Washington (CNN) - Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer revealed Sunday that about half the $38.5 billion in cuts agreed upon in last week’s budget negotiations came from mandatory spending areas like agriculture and highway funding.
The senior New York senator said reductions in the spending programs, known in appropriations parlance as "changes in mandatory spending" or CHIMPS, brought down spending while allowing other programs like Head Start to continue.
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) – Sen. Chuck Schumer was caught in a candid moment Tuesday, instructing fellow Democratic senators to describe GOP spending cuts as "extreme" and to blame the Tea Party for preventing House Speaker John Boehner from cutting a deal to end the budget stalemate, unaware his comments were being listened to by reporters on a conference call.
The behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Democrats' political message strategy came as Schumer, D-New York, was about to begin a telephone call with reporters to talk about negotiations with Republicans over government spending cuts.
FULL POST
(CNN) - "Jeopardy!" champion Ken Jennings revealed during a online question and answer session last week that two prominent senators tried to recruit him to run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2004.
"Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Harry Reid (D-NV) both called me back personally in 2004 to try to get me to run for Orrin Hatch's Senate seat," Jennings wrote in response to a question about what types of job offers he's gotten since famously winning 74 straight games of Jeopardy!.
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) – Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York criticized Republican demands to cut spending in a short-term spending resolution that would continue funding the government while negotiations persist on a longer-term plan.
Appearing Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Schumer said compromise is necessary to avoid a government shutdown that will be bad for everyone.
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) - Senate Democrats faced criticism Tuesday for urging House Republicans to cut "taxpayer-funded handouts to big oil companies" less than a week after several Democrats joined Republicans to defeat a Senate amendment that would have made similar cuts.
"Errr, this is a little embarrassing," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in an e-mail blasted to Capitol Hill reporters.
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) - Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of fixing the country's fiscal house, but deep divides remain over the two major economic issues currently before Congress, a new budget and the debt ceiling.
Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said Republicans are "playing with fire" by threatening to shut down the government and warned of dangerous consequences if Congress allows the spending bill that is currently funding the government to expire.
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) - Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain said Sunday that Egypt has an opening for democratic leadership amid the chaos of the ongoing protests.
"All of these rights that individuals have are not confined to the United States of the America and our allies," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I still think that we have a real opportunity to see a democratic transition."
FULL POST
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Top Democratic and Republican senators, negotiating proposed reforms of the use of filibusters and other legislative stalling tactics, are close to an agreement on modest changes to curb the practices but not eliminate them altogether, two Senate aides told CNN.
Despite increased public attention to the often-controversial procedures, supporters of reform don't appear to have enough bipartisan support to force sweeping changes, the aides said. Much of the opposition to the changes comes from senior senators who have seen party control of the Senate switch several times and are wary about giving up the considerable rights available to the minority.
FULL STORY
Washington (CNN) - Bring back the ban on assault weapons, or tighten enforcement of existing gun control laws and regulations?
Those were two options for strengthening gun control offered Sunday by Democrats in the wake of the Tucson, Arizona, shootings last week that killed six people and wounded 13, including Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
FULL STORY
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn signaled Sunday that the debate over health care reform will continue in the Senate despite an obstacle-filled repeal process.
The House is expected to vote to repeal the law this week, but similar legislation is unlikely to make it through the Democratic-controlled Senate or survive a presidential veto. However, a repeal vote fulfills a GOP campaign promise, allowing Republican legislators to publicly record their views and concerns.
FULL POST
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Recent Comments