Patty Murray

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Colleague Prompts a Confused Feinstein

Senator started to give a speech in a hearing when she'd been called on to vote

(Newser) - Sen. Dianne Feinstein became confused during a committee hearing on Thursday and had to be told to cast a vote by another senator. California's senior senator, who returned to the Capitol in May after missing more than two months with health issues , tried to give a speech during an...

She's Second in Line to the Presidency, for Now

Senate pro tem Patty Murray moves up temporarily because no House speaker exists

(Newser) - Sen. Patty Murray made history earlier this week when she became the first woman to be sworn in as president pro tempore of the Senate. Now comes an odd footnote, thanks to the political logjam in the House. While the pro tem is usually third in line to the presidency,...

2 Senators Reach Bipartisan Deal on ObamaCare

Alexander, Murray say they have 'basic outlines' of agreement to restore subsidies to insurers

(Newser) - Two leading senators said Tuesday they have the "basic outlines" of a bipartisan agreement to resume federal payments to health insurers that President Trump has blocked. Both said in separate interviews that they still have unresolved issues but expressed optimism that a compromise was near, per the AP . The...

Senate Kills Bill to Reverse Hobby Lobby Ruling

As GOP announces plans to introduce its own contraception bill

(Newser) - Senate Democrats' attempt to nullify the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision has met its end—at least for now. Republicans yesterday blocked the motion, which fell four votes short of the 60 it needed to proceed to the House. The bill, defeated 56-43 on a procedural vote, would have...

House, Senate Negotiators Reach Early Budget Deal

Ryan, Murray replace some sequester cuts

(Newser) - No shutdown drama this time? House and Senate negotiators have reached a budget deal well ahead of the Jan. 15 deadline, reports USA Today . Republican Paul Ryan of the House and Democrat Patty Murray of the Senate announced the $85 billion package this evening, with votes in both chambers expected...

Congress on Verge of Drama-Free Budget

Low-ambition deal might make flying more expensive

(Newser) - Paul Ryan and Patty Murray do not want another government shutdown. That much is clear based on the quick budget deal that the two are reportedly finishing up—one so modest that the Washington Post characterizes it as a "cease-fire." The bill doesn't reduce the debt, close...

Senate Torpedoes House Bid to Defund ObamaCare

Ball back in Boehner's court

(Newser) - The Senate has voted 54 to 46 to reject House amendments to the continuing resolution—including the one that would delay ObamaCare. The vote split evenly along party lines, and increases the odds of a government shutdown, the Washington Post reports. As Slate points out, this is the second time...

Ryan's New Budget Axes ObamaCare, $5T in Spending

Would balance over 10 years

(Newser) - Paul Ryan is unveiling his latest budget proposal, and this time, he says, it'll balance in 10 years—half the time he claimed for his previous budget, NPR notes, because he's including new revenue from the fiscal cliff deal. As promised, the new plan calls for repealing ObamaCare,...

Democratic Whip on Hill: 'We're Doing Stupid Things'

Steny Hoyer sums things up on Capitol Hill

(Newser) - Democratic leaders say they won't try to block a GOP spending bill to fund the government, despite taking issue with its contents. "We're not whipping at this time," Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters, according to the Hill and Politico . The reason? Because Democrats don't...

House GOP Lets Violence Against Women Act Expire

House GOP opposed new protections

(Newser) - Public scorn may have saved the vote on emergency aid funding for superstorm Sandy victims , but the same can't be said for the Violence Against Women Act. The Huffington Post reports that the latest version of VAWA—which was originally signed in 1994 and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005—...

White House: Stubborn GOP Will Cost You $1,600

Democrats, Republicans trade tax cut barbs

(Newser) - In its ongoing effort to extend the Bush tax cuts for (and only for) the bottom 98% of households, the White House today released a report calculating that the average family making less than $250,000 a year would see their taxes go up $1,600 if a deal isn'...

Super Committee Fails to Reach Agreement on Budget Cuts
 Super Committee Gives Up 

Super Committee Gives Up

Democrats, Republicans can't bridge budget differences

(Newser) - The bipartisan leadership of a special congressional deficit super committee officially announced today that the panel failed to reach an agreement. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling say that despite "intense deliberations" the members of the panel have been unable "to bridge the committee's...

Super Committee Members Blame Each Other, Say There's Still Time for a Deal
 Super Committee 
 Busy Pointing Fingers 
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP

Super Committee Busy Pointing Fingers

Legislators play the blame game, say there's still time

(Newser) - With the super committee's deadline now a matter of mere hours away and reports of the committee's demise rampant , members of the panel took to the talk show airwaves today, with Democrats blaming Republicans, Republicans blaming Democrats, and some managing to sound hopeful for half a second, reports...

Super Committee: Stick a Fork in It

Panel members likely to call it quits tomorrow

(Newser) - If things looked bleak for the super committee yesterday , they're worse in the cold light of today: The legislators tasked with slashing $1.2 trillion from the national deficit will throw in the towel as soon as tomorrow, reports the Washington Post . The signs are ominous at best, with...

Patty Murray Will Co-Chair Debt 'Super Committee'

Harry Reid's other picks for panel are John Kerry and Max Baucus

(Newser) - Three down, nine to go. Harry Reid made his three picks for the bipartisan "super committee" that will try to come up with $1.2 trillion of cuts in about 3 months. Reid picked Patty Murray, who will serve as co-chair with a yet-to-be-named Republican, along with John Kerry...

Dems' Possible Strategy: Declare Debt Ceiling Unconstitutional

Proponents say it violates the 14th Amendment

(Newser) - In their fight to raise the debt ceiling, a move largely opposed by Tea Party Republicans, Democrats are considering a surprise weapon—the Constitution. With negotiations at an impasse and default looming , Democrats are thinking of declaring the debt ceiling itself unconstitutional, as the 14th Amendment reads: "The validity...

Unemployment Worsens for US Veterans

Rate now at 30% for the young

(Newser) - The job market isn’t friendly territory in general these days, but it’s looking especially brutal for veterans. Unemployment payments to veterans have doubled since 2008, with the military doling out $882 million in benefits last year, USA Today reports—and this year is looking even worse. Joblessness among...

Sen. Patty Murray Keeps Seat in Washington State

Democrat wins tight race over Dino Rossi

(Newser) - Democrats have managed to hang on to another Senate seat. Patty Murray has won the tight race in Washington state against GOP challenger Dino Rossi following a third day of vote counting. Challenged strongly by Rossi amid anti-incumbent sentiment nationwide, Murray featured a strong defense of her role in securing...

Michael Bennet Wins Colorado Senate Race

Democrat keeps GOP from gaining another seat

(Newser) - Turns out, incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet wasn't premature in declaring himself the winner of Colorado's Senate race. After today's counting, there's no way GOP challenger Ken Buck can catch him, reports the AP . With 97% of returns in, he's got a lead of more than 15,000 votes. Buck, however,...

8 Senate Races to Watch
 8 Senate Races to Watch 
midterms 2010

8 Senate Races to Watch

These races will decide just how good the GOP's night is

(Newser) - It’s Election Day, folks, and we're here to give you the low-down. All eyes are certainly on the Senate, where Democrats have a chance to keep their majority, provided they can win a few close races. Here's what's happening, according to the Washington Post , complete with links to our...

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