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US Senate Tag

Yesterday, Kemberlee blogged about the partial government shutdown, and today, the Senate adjourned until December 27, 2018.  The partial government shutdown will not be resolved until they return. Meanwhile, recent polls show that 81% of Americans believe that border security is "an important issue," and Republican support for the wall, specifically, is on the increase.

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced that President Donald Trump will not sign the short-term funding bill the Senate passed last night. From Politico:
“The president informed us he will not sign the bill that came from the Senate last evening because of his legitimate concerns for border security,” Ryan told reporters after meeting with Trump at the White House. “So what we're going to do is go back to the House and work with our members.”
Ryan confirmed that the House also has "very serious concerns" when it comes to border security.

The government has three days to come up with a plan to avoid a partial government shutdown on Friday. As of today, it looks like if it happens, the blame will fall on the Democrats instead of President Donald Trump. The Democrats rejected the latest offer from the GOP even though the White House said officials may "have other ways" to achieve raising $5 billion for a border wall.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) announced today that he will not seek re-election for a fourth term in 2020. From Politico:
"The people of Tennessee have been very generous, electing me to serve more combined years as governor and senator than anyone else from our state. I am deeply grateful, but now it is time for someone else to have that privilege," the 78-year old Alexander said in a closely-held statement on Monday. "I have gotten up every day thinking that I could help make our state and country a little better, and gone to bed most nights thinking that I have. I will continue to serve with that same spirit during the remaining two years of my term.”

Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl told Arizona Governor Doug Ducey he plans to retire on December 31 after serving these last few months after John McCain passed away. From The Daily Caller:
“Thank you for appointing me to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy created by John McCain’s death,” Kyl wrote in a letter to Ducey. “It has been an honor and a privilege to again serve the people of Arizona.”

In December 2017, The Washington Post reported how the Office of Compliance for Congress paid over $17 million for 264 settlements and awards over various violations, including sexual harassment. Now Congress has agreed on a bill that members of Congress will be responsible for their own settlements instead of the tax payer. As of now, "settlements are paid through taxpayer-funded accounts members use to pay for office salaries and expenses."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) finally decided to pick up the criminal justice reform bill, the FIRST STEP Act, that has the approval of President Donald Trump. From The Washington Examiner:
“At the request of the president and following improvements to the legislation that have been secured by several members, the Senate will take up the recently-revised criminal justice bill this month,” McConnell said in a Senate floor speech. “I intend to turn to the new text as early as the end of this week.”

The government needs to come up with spending bills by Friday or the government will shut down. Border wall funding has halted the talks as disagreements between the Democrats and President Donald Trump continue. Trump wants $5 billion, but the Democrats will not budge from their demand of only $1.6 billion.

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has conceded to Florida Governor Rick Scott (R).  Scott will become Florida's junior senator, making this the first time in over a century that Florida has had two Republican senators.  This flipped Senate seat will also strengthen the Republican majority in the Senate to 52-48.  Prior to the midterms, the GOP held a slightly slimmer majority of 51-49. Scott announced that Nelson, who has held public office since 1972, conceded in a phone call Sunday after the second mandatory recount showed Scott leading by approximately 10,000 votes.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker upheld Florida law that "forbids county election offices from counting vote-by-mail ballots received after 7 p.m. Election Day." This was the last best hope for Democrats after suffering several setbacks in recent days, including Florida Governor Rick Scott gaining over 800 votes in the mandatory recount, yet as of this writing Nelson has yet to concede.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has decided to leave the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chaired, to lead the Senate Finance Committee. From Politico:
“The economy is better than it’s been in years and there’s a sense of optimism about the future of our country that people haven’t felt in a long time thanks to the pro-growth policies of a Republican President and a Republican majority in Congress,” Grassley said. “Looking ahead, at the Finance Committee, I want to continue to work to make sure that as many Americans as possible get to experience this good economy for themselves."

I'd say I can see Sen. Kamala Harris's (D-CA) 2020 presidential aspirations go down the drain, but something tells me this won't affect her. During the confirmation hearing for Ronald Vitello, the acting ICE director, to become the permanent director, Harris asked him if he sees any parallels between ICE and the KKK after she cited a tweet he sent in 2015 where he claimed "the Democrat Party was comparable to a 'liberal-cratic' or 'neo-Klanist' entity."