TheRepublic.com - John McCain News

Republican divisions may hinder party's momentum

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:22:42 -0400

WASHINGTON - A string of unrelated events are highlighting divisions among Republicans just when they'd like to show a united front and take full advantage of President Barack Obama's latest political problems.

Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:15:07 -0400

WASHINGTON - Now that tech darling Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law.

Senate panel approves immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:07:39 -0400

WASHINGTON - Far-reaching legislation that grants a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses.

Editorial: Apple's tax avoidance is legal but rotten

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:21:27 -0400

An editorial / By Dale McFeatters - Apple is best known for the brilliance of its technological wizardry. But when Senate investigators finish examining its financial practices, the electronics giant may be best known for its brilliance in legal tax avoidance.

Senate votes to make small cut to food stamps

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:02:04 -0400

WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to keep a $400 million annual cut - or roughly a half of 1 percent - to the food stamp program as part of a major five-year farm bill.

Senate panel approves weapons for Syrian rebels

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:25:54 -0400

WASHINGTON - A Senate panel voted on Tuesday to provide weapons to rebels battling the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the first time lawmakers have endorsed the aggressive U.S. military step of arming the opposition in the 2-year-old civil war.

Mass. Senate candidates spar on homeland security

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:38:40 -0400

BOSTON - The candidates running in the special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts traded barbs Monday over homeland security in an exchange that pointed to an increasingly sharp tone between the two.

Dem lawmaker launches 2014 run for Ohio treasurer

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:03:32 -0400

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A third-term Democratic state lawmaker said Monday she will challenge Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel next year, adding to the growing list of 2014 statewide election matchups.

Dems' Senate campaigns marked by internal battles

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:53:18 -0400

ATLANTA - Republicans aren't the only ones roiled by internal jostling and recruiting hiccups ahead of next year's midterm elections.

IRS probe ignored most influential groups

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:44:42 -0400

WASHINGTON - There's an irony in the Internal Revenue Service's crackdown on conservative groups.

Congress rethinks 9/11 law on military force

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:22:24 -0400

WASHINGTON - Congress is rethinking the broad authority it gave the president to wage a war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in light of how President Barack Obama has used the power to target suspected terrorists with lethal drone strikes.

Pentagon: US still in armed conflict with al-Qaida

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:37:47 -0400

WASHINGTON - The United States remains in armed conflict with al-Qaida and its affiliates, a fight likely to last a decade or two, senior Pentagon officials told Congress on Thursday in arguing against changes to the 2001 military force law used in the war on terror.

Obama to meet with McCain on immigration, budget

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:52:05 -0400

WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama plans to meet with Republican Sen. John McCain on Wednesday to discuss ongoing efforts to pass an overhaul of immigration laws and budget issues.

Editorial: The Senate struggles to play by the rules

Fri, 10 May 2013 17:51:57 -0400

An editorial / By Dale McFeatters - For years, Senate Republicans taunted their Democratic counterparts for their inability to pass a budget for the coming fiscal year.

RedBlue: Does scandal lurk in U.S. consulate ruins?

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:22:42 -0400

By BEN BOYCHUK and JOEL MATHIS - A GOP-led probe into last fall's deadly attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, this week produced testimony from diplomats who said that a request for Special Forces assistance in repelling the attack had been denied twice.

For many Republicans, immigration is risky subject

Thu, 09 May 2013 03:11:52 -0400

FALLS CITY, Nebraska - Rodney Vandenberg was the first to greet Republican Sen. Deb Fischer when she dropped by the Falls City's Chamber of Commerce office last week. He wasted no time bracing her about immigration, an issue that a Senate committee takes up Thursday in the form of sweeping overhaul legislation.

Cyberattacks a growing irritant in US-China ties

Wed, 08 May 2013 07:32:18 -0400

BEIJING - Signs are growing that the sustained surge in cyberattacks emanating from China is imperiling its relations with the U.S., lending urgency to fledgling efforts by both governments to engage on the issue.

Arizona senators: Border sewage pipeline at risk

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:11:24 -0400

NOGALES, Arizona - Arizona's senators are warning the State Department about risks posed by the deterioration of a pipeline that carries more than 10 million gallons of raw sewage daily from Mexico into the U.S. for treatment.

Editorial: On immigration, the GOP's split widens

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:51:07 -0400

An editorial / By DALE McFEATTERS - The current U.S. Congress is unique in having three political parties: one Democratic and two Republican.

Republicans question security in immigration bill

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:12:13 -0400

WASHINGTON - Republican senators criticized border security provisions in a new immigration bill Tuesday, arguing that the landmark legislation can't pass Congress unless the measures are strengthened.

Study sets off immigration bill squabble

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:41:31 -0400

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan Senate immigration bill would cost the government a net $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years to provide benefits for millions of people now living in the U.S. illegally, the Heritage Foundation said in a report Monday, setting off a fierce dispute with fellow conservatives who attacked the study as flawed and political.

New jobs and energy gains helping lift US economy

Sun, 05 May 2013 08:44:29 -0400

WASHINGTON - A stronger-than-expected April rebound in job creation and recent dramatic discoveries of vast U.S. oil and gas reserves are helping to lift the American economy out its long funk.

In Menendez's troubles, echoes of past scandals

Sat, 04 May 2013 10:35:09 -0400

WASHINGTON - An ethical cloud is following Sen. Robert Menendez in Washington, even as he has leading roles in some of Congress' most important policy debates.

Obama doesn't foresee US ground troops in Syria

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:52:29 -0400

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - President Barack Obama said Friday he doesn't foresee any circumstance requiring the U.S. to send ground troops into Syria, even as Washington pursues more evidence about the regime's purported use of chemical weapons.

Hill aides: White House recalculates spending cuts

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:33:22 -0400

WASHINGTON - The White House budget office is recalculating how to apply automatic spending cuts for a handful of agencies, freeing up almost $4 billion for the Pentagon and another $1 billion or so for other agencies like the Homeland Security Department and NASA.