GOP tempers flare as McCarthy pans McConnell's spending strategy
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is taking public shots at Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s (Ky.) plan to pass an omnibus spending package before Christmas, fueling tensions between Senate and House GOP leaders. McConnell’s Senate allies say that McCarthy’s criticisms are “not helpful” to their efforts to pass a year-end spending package and avoid a government shutdown. And they worry this could be a preview of a potentially “challenging” working relationship between McConnell and McCarthy in the next Congress. McCar
Read MoreThese 9 House Republicans broke from the party to vote for stopgap funding bill
Nine House Republicans voted with Democrats on Wednesday to pass a stopgap funding bill that will avert a government shutdown, despite GOP leadership recommending a "no" vote. The House passed the one-week continuing resolution in a 224-201 vote which will push Friday’s funding deadline to Dec. 23, giving appropriators more time to approve spending for the rest of fiscal year 2023. It now heads to the Senate, which is expected to take up the measure
Read MoreSenate votes to ban TikTok use on government devices
The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation that would ban the use of TikTok on government phones and devices as part of the push to combat security concerns related to the Chinese-owned social media company. The “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), was passed via unanimous consent late Wednesday, meaning that no member objected to the bill. The proposal would "prohibit certain individuals from downloading or using TikTok on any device issued by the United States or a government corporation." The move comes as
Read MoreHouse passes short-term funding bill to avert government shutdown
The House on Wednesday passed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown, kicking Friday’s funding deadline to next week to allow lawmakers more time to strike a deal on spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2023. The continuing resolution passed in a 224-201 vote. It now heads to the Senate, where it must pass and be sent to President Biden’s desk before midnight on Friday to avoid a shutdown. The measure will keep the government funded at current levels until Dec. 23. Nine Republicans voted with Democrats in supporting the measure after GOP
Read MoreDemocrats dare to sound bullish on the economy
Democrats are starting to feel good about the economy’s direction, with a five-month downward trend in prices and less aggressive action on interest rates signaling a possible change in fortunes. “I think we’re in a better moment, I think we’re in a better moment,” said Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.), who sits on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, on Wednesday, cautioning that “inflation is [something] we still need to be dealing with.” Democratic moderate Joe Manchin (W.Va.), who has broken several times with his party on legislative initiatives related
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