First on CNN: Democrats will seek smaller 'millionaire's tax'
Washington (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will announce Monday that Democrats will seek a .5% (point five percent) surtax on annual incomes over $1 million to pay for the first individual component of President Obama's broader jobs package, which was rejected in the Senate last week, a Senate Democratic leadership aide told CNN.
That component of the larger jobs bill would provide $35 billion in aid to states to help preserve jobs for teachers and first responders, the White House and Senate Majority Leaders Harry Reid's office said.
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Senate Dems consider votes on parts of Obama jobs package
Washington (CNN) - If Senate Republicans successfully block Senate consideration of President Obama's $450 billion jobs bill Tuesday night, as is expected, Senate Democrats are considering breaking up the package into as many as a half dozen smaller pieces of legislation they hope to pass in the coming months, a Senate Democratic leadership aide told CNN.
The strategy is aimed at either winning passage of the individual components or pressuring the Republicans to explain to voters why they will not support the proposals, which many Republicans backed in the past, the aide said.
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In rare public display, frustrated senators vent over floor tactics
Washington (CNN) - The Senate pushed back a final vote on a China currency bill until next week after senators descended into an angry and emotional debate over the rights of the minority Republicans to offer amendments to it and other bills.
The dispute Thursday night revealed long simmering divisions between the two parties over the increasing use of delaying tactics – such as filibusters that need 60 votes to overcome - which Republicans use to ensure their rights but that frustrate the ability of the majority Democrats to pass legislation.
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BREAKING: Senate reaches bipartisan agreement on disaster funds
Washington (CNN) - The Senate on Monday night reached a bipartisan agreement intended to end a dispute over disaster relief spending that threatened to cause a partial shutdown of the government at the end of the week.
In two votes, the Senate approved short-term spending measures to fund the government for the start of the new fiscal year that begins Saturday.
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