In a series of floor speeches Thursday, a group of mostly Democratic women senators made a high-profile and at times emotional appeal to Republicans to support an expanded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In doing so, they suggested Republicans were blocking the bill because it would extend its protections to illegal immigrants as well as gays and lesbians.
The Pentagon tried to clarify remarks made by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, when he told a Senate committtee on Wednesday that the U.S. military is seeking "permission" from a foreign organization to intervene in Syria.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the ongoing Syria crisis.
Which is the better gig: The federal government or the private sector?
A Senate procedural vote on Saturday failed to keep the DREAM Act from moving forward.
A bill that offers a path to citizenship to some illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children failed a procedural vote in the Senate on Saturday.
On Election Day, the American people rejected reckless spending, runaway debt and the record growth of government. They also rejected years of establishment arrogance -- found in both parties -- that for too long has ignored their will.
Several Republican lawmakers Wednesday urged Attorney General Eric Holder to immediately force states and counties that missed the deadline for mailing military absentee ballots to act promptly to ensure men and women in uniform can vote in time for the November election.
Senators are expected to continue floor debate Wednesday on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.
Senate Republicans have an internal memo from the Department of Homeland Security that they say shows the Obama administration "conspiring" and "scheming" to allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay and work in the United States.
Ending a decade-long campaign led by African-American lawmakers, the House Wednesday approved and sent to President Barack Obama a measure to reduce the disparity in penalties between use of crack and powder cocaine.
Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan mounted a spirited defense against her Republican critics Tuesday, saying at her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing that she rejects the empathy standard for judges and believes the written law should be followed, including precedents in most cases.
Elena Kagan is asked about her stance on the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy during her tenure as Harvard Law dean.
Leading senators on the Judiciary Committee signaled a contentious hearing starting Monday on Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination, with some Republicans saying a GOP filibuster was possible.
Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, talk about Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.
Top Senate Democrats called Tuesday for a sweeping overhaul of the nation's corporate liability laws in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, arguing that companies currently have little incentive to make safety and environmental concerns a top priority.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin its confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan on June 28, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, announced Wednesday.
Companies responsible for oil spills could be forced to give up a year's worth of profits under a bill introduced in the Senate on Thursday.
President Obama met Wednesday with Senate leaders from both parties to discuss a replacement for retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.
President Obama met with Senate leaders to discuss a replacement for retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.
As reaction mounted to Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' announcement that he will retire from the high court this summer, members of both parties drew lines over the upcoming battle to replace him.
CNN's Mark Preston says Justice John Paul Stevens retirement gives the President to make his mark on the Supreme Court.
Attorney General Eric Holder challenged his leading Republican critics Wednesday over the handling of the failed Christmas Day bomber, defending his decision to provide the suspect with Miranda warnings and charge him in a civilian court.
When the president unveils his 2011 budget next week, he will propose capping "non-security" discretionary spending at its current level of about $450 billion for three years, saving roughly $250 billion over ten years.
Did the FBI make the right decision in reading the suspected underwear bomber his Miranda rights and placing him in the civilian court system only hours after he was detained for trying to blow up a Northwest flight on Christmas?
The full Senate began deliberations Tuesday afternoon on the nomination of federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor to become the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.
Judge Sonia Sotomayor cruised through her confirmation hearings without a scratch.
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor said Monday that her hotly disputed judicial philosophy is, in fact, quite simple: Remain faithful to the law.
Senators give their views on Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
After weeks of meeting senators and preparing for tough questions, Sonia Sotomayor on Monday begins the formal hearings on her nomination to become the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.
Sen. Jeff Sessions remembers his ill-fated nomination for a federal judgeship.
When greeting Judge Sonia Sotomayor this week, Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama made sure to tell her something loud enough for the assembled reporters to hear.
Sen. Jeff Sessions talks about meeting with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
The search for a Supreme Court nominee has been trimmed to about half a dozen candidates by top White House officials, and an announcement may come by month's end, two sources close to the selection process tell CNN.
A bitterly divided Senate panel Thursday approved a measure allowing all public U.S. Supreme Court proceedings to be televised despite fierce opposition from the justices.
There was an unusual spectacle in the nation's capital Tuesday, downright rare, in fact: U.S. Senators seeking truth, and justice, and taking action. And they deserve great credit and thanks.
As Congress begins voting on the controversial bill, the White House and the G.O.P. trade jabs -- and spin
The Senate immigration compromise was effectively killed Thursday, failing to pass a critical procedural hurdle.
Opponents effectively killed President Bush's long-fought and emotion-laden Senate immigration bill Thursday when members voted against advancing the controversial legislation.
Senators pushing a new immigration policy appealed Sunday to wavering supporters ahead of renewed debate on securing the borders and dealing with 12 million undocumented immigrants
The best the President could accomplish, on his trip to Capitol Hill, was get some Senators to keep an open mind
The President goes to Capitol Hill in an effort save the troubled bill
President Bush is building his legacy, adding another unfortunate line of hollow bravado to his rhetorical repertoire. To "Mission accomplished," "Bring it on," "Wanted: Dead or alive," and of course, "I earned ... political capital, and now I intend to spend it," he has added "I'll see you at the bill signing," referring to his own ill-considered push for so-called comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
President Bush broke bread with resistant Senate Republicans on Tuesday, but the fate of a White House-supported immigration bill remained uncertain.
These are some of the facts from tonight's broadcast that you might find interesting. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) conducted a threat assessment survey of all field offices: "The results of the assessment showed that most major metropolitan areas were experiencing a surge in gang activity. Additionally, the survey showed that membership of these violent transnational gangs was comprised largely of foreign-born nationals." Source: ICE "Operation Community Shield" Fact Sheet June 6, 2007 • Gang members in the United States: 800,000 • State and local police in the United States: 708,000 Source: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California); hearing testimony June 5, 2007
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke Thursday turned up the volume on the debate over Social Security reform - an issue that was declared dead last year but has been injected with new life in recent weeks.
Sen. Hillary Clinton wants administration officials and retired generals -- including those who recently urged Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign -- to testify before Congress about the handling of the Iraq war.
Setting up a possible veto showdown with the White House, the Senate voted overwhelmingly for an amendment to a Pentagon spending bill that sets standards for the treatment of prisoners in U.S. military custody.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10 to 8 Thursday to send the nomination of former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, Jr. to the Senate floor.
The first U.S. passport to feature facial-recognition technology should be produced by December, but the technology won't be widely distributed until late 2005, a State Department official told Congress on Tuesday.
Amid GOP hand-wringing about slumping approval ratings, President Bush sought to rev up congressional Republicans at a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday.
With President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney set to appear in private before the 9/11 commission next week, Republicans are ramping up their criticism of the panel -- and Democratic member Jamie Gorelick in particular.
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