McConnell

Sen. Flake Trades Tax Vote for Promise of Amnesty Debate

The immigration concession won by departing Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake in exchange for his vote on the tax bill is both a taken prize and warning flag for what promises to be a brutal and high-stakes debate over amnesty, corporate subsidies, and immigration reforms.

amnesty

The Senate GOP Plan to Surrender Debt Control to Obama

Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are reportedly planning legislation allowing President Barack Obama to lift the nation’s debt ceiling on his authority, according to sources on Capitol Hill. Under the Senate Republican plan, Congress would merely retain the right to “disapprove” of the President’s action to lift the nation’s debt limit. But disapproving the action would require a hard-to-reach two-thirds vote of both chambers of Congress.

greenpeace founder

Obama, GOP Leaders, May Delay Free-Trade Debate Until 2016 Lame Duck Session

Top congressional staffers say Congress will delay approval of the unpopular Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal until the lame-duck session after the 2016 election, according to Politico. A delay until November or December 2016 would allow companies and progressive groups their best opportunity to persuade retiring politicians, and the legislators who had just survived an election, to back the controversial deal.

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