Latest news with #R-S.D.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Graham offers Europe-friendly carveout to Russia sanctions bill
Sen. Lindsey Graham plans to amend his crippling Russia sanctions bill to exempt countries that help Ukraine's defense against Russia, he told Semafor on Wednesday. After senators heard from countries worried about being caught up in 500% sanctions if they trade with Russia — a major energy producer in Europe — Graham said he plans to change the bill to omit levies on countries that have helped the fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'Why don't we carve out for countries who are helping Ukraine? If you're providing military economic assistance to Ukraine, you get a carveout. So China, if you don't want to get sanctioned, help Ukraine … that makes sense to me,' Graham said in an interview. Graham said he spoke to President Donald Trump about his effort on Tuesday night. He declined to say what Trump thought of his latest proposal: 'I'll let him speak for himself.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this week the decision about sanctions is Trump's to make, signaling possible problems with the bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., indicated this week the Senate could move this month on a sanctions bill. Graham was more firm, predicting action on his plan in June 'unless there's some breakthrough.' 'I appreciate what President Trump has done. He's gone the extra mile … Putin's uninterested. He's gonna have another invasion soon. We've got a limited time to act,' Graham said. 'Let's put these sanctions out. Let's increase the cost to China and the other bad actors,' he added. 'It's the only way to keep this war from widening.' GOP leaders are closely consulting with the White House, even as many rank-and-file Republicans are tired of waiting for Trump's green light. Despite Leavitt's cool response, it's possible the Senate could cobble together a veto-proof majority for Graham's bill. A Ukrainian delegation is briefing senators today, per POLITICO.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Advocates push Senate to drop changes in 90/10 rule for vets benefits
A coalition of 31 veterans groups is urging Senate leaders to strip a provision from the Republican budget reconciliation package which they say will allow for-profit schools to once again take advantage of student veterans. In a letter sent Wednesday evening to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the groups noted that the provision concerning a repeal of the 90/10 rule could also cost the federal government as much as $1.6 billion, making the move concerning on a fiscal level as well as a ethical one. 'Our organizations spent a decade with bipartisan lawmakers to solve this problem,' the letter stated. 'That progress shouldn't be undone.' GOP bill repeals rule on how for-profit schools count vets benefits Veterans groups in recent weeks unsuccessfully lobbied House leaders to drop the provision before passing the reconciliation bill. The new effort includes a broader array of groups including Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Veterans Education Success. At issue is the 90/10 rule, which covers how colleges must account for how much federal financial aid funding they take in. By law, colleges and universities must have at least 10% of their revenues derived from non-federal sources in order to qualify for federal benefits. The idea behind the regulation is to ensure that for-profit institutions aren't funded solely by federal monies, but instead also include significant investment by students interested in furthering their education. But for years, GI Bill benefits and Defense Department Tuition Assistance programs were not counted as federal dollars for the 90/10 calculation, despite being taxpayer-funded benefits. As a result, schools could target veterans or troops receiving federal education payouts to boost their government funding well beyond the 90% cap. Four years ago, as part of an emergency funding bill during the Covid-19 pandemic, lawmakers closed that loophole, reclassifying the GI Bill money and other military education programs as federal funding in the 90/10 calculations. But the Republican-backed reconciliation bill — which includes changes to tax rates, Medicaid spending and a host of other federal program reforms — would revert to the pre-2021 rules on college accounting for federal aid. GOP committee members argued the change was needed to reduce regulations and promote more affordable options for student veterans. Officials from the Congressional Budget Office estimated the 90/10 reversal could cost as much as $1.6 billion over the next decade. 'Congress designed the [rule] to be a market viability test to protect taxpayers from artificially propping up a failing college of such low quality that no employer or private-paying student is willing to pay for it,' the letter stated. 'We urge you to vote 'no' on repealing the common-sense rule.' Democratic lawmakers have been pointing to the rule change as one of many flaws in the Republican backed bill, which passed only party lines in the House. Senate lawmakers are expected to take up work on the massive budget measure when they return from recess next week. Chamber leaders have said they hope for a floor vote on the bill before the congressional July 4 recess.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate open to loosening Syria sanctions
Republicans and Democrats alike are open to loosening sanctions on Syria as President Donald Trump seeks to give the new government a 'chance of greatness.' Lawmakers are also wondering whether the administration removes the lingering terrorist designation on the new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to several GOP sources. In an interview on Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said there's some interest in sanctions relief. 'Obviously you worry — in that part of the world — about whether the new regime is committed to stability and human rights and democratic reforms and that sort of thing. But there is interest, for sure, in a new start there,' Thune told Semafor. Across the aisle, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin said on Monday he was 'open to it, but I am not going to sell my vote cheap.' Talk of a potential removal of the terrorist designation is kicking around GOP Washington, according to four people familiar with the matter. The Biden administration dropped a $10 million bounty on al-Sharaa weeks before Trump took office, but the Israeli government has made clear that it's skeptical of the new Syrian leader's professed interest in more stable relations with both Israel and the US. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Turkey last week to meet with Syria's foreign minister, indicated that the administration would begin by waiving sanctions to allow other countries to 'flow in aid' — and previewed that a future step could involve pushing lawmakers to cut some of the sanctions permanently. Democrats and Republicans alike seem open to that, seeing an opportunity to help Israel and Turkey, both US allies, and to undercut Iran by aiding Syria's new leader. 'I think [al-Sharaa] would clearly understand that having the United States of America as a friend rather than an enemy means, No. 1, he might live a lot longer,' Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Semafor. 'And second of all, it means that there may be a chance for development of the economy in Syria.' Trump's shift on Syria is part of his 'vision for peace' in the region, a White House official told Semafor — though the person said it's too early to contemplate any possible investment deals, like those the US announced last week with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. It's notable, though, given that Trump was previously reluctant to involve himself with the insurgency group now ruling Syria. Yet after the shift, Thune said 'most of our members, I think, are kind of carving out space for the administration to see what they can do there,' he said. 'The leader in Syria has been characterized as a terrorist in the past, but apparently President Trump wants to work with him. I hope that his faith in this gentleman can be borne out,' Durbin said. And while the US retains a military presence in Syria, it is in the process of scaling back its footprint there. Officials previously estimated fewer than 1,000 US troops will be left after the completion of that effort.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump goes on defense over Qatar jet gift
President Trump defended his decision to accept a luxury Boeing jet from Qatar, calling it 'stupid' for him to turn it down amid an influx of criticism from both sides of the aisle over the gift. 'I could be a stupid person and say, 'Oh no, we don't want a free plane.' We give free things out, we'll take one too. And, it helps us out because … we have 40-year-old aircraft,' he said Monday morning, referring to Air Force One. 'So, I think it's a great gesture from Qatar, I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I could be a stupid person and say, 'No we don't want a free, very expensive airplane,' but I thought it was a great gesture.' The Boeing 747-8 airplane from the government of Qatar would replace Air Force One and would be kept by Trump's eventual presidential library after the end of his term. Boeing has had a contract with the U.S. government to build a new Air Force One, but it has been delayed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) acknowledged the delay but did not give his full backing to the offer. 'I understand his frustration. They're way behind schedule on delivering the next Air Force One,' Thune told The Hill later in the day. 'Whether or not this is the right solution … I don't know.' Trump earlier on Monday lashed out at a reporter when asked for his response to critics who say the luxury jet is a personal gift. 'You should be embarrassed asking that question,' he said. 'They're giving us a free jet. I could say, 'No, no, no, don't give [it to] us. I want to pay you a billion or $400 million or whatever it is.' Or I could say, 'Thank you very much.'' Trump also said that the gift is not to him personally but to the Defense Department, while acknowledging that when he leaves office, the plane 'would go directly to the library.' Some GOP lawmakers said the administration needs to run the full gamut of legal tests to make sure the idea of him accepting a luxury jet is constitutionally foolproof. 'I think they should run the legal challenges to see [if it's OK]. I'd be checking for bugs, is what I'd be checking for,' said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( 'We need to look at the constitutionality of it, sure.' Other Republicans warned against him accepting such a gift. 'Nothing about getting Air Force One from a foreign government feels right. It may be legal, but I wouldn't do it,' former George W. Bush White House press secretary Ari Fleischer posted on the social platform X. 'Air Force One should be American through and through. It shouldn't pass through foreign hands and it shouldn't be a gift from a King. Don't do it.' Even one of Trump's closest allies, Laura Loomer, called out the move as a 'stain' on the presidency and said she was disappointed that the president would accept this gift. 'I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him,' Loomer said on X. 'But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million 'gift' from jihadists in suits.' Meanwhile, Democrats made clear their anger and dissatisfaction with the move, arguing that it amounts to blatant corruption. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) announced on Monday they are seeking a vote on a measure targeting the gift over questions about foreign influence and national security. 'The Constitution is clear: elected officials, like the president, cannot accept large gifts from foreign governments without consent from Congress. Air Force One is more than just a plane — it's a symbol of the presidency and of the United States itself,' the quartet said in a statement, arguing that it 'creates a clear conflict of interest and undermines public trust in our government' on top of influence and national security issues. 'No one — not even the president — is above the law,' they said. 'This week, we will ask the Senate to vote to reiterate a basic principle: no one should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts.' Schatz, who is running to become the No. 2 Senate Democrat, also wrote on X that one does not 'need a law degree' to realize the gift is 'wildly corrupt.' Additionally, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) derided Trump as a 'wannabe king,' saying that the president shouldn't be accepting gifts from foreign countries. The president left Monday morning for the Middle East, and he is set to visit Qatar during the five-day swing. And, so far, he has aimed his defense of criticism over the luxury jet toward the media and political opponents. He blasted Democratic critics on Truth Social on Sunday, saying that accepting the gift 'bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
GOP senators fear Marjorie Taylor Greene could cost them Georgia Senate race
Republican senators are waving off firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) from jumping into next year's Georgia Senate race, voicing concerns that some of the 'crazy' things she's said might come back to hurt her in a general election race against vulnerable Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff (Ga.). Greene says she is looking seriously at either running for governor or for Senate in 2026 and expressed confidence that she could win a primary contest. GOP senators acknowledge she would have a good shot at winning the nomination given her national prominence and solid standing with many supporters of President Trump. Those chances got a boost this week when Gov. Brian Kemp (R), Senate Majority Leader John Thune's (R-S.D.) top recruit for the race, said he won't challenge Ossoff. Republican senators fear that Greene, who has a knack for making headlines with controversial comments and generating enthusiasm from MAGA voters, could march to the nomination but lose in the general election — like former NFL star Herschel Walker did in the 2022 Georgia Senate race. 'We need to have the absolute best candidate, and that includes electability. It's very difficult to apply a formula for a very gerrymandered, very conservative congressional district into a statewide election with as much diversity as Georgia has,' Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said when asked whether Greene would be a strong general-election candidate. 'That is a swing state that's pretty independent-minded,' he added. 'If I was to put my political science hat on and look at all the criteria, she wouldn't be high on my list of recruits.' Cramer wrote an essay for Newsweek in 2021 that called out Greene for endorsing some of the 'crazier' theories floating around in conservative circles, such as claims that the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington were an inside job, or that the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida was a false flag. He also flagged her suggestion in 2018 that a deadly California wildfire was caused by laser beams from space and that it might have been part of a scheme by wealthy financiers to clear space for a high-speed train line. She later deleted her post from Facebook. 'I think she's recanted some of the crazier things she's said,' Cramer acknowledged, but he insisted that 'electability is one of the more important criteria in recruiting a candidate.' 'Sometimes we let ideology be more important, and that's a mistake,' he said. Sen. Thom Tillis (R), who faces a competitive reelection race next year in North Carolina, a swing state, said Greene could win the primary but questioned her viability in a statewide general election race, considering appealing to independents and moderates in the suburbs is often critical to victory. 'I think she'd be a solid primary contender, but the state's a lot like North Carolina. It could be a challenge at the statewide level,' Tillis said. Greene won reelection in 2024 with 64.4 percent of the vote in a congressional district spanning several heavily Republican counties in northwest Georgia. Trump carried some of those counties with more than 70 percent or more than 80 percent of the vote. But if she ran for the Senate in 2026, Greene would have to be competitive in swing counties outside of Atlanta, such as Cobb, Gwinnett and Henry. In last year's election, Greene won the part of Cobb County in her district with 51 percent of the vote, which may bolster her optimism about running statewide. She told NewsNation's 'The Hill' that she's mulling either a gubernatorial or Senate bid. 'The polling shows I can win the governor's primary or I can win the Senate primary,' she said. 'That's a choice that I can make, and I'll give it some thought.' Even so, some Senate Republicans are deeply skeptical about nominating Greene to knock off Ossoff, whom they view as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent of the cycle. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a former two-time chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, chuckled when asked about Greene eyeing the Senate race. 'I'm sorry that Brian Kemp's not running,' he said. Asked whoM he would like to see as a candidate in the race, Cornyn said: 'I want one that can win. I don't know whether she qualifies or not.' A spokesperson for Greene said Senate Republicans are 'afraid of her' and questioned whether senators pooh-poohing the idea truly support Trump's MAGA agenda. 'These are likely the same Republicans refusing to confirm President Trump's nominees, like Ed Martin, because they never stood with [Trump] and still don't,' the spokesperson said, referring to Trump's controversial pick to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told the White House this week that he would not support Martin's nomination because of his advocacy for people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Cornyn, another member of the Judiciary panel, was undecided on supporting Martin when asked about the nominee Monday afternoon but then announced his support Tuesday, explaining that he tends to defer to the president on such picks. Greene's spokesperson said she would cruise to the Senate Republican nomination if she jumps in the race. 'Polling shows Congresswoman Greene would blow out a primary. She has the same type of support President Trump has, and now he's president,' the spokesperson said. 'She has one of the largest digital files in all of Congress, has donors from all 50 states, and has over 11.6 million followers on her social media. 'Congresswoman Greene would be any candidate's worst nightmare,' the source said. Thune, who will wield enormous influence over GOP donors in 2026, says he's staying neutral in the primary for now. 'I'm not going to weigh in on that just yet. There's still a lot of conversations that are going to be held and there's a ton of interest among the congressional delegation in Georgia, there are several statewide elected officials that are looking at it,' he said. Georgia Reps. Mike Collins (R) and Buddy Carter (R) are also said to be looking at jumping into the race, as are Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Insurance Commissioner John King. 'I'm not going to pontificate on the viability of anybody at the moment, but there clearly are always some candidates that are just better than other candidates in a general election,' Thune said.
