All articles tagged with #us congress
Former New York Democrat Eliot Engel, who chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee and played a key role in Kosovo’s war and the Trump impeachment inquiry, died at 79 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He served 44 years in public service, won his first seat in 1988, and lost the 2020 primary to Jamaal Bowman, marking the end of a long, influential career in diplomacy and policy.
Lawmakers react to reports that the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran as thousands of US troops gather in the Middle East. Officials say plans are options, not a decision, with debates over objectives and congressional oversight. Possible actions range from special-forces raids to broader operations, amid a broader US budget discussion and heightened Iranian threats.
A bipartisan push in Congress would ban prediction markets on elections, sports, government actions, and military moves, with the STOP Corrupt Bets Act led by Sen. Merkley and a House version by Rep. Raskin. Competing bills seek to ban or restrict similar contracts, citing corruption and insider trading risks, while proponents argue regulation via the CFTC is sufficient. Industry players like Kalshi and Polymarket have signaled reforms or safety measures, and a Government Accountability Office study is being considered as part of the legislative package.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a congressional hearing that Iran’s regime is intact but largely degraded due to leadership and military setbacks, warning the Strait of Hormuz remains a potential flashpoint; lawmakers weighed whether Iran posed an imminent threat as officials described ongoing damage from US-Israel strikes and discussed Iran’s nuclear obligations, with some officials offering differing assessments of threat timing.
U.S. Senator Peter Welch and Representative Sara Jacobs introduced the Justice for Hind Rajab Act, which would require a federal investigation into Hind Rajab’s death in Gaza, lay out findings on civilian harm there, demand a State Department report on related investigations, and push for accountability for those involved in the attack under U.S. war-crimes laws.
At a House Republican policy retreat, Speaker Mike Johnson said he discussed tone with two members who posted anti-Muslim remarks but defended opposing “the imposition of Sharia law,” stressing that the issue is not Muslims but those attempting to impose a different belief system in conflict with the Constitution. He said he regrets the wording, not the sentiment, and emphasized respect for beliefs while warning against assimilation challenges. The retreat also covers topics like a potential 18‑month extension of Section 702 surveillance and Trump-backed election legislation, underscoring ongoing internal GOP debates.
California Rep. Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the Republican Party to serve as an independent in Congress.
Former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a trailblazing Hawaii politician who led the state Senate, served in Congress, and chaired the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, died at 74 after a private battle with cancer.
The US House narrowly voted down a war powers resolution intended to halt Trump’s Iran attacks, mirroring a Senate defeat the day before and signaling partisan divides over presidential war authority amid a rapidly escalating conflict.
US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas acknowledged an extramarital affair with married aide Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year, calling it a 'mistake' and a 'lapse in judgement' as the House Ethics Committee opened an inquiry into possible sexual misconduct and favoritism; the disclosure comes ahead of a GOP primary runoff and amid calls from fellow Republicans for his resignation, with text messages reportedly showing him seeking a sexy photo and Santos-Aviles’s husband alleging workplace turmoil after the affair's discovery. Gonzales says the aide's death was unrelated and that he did not reward her with special privileges.
The Senate plans a vote on a war-powers resolution that would require congressional approval for further military action in Iran. Democrats back the measure, Republicans largely oppose it, and even if it passes the House and survives a presidential veto, its practical impact remains uncertain amid ongoing US-Israel strikes and Iranian responses.
The US Senate is poised to vote on a war powers resolution challenging President Trump’s push toward military action against Iran, a rare congressional check in a five‑day conflict unfolding without a clear exit strategy. A House vote is expected soon, but both chambers face tough odds in a Republican‑controlled Congress, and Trump would likely veto any measure. The debates signal lawmakers’ positions on the war as regional tensions rise and U.S. troops’ fates and the conflict’s costs come under scrutiny.
A divided Congress grapples with the Trump administration’s large-scale strikes on Iran as a Senate vote approaches. Democrats say the administration hasn’t provided a clear, imminent threat or consulted Congress, while most Republicans back the action though some warn against mission creep. Both the Senate and House are preparing votes aimed at curbing presidential war powers, but are expected to fail due to near-unanimous GOP opposition, highlighting persistent anxiety over an open-ended conflict and the administration’s shifting justifications for the strikes.
The House plans a Thursday vote on the final four FY funding bills—Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; Transportation/HUD; and Homeland Security—as the Jan. 30 deadline to avert a shutdown nears, with GOP leverage and Democratic calls for DHS reforms; after House passage, the measures head to the Senate for swift action to prevent a partial shutdown.
The House Oversight Committee voted to recommend criminal contempt charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton for refusing to testify in the Epstein investigation, sending referrals to the Justice Department and teeing up potential votes on the House floor in the coming weeks.