Joe Biden's Career Is One Long Lesson About the Dangers of Bipartisan Consensus Politics
Biden's reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker might be appealing in these polarized times, but his record as a policy maker is atrocious.
Senate
Bipartisan 'Bucket of Garbage' Budget Bill Contains $50 Billion in Special Interest Tax Breaks
On their own, some of those tax breaks might be defensible. Dumping them into a must-pass budget bill is not.
If You Think Encryption Back Doors Won't Be Abused, You May Be a Member of Congress
In the middle of a scandal over FISA surveillance, leaders want still more power to snoop on your secret stuff.
Trump's 'Capitulation' on Trade Deal Leaves Republicans in Awkward Position
Will Republicans back a North American trade deal that prioritizes the interests of Democrats, labor unions, and protectionists?
Rand Paul: Feds Wasted Millions Subsidizing Serbian Cheese Production
But at least they had enough tax dollars left over to buy a Bob Dylan-made sculpture for the U.S. embassy in Mozambique, and to get zebrafish addicted to nicotine in London.
Senators Introduce Bill To Limit Facial Recognition Technology—but Does It Go Far Enough?
The legislation would require warrants for extended surveillance, but look at what it explicitly OKs.
Government Scares Companies Away From Facebook's Libra Project
After senators sent threatening letters to Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe, the companies "decided" not to sign on to the online payment system.
Rand Paul Says Feds Blew Millions Supporting Tunisian Political Parties, Subsidizing Pakistani Films, and More
No single spending item is going to solve America's $22 trillion national debt, but every little bit of wasteful spending makes the tough problems more difficult to solve.
Congress Must Roll Back Trump's Tariff Authority
Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Senate Finance Committee will debate two bills this fall aimed at restricting presidential authority to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
Jon Stewart Is Sanctimonious, but Congress Should Be Better at Doing Its Job
The fight over the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is pure political theater.
House Tries To Give 'Dreamers' a Path to Citizenship, but Mitch McConnell Won't Even Consider the Bill
The Senate majority leader says he will not allow a vote on it, despite widespread support for the measure.
Bipartisan Senate Effort Predictably Kills Rand Paul's Plan to Balance the Federal Budget
Paul's proposal to cut 2 percent from the federal budget for the next five years was predictably opposed by both Democrats and most Republicans
We Don't Need the Federal Government To Save Kids From Video Game 'Loot Boxes'
Senator proposes telling publishers what virtual products they can and cannot sell to children.
And Then There Were 22: Sen. Michael Bennet Enters the Presidential Race
The Colorado Democrat opposes Medicare for All and universal free college.
Grassley to Trump: End the Tariffs or We'll Kill Your NAFTA Rewrite
A key senator issues the sort of binary, transactional choice that Trump seems to prefer. Will the POTUS listen?
'Nobody Wants To See a Government Speech Police': Senate Republicans Threaten To Regulate Facebook and Twitter
They say the social media companies display a bias against conservatives.
12 Republicans Join Dems To Block Trump's National Emergency at the Border
A clear rebuke of Trump, though mainly a symbolic one
Democrat Senator on Trump's Enthusiasm for Eminent Domain: 'Language You'd Expect Out of Some Autocrat'
"What a betrayal of conservative principles this is," Sen. Michael Bennet says.
The U.S. Must Stop Supporting War in Yemen, Says Senate
Plus: a Rand Paul add-on makes sure measure doesn't inadvertently authorize new wars, Dick's stores are dropping guns, campus art controversy, and good 8A news
Trump Says 'Senate Republicans Are Not Voting on Constitutionality' of Emergency Declaration
It's a problematic sentiment on several levels.
GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer Says Trump's Emergency Declaration Is 'Unnecessary'
Cramer tells Reason he's not sure which way he'll vote on a resolution to block it.
Cory Booker Makes Federal Marijuana Legalization a Central Campaign Push
Democrats approached the issue carefully in 2016. Now six presidential candidates are all-in for complete reform.
Trump Plans To Sign Border Deal and Declare National Emergency. Here's What That Could Mean.
Trump won't rely on Congress to fund his 200 miles of border wall.
Here's Why Rand Paul Will Vote 'No' on AG Nominee William Barr
Paul cited Barr's past support for warrantless surveillance. He's right to be worried.
Cory Booker Asked Neomi Rao If She Ever Hired LGBT Law Clerks. She's Never Been a Judge.
The senator has a history of grandstanding during judicial hearings.
Kamala Harris Blasts Trump for 'Cutting Red Tape' in SOTU Prebuttal
But she provided very little evidence to back up her claims.
Republican Senator Pitches Weird Conspiracy Theory About Weed Legalization, Menthol Cigarettes, and the FDA
Sen. Richard Burr raises an interesting point about onerous regulation, but his argument is baffling.
Remember 'T-Bone,' Cory Booker's Imaginary Drug Dealer Friend?
The New Jersey senator is a friend of criminal justice reform, but his best friend might steal the spotlight.
Bernie Sanders Wants To Seize 77% of Dead Billionaires' Estates
The estate tax is a form of double taxation.
Two Proposals To End the Government Shutdown Just Failed in the Senate
The shutdown rolls on, with no obvious solution in sight.
Time for Senate Republicans to Poke the Bear
The legislative branch is failing its basic constitutional duties, out of cowardly fear of a blustery president.
Mitch McConnell is Keeping the Senate Out of the Shutdown Fight. It's a Hypocritical Abdication of Congressional Responsibility
Five years ago, McConnell declared the need to restore the Senate. Instead, he's broken it further.
House Dems' Plan to Reopen the Government Probably Won't Work. Thank Trump.
It all comes down to one man.
The Government Is Definitely Going to Shut Down Tonight. Maybe.
No but really, the shutdown is probably going to happen.
It Looks Like Trump Won't Shut Down the Government Over Border Wall Money
It sounds like Trump is folding, which is probably for the best.
Trump's Border Wall Is a Bad Idea. So Is a Government Shutdown.
The best we can hope for is that Trump gives in.
Jeff Flake: America 'By No Means Immune' to Authoritarianism
"The road to democracy is not irreversible-not in Moscow, not in America, not anywhere."
McConnell Says He Will Bring Criminal Justice Bill to Senate Floor for Vote
After weeks of pressure from the White House and fellow Republicans, Mitch McConnell says he will schedule a vote for the FIRST STEP Act.
The NAFTA Rewrite Is Flawed, but Not Getting It to Congress This Year Might Be an Even Bigger Mistake
Trump's best chance to enact the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement may have already passed.
What's Happening in the Mississippi Senate Runoff
The race has come to be defined more by controversy than by policy.
Republican Senators Urge McConnell to Act on Criminal Justice Reform Bill
Supporters are concerned about the bill's future if it doesn't pass this year.
Donald Trump Appears Clueless About the Criminal Justice Reform He Says He Supports
That could be dangerous for the policy's chances of success, as has been the case on other key policy issues during the Trump era.
Bernie Sanders Targets Walmart With Latest Anti-Corporate Crusade
After taking on Amazon, the democratic socialist has a new target: Walmart.
Mitch McConnell Touts Wild Spending Bills as 'Bipartisan' Accomplishments
Should the Senate majority leader really be celebrating more reckless spending?
Top National Police Organization Declares Support for Modest Federal Sentencing Reforms
What did it take? A promise not to make mandatory minimum reductions retroactive.
