James Lankford

The U.S. Senate Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against Senator Ruben Gallego, finding no evidence of violations. The complaint, filed by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, alleged campaign finance issues and inappropriate conduct. Both Gallego and Luna have responded to the dismissal, with Gallego calling the accusations conspiracy theories and Luna denying the claims.

The US Senate Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against Sen. Ruben Gallego, finding no evidence of violations. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna accused Gallego of campaign finance and sexual misconduct, which he called right-wing conspiracies. The committee retains authority to revisit the matter if new facts emerge.

The U.S. Senate Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against Sen. Ruben Gallego, finding no evidence of violations. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna accused Gallego of campaign finance misconduct and inappropriate conduct, which he called right-wing conspiracies. The committee retains authority to revisit the matter if new facts emerge.

President Donald Trump’s renovations in Washington, DC, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, have sparked debate over their cost to taxpayers, with some criticizing the projects as excessive and others defending them as necessary maintenance. The Trump administration has undertaken numerous construction projects, potentially costing over $1 billion, with critics alleging favoritism toward contractors and defenders citing long-neglected repairs.

Republicans and media criticize President Trump's secret Iran ceasefire agreement, calling it a surrender and questioning its terms. Critics argue the deal lacks transparency, congressional oversight, and fails to meet Trump's earlier demands, with some comparing it unfavorably to the 2015 Obama-era JCPOA agreement.

Senate Republicans demand transparency on a Trump-touted Iran deal, as the text of the memorandum of understanding remains unreleased. Lawmakers from both parties seek formal review and a congressional vote on the agreement, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz but lacks clarity on Iran's nuclear program restrictions. Concerns echo past debates over the 2015 JCPOA deal, with some lawmakers fearing a similar outcome.

Senate Republicans are seeking involvement in President Trump’s proposed Iran deal, citing concerns over the lack of publicly released details and the need for congressional oversight. The agreement, potentially ending a monthslong conflict, has drawn bipartisan scrutiny due to its similarities to the Obama-era JCPOA and questions about Iran’s uranium enrichment terms.

Sen. James Lankford stated that Congress should ratify any agreement Donald Trump reaches with Iran. He made this comment during a Senate Committee on Intelligence hearing to examine worldwide threats.

Republican senators warn that a surveillance program under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act may lapse after bipartisan opposition to President Donald Trump’s selection of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Efforts to extend the program collapsed as lawmakers blocked a long-term renewal, citing concerns over Pulte’s lack of national security experience.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) stated that FHFA Director Bill Pulte is not qualified for the long-term Director of National Intelligence position due to his lack of national security experience.

Senators James Lankford and Maggie Hassan propose the 'Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026' to eliminate shutdowns by automatically enacting a Continuing Resolution if Congress fails to pass funding bills. The act would require Congress to remain in session until budget negotiations conclude, ensuring federal workers and programs remain funded.

The Justice Department retreated slightly from its $1.8 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund,' but Republican senators remain unconvinced, urging President Donald Trump to explicitly renounce the fund. The fund's potential use to pay participants in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and other Trump allies has stalled GOP immigration enforcement legislation, with senators demanding clearer assurances.

The Republican Congress faces mounting challenges before midterms, including a contentious immigration enforcement bill, time constraints due to limited legislative sessions, and urgent deadlines for extending surveillance powers and avoiding a government shutdown. Additional issues include negotiations on cryptocurrency, housing, insulin pricing, and college sports reforms, alongside stalled transportation and farm bills.

Senate Republicans have paused their $72 billion ICE and Border Patrol funding package after a contentious closed-door meeting with the Trump administration over a controversial DOJ 'anti-weaponization' fund worth nearly $1.8 billion. The dispute centers on whether the fund, created following a Trump family IRS settlement, will derail the immigration enforcement spending bill that was nearing completion.

Senate Republicans have paused their $72 billion immigration enforcement funding package after a tense meeting over the Trump administration's newly created DOJ 'anti-weaponization' fund, which they view as a problematic 'slush fund.' The disagreement between Republicans and the administration over the fund's purpose has derailed the Republicans' push to meet Trump's June 1 deadline for passing the ICE and Border Patrol funding bill.

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Sen. James Lankford have introduced a bill to fight antisemitism. The legislation aims to strengthen federal efforts against antisemitism. Sen. Rosen discusses the bill on 'The Takeout'.

The Senate is taking steps to prevent government shutdowns with a bipartisan push, introducing legislation to automatically trigger short-term funding extensions and impose limits on lawmakers. Senators James Lankford and Maggie Hassan are leading the effort, building on Senator John Kennedy's rule change to prevent lawmaker pay during shutdowns. The goal is to end government shutdowns forever and ensure Congress feels the pain of federal workers.

The US Senate is taking steps to prevent government shutdowns with a bipartisan push, introducing the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act to automatically trigger short-term funding extensions and impose limits on lawmakers. Senators James Lankford and Maggie Hassan are leading the effort, building on Senator John Kennedy's rule change to prevent lawmaker pay during shutdowns. The goal is to end government shutdowns forever and ensure Congress feels the same pain as federal workers.

The Senate has unanimously agreed to forfeit their paychecks during future government shutdowns, with the money being withheld until a deal is struck to reopen the government. This decision aims to prevent lawmakers from using shutdowns as a political tactic. However, many senators are wealthy and may not be affected by the loss of pay.

The US Senate has unanimously agreed to forgo their paychecks during future government shutdowns, with the money being withheld until a deal is struck to reopen the government. This decision aims to prevent lawmakers from using shutdowns as a political tactic. Many senators are wealthy and won't feel the financial pain of missing a paycheck.

The US plans to begin talks with China on AI safety guardrails and best practices, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasizing the need to prevent non-state actors from accessing advanced AI models. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers, with some supporting dialogue between the two AI superpowers while others express skepticism about China's trustworthiness and fear of intellectual property theft.

The US Senate has unanimously passed a resolution to prevent senators from being paid during government shutdowns, aiming to make lawmakers feel the same consequences as federal workers. This move could thwart future closures by making the consequences real for lawmakers. The resolution applies only to senators and would direct the secretary of the Senate to withhold their pay until a shutdown is resolved.

The US Senate has unanimously passed a resolution to prevent senators from being paid during government shutdowns, aiming to make lawmakers feel the same pain as federal workers. This move could thwart future closures by making consequences real for lawmakers. The resolution applies only to senators and would direct the secretary of the Senate to withhold their pay until a shutdown is resolved.

President Trump's two major legislative priorities — a gas tax holiday and White House ballroom funding — face significant opposition from both Democrats and Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Republican senators and representatives cite concerns about highway funding depletion and taxpayer spending, while procedural rules and slim party margins threaten passage of both initiatives.

Senate Republicans are questioning a $1 billion funding request from the Trump administration for security enhancements, including $220 million for the White House complex and $180 million for a screening center. The request is part of a broader immigration operations funding package. Republicans are seeking more detailed information on how the funds will be used.

The Trump administration's claim of zero border crossings is being disputed by data and law enforcement officials, who report ongoing illegal crossings and smuggling activity. The Southern border has seen an increase in arrests and gotaways, with roughly 8,000 people encountered trying to cross illegally in March. The administration's declarations of a sealed border have been contradicted by evidence of continued crossings.

Allegations of misconduct against an unnamed senator were referred to the Senate Ethics Committee by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, sparking calls for investigation amid ongoing congressional scandals. The accusations follow recent scandals involving lawmakers like Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, reigniting debates over Congress's 2018 sexual harassment policy reforms.

Allegations of misconduct against an unnamed senator were referred to the Senate Ethics Committee by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, amid ongoing scandals involving lawmakers like Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales. Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed the referral, while Senate Ethics Committee Chair James Lankford declined to comment.