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Former Florida AG Pam Bondi gets Trump鈥檚 latest nod for attorney general
WASHINGTON 鈥 President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday evening he plans to nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his newest pick for U.S. attorney general. Trump鈥檚 announcement came just hours after another Floridian, former Congressman Matt Gaetz,聽withdrew as Trump鈥檚 expected nominee for the country鈥檚 top law enforcement job. Gaetz was tapped to be nominated […]
McConnell to step down as U.S. Senate GOP leader but take over two key chairmanships
WASHINGTON 鈥 Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday he鈥檒l become chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the Rules Committee when the new Congress convenes in January.聽 鈥淎merica鈥檚 national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War,鈥 McConnell wrote in the announcement. 鈥淎t this critical moment, a new Senate […]
Matt Gaetz bows out as Trump鈥檚 pick for attorney general
WASHINGTON 鈥 Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz announced Thursday he鈥檚 withdrawing as President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 planned nominee for attorney general days after securing the appointment. Gaetz鈥檚 path to Senate confirmation was highly unlikely following years of investigations about alleged drug usage and payments for sex, including with an underage girl. He submitted his resignation to […]
Trump picks Dr. Oz to run mammoth Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
WASHINGTON 鈥 Former TV personality and onetime U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz could become the next administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an expansive government agency that is responsible for large swaths of the country鈥檚 health care. President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Oz on Tuesday, writing in a statement […]
NIH targeting rare diseases, director tells U.S. House funding panel
WASHINGTON 鈥 The director of the National Institutes of Health testified before Congress on Tuesday the agency is looking to rebuild trust following the COVID-19 pandemic by solving some of the biggest health challenges facing the country. Monica M. Bertagnolli told the House panel in charge of the agency鈥檚 funding that one of those focus […]
Trump taps vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. to lead Department of Health and Human Services
WASHINGTON 鈥 President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday he plans to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, another controversial candidate who could face a challenging confirmation process in the U.S. Senate given his non-scientific beliefs about public health, including his anti-vaccine stance. 鈥淚 am thrilled to announce Robert […]
How will Republicans handle 7 key issues with their trifecta control of Washington?
WASHINGTON 鈥 Republicans in the Nov. 5 election took over the White House, the U.S. Senate and as of late Wednesday, the House, after calls were made in enough races to project a majority. They are expressing high hopes for unified control of government. But before they鈥檒l be able to celebrate enacting sweeping changes to […]
Trump to pick Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz as attorney general amid ethics probe
WASHINGTON 鈥 President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to nominate U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as the next attorney general of the United States, an unexpected pick as the Florida Republican remains the subject of a congressional ethics investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and accepting improper gifts. House Speaker Mike Johnson […]
South Dakota U.S. Sen. John Thune elected as next majority leader for Republicans
WASHINGTON 鈥 Republicans on Wednesday elected their leadership teams for the next Congress, opting for a new slate in the Senate while reelecting many of the same lawmakers in the House. South Dakota Sen. John Thune will become that chamber鈥檚 next majority leader, marking the first time since 2007 that Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell hasn鈥檛 […]
U.S. House GOP claims mandate on immigration, lower food prices, ‘end to the wokeness’
WASHINGTON 鈥 U.S. House Republican leaders said Tuesday voters have given them a 鈥渕andate鈥 to enact as much conservative policy as possible once they gain unified control of the federal government in January, but declined to provide details about exactly what policies they鈥檇 seek to enact. 鈥淭he American people want us to implement and deliver […]
Trump pressures three senators vying to be U.S. Senate GOP leader
WASHINGTON 鈥 President-elect Donald Trump is making demands of the next Senate Republican leader ahead of a closed-door election this week, writing on social media that whoever is chosen should recess the chamber early next year so he can appoint whoever he wants without having to go through the confirmation process. 鈥淎ny Republican Senator seeking […]
鈥業t was a hell of a good day鈥: U.S. Senate GOP takes an election victory lap
WASHINGTON 鈥 Republicans were moving toward unified control of Congress on Wednesday as more House races were called in their favor and GOP candidates continued flipping Democratic seats in the Senate. Democratic leaders were still holding out hope that they would secure a narrow majority in the House once there鈥檚 a clear outcome in fewer […]