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NEWS ABOUT: Harry Reid

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Reid May Go 'Nuclear' to Reform Filibuster

Senate leader considers changing rules for nominations in July

(Newser) - Those who think abuse of the filibuster has gotten out of hand in DC should keep an eye on three upcoming Obama nominations, reports Greg Sargent at the Washington Post . If Republicans use the tactic to block the president's picks to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the labor... More »

Senate Trying to Fix Airport Budget Cut Debacle

Obama administration says it's open to 'Band-Aid measure'

(Newser) - Some Senate Democrats broke rank yesterday and started working on legislation that would provide a quick fix to the rampant flight delays the sequester budget cuts have inflicted on travelers. Right now, the FAA is applying the across-the-board cuts, well, across-the-board, furloughing air traffic controllers at busy and remote airports... More »

Reid Pulls Weakened Gun Control Legislation

Promises to reintroduce after an indefinite 'pause'

(Newser) - Given that the gun legislation moving through the Senate had been stripped of pretty much every reform advocates considered meaningful, Harry Reid today yanked what remained from consideration, reports the Hill . But he promised the Senate would revisit the proposal to tighten background checks after this indefinite "pause and... More »

Reid: We're Going to Break Gun Filibuster on Thursday

Democrats think they have the votes to start Senate debate on gun laws

(AP) - Harry Reid set the first showdown vote in Congress on President Obama's gun-control drive for Thursday as a small but growing number of Republicans appear willing to buck a conservative effort to prevent debate from even beginning. "We're moving forward on this bill," said Reid. In... More »

Sens. Paul, Cruz: We'll Filibuster Gun Control

Republicans deliver warning to Harry Reid

(Newser) - If Harry Reid goes forward with a possible gun-control measure, he'll face a filibuster, say three Republican senators. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Mike Lee have penned a letter to the Senate majority leader, saying, "We will oppose the motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve... More »

Reid Readies Gun Bill With Background Checks

Senate will take it up early next month

(Newser) - He put the kibosh on an assault-weapons ban , but Harry Reid insisted today that any gun legislation taken up by the Senate will include universal background checks, reports the Hill . Reid confirmed that he will allow measures to restrict assault weapons and high-capacity ammo magazines to be voted on only... More »

Obama Invites Republicans to Zero-Hour Sequester Talk

They won't meet until Friday, the day cuts are supposed to kick in

(Newser) - President Obama has invited John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi to the White House for a meeting on Friday—the same day the sequester cuts are scheduled to kick in and the House is scheduled to leave town, the White House announced today. Does this mean we'... More »

Chuck Hagel Confirmation No Sure Thing: Hill Insiders

Reid looks to head off filibuster threat

(Newser) - The Obama administration has voiced confidence that Chuck Hagel will be confirmed as defense secretary, but congressional sources aren't so sure, they tell CNN . After declaring he wouldn't support a filibuster , John McCain now appears to be waffling on the issue: Before committing, he wants to know more... More »

Congress: We're Not Avoiding Cliff Cuts

Democrats considering putting them off again, but many skeptical deal will emerge

(Newser) - Washington is bracing itself for a sweeping, painful set of across-the-board spending cuts, because lawmakers doubt they'll be able to come up with a deal to avert them, the Washington Post reports. While proposals are in the works to avert what's known as sequester, party leaders don't... More »

This Is Supposed to Be Filibuster Reform?!

Ezra Klein sits down with Harry Reid, and isn't impressed by his answers

(Newser) - Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell have struck a deal on filibuster reform. "The deal is this: the filibuster will not be reformed," quips Ezra Klein in the Washington Post . Reid's deal doesn't do away with the 60-vote threshold to pass bills, nor does it go particularly... More »

Reid, McConnell Close to Deal on Filibuster

But don't expect a return to actually having to talk to do it

(Newser) - Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell are close to a deal to tweak the filibuster, in an agreement that will likely disappoint proponents of a major overhaul, but save Reid the hand-wringing that would come if he used the so-called " nuclear option " to reform the rules without GOP cooperation.... More »

House Extends Debt Ceiling Until Mid-May

GOP initiative finds bipartisan support; Senate signals it will pass it

(AP) - The House passed a bill today to permit the government to borrow enough money to avoid default for the next few months, setting the stage for a springtime debate over taxes, spending, and the deficit. The House passed the measure by a 285-144 vote, a bipartisan showing on an initiative... More »

House Dem Leaders: Vote 'No' on GOP Debt Plan

But GOP is confident it will pass anyway

(Newser) - The word of the day in the House is not "bipartisanship." Sources tell Politico that Democratic leaders will urge their fellow lawmakers in a caucus meeting this morning to vote against the GOP's proposal to suspend the debt ceiling until May 19. Their intention: force Republicans to... More »

Democrats to Obama: Skip Congress on Debt Ceiling

Reid, others say he should do so if Republicans won't budge

(Newser) - Senate Democrats have a suggestion for President Obama if House Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling to pay the nation's bills: Obama should circumvent Congress and raise the ceiling himself, reports the Hill . An excerpt of a letter from Harry Reid and other Democrats to the White House:... More »

Gun Control 'Debate' a Fantasy

Kimberly Strassel points out that Washington already agrees on guns

(Newser) - Ever since Sandy Hook, there's been "an almost cosmic disconnect" between gun control advocates, who "sniffed a rare political opening," and the real world, writes Kimberly Strassel at the Wall Street Journal . Gun control advocates are asking for everything up to and including crowning Michael Bloomberg... More »

Boehner: Why I Threw F-Bomb at Harry Reid

More WSJ goodies: 'I need this job like I need a hole in head'

(Newser) - John Boehner didn't seem to hold much back during his hour-long interview with Stephen Moore for the Wall Street Journal , which took place just after Boehner was re-elected House speaker . "I need this job like I need a hole in the head," the chain-smoking congressman says at... More »

Inside the Cliff Deal: Mistrust, Proposals on Fire, F-Bombs

Negotiations were even more prickly behind the scenes

(Newser) - If you thought fiscal cliff negotiations were testy when Harry Reid took to the Senate floor to accuse John Boehner of running a dictatorship , well, the reality was closer to a hybrid of rioting kindergartners and the showdown at the OK Corral. The lowlight came last Friday, reports Politico in... More »

There's Hope: 'Major Progress' on Fiscal Cliff

But sticking points exist after flurry of overnight negotiations

(Newser) - So just where are we on the fiscal cliff? After Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid hit an impasse yesterday , McConnell called in Joe Biden, and after a flurry of offers that included President Obama and went throughout the night, Politico finds "major progress" and reason for hope this morning.... More »

Cliff Talks Hit 'Major Setback' at 11th Hour

Democrats reject 'chained CPI' in GOP offer

(Newser) - With the fiscal cliff in sight, Democrats and Republicans are no longer talking. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reached a "major setback" today over a fairly wonky provision known as "chained CPI," Democratic sources tell Politico . A means of calculating entitlement benefits,... More »

Obama: Take My Plan, or Offer Alternative

President will push for up-or-down vote on his plan if all fails

(Newser) - The big powwow between President Obama and leaders of Congress has wrapped up with, surprise, surprise, no magical breakthrough on the fiscal cliff. But with four days to go before the deadline, there's apparently still hope. The New York Times , Politico , the Washington Post , and the Hill have similar... More »

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