To Inauguration
Mon, Jan 20, 2025 at 10:46 am
Security was been tight for today’s (Monday’s) inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. Mix historically tight security with a winter storm and chaos has been the result for some. Senate broadcast officials say the last minute decision to move the ceremony indoors, meant that the inauguration credentials couldn’t even be printed up on time, leaving almost all Senate radio and tv reporters-quite literally “out in he cold.” On Capitol Hill, Bob Agnew for Inauguration 2025.
Listen
Download
Former NSA Says Greenland Gives Russia Access To North America
Fri, Jan 17, 2025 at 4:22 pm
A former National Security Advisor says Donald Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland is no laughing matter. Robert O’Brien says if you have any doubts “look at a map”. He calls Greenland a giant dagger pointed straight at the heart of North America. And just a short distance e away from Russia, puttingGreenland in the same category as other Russia neighbors like Poland, and Ukraine, but with little protection from the Danish government.
Listen
Download
DeWine Taps Lt. Governor Husted To Fill JD Vance’s Senate Seat
Fri, Jan 17, 2025 at 2:03 pm
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine [R-OH] has chosen his own Lieutenant Governor, Jon Husted to replace J.D. Vance in the Senate. DeWine’s decision ends months of jockeying among top Ohio Republicans for Vance’s position,The 57-year-old Husted, a former Ohio House speaker and two-term Ohio secretary of state, will serve until Dec. of 2026. In November of next year a special election will determine who will complete the last to years of Vance’s six year term. Vance resigned his Senate seat Jan. 10. And will be sworn-in as Donald trump’s Vice President on Monday.
Listen
Download
FBI Closes DEI Offices In Anticipation Of Trump Administration
Fri, Jan 17, 2025 at 10:37 am
Even before being sworn-in as president, Donald Trump is making big vhanges at the FBI. The FBI has confirmed reports that in December it closed down its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices, in anticipation of new policies under incoming President Tump. The federal government and businesses have been under growing pressure from conservatives to root out DEI policies critics say can lead to poor performance. DEI critics have grown moe vocal since the U.S. S Court struck down Affirmative Action in college admissions in August of 2023.
Listen
Download
Sen. Cornyn Says Bondi Will Eliminate DOJ “Double Standard”
Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 5:30 pm
One GOP senator is giving Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi rave reviews for her performance during this week’s confirmation hearings. Texas Senator John Cornyn [T-TX] says given Bondi’s experience as Florida attorney general and former prosecutor her legal qualifications are impeccable. If confirmed though, she’ll face a big challenge reversing the double standard that became the new normal over the past several years.
Listen
Download
DeSantis Selects Florida AG Moody To Replace Rubio In U.S. Senate
Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 5:26 pm
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has selected the state’s Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Senator Marco Rubio [R-FL] as he leaves the role to serve as Secretary of State. The announcment by DeSantis ends months of speculation about who would get the nod to replace Rubio, after President-elect Trump chose him to serve as the country’s top diplomat. DeSantis says Moody has served the people of his state faithfully and is the right choice tohelp President-elect Trump fulfill a mandate for change from the American voters- In his words- “This is a time for action and a time for Washington, D.C., to deliver results for the American people.”
Listen
Download
