Lisa Murkowski

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a narrow 50-49 vote, which allows him to pursue the Trump administration's agenda aggressively. The confirmation followed a tumultuous fight regarding his loyalty to President Donald Trump and concerns about the Justice Department’s independence. Blanche publicly promised that the department would abandon Trump's proposed compensation fund and rein in other settlement elements.

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, a major victory for Donald Trump. This decision came despite criticism concerning an $1.8bn slush fund. Senator Bill Cassidy cast the deciding vote, while Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted against the nomination.

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general with a narrow vote of 50-49, following weeks of opposition regarding potential conflicts of interest and concerns over an Anti-Weaponization Fund established through Trump’s settlement with the IRS. Sen. Bill Cassidy's support was key to securing the confirmation, which occurred despite Murkowski announcing her intention to oppose the nomination.

Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general by a narrow Senate vote of 50-49, giving President Donald Trump's former personal attorney command of the Justice Department. The confirmation followed significant opposition and required Blanche to publicly promise that the department would abandon proposals for compensation funds for Trump's allies and limit protection from IRS tax audits.

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a narrow 50-49 vote, allowing Trump’s former personal attorney command of the Justice Department. The confirmation follows concerns about maintaining the department's independence and was secured after Blanche promised to abandon Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for allies. Opposition noted that Blanche's loyalty to Trump remained a central point of conflict.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Department of Justice as President Donald Trump’s attorney general. His confirmation faced opposition from Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins due to his connection to anti-weaponization funds and concerns over the DOJ's independence. However, Senator Bill Cassidy backed Blanche, arguing that a confirmed official was necessary for the department's effective running.

Todd Blanche was confirmed by the Senate to serve as attorney general for Donald Trump, replacing Pam Bondi. His confirmation generated significant debate, with proponents citing his ability to run the Department of Justice effectively. However, opposition from lawmakers like Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins focused on concerns regarding a weaponized DOJ, anti-weaponization funds, and Blanche’s connection to certain files.

The Senate plans to hold multiple votes before departing for recess, including passing a stopgap funding bill and a long-stalled Russia sanctions bill. Leadership aims to confirm dozens of nominees and conduct initial votes on a budget blueprint and the SAVE America Act. However, the agenda faces hurdles due to potential objections or failure to reach simple majority thresholds.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is meeting with GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to secure their support for his confirmation as the permanent leader of the Justice Department. The meeting takes place in the Capitol as part of efforts to finalize his appointment.

Senator Susan Collins opposes Todd Blanche's confirmation as acting Attorney General, citing concerns over his actions eroding DOJ independence, including approving audit protections for Trump's family and supporting an anti-weaponization fund. Collins' opposition complicates Trump's efforts to confirm Blanche, with Republican leaders needing to secure remaining votes amid skepticism from other GOP senators.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, will oppose Todd Blanche's attorney general confirmation due to his involvement in an IRS settlement with President Donald Trump and a pledge to an anti-abortion organization to prohibit mailing abortion medication. Two undecided Republicans, Bill Cassidy and Lisa Murkowski, are needed for Blanche's confirmation.

Todd Blanche is one vote away from confirmation as attorney general after securing support from Sen. John Curtis. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination, with GOP senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis backing him after he agreed to modify terms of an IRS settlement. Three undecided Republican senators remain: Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski.

Senate Republicans aim to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general by week's end, but undecided GOP senators remain. Blanche secured Judiciary Committee approval after a deal with Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis to clarify a controversial settlement between President Donald Trump and the IRS. Full Senate confirmation still requires avoiding two Republican defections amid unified Democratic opposition.

Republican senators including Bernie Moreno and Shelley Moore Capito called for Rep. Max Miller to resign over domestic abuse allegations involving his ex-wife and daughter. Miller denied claims of abuse, including pouring hot water on his ex-wife and holding a gun to her head, while some GOP lawmakers expressed grave concerns about the accusations.

Senate Republicans aim to pass a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown before the Nov. 3 elections and advance a $95 billion budget package for the Iran war, farmer aid, and other priorities. Internal divisions over the budget’s size and debt concerns threaten progress, with unfinished matters likely delayed until September.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate committee approved a bill to block interagency agreements transferring education programs from the Department of Education to other federal departments. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine with co-sponsors Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, aims to preserve programs related to special education, elementary and secondary education, and others at the Education Department.

The Senate finalized a stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown until December 11, including language to block President Trump’s plan to shift grant approval authority to political appointees. The bipartisan agreement includes support from top Republicans like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, while House Republicans had earlier passed a separate funding extension without Democratic consultation.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Jeanne Shaheen urge the State Department to release $608 million in aid and $1.7 million in family-planning supplies to address an Ebola outbreak in East Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The senators argue that providing family-planning resources and supporting health clinics can prevent deaths among women and fetuses affected by the virus.

Senators Lisa Murkowski and Jeanne Shaheen urged the State Department to release $608 million in congressionally-approved family-planning funds and $1.7 million in stored medical supplies to address an Ebola outbreak in East Africa. The lawmakers emphasized the urgency of providing resources to women and infants in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the virus has caused over 3,500 cases and 1,556 deaths.

Bipartisan senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lisa Murkowski urged the Trump administration to release family planning funding and supplies to aid women affected by an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio requesting to lift the funding.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate committee approved a bill to block the Department of Education from transferring programs related to special education, elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, and Native American education to other federal agencies. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed the measure 13-9, with Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski as sponsors.

President Trump's attempts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education through interagency agreements face bipartisan opposition in the Senate. A 13-9 Senate education committee vote advanced legislation to reverse agreements transferring core functions to other departments, though Trump lacks the votes to abolish the agency outright.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate committee advanced a bill to block the Department of Education from transferring programs via interagency agreements, targeting special education and other key areas. The 13-9 vote included support from Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who opposed moving responsibilities like special education to the Department of Health and Human Services.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate committee approved a bill to block the Department of Education from transferring specific programs to other agencies. The bill, sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine with co-sponsors Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, targets interagency agreements affecting special education and other programs. The 13-9 vote included bipartisan support but faced GOP opposition led by committee chair Bill Cassidy.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while the majority of Republicans and Democratic senator John Fetterman opposed it. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, causing oil prices to rise and gasoline costs to increase.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate committee advanced a bill to block interagency agreements transferring education programs from the Department of Education to other agencies. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine with co-sponsors Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, aims to prevent the outsourcing of special education and other programs to departments like Health and Human Services as part of efforts to dismantle the Education Department.

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lisa Murkowski sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging swift action to protect women and infants from the Ebola outbreak in eastern Africa. They requested the Trump Administration to use congressionally appropriated funds for family planning programming to address the crisis.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Trump's military conflict in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote, as three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure. The House had previously passed the resolution, but it did not gain Senate approval. Recent U.S. and Saudi airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, leading to higher oil prices and increased U.S. gasoline costs.

Bipartisan senators urge Secretary of State Marco Rubio to allocate $608 million in family planning funds and release $1.7 million in contraceptive supplies to address maternal health crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid an Ebola outbreak. They also seek a humanitarian exemption to resume U.S. support for UNFPA, which was halted by the Trump administration, citing rising maternal deaths and risks from Ebola during pregnancy.

Three Republican senators supported a War Powers Resolution to block President Trump’s war with Iran, but the measure failed 49-50 in the Senate. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, raising oil prices and gasoline costs. Four U.S. service members were killed in Iranian strikes, with the Pentagon not classifying the latest casualties as part of the Iran war.

Senate leaders are considering blocking a Trump administration plan to replace the peer-review process for federal grants with political appointees. Bipartisan negotiations on a funding bill to prevent a government shutdown include discussions on halting the proposed regulation, which faces opposition from both Democratic and some Republican senators due to concerns over politicizing grant approvals.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump's military actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while 49 Republicans opposed it. The House passed the resolution, but the Senate did not, despite renewed strikes by U.S. and Saudi forces against Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

A War Powers Resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it. Recent U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq followed Iranian drone attacks, raising oil prices and gasoline costs.

A Senate committee passed legislation to reverse efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, maintaining oversight of K-12 education, special education, and postsecondary programs within the department. The bill faced bipartisan support but drew criticism from some Republicans who argue the department’s federal role is excessive, while the Trump administration defended its restructuring plans as effective.

A War Powers Resolution to block President Donald Trump’s military conflict in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate with a 49-50 vote. Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—supported the measure, while Democratic senator John Fetterman voted no. Trump ordered retaliatory strikes in Iraq following Iranian drone attacks, causing oil prices to rise and gasoline costs to exceed $4.09 per gallon.

A U.S. Senate War Powers Resolution to block President Donald Trump’s military conflict in Iran failed with a 49-50 vote, supported by three Republicans—Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins—while Democratic Senator John Fetterman opposed it. Trump authorized retaliatory strikes in Iraq alongside Saudi forces after Iranian drone attacks, causing oil prices to rise and gasoline costs to reach $4.09 per gallon. The conflict has resulted in 18 U.S. service member deaths and 653 injuries.

The Senate education committee approved a bipartisan bill to block the Trump administration's plan to transfer key education offices to other federal agencies. The legislation, S. 5046, prevents the Education Department from moving the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, along with other major education offices, to other departments. The bill aims to maintain federal oversight of critical education programs and funding.

Congress is divided over a War Powers Resolution to limit President Trump's military authority in Iran, following the deaths of four U.S. soldiers and rising gas prices. The House passed the resolution with bipartisan support, but the Senate rejected it, while ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran has led to economic impacts including oil prices over $100 a barrel.

Lisa Murkowski has not decided on Todd Blanche's confirmation as attorney general, despite the Justice Department securing multiple large settlements for Alaska. Blanche, currently acting attorney general, is seeking Murkowski's support amid criticism over past actions, including the Epstein files release and a controversial funding initiative.

A bipartisan housing bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is expected to become law without President Donald Trump's signature, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump has criticized the bill as 'a big yawn' and prioritized the SAVE America Act, which faces Senate resistance.