Senate

Kennedy repeatedly said 2019 Samoa trip had ‘nothing to do with vaccines’. An email from his then colleague says they were on a vaccine-related ‘mission’New evidence has emerged that Robert F Kennedy Jr was on a vaccine-related “mission” when he visited Samoa ahead of a deadly measles outbreak in 2019, raising further questions about whether the US health secretary lied to the US Senate when he said the trip had “nothing to do with vaccines”.Records obtained by the Guardian show Kennedy’s colleague told Samoan officials in an email that he and Kennedy were coming as part of a mission to study the island nation’s medical records in the aftermath of a “discontinuity in vaccinations”. Continue reading...

• On the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is highlighting the anti-choice records of Republican Senate candidates. • The DSCC specifically targets Senator Susan Collins, noting her refusal to regret confirming Brett Kavanaugh and her 95 percent voting record in favor of President Trump’s judicial nominees. • The critique emphasizes Collins' opposition to the Women’s Health Protection Act, which aims to codify Roe v. Wade's protections into federal law.

• Senate Republicans held a late-night vote on Wednesday to reject a war powers resolution, moving to appease President Donald Trump after he berated them for opposing his war in Iran. • The move follows a face-to-face confrontation where Trump harangued GOP senators for allowing a vote to block his military actions on Tuesday, specifically targeting Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. • This internal conflict has stalled general Senate business and diverted the GOP's focus away from key election-year issues regarding affordability.

Late-night vote came hours after US president berated GOP senators over opposition to the conflictSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution in a late-night vote, hours after they were berated by Donald Trump over opposition to his controversial war on Iran.The US president was said to have harangued GOP senators during a lunch on Capitol Hill earlier on Wednesday. The previous day, they had angered the White House by allowing a vote to block Trump’s war in Iran. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Senate approved the 1795 Jay Treaty with Great Britain, establishing critical precedents for the nation's treaty-making process. • The agreement acknowledged the American economy's heavy reliance on English trade and utilized the British fleet as a strategic security shield. • The treaty caused a significant and irreparable political rift between President George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Four Republicans joined Democrats to back a measure seeking to limit the US president’s military authorityUS politics live – latest updatesThe US Senate on Tuesday approved a war powers resolution preventing Donald Trump from continuing the conflict with Iran, delivering the president a significant but symbolic rebuke over a conflict that has proven unpopular with the US public.The resolution passed by a 50-48 vote, with four Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky – breaking with their party to vote in favor. John Fetterman, of Pennsylvania, was the sole Democrat to vote against it. Continue reading...

21st Century Road to Housing Act, which aims to boost supply and stop investors buying up homes, heads to HouseSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe Senate on Monday passed a bipartisan measure aimed at lowering housing costs by streamlining construction and permitting, ending months of fraught negotiations on a priority for both parties ahead of November’s midterm elections.The 21st Century Road to Housing Act would limit investors’ ability to buy homes, waives some federal permitting rules in a bid to ease new construction, and authorizes pilot programs to facilitate grants for home improvements and planning affordable housing. It passed the Senate overwhelmingly, with a vote of 85-5, and now heads to the House of Representatives. Continue reading...

• Sen. Brian Schatz, positioned to become the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, warned President Donald Trump that a Democratic majority this fall would lead to a significant ideological fight. • Schatz attributed current political shifts to voter frustration over the high cost of living and the age of the presidency, emphasizing the need to regain trust among working-class voters. • He argued that sweeping election-year agendas are often overrated, suggesting the party should instead focus on disciplined messaging regarding healthcare and cost reductions.

• President Donald Trump is increasingly clashing with Senate Republicans, escalating internal party tensions while simultaneously managing conflicts with Iran. • Trump has utilized his political influence to target senators in primary elections and impose demands that lawmakers describe as unachievable. • This friction is creating politically fraught positions for GOP members, with some warning that the infighting is actively harming the President's own legislative agenda.

• Representative Barry Moore has won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Oklahoma, securing the nomination with the backing of President Trump. • Moore successfully defeated Jared Hudson, a political newcomer who attempted to win the seat through a conservative grassroots campaign. • The election was triggered by Senator Tommy Tuberville vacating his seat to run for governor of Oklahoma.

Elections chief says bid by ex-teacher to challenge senator with same name was filed ‘to confuse or mislead’ votersThere will still be one Dan Sullivan on the ballot, but election officials in Alaska determined a second man by the same name cannot run against him in the high-stakes Senate race.A man named Dan Sullivan, or Daniel J Sullivan Jr, filed to run as a Republican against incumbent Alaska senator Dan S Sullivan, also a Republican. Republicans filed complaints against the other Dan Sullivan, saying the candidate had coordinated with a Democratic campaign to confuse voters. Continue reading...

• Maine is conducting its 2026 Senate primary elections to determine the Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate. • Live results are being tracked and reported by candidate and township as votes are officially counted. • These primaries are critical for establishing which party candidates will compete in the general election to represent Maine in the Senate.

Marine veteran won 72% of the vote despite infidelity and abuse allegations that emerged during primary campaignPlatner shrugs off scandals to win Maine Democratic Senate primaryHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Graham Platner won the Maine Democratic primary for Senate and called for supporters to “believe people can change” amid his controversial candidacy.Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination; it’s a journey. I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. I’m still far from perfect. But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little kinder than I was the day before. And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.House Republicans narrowly passed a reconciliation bill on Tuesday, by two votes, to provide another $70bn in funding over the next three years to the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring that agencies carrying out Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda remain funded until the end of his presidency.At nearly the same moment, the US struck Iran again, in retaliation for the downing of a US helicopter near the strait of Hormuz.JD Vance, the US vice-president, said that a deal with Iran to end the war launched by the US and Israel 102 days ago, “could happen in the next week, but the deal could also happen months from now.”Lesley Groff, longtime executive assistant to Jeffrey Epstein, the late child sex offender Trump socialized with for nearly two decades, testified before the House oversight and reform committee. Continue reading...

Platner, whose campaign was hit by series of negative headlines, to face Susan Collins in key midterm contest Graham Platner, a Marine veteran, oyster farmer and progressive activist, has scaled a mountain of personal controversies to win the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine.Victory on Tuesday caps a remarkable rise for a candidate who has never held elected office and whose campaign was shadowed by negative headlines that might have ended a more conventional political career. Continue reading...

Oysterman and marine veteran favored to win Democratic primary amid a string of controversiesVoters are headed to the polls on Tuesday for primary elections that include a crucial Senate race involving the scandal-haunted Graham Platner.In Maine, Platner is favored to win the Democratic primary after his main opponent, former governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign. Incumbent senator Susan Collins remains safely at the top of the Republican ticket – just slightly behind newcomer Platner’s lead in polling. Continue reading...

Attorney Dan Cogdell backs Paxton’s Democratic opponent and says the Republican is too focused on appeasing TrumpA lawyer who represented Ken Paxton, Texas’s attorney general, for nearly a decade over accusations of corruption and securities fraud is supporting Democrat James Talarico – and not his former client – in one of the biggest US Senate races.Talarico on Monday drew attention to his campaign winning the endorsement of Houston attorney Dan Cogdell, who was part of Paxton’s defense team during the Republican’s historic impeachment trial in 2023 that ended in acquittal. Continue reading...

• California Senate bill SB 895 has passed, proposing a $12 billion bond to establish a science and health research foundation supporting state universities. • The funds will be distributed via a competitive peer-review process targeting priority areas such as public health, pandemic preparedness, wildfire resilience, and climate studies. • To ensure public benefit, the measure requires drug price discounts and recoupment mechanisms for successful discoveries developed using these public resources.

Democrat denies reports of physical intimidation towards women, saying his past has been ‘weaponized’The Democratic US senate candidate Graham Platner on Friday predicted that Maine’s voters would support him four days later in his party primary despite a string of controversies – including recent negative headlines about his treatment of women that he said had been “weaponized”.In a 25-minute speech before supporters in Bar Harbor, the oyster farmer and US marine combat veteran addressed the controversies around his personal conduct, which escalated on Thursday with a New York Times report in which three former romantic partners described disturbing behavior, including being physically intimidated by him. Continue reading...

Seven Republican senators joined Democrats to block Fisa extension amid disquiet over nomination of Bill PulteUS politics live – latest updatesSeven Republican senators joined Democrats early on Friday to block the extension of a powerful government surveillance program, a rebuke to Donald Trump for choosing an inexperienced ally as the country’s top intelligence official.The renewal had been in question amid bipartisan concern over the US president’s appointment of Bill Pulte, a major Republican donor and heir to a home construction fortune, to serve as acting director of national intelligence. Continue reading...

Republican senator Lindsey Graham said he was ‘very proud of my Republican colleagues for… making sure that Border Patrol and ICE are fully funded’Senate Republicans early Friday passed a bill that would provide the Department of Homeland Security with nearly $70 billion in new funds for immigration enforcement.The vote came after a more than 18-hour “vote-a-rama”, a process by which senators offer amendments to bills passed using the reconciliation procedure. The Senate’s Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had said earlier this week that he would use vote-a-rama to force Republicans into publicly defending the policies of Donald Trump, a move that ultimately forced Senate Republicans to drop their attempt to spend $1bn on security improvements for Trump’s White House ballroom.New abuse allegations have emerged against Greg Platner, a Democratic candidate for the Senate. Platner, a progressive running for election in Maine, has rejected the new report published on Thursday in the New York Times that included an interview with a Republican operative who accused him of womanizing, physical misconduct and making troubling comments about rape.Trump has suggested that his controversial ally Bill Pulte will investigate “rigged elections” while serving as the country’s top intelligence official. Pulte, whom Trump appointed as acting director of national intelligence earlier this week, is a “very smart guy,” Trump claimed on Thursday, “and you may find out some things about the rigged elections, etc, etc”.Pam Bondi on Thursday told lawmakers before the House oversight and reform committee that Todd Blanche, the man Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Continue reading...

• Rappler examines the ongoing political conflict within the Philippine Senate, characterized by rhetoric and a "teleserye"-like atmosphere. • The dispute centers on a boycott led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who claims to be fighting for Senate independence, while opposing members argue for the rule of law. • A key point of contention involves Senator Rodante Marcoleta's proposal to amend Senate rules to permit online voting under "justifiable" circumstances.

Platner says claims in New York Times article of physical misconduct and offensive remarks ‘politically motivated’Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the US Senate, has rejected an explosive new report about his treatment of women, insisting that allegations of abusive behavior are “politically motivated”.Platner, a progressive running for election in Maine, was responding to a New York Times article published on Thursday that included an interview with a Republican operative who accused him of womanizing, physical misconduct and making troubling comments about rape. Continue reading...

Three GOP senators joined Democrats as dispute over proposed payouts exposed party divisionsUS politics live – latest updatesSenate Republicans on Thursday narrowly scuttled an attempt by Democrats to stop Donald Trump from creating a $1.8bn fund to pay his allies, even as signs emerged that dissent over the proposal was spreading inside the US president’s own party.Democratic Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had proposed inserting language barring the payouts into Republican-backed legislation to fund Trump’s mass deportation campaign through the duration of his term. Continue reading...

Fears that push for ballroom spending could jeopardize $70bn funding for immigration enforcementSenate Republicans on Wednesday formally dropped their attempt to spend $1bn on security improvements for Donald Trump’s White House ballroom, as it became clear the president’s demand for the money could jeopardize long-term funding for immigration enforcement.The Senate judiciary committee had last month included the spending on security for the new ballroom in a broader measure that would authorize $70bn in spending for agencies involved in Trump’s mass deportation campaign through the duration of his term. On Wednesday the committee released a revised text that no longer mentioned the money. Continue reading...

Democratic state house representative beats Zach Wahls and will face off against Trump-backed Republican HinsonSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailIowa voters nominated candidates in primary elections held on Tuesday, setting the stage for months of fervent campaigning ahead of the November midterms in which the state may play a significant role in deciding the balance of power in Congress.A red state that the GOP has dominated for the past decade, Democrats believe they can be competitive in three of its four House races, its Senate election, and the contest to replace Kim Reynolds, the retiring Republican governor. Continue reading...

Democratic candidate already cites PTSD for racist, sexist, homophobic online posts and has covered up Nazi tattooMidterm primaries – live results and updatesGraham Platner met on Tuesday with Democratic leaders in Washington DC as the embattled Maine Senate candidate contends with yet another revelation threatening his campaign, which is at the center of his party’s hopes of regaining control of Congress.Platner did not respond to questions from reporters and quickly entered a waiting car as he exited the meeting, which stretched for more than an hour and a half at the headquarters of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). A spokesperson for the DSCC did not respond to a request for comment. Continue reading...

Chuck Schumer shares plans to force vote on ‘anti-weaponization’ fund and accuses Trump of ‘corruption’Democrats in the US Senate vowed to force Republicans to vote on a $1.8bn “MAGA slush fund” established as part of a resolution of Donald Trump’s long-shot lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.The US president has described the secretive and loosely controlled “anti-weaponization fund” as a means of paying the victims of politicized prosecutions. Members of his own party are among those who have expressed alarm. Continue reading...

US senator says Platner, whose wife says he sent sexually explicit messages to other women, has ‘questions to answer’A high-profile Democrat has expressed concerns with party candidate Graham Platner’s Maine US Senate campaign amid revelations that Platner reportedly sent a number of sexually explicit messages to other women while married.“Yes, I have concerns,” Cory Booker, the US senator from New Jersey, said Sunday on ABC’s This Week when host Jonathan Karl when asked about the Platner revelations. “That guy has questions to answer – and that’s what campaigns are for.” Continue reading...