Steve Scalise

WASHINGTON — Republicans narrowly got their budget plan over the finish line. Now comes the hard part.

Hardline House conservatives say that personal appeals from President Trump will not be enough to sway them to support a Senate budget resolution to advance the White House’s legislative agenda. A group of House Republicans critical of the Senate’s framework for advancing Trump’s legislative agenda are set to meet with the president at the White [...]

Known as a 'vote-a-rama,' the Senate will vote on a slate of amendments to the legislation. Every single one must be considered under reconciliation rules.

House Republican leadership has sought to silently table the push to give new parents in Congress 12 weeks to vote remotely.

Republicans praised the president's new tariff strategy after it was announced Wednesday, insisting it will be good for Americans, but Democrats slammed it as bad for the economy and argued it will only serve to raise prices.

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC 8) and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), leading a bicameral coalition of Republicans, introduced the "Free Speech Fairness Act." If enacted into law, it would restore free speech and religious liberty to churches and...

Top Republicans in Congress are dismissing out of hand President Trump's suggestion that he is "not joking" about running for a third term. Why it matters: While they didn't push back forcefully, Republicans are at least clear-eyed about the severe Constitutional and political hurdles the president would face."A lot of people want me to do it," Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker in a phone call Sunday, claiming that "there are methods which you could do it."Asked by the news outlet about having Vice President JD Vance run, pick Trump as his running mate and then resign, Trump reportedly responded: "That's one, but there are others too."What they're saying: House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) when asked about the idea of a Vance-Trump ticket, exclaimed, "I've never heard of anything like that before.""I find it too fanciful to really discuss seriously," he added, expressing skepticism that Trump could get the necessary votes in Congress or the states to amend the Constitution.Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), asked if he believes Trump could run for a third term, replied, "Not without a change to the Constitution."Between the lines: The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution states that "no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice."Trump running as vice president has been floated by some Republicans as a way to circumvent that language.Legal scholars told Axios' Avery Lotz, however, that the 12th Amendment's prohibition on "constitutionally ineligible" individuals serving as president could at least lead to lawsuits if he were elected a third time.Zoom in: Republicans also suggested they aren't taking Trump nearly as seriously as he seems to be taking himself."You guys keep asking the question," Thune told reporters. "I think he's probably having some fun with it, probably messing with you."House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) compared Trump's third-term comments to his proposals to annex Greenland and the Panama Canal: "There's a lot of things the president talks about. ... It gets people talking." But Scalise told reporters, "There's no proposal to change the Constitution right now."What to watch: Trump's remarks could galvanize a sustained effort by his right-wing loyalists in Congress to fight for such a vote anyway — similar to the dynamic around impeaching federal judges.Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) introduced a constitutional amendment to allow any president who has served two non-consecutive terms to seek a third.That would allow Trump to run again, but not former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush or Barack Obama.— Axios' Stef W. Kight contributed reporting.

Congressional Republicans are brushing off President Trump’s latest comments about seeking a third term, downplaying them as a joke designed to needle the media even as the president insists he is serious. Trump has teased the idea of a 2028 bid for years, remarks that were largely seen as an effort to mock his opponents. [...]

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are taking the "Fighting Oligarchy" rallies out West next week – and advising supporters to mask up to participate.

Speaker Mike Johnson conducts a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center after a House Republican Conference meeting on Tuesday. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., left, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also appear.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) hold a post-meeting press conference at 10 a.m. ET on March 11.

'Parents have the right to know'

A new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released on Wednesday proves that Republicans were lying when they downplayed the effect that the House’s budget blueprint would have on Medicaid.Republicans have been claiming that their budget—which calls for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion in order to partly pay for the tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest taxpayers—would not target Medicaid. “The word Medicaid is not even in this bill,” Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana said at a news conference on Capitol Hill the day the budget passed. “Democrats are lying about what’s in the bill.”Calling their bluff, Democrats on the House Budget Committee asked the CBO to determine the breakdown of funding the House Energy and Commerce Committee oversees.And indeed, the CBO report determined that—excluding Medicare, which Trump and Republicans wouldn't touch—Medicaid accounts for 93% of the funding the committee oversees. That means in order to find $880 billion in cuts, the vast majority of that would need to come from Medicaid (or Medicare).Brendan Boyle, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee"I keep hearing Republicans claim their budget doesn't cut Medicaid. We all know that's a lie — so I asked the nonpartisan CBO to look into it," Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, wrote in a post on X. "Their analysis confirms it: the Republican budget delivers the largest Medicaid cuts in history to pay for giveaways to billionaires."Cutting Medicaid—which provides health insurance to 72 million low-income Americans—is deeply unpopular.A Civiqs poll conducted for Daily Kos from Feb. 28 to March 3 found that 63% of registered voters oppose cutting Medicaid and food stamps—another social safety net program that the Republican-passed budget blueprint is also expected to cut. The poll found that every demographic group sampled opposes cutting Medicaid and food stamps—except for Republican voters.xDatawrapper ContentThe fact that Republicans want to slash Medicaid and food assistance to pay for Trump’s tax cuts has led to backlash from voters, who are showing up at Republican town halls to voice their anger.The town halls have been so ugly for Republicans that GOP leaders have ordered their members to stop holding in-person events so that they cannot be dressed down by their constituents.Of course, the budget blueprint Republicans passed is not final. The House Energy and Commerce Committee now has to lay out the specifics of what they will cut to achieve the $880 billion reduction. And given that we now know the cuts would have to come largely from Medicaid (or Medicare), it’s unclear whether House Republicans can cobble together support from their vulnerable members to get those cuts passed.Still, all but one Republican lawmaker voted for the Republican budget blueprint. And Democrats are likely to use that fact in ads in the 2026 midterms.“This letter from CBO confirms what we’ve been saying all along: the math doesn’t work without devastating Medicaid cuts,” Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey said in a statement. “Republicans know their spin is a lie, and the truth is they have no problem taking health care away from millions of Americans so that the rich can get richer and pay less in taxes than they already do.” Thank you to the Daily Kos community who continues to fight so hard with Daily Kos. Your reader support means everything. We will continue to have you covered and keep you informed, so please donate just $3 to help support the work we do.

First lady Melania Trump will speak on Capitol Hill Monday for the first time since returning to the White House, participating in a roundtable with lawmakers from both chambers of Congress focused on punishing online abuse and revenge pornography.

The chambers are at odds about the best way to approach President Trump's legislative priorities, which could set them up for a showdown.

The House is planning to vote on a budget resolution next week to get the ball rolling on its effort to pass President Trump’s legislative agenda, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) office confirmed to The Hill on Wednesday. The news came shortly after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, endorsed the House GOP’s [...]

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) defied House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) warning by moving ahead Tuesday on a $300 billion budget bill."It's time to act," Thune posted on X.Why it matters: Johnson is clinging to a one-bill, mega-MAGA package to overcome his tiny House majority and pass President Trump's priorities.With the House on recess this week, he's threatened to block any Senate-passed budget bill until the House finishes its own package.⚡️ But the Senate wants a quick win — especially on the border — before tackling the complicated and expensive tax issues.Top Trump officials have bolstered the Senate's argument, raising the alarm about the need for more border cash.Johnson didn't directly respond to Thune's challenge but posted that the House remains "laser-focused on sending our bill to President Trump's desk.""It's time to act on ALL of the powerful mandates the American people gave to [Trump] in November," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) posted shortly after Thune's comments."All of Trump's priorities in one big, beautiful bill start moving when we pass" Rep. Jodey Arrington's (R-Texas) budget, Scalise wrote.

The Senate GOP on Tuesday officially teed up a vote on its budget resolution for later this week in a bid to enact a portion of President Trump's agenda. Senators voted 50-47 to kick off consideration of the budget resolution, which the Senate Budget Committee advanced last week. The resolution outlines guidelines Republicans would use [...]

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan Senate bill to ban social media access for kids younger than 13 that sailed through committee is facing pushback from digital rights and tech trade groups that say it’s unconstitutional and overly intrusive.

WASHINGTON – In almost every conversation, seemingly, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson mentions he is a constitutional lawyer.

On World Radio Day, R&B Icons Boyz II Men deliver letter signed by Aerosmith, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Jelly Roll, Lil Jon, Mariah Carey, Miranda Lambert, Ozzy Osbourne, P!nk, Reba, Stevie Nicks, and others, plus sit down for an exclusive interview about AMFA with NBC's 'Today'...

The House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) hold a post-meeting press conference at 10:00 a.m. ET on Feb. 11.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting in the Capitol on Tuesday.

House Republicans are working overtime to meet President Donald Trump’s demand for a big budget package.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., leaves a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican Conference on Feb. 5. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

House Republican Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) sees an advantage in wrangling the tiny House GOP majority this year, despite having a historically narrow margin and fewer members than last time: President Trump. The Trump factor in whipping GOP votes is both carrot and stick: Republicans are eager to advance Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda — and [...]

House Republicans are getting nervous about a lack of public progress about their reconciliation plans.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise discussed Republicans' plans to grapple with several fiscal deadlines on the horizon.

There will be a lot on the plate for new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when he steps into his office on the Pentagon’s third floor E Ring.

The House on Wednesday passed the Laken Riley Act, sending the immigration-related bill to President Trump’s desk in what is poised to be his first legislative victory since returning to the White House this week. The chamber cleared the bill in a 263-156 vote. Forty-six Democrats voted with all present Republicans in favor of the [...]

The Republican-led House voted Wednesday to give final passage to the Laken Riley Act, a strict immigration detention measure named for a 22-year-old Georgia nursing school student who was murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant.

Speaker Mike Johnson listens as President Donald Trump addresses supporters Monday in an overflow space in Emancipation Hall after his second inauguration ceremony.

Republicans in the House and Senate are still not necessarily on the same page when it comes to reconciliation after their meeting with President Donald Trump.

Among the roughly 1,500 people pardoned by Trump were more than 200 who pleaded guilty to assaulting police.

Lafourche Parish has officially been added to the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, bringing its boundaries in line with the historical definition of the Atchafalaya Basin, the picturesque swamp many know from their drives along Interstate 10 between Baton Rouge and...

Statements poured in on Sunday following news Carter died at the age of 100.

Members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle are paying tribute to late former President Jimmy Carter.

The messy government shutdown fight this month foreshadows some of the challenges House Republicans could face next year, as a major test on funding awaits the incoming GOP “trifecta.” Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown last week – but not without a bit of drama. GOP leadership struggled to meet tough demands from President-elect Trump, [...]

On the first day of the new Congress, representatives will vote for the speaker of the House as Mike Johnson fights to keep the job.

"Over the past two years, the Republican majority in the House has worked tirelessly to counter the Biden-Harris Administration's disastrous, crisis-causing policies, fighting for hardworking families who are struggling under the weight of these failures. With every bill we passed, House Republicans sought to preserve freedom, strengthen our economy, keep communities safe, and hold the government accountable - demonstrating from the beginning what a unified Republican government could accomplish," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, said Siunday.

Some time after Donald Trump won the Nov. 5 election, he told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he wanted the federal debt limit taken care of before he took office, according to people close to both leaders. That’s all they...

The outgoing Republican representative thanked several colleagues and reflected on her past four years in Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s struggle for a deal to keep the U.S. government open after Friday is an ominous sign for his shrinking and fractious Republican majority’s ability to push through President-elect Donald Trump’s early priorities.

A growing spate of health scares and violent threats targeting lawmakers on Capitol Hill is underscoring the vulnerabilities that members of Congress face.

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, the Trump-backed House candidate running to replace former Rep. Matt Gaetz, wants gold and silver to be legal tender in Florida.

The "Liberty in Laundry Act," introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., will seek to block the Biden administration's new energy standards for clothing washers.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Blake Moore (R-Utah) hold a post-meeting news conference at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 10.

Prior to November 5th, most pundits on both sides of the aisle did not forecast Republicans gaining control of both the Senate and House of Representatives. With Donald Trump being elected to a second term, we now have a “red wave” with the Republican Party holding the White House and both chambers of Congress.Now that the Republican party has gained control of the House, speculation turns to how President-elect Trump and the new Congress will attempt tax reform in 2025, specifically in light of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) set to expire January 1, 2026, if no new legislation is enacted.While the odds of the extension of the higher federal estate and gift tax exemption amounts are now more favorable, and rumors swirl about whether the federal estate tax could be repealed completely, clients should be cautious if considering delaying their tax planning until the end of 2025 or beyond.With slim majorities in both the House and the Senate and the present focus on slashing the large... Read the complete article here...© Polsinelli PC, Polsinelli LLP in California

People in President-elect Trump's orbit are pushing Speaker Johnson and House Republicans to take up the Kids Online Safety Act.