Senate votes to repeal 2002 measure that approved Iraq war
“This body rushed into a war,” said Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat who has pushed for years to repeal the powers. Senators voted 66-30 to repeal the 2002 measure and also the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the U.S.-led Gulf War. If passed by the House, the repeal would not be expected to affect any current military deployments. Opponents say the repeal could project weakness as the U.S. still faces conflict in the Middle East. "Our terrorist enemies aren't sunsetting their war against us," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is at home recovering from a fall earlier this month and missed the vote.
wftv.comSenate votes to keep 2001 authorization for war on terror
Senators rejected the amendment 86-9 as they are debating a separate repeal of two authorizations of military force in Iraq. Paul said that by repealing only the Iraq authorizations, Congress is “missing the point” since Hussein’s regime no longer exists. By leaving the 2001 measure in place, Congress is keeping the authorization that approves “war everywhere, all the time,” he said. The Senate is expected to vote next week to repeal the two Iraq measures. McCaul met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Wednesday on the authorizations of military force and other issues.
wftv.comSenate takes first step in repealing Iraq War authorizations
WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Senate took a first step Thursday toward repealing two measures that give open-ended approval for military action in Iraq, pushing to end that authority as the United States marks the 20th anniversary of the Iraq War. President Joe Biden has backed the push, and the White House issued a statement Thursday in support. It’s unclear whether leaders in the Republican-controlled House will bring the bill up for a vote, even if it passes the Senate. They have pointed out that President Donald Trump’s administration cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani. But there is less support in the Senate and Congress overall for repealing the broader authority.
wftv.com20 years later, Senate eyes repeal of Iraq war authorization
The vote, which would come after consideration in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, could take place just before the 20th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Todd Young, R-Ind., passed the Senate Foreign Relations panel and the then- Democratic-led House in 2021. But it never came up for a vote in the full Senate, despite significant bipartisan support. The Iraq war authorizations “are no longer necessary, serve no operational purpose, and run the risk of potential misuse,” Kaine said Thursday. Republicans also pointed out that President Donald Trump’s administration had cited the 2002 Iraq war resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani.
wftv.comDemocratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia to seek reelection
RICHMOND, Va. — (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee and a fixture in Virginia politics for decades, said Friday that he would seek reelection next year, easing his party's worries about holding on to a seat in a state now led by a Republican governor. A Kaine retirement would have been a blow to Democrats politically and practically in a swing state that is prized by both parties. A former Virginia governor and lieutenant governor, Kaine will enter the race as the early favorite in a must-hold seat for Democrats facing a tough Senate map in 2024. While Virginia has grown increasingly more liberal over the last decade, Republican Glenn Youngkin pulled off an upset over Democratic former Gov. His 2018 contest against far right-wing GOP nominee Corey Stewart was far less competitive; Kaine won by 16 percentage points.
wftv.comSen. Tim Kaine to address media amid reelection speculation
RICHMOND, Va. — (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine is holding a media availability Friday morning in Virginia's capital city amid speculation that he plans to announce whether he will seek a third term. A Kaine retirement would be a blow to Democrats, both politically and practically in a swing state that is prized by both parties. Kaine would have been a strong favorite, even after the state elected a slate of Republican statewide candidates in 2021, including Gov. Kaine's press office declined to comment about Friday's events beyond what was publicly advised. Kaine is seen as a passionate yet pragmatic senator and is known as a serious policymaker and eager partner on legislation.
wftv.comManchin bid to speed energy permits to reemerge in 2023
WASHINGTON — (AP) — A push by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to speed permits for natural gas pipelines and other energy projects has failed in the current Congress, but could come back as soon as next month. In a statement after the vote, Manchin blasted Senate Republicans for lining up against the plan despite previous pledges to support efforts to streamline energy permitting. Some Democrats supported Manchin's efforts, noting that the plan would also speed renewable energy projects such as wind and solar farms. Biden renewed his support Thursday, saying in a statement that Manchin’s proposal would “cut Americans’ energy bills, promote U.S. energy security and boost our ability to get energy projects built and connected to the grid.'' While defeated in the current legislative session, the permitting plan is likely to reemerge in January as Republicans take control of the House.
wftv.comYellen boosting Biden's agenda in Virginia as midterms near
WASHINGTON — (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is promoting Biden administration policies as the key to advancing the nation's "long-term economic well being" in the lead-up to the midterm elections. In Virginia, Yellen will talk about how a boost in domestic industrial manufacturing will be one of the solutions. “Our government’s failure to invest in innovation has had wide-ranging impacts on our long-term economic well being," Yellen said in prepared remarks. Yellen planned to attend a roundtable with local entrepreneurs and people representing Virginia colleges who are focused on semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and other emerging technologies. “And in turn, we are raising America’s long-term economic outlook.”Early voting is underway in many states, including Virginia.
wftv.comAudit: Va. failed on earlier advice before I-95 gridlock
In April, a state-commissioned report created by a nonprofit group didn't place blame on any single person or agency. But it found state agencies collectively "lost situational awareness" and failed to keep up with growing gridlock through a confluence of heavy snowfall, abnormally high traffic and staffing shortages related to COVID-19. “They’ve got to prepare for when things go awry and they don’t get what they expect,” said Ben Sutphin, the audit manager for the I-95 investigation. The state’s communication to the public about the severity of the road hazards was ineffective or misleading, the report said. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who was himself caught in the gridlock, said Friday that he hopes the report’s recommendations will be followed.
wftv.comBipartisan compromise bill would restore abortion rights
The legislation would prohibit most state regulations that prevent abortion access before fetal viability, generally considered to be around 24 weeks. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Collins and Murkowski all voted against that bill despite opposition to the overturning of Roe. Democrats would need 10 Republican votes to overcome a filibuster and get a bill through the 50-50 Senate, but only Collins and Murkowski have publicly backed abortion rights. By overturning Roe, the court has allowed states to enact strict abortion limits, including many that had previously been deemed unconstitutional. Already, a number of GOP-controlled states have moved quickly to curtail or outlaw abortion, while states controlled by Democrats have sought to champion access.
wftv.comBipartisan compromise bill would restore abortion rights
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing compromise legislation to restore abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a long shot effort to put a majority of the Senate on the record opposing the decision. While the bill is not expected to pass — and is unlikely to even get a vote — the legislation introduced by two Republicans and two Democrats on Monday is intended to send a signal to state legislatures and the public that a majority of the Senate supports codifying Roe, even if they can’t get the necessary 60 votes to pass it in the 50-50 Senate.
news.yahoo.comRaw Senate debate on voting bill unlikely to end filibuster
Despite his late push, Biden has been unable to persuade two holdout Democrats, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, to change Senate rules so the party can overpower a Republican filibuster that is blocking the voting bill. In piercing speeches, the debate is carrying echoes of an earlier era when the Senate filibuster was deployed by opponents of civil rights legislation. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois asked Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell if he would pause for a question, but the Republican leader left the chamber refusing to respond. Once reluctant himself to change Senate rules, Biden has stepped up his pressure on senators to do just that. The political group Emily’s List said it won’t endorse Sinema if she cannot support a path forward for the voting bill.
wftv.comSen. Tim Kaine, who was stuck in a winter storm traffic jam for 27 hours, jokes that talks on reforming Senate filibuster rules are going 'slow as my commute'
Kaine was among hundreds of motorists trapped on Virginia's I-95 for over a day after a winter storm led to dangerous road conditions.
news.yahoo.comA key to bridging the political divide: Sit down and talk?
One Small Step, which Isay established in 2018, is among a growing number of nonprofit initiatives whose aim is to narrow America's increasingly toxic political divide. But he felt it was a start, and he named his initiative accordingly: One Small Step. One Small Step, which Isay established in 2018, is among a growing number of nonprofit initiatives whose aim is to narrow America's increasingly toxic political divide. Yet they'd never met and probably never would have, if not for their joint involvement in One Small Step. But as One Small Step has developed, expansion has followed, with roughly 800 people meeting in pairs in about 40 cities.
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
The U.S. has blamed the militia for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past. But several leading members of Congress, including members in Biden’s own party, denounced the strikes — the first military action he has authorized. Kaine and others argued offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday. “If we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,” Psaki said.
Ties with Saudis at stake as US releases findings on killing
President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Saudi King Salman for the first time in Bidens just over a month-old administration. The language came in contrast to Biden's pledge as a candidate to make Saudi Arabia “a pariah” over the killing. The Saudi Arabia Embassy spokesman in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. U.S. intelligence findings are coming out more than two years after Khashoggi walked hand-in-hand with his fiancee to the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Once in office, Biden said he would maintain whatever scale of relations with Saudi Arabia that U.S. interests required.
EXPLAINER: What's ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
The House appointed nine impeachment managers who will present the case against Trump on the Senate floor. Trump’s first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. The fresh memories of Jan. 6 could make it easier for the House impeachment managers to make their case, but it doesn’t mean the outcome will be any different. While the House impeachment managers say Trump is “singularly” responsible for the attack on the Capitol, Trump’s lawyers say the rioters acted on their own accord. The brief goes after the impeachment managers personally, charging that the Democrats have “Trump derangement syndrome,” are “selfish” and are only trying to impeach Trump for political gain.
EXPLAINER: What's ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
AdThe House appointed nine impeachment managers who will present the case against Trump on the Senate floor. Trump’s first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. The fresh memories of Jan. 6 could make it easier for the House impeachment managers to make their case, but it doesn’t mean the outcome will be any different. While the House impeachment managers say Trump is “singularly” responsible for the attack on the Capitol, Trump’s lawyers say the rioters acted on their own accord. The brief goes after the impeachment managers personally, charging that the Democrats have “Trump derangement syndrome,” are “selfish” and are only trying to impeach Trump for political gain.
EXPLAINER: How Trump's second impeachment trial will work
A look at the basics of the upcoming impeachment trial:HOW DOES THE TRIAL WORK? AdTrump's first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. “If we were not to follow up with this, we might as well remove any penalty from the Constitution of impeachment.”AdHOW IS THIS TRIAL DIFFERENT FROM TRUMP’S FIRST TRIAL? Beyond the constitutionality of the trial, Trump’s lawyers say that he did not incite his supporters to violence and that he did nothing wrong. “It is denied that President Trump ever endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,” they wrote in a brief for the trial.
Democrat floats Trump censure as conviction grows unlikely
House Democrats are busy preparing their formal case against the former president for inciting an insurrection, with arguments starting the week of Feb. 8. A week later, on Jan. 13, the Democratic-led House impeached Trump with the backing of 10 Republicans. She said that five is probably “a high mark on what you’re going to see for Republican support” for convicting Trump at trial. Some said the censure resolution was too late because Democrats had rejected GOP suggestions of censure before the House voted to impeach. “I guess if we can censure former presidents, then when Republicans get in charge, we can censure Barack Obama or Democrats can censure George Bush."
For 1st Black Pentagon chief, racism challenge is personal
Austin took office Friday as the first Black defense chief, in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where retired and current military members were among the rioters touting far-right conspiracies. The U.S. population overall is about three-quarters white and 13% Black, according to Census Bureau statistics. Austin gained confirmation after clearing a legal hurdle prohibiting anyone from serving as defense chief until they have been out of the military for seven years. He held a broader video conference on COVID-19 with all top defense and military leaders, and his first call to an international leader was with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. After serving as vice chief of the Army, Austin headed Central Command, where he oversaw the reinsertion of U.S. troops to Iraq to beat back Islamic State militants.
For 1st Black Pentagon chief, racism challenge is personal
Austin took office Friday as the first Black defense chief, in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where retired and current military members were among the rioters touting far-right conspiracies. The U.S. population overall is about three-quarters white and 13% Black, according to Census Bureau statistics. Austin gained confirmation after clearing a legal hurdle prohibiting anyone from serving as defense chief until they have been out of the military for seven years. He held a broader video conference on COVID-19 with all top defense and military leaders, and his first call to an international leader was with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. After serving as vice chief of the Army, Austin headed Central Command, where he oversaw the reinsertion of U.S. troops to Iraq to beat back Islamic State militants.
Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Sens. Cruz, Hawley
Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden’s victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail. In the end, the violence led to five deaths, injured dozens of police officers and caused extensive damage to the Capitol. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,” the Democratic senators said in their letter. Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.
Tom Vilsack faces new challenges as he returns to old job
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Vilsack to reprise that role in his administration. Vilsack “has the necessary qualifications and experience to steer the agency through these turbulent times,” said Rob Larew, the president of the National Farmers Union. Then mayor of Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa, Vilsack volunteered for the up-and-coming Biden before he exited the presidential race. Despite that, in 2007, after his own brief presidential campaign, Vilsack endorsed Hillary Clinton, even with Biden also running. In his endorsement, Vilsack called Biden “a man with empathy, and a man who has the heart of a president.
After year of disruption, America set to choose a path ahead
Voters appear to recognize the moment: More than 86 million people have already cast ballots, shattering records for early voting. The courts, which have been stacked with a generation of conservative jurists during Trump’s tenure, would veer further to the right. Though Democrats are wary of overconfidence, given Trump’s upset in 2016, party leaders see significant differences in this year’s election. Despite the pandemic’s toll on his political fortunes, Trump’s campaign is banking on strategy similar to 2016. The challenge for Trump is engineering a late shift in the race when so many voters have already cast ballots.
Harris target of more misinformation than Pence, data shows
CHICAGO – Long before Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced her as his running mate, Kamala Harris was the target of widespread online misinformation. Harris’ birth certificate shows she was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, making her eligible to serve as either vice president or president. Social media chatter around Harris’ eligibility declined after being “eclipsed” by fact checks from news organizations that debunked it, Granston added. There's been a huge uptick in social media conversation around the vice presidential candidates this year, compared to the 2016 campaign. But misinformation around Harris has been more prevalent, making up more than 4% of the conversation on Twitter, Zignal Labs found.
Biden's lessons learned: spending time, money in Midwest
Biden's "campaign is doing a better job, even during COVID, of reaching out with the candidates and a voter-to-voter effort. Besides spending no time in Wisconsin and only five days in Michigan, Clinton didn't begin advertising in either until two weeks before the election. There's been more to Biden's sharper focus on Michigan and Wisconsin than showing up and spending money. Biden's Michigan campaign as well as national aides have contacted Kinloch more in the past two months than Clinton's did throughout all of 2016, he said. “They're looping everything we're doing individually together under the Biden campaign,” Kinloch said.
Harris highlights stakes of election in Barrett hearings
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Unable to block President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Sen. Kamala Harris used three days of confirmation hearings this week to remind voters of the stakes of the Nov. 3 election and how Democratic nominee Joe Biden would govern differently if he were in the White House. Known for her tough questioning of Trump's nominees, Harris took a lower key approach and avoided sparring matches with Republicans. Her messaging was muted in part because she appeared via video conference from her office, not the Senate hearing room, due to coronavirus concerns. “Democrats are wise not to play into their hand.”Republicans took note of the disciplined approach by Harris and the Democrats. GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who was next in line for questioning after Harris on Wednesday, asked Barrett a series of questions meant to rebut Harris.