JOHN THUNE

Senators say new social media laws could be on the way - sooner than later | Accountable

Senators say new social media laws could be on the way - sooner than later | Accountable

Republicans were livid over Schumer's rebuke after debt ceiling vote. Joe Manchin would've 'done it differently.'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he will not again help Democrats extend the government’s borrowing authority.

The national debt has grown under both Republican and Democratic administrations. But the fight over it continues to be a partisan affair.

Republicans are stepping up efforts to derail Biden's domestic agenda, and ensuring political brinksmanship over the debt ceiling will heighten.

The Senate voted to advance a $1.2 trillion infrastructure measure, setting up final passage as soon as this weekend.

Many of those reasons were misleading or contradictory.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is looking to speed up consideration of a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan national infrastructure package.

The Senate has further advanced a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure plan with a bipartisan group of senators helping it clear one more hurdle Friday.

President Joe Biden has leapt back into the Senate’s up-and-down efforts to clinch a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure deal.

The Senate may vote to advance a vehicle for the bill next week, even if the legislative text is not finalized.

Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is known for doing the unthinkable in Washington — spending time with Republicans.

Congressional bargainers say they’ve agreed to a bipartisan framework for overhauling policing procedures.

The agreement comes after White House officials met with the bipartisan group of senators twice on Wednesday.

The meeting comes after White House officials met with a bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will confer with White House officials on next steps for President Joe Biden’s $4 trillion infrastructure plans.

Not all Senate Democrats are up for Joe Biden's planned social programs or the methods to finance them, and Republicans hope to split the difference.

A new poll showed that Biden's $4 trillion sweeping infrastructure plan drew two-thirds support among voters. Republicans are pushing to cut its size.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is providing assurances to Congress the recent jump in inflation is being watched very closely by the Biden administration, but said again that such increases appear temporary.

Some lawmakers are trying to stop 144 American cities from losing their designations as “metropolitan areas.”.

Republicans set their infrastructure trap

McConnell, who previously blocked Barack Obama from filling a court vacancy in 2016, told Hugh Hewitt he'd do the same to Biden.

John F. Kerry, the special presidential envoy for climate, said only months ago that those losing fossil fuel jobs in coal and hydraulic fracturing will find they have a better choice in jobs in either the solar industry or as wind turbine technicians.

Republican Sen. John Thune says they are closing in on a compromise that would not include any tax hikes.

Republican Sen. John Thune says they are closing in on a compromise that would not include any tax hikes.

The minority leader threw cold water on the bipartisan proposal from Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Lisa Murkowski.

Although some Republican leaders deplored their violence, most have come to support the rioters’ claim that Trump’s defeat meant the election was inherently illegitimate.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says congressional Democrats’ efforts to make it easier to sue police officers are causing law enforcement agencies to have problems recruiting and retaining personnel.

The GOP resistance to a bipartisan commission devoted to examining the deadly Capitol insurrection imperils a deeper investigation into the siege.

The horror of Jan. 6 has been reduced from a stunning assault on American democracy to another political fight.

Pressed to explain his decision, Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana praised his brother as a “hero" and turned his ire on Democrats, calling the commission a “coverup about the failed Biden administration.” Pence's swift pivot to attacking Democrats and defending the former president about a riot that threatened his brother's life is a stark measure of how the horror of Jan. 6 has been reduced from a violent assault on American democracy to a purely political fight. Rather than uniting behind a bipartisan investigation like the ones that followed the 9/11 terror attacks, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy or Pearl Harbor, Republicans are calculating they can regain at least partial control of Congress if they put the issue behind them as quickly as possible without antagonizing Trump or his supporters.

If there's one perfect commentary on Trump's grip on the GOP, it might be Republicans increasingly toeing the former president's line despite ugly personal attacks on their family members.

GOP Whip John Thune told CNN there was concern among members that a commission "could be weaponized politically" by the Democrats.

Tim Scott of South Carolina is the only Black Republican senator.

Since 2017, Senators Thune and Peters have been calling for standards to be set for safety, cybersecurity and guidelines to determine accident liability if no one is driving.

Since 2017, Senators Thune and Peters have been calling for standards to be set for safety, cybersecurity and guidelines to determine accident liability if no one is driving.

Psaki added that Mr. Biden will turn to the second part — which includes health care, child care and education — in April. "The president has a plan to fix the infrastructure of our country," Psaki said. "If they want to sit down with Republicans, which they should, the Republicans would work with them on an infrastructure package," Thune said Tuesday. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Budget committee, has said he is prepared to use reconciliation to move an infrastructure package through the Senate. "My advice to the administration is if you want to do an infrastructure bill, let's do an infrastructure bill," McConnell said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pushed for the commission, which would be modeled after the panel that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. “The problem is the scope,” Pelosi said Wednesday. But Republicans swiftly decried the broad latitude that the commission would have to investigate the causes of the insurrection. Senate Republicans cast doubt that there was enough support for the commission. 2 Republican, said he doesn’t think the commission will happen if the legislation isn’t changed.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and congressmen is urging the federal government not to approve recommendations to remove 144 cities from the designation of metropolitan statistical areas. Reclassifying them as “micropolitan” would put key federal funding at risk, they said. Doing so would reclassify more than a third of the current 392 metro areas as micropolitan statistical areas. In a separate letter to the Office of Management and Budget, Hoeven said the proposal also would hurt micropolitan areas that were on the cusp of becoming metro areas. “If a metropolitan statistical area is redefined as a micropolitan area, it may fall out of the conversation.

President Joe Bidens pick for health secretary is taking heat for his defense of abortion rights from a tag team of Republicans looking to define him and the new administration as out of the mainstream. Becerra now serves as California’s attorney general and previously represented the Los Angeles area for more than 20 years in the U.S. House. Republicans voiced concern about Becerra’s record in support of abortion rights. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Becerra as attorney general “aggressively crusaded in favor of abortion” and repeatedly inserted California into abortion litigation involving other states. Perceptions changed after Becerra was appointed California attorney general in 2017.

Americans are experiencing flickers of optimism at the one-year anniversary of the deadly outbreak as more people are vaccinated. But new strains of the virus and a still shaky economy could unleash another devastating cycle of infections, lockdowns and deaths. Biden and Democrats warn that now is not the time to let up on aid, and that it's better to risk doing too much than too little. McConnell expressed similar optimism last spring when he hit “pause” on new spending after approval of the initial round of aid. GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said by the time they're done they hope to turn public opinion around.

AdIt’s a tested strategy but comes at an uncertain, volatile time for the nation. Americans are experiencing flickers of optimism at the one-year anniversary of the deadly outbreak as more people are vaccinated. But new strains of the virus and a still shaky economy could unleash another devastating cycle of infections, lockdowns and deaths. Biden and the Democrats backing him warn that now is not the time to let up on aid — better to risk doing too much, than too little. GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said by the time they're done they hope to turn public opinion around.

President Joe Bidens pick for health secretary is taking heat for his defense of abortion rights from a tag team of Republicans looking to define him and the new administration as out of the mainstream. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s pick for health secretary is taking heat from Republicans for his actions in support of abortion rights. By a show of force, they're trying to deny a president who supports abortion rights his choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services with the coronavirus pandemic still untamed. Becerra, 63, was a reliable Democratic vote for abortion rights during more than 20 years representing a Los Angeles-area district in the U.S. House. She disagrees with his support for abortion rights but finds common ground elsewhere.

CNBC had asked which Republicans Trump intended to target during midterm primaries after the former president said he plans to back several primary contenders who support his Make America Great Again agenda. Advisors have told Trump that many Republican voters, who have been polled by the former president's strategists, do not want to see an all-out war in the GOP. Instead, they would rather see Trump focus his attacks on Biden and top Democrats. Gaetz has called for the ouster of Republican House leader Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., after she voted to impeach Trump. The South Dakota Republican voted with Trump over 90% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight data.

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2021, file photo, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. In an interview with The Associated Press, Sen. Thune, the chamber's No. Thune also talked about his vote to acquit Trump of inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead. – U.S. Sen. John Thune on Thursday criticized Republican activists and party leaders for engaging in “cancel culture” by rushing to censure GOP senators who found former President Donald Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection. Trump called Thune a “RINO,” meaning Republican In Name Only, and “Mitch’s boy,” in reference to McConnell.

The Republican Party still belongs to Donald Trump. The GOP privately flirted with purging the norm-shattering former president after he incited a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Ad“There’s no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,” McConnell said Saturday, after Trump, the only president to be impeached twice, was acquitted on a 57-43 vote. McConnell had remained loyal to Trump during nearly all of his four years in office, when the pair were the two most powerful members of the Republican Party. In his statement, Trump criticized McConnell for failing to do more to back his unfounded claims of election fraud.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., walks on Capitol Hill after the Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. Trump was accused of inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the acquittal gives him a historic second victory in the court of impeachment. Investigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. We needed more senators with spines.”AdMcConnell told Republican senators shortly before the vote that he would vote to acquit Trump. Beutler's statement late Friday that Trump rebuffed a plea from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to call off the rioters was ultimately entered into the trial record.

But that hope dimmed when word came Saturday before the trial resumed that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell would vote to acquit Trump. If Trump were convicted, the Senate could take a second vote to ban him from running for office again. AdA look at the Republicans whom Democrats are eyeing as they make final arguments in the case:THE FREQUENT TRUMP CRITICSRepublican Sens. AdThree other GOP senators have said they will not run again in two years, potentially freeing them up to vote against Trump and anger base voters in the party. The Republican leader’s views are closely watched and carry sway among GOP senators, and his decision on Trump is likely to influence others weighing their votes.

If Trump were convicted, the Senate could take a second vote to ban him from running for office again. While none of them are locks to vote for conviction, they have joined with Democrats twice to vote against GOP efforts to dismiss the trial. AdHEADED OUTPennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who is retiring from the Senate in 2022, has also voted twice with Democrats to move forward with the trial. All three voted to dismiss the trial, but Portman says he still has an open mind about conviction. EYES ON McCONNELLSenate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has twice voted to dismiss the trial, indicating he will ultimately vote to acquit.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., goes back to her office after speaking on the floor of the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out Friday at “morons” in both parties who voted to kick her off her committees, a day after the House meted out the unprecedented punishment that Democrats said she’d earned by spreading hateful and violent conspiracy theories. Underscoring the political vise her inflammatory commentary has clamped her party into, all but 11 Republicans voted against the Democratic move on Thursday but none rose to defend her lengthy history of outrageous social media posts. Even social media stars like Greene could find it harder to define themselves without the spotlights that committees provide. That chamber’s minority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., this week called Greene’s words a “cancer” on the GOP and country.

The votes also suggest that Washington Republicans are unable, or unwilling, to purge far-right radicals from their party, despite some GOP leaders' best wishes. And whether Washington Republicans like it or not, those who think like Greene make up a significant portion of the party's base. AdGiddy Democrats celebrated the obvious perils of their rivals' political dilemma, particularly after all but 11 House Republicans voted to defend Greene's committee assignments on Thursday. AdBut it was the House Republicans' refusal to distance themselves from Greene that threatened to haunt the party for the foreseeable future. Republican strategist and former White House aide Ari Fleischer was among the optimists.

House Republicans are effectively deciding whether to prioritize the former president’s norm-shattering behavior and conspiracy theories and retain the loyalty of his voters over more establishment conservative values. AdThe House GOP Steering Committee, a leadership-dominated body that makes committee assignments for the party, also met late Tuesday but no decision was announced. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and others have boosted pressure this week on McCarthy and the House GOP to act. McConnell praised Cheney, R-Wyo., as “a leader with deep convictions and courage,” but House GOP lawmakers planned to meet privately Wednesday to decide her political fate. AdThe looming decisions over Cheney and Greene represent a moment of reckoning for a party struggling with its future.

Trump flags still fly over homes across South Dakota, showing enduring support for the former president. When Thune disputed the baseless allegations of election fraud, Trump declared the senator's “political career over” and suggested GOP Gov. One of them, Bruce W. Whalen, said Thune’s refusal to support Trump's claims of fraud has fueled interest. Volk has observed a steady rightward lurch in Republican politics over the years that has culminated in widespread support for Trump. “But there’s no way they’re going to get him to go away.”Others, like Tom Barnett, a former director of the state’s bar association, have given up on the Republican Party.

Late Tuesday, the presiding officer at the trial, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was taken to the hospital for observation after not feeling well at his office, spokesman David Carle said in a statement. The vote means the trial on Trump's impeachment will begin as scheduled the week of Feb. 8. The vote shows that “they've got a long ways to go to prove it,” Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said of House Democrats' charge. “You’re asking me to vote in a trial that by itself on its own is not constitutionally allowed?” he asked. Instead, Leahy, who serves in the largely ceremonial role of Senate president pro tempore, was sworn in on Tuesday.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – For a second time, Republican senators face the choice of whether to convict President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial. Others to watch include GOP senators up for reelection in 2022 and several Republicans who have publicly backed impeachment. “Make no mistake: There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate,'' Schumer said. MURKOWSKI, TOOMEY DENOUNCE TRUMPAt least two GOP senators — Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania — have joined Romney in denouncing Trump. Portman pledged to do his duty as a juror in a Senate impeachment trial, but said he is “concerned about the polarization in our country'' and hopes to bring people together.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – For a second time, Republican senators face the choice of whether to convict President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial. Others to watch include GOP senators up for reelection in 2022 and several Republicans who have publicly backed impeachment. “Make no mistake: There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate,'' Schumer said. MURKOWSKI, TOOMEY DENOUNCE TRUMPAt least two GOP senators — Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania — have joined Romney in denouncing Trump. Portman pledged to do his duty as a juror in a Senate impeachment trial, but said he is “concerned about the polarization in our country'' and hopes to bring people together.

(Samuel Corum/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Wednesday's congressional joint session to count electoral votes could drag late into the night as some Republicans plan to challenge Democrat Joe Biden's victory in at least six states. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leaves the House chamber for the Senate to consider objections to certify Electoral College votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. All 50 states have certified the electoral votes. Freshman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has said he will challenge Pennsylvania's electoral votes. Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia were all pivotal states that Biden carried on his way to his 306-232 Electoral College win. McConnell, 78, has been the Republican leader since 2007 and is the longest-serving Senate GOP leader in history.

NEW YORK – The Republican Party is facing a defining moment. But what comes next for the Republican Party is anything but clear. Trump’s hold over his adopted party has been all but absolute in his time in office. If he does, the Republican Party could continue to shape itself in his image. “I believe he will have as much hold over the party as he wants to,” said Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist who advised Cruz's 2016 campaign.

Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed "tellers" from the House and Senate, members of both parties, then read each certificate out loud and record and count the votes. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. At the end, the presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Saturday announced a coalition of 11 senators and senators-elect who have been enlisted for Trump's effort to subvert the will of American voters. But their challenges, and those from House Republicans, represent the most sweeping effort to undo a presidential election outcome since the Civil War. said the Republican effort to create a federal commission “to supersede state certifications" is wrong. On the other side of the Republican divide, several senators spoke out Saturday against Cruz and Hawley's effort. McConnell had previously warned GOP senators not to participate in raising objections, saying it would be a terrible vote for colleagues.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks back to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The New York senator said “the only thing standing in the way" is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican senators. McConnell has shown little interest in Trump's push to bolster the $600 relief checks just approved in a sweeping year-end package, declaring Congress has provided enough pandemic aid, for now. Nancy Pelosi regained the speaker's gavel after Democrats swept to the House majority in the midterm election. The Republican-led Senate acquitted Trump in 2020 of the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

“I will not be participating in a project to overturn the election,” Sasse wrote. When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted. Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all has been dismissed or dropped. The group of House Republicans has said it plans to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON – The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonious affair. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The tellers record and count the votes, The presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON – The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonious affair. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The tellers record and count the votes, The presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON – The video message that plunged Washington into chaos was filmed in secret. On Wednesday, few Republicans or even White House staffers knew what Trump plans next, in a return to the around-the-clock chaos of his first months in office. “There are mixed signals from the White House leaving more confusion than calm,” Biden noted on Wednesday. Trump personally played little role in the negotiations, though the White House had initially sent signals that he would sign the bill.

House Republicans are expected to block the vote, but Democrats may try again Monday. Their political DNA tells them to oppose a costlier relief package. To top it off, because lawmakers linked the pandemic relief bill to an overarching funding measure, the government would shut down on Dec. 29. That's when a stopgap funding bill Congress approved to keep the government funded while the paperwork was being compiled expires, risking a federal shutdown. The Senate cleared the huge relief package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved it by 359-53.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, himself a former Republican congressman, confirmed the gathering on Twitter. The 538 members of the Electoral College from all 50 states and the District of Columbia met December 14 to count the electoral votes, formalizing Mr. Biden's victory. If the two chambers agree to accept the objection, the contested state's electoral votes are tossed out. Additionally, because Democrats control the House, it is highly unlikely the lower chamber would vote to toss out a state's electoral votes. GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, an ally of Mr. Trump, said challenging the votes would "probably do more harm than good."

But members can use the event to object to a state’s votes. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said he organized Monday's session with about a dozen House Republicans who are willing to challenge the results. “President Trump is very supportive of our effort,” Brooks said in an interview late Monday. Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. McConnell has told Senate Republicans that a dispute over the results in January would yield a “terrible vote” for Republicans.

Washington — President Trump has signed a continuing resolution that will extend government funding through Sunday to allow negotiations over a government spending measure and a coronavirus relief bill to continue. Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Friday there would be no vote on the spending measure or the relief bill on Saturday. Lawmakers also wish to append a coronavirus relief bill to this omnibus measure, and congressional leaders are still negotiating that deal. The need to pass a relief bill is just as urgent as an overarching government spending bill. Meanwhile, top lawmakers have insisted for days that they are nearing a deal on a relief bill, even as time is running out to come to an agreement.

Americans may be getting a second stimulus payment for Christmas after all, although lawmakers are still negotiating the details of a new multi-billion relief package. That's about half of the $1,200 maximum stimulus per person provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act. The good news is that new stimulus payments will be available for dependents, including adult dependents such as college students, according to the Washington Post. As for who's getting a check, as of now, lawmakers are basing eligibility on the same income standards established in the CARES Act. That legislative package, passed at the end of March, provided full $1,200 payments to individuals earning less than $75,000 and $2,400 for married couples making less than $150,000.

Ahead of the midnight Friday deadline to pass a spending bill, the House introduced a two-day stopgap bill to keep the government running. Leaders on Capitol Hill have said for days they are close to a deal on a $900 billion relief proposal that would accompany a $1.4 trillion spending bill. While bipartisan House officials including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., backed the temporary funding bill, the Senate will pose bigger problems. If lawmakers can approve a spending bill before Monday, the damage from a lapse in federal funding would be limited. Only hours earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. described an agreement as imminent.

The virus aid talks remained on track, both sides said, but closing out final disagreements was proving difficult. The Democrats said the GOP proposal would deprive President-elect Joe Biden of crucial tools to manage the economy. “Undermining that authority could mean less lending to Main Street businesses, higher unemployment and greater economic pain across the nation." The COVID-19 package would be added to a $1.4 trillion governmentwide appropriations bill that would fund federal agencies through next September. Standard & Poor’s said in a report Tuesday that the economy would be 1.5 percentage points smaller in 2021 without more aid.

The holdups mean a weekend session now appears virtually certain, and a top lawmaker warned that a government shutdown this weekend can't be ruled out. Now, Republicans are motivated chiefly to extend business subsidies and some jobless benefits, and provide money for schools and vaccines. The urgency was underscored Thursday by the weekly unemployment numbers, which revealed that 885,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week, the highest weekly total since September. Some Democrats also mourned the exclusion of a $500 million aid package to help states run their elections. The emerging package would combine the $900 billion in COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion government-wide funding bill.

Those stimulus checks could be around $600 to $700 per individual, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters on Wednesday. That's just about half of the $1,200 payments authorized by the CARES Act in the spring. More from Personal Finance:Will the next Covid relief bill contain $600 or $1,200 stimulus checks? Notably, a $908 billion package that was unveiled earlier this week did not include stimulus checks. If the stimulus checks are cut in half to about $600 per individual, their total cost would come down to roughly $150 billion from $300 billion.

Then he pivoted, privately warning Republican senators away from disputing the Electoral College tally when Congress convenes in a joint session Jan. 6 to confirm the results. “I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate. One House Republican, Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, is planning to challenge the Electoral College results when Congress convenes for the joint session. John Thune of South Dakota and Roy Blunt of Missouri, warned the senators off any Electoral College challenge, according to one of the people familiar with Tuesday's call. The GOP leaders further warned senators that forcing their colleagues into a vote on Electoral College challenges would prove difficult, especially for those facing their own reelections in 2022.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Senate Republicans not to object to the election results when Congress convenes on January 6 to count the electoral votes, two sources familiar with the situation told CBS News. One source said that on a call with Republican senators, McConnell, Senate Majority Whip John Thune and Senate Republican Conference Vice Chairman Senator Roy Blunt urged them not to object to the election results during the joint session. But an objection only carries weight if it's signed by both a member of the House and Senate. Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden are spending some time campaigning in the Peach State. Mnuchin and the top leaders of the House and Senate from both parties are meeting at 4 p.m.

Then he pivoted, privately warning Republican senators away from disputing the Electoral College tally when Congress convenes in a joint session Jan. 6 to confirm the results. “I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate. Some GOP lawmakers have vowed to carry the fight to Jan. 6 when Congress votes to accept or reject the Electoral College results. One House Republican, Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, is planning to challenge the Electoral College results when Congress convenes for the joint session. The GOP leaders further warned senators that forcing their colleagues into a vote on Electoral College challenges would prove difficult, especially for those facing their own reelections in 2022.

He said Monday’s Electoral College vote “was significant.”Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn said barring further legal challenges it appears Biden will be president. Others have said Trump's legal battles should continue toward resolution by inauguration day, Jan. 20. "Once the Electoral College has voted, most people are going to recognize Joe Biden as the president-elect." "Although I supported President Trump, the Electoral College vote today makes clear that Joe Biden is now President-Elect,” said Sen. Many Republicans are unwilling to declare Biden the winner for the same reasons they avoided standing up to Trump during his presidency.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump offered a new rationale Sunday for threatening to veto the annual defense policy bill that covers the military's budget for equipment and pay raises for service members: China. “The biggest winner of our new defense bill is China! I will veto!” Trump said in a new tweet. “President Trump clearly hasn’t read the bill, nor does he understand what’s in it," Reed said. McConnell said it was important for Congress to continue its nearly six-decade long streak of passing the defense policy bill.

Trump has vowed to veto the bill unless lawmakers impose limits on social media companies he claims were biased against him during the election. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a rare break with Trump, urged passage of the measure despite Trump's threat to veto it. The Democratic-controlled House overwhelmingly approved the defense bill on Tuesday, defying Trump’s veto threat and setting up a possible showdown with the Republican president in the waning days of his administration. It follows Trump’s bid over the summer to sabotage the package with a veto threat over Confederate base names. If he does veto the defense bill, Congress could cut short its Christmas recess to hold override votes.

After months of discussion and negotiation, Democrats and the White House inched closer to agreeing on a massive coronavirus spending package Tuesday. “That’s the hope, let me say that,” Pelosi told reporters. Senate Republicans remain a barrier to passing another major stimulus package. “I’m not optimistic about doing anything.”AdvertisementMultiple Republicans said Tuesday they were concerned Democrats would include unrelated items in a large coronavirus spending package. McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters a deal reached by Democrats and the White House would get considered in the Senate, but did say not when.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three members of the U.S. Congress have tested positive for the new coronavirus, and more than two dozen others have said they are self-quarantining in hopes of limiting the spread of the pandemic. Senator Rand PaulThe Kentucky Republican said on March 22 that he had tested positive and was in quarantine. He had been in the Senate and using the gym there in the days before he received his positive result. [nL1N2BF09W]Representative Mario Diaz-BalartThe Florida Republican said on March 18 that he tested positive after developing symptoms on March 14. More than two dozen House members have self-quarantined, some after exposure to Diaz-Balart or McAdams, and others after contacts with their constituents or staffers who later tested positive.

The Senate passed a historic $2 trillion coronavirus relief package Wednesday night, as it tries to stem the destruction the pandemic has brought to American lives and wallets. The bill now heads to the House, which will push to pass it by voice vote Friday morning because most representatives are out of Washington. "This is a proud moment for the United States Senate and for the country and we're going to win this battle in the very near future," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters after the vote. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., did not vote after testing positive for COVID-19, and neither did GOP Sens. While the Senate took precautions Wednesday such as keeping votes open longer to reduce crowding, senators still huddled in groups and chatted.

Only one Democrat, Senator Doug Jones, voted with Republicans to advance the bill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the Trump administrations point person on coronavirus legislation, shuttled in and out of Senate leaders offices. The Senate measure includes financial aid for ordinary Americans, small businesses and critically affected industries, such as airlines. Republicans normally hold a slim 53-47 majority in the chamber, short of the 60 votes they need to advance most legislation. But the coronavirus has trimmed their ranks, making it even harder to advance legislation without significant support from Democrats.

Why are Democrats filibustering the bipartisan bill they helped write? Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a modified version of the legislation could pass on Monday. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsTreasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the Trump administrations point person on coronavirus legislation, shuttled in and out of Schumers office. The Senate measure includes financial aid for ordinary Americans, small businesses and critically affected industries, such as airlines. But the coronavirus has trimmed their ranks, making it even harder to advance legislation without significant support from Democrats.

The Senate scheduled a vote for Sunday to proceed with the coronavirus stimulus package, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday. The Senate adjourned Saturday afternoon until 2 p.m. Sunday, and they will vote at 3 p.m. on whether to move forward and vote on the final package on Monday. Senators continued negotiations over the weekend on the expansive stimulus package. The finalized measure is expected to cost between $1 and $2 trillion, according to Trump administration officials. But Republican Senate Majority Whip John Thune told reporters Saturday that lawmakers agreed on most of the provisions in the proposal.

The Senate scheduled a vote for Sunday to proceed with the coronavirus stimulus package, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday. The Senate adjourned Saturday afternoon until 2 p.m. Sunday, and they will vote at 3 p.m. on whether to move forward and vote on the final package on Monday. Senators continued negotiations over the weekend on the expansive stimulus package. The finalized measure is expected to cost between $1 and $2 trillion, according to Trump administration officials. But Republican Senate Majority Whip John Thune told reporters Saturday that lawmakers agreed on most of the provisions in the proposal.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed giving taxpayers until July 15 to submit their 2019 income tax returns 90 days from the original April 15 due date. The Tax Filing Relief for America Act, which Senators Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Angus King, I-Maine, are joining Thune in introducing, aims to have the filing deadline coincide with the new July 15 deadline for taxpayers to pay the IRS taxes owed for 2019. Senators Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., are co-sponsors. But the federal agency decided to stick with the original April 15 due date for filing the returns. House Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., also called on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to move the federal income tax filing deadline to July 15.

Trump told Republican senators in a meeting Tuesday he would like to waive the payroll tax entirely through the end of the year, or even permanently suspend it, one attendee told Reuters. What do you do about that?U.S. workers and their employers each contribute 7.65% of the employees gross pay for Social Security and Medicare through the payroll tax. A 2011 payroll tax cut to counteract the Great Recession, for example, returned $109 billion to households by cutting two percentage points from the amount that employees pay to the federal government. It is not clear a payroll tax cut would offset even a milder shock. To benefit from a payroll tax cut, first of all, you need to be employed, he said.

Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, touts the legislative victories of Republicans in Congress in the GOP's weekly address

Sign Up For NewslettersVaccines drive optimism about containing COVID pandemic — CBS News pollFirst baby born with COVID antibodies to vaccinated motherTeens try to cope after both parents die from COVIDIRS to delay tax filing deadline until May 17Trump urges people to get COVID vaccine, saying it's safe and worksSome teachers uneasy about returning before getting vaccineU.S. looking to loan AstraZeneca vaccine to other countriesNational Guard member takes selfies with all 100 senatorsICE taps nonprofit to house some migrant families in hotelsJeep to unveil new Cherokee SUVs amid name controversy15,500 unaccompanied migrant minors now in government custody48% of U.S. health workers still haven't received COVID-19 vaccineGoFundMe page raises over $2 million for sons of Atlanta shooting victimSen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., discuss the scandal surrounding Veterans Affairs hospitals. Richard Blumenthal, John Thune discuss VA reform ideas Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., discuss the scandal surrounding Veterans Affairs hospitals. Be the first to knowGet browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not NowTurn On

Open: This is Face the Nation, May 25 The latest on the mass murder in California and the ongoing Veterans Affairs hospital scandal with Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and John Thune, R-S.D., Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and others.

May 25: Blumenthal, Thune, Kinzinger The latest on the mass murder in California and the ongoing Veterans Affairs hospital scandal with Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and John Thune, R-S.D., Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and others.