Republican Party News Headlines - Yahoo! News

New Hampshire lawmakers reject casino bill backed by governor

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:32:10 -0400

By Jason McClure NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Hampshire's House of Representatives rejected a bill on Wednesday that would have authorized the construction of the state's first casino, bucking a regional trend toward easing restrictions on gaming in New England. Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan had campaigned hard for the bill because gaming would help raise needed revenue without increasing existing taxes and fees. The casino bill had earlier passed the Republican-controlled Senate, and she had included $80 million in her proposed budget from casino-licensing fees. ...

Texas lawmakers OK drug tests for some unemployment applicants

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:03:03 -0400

By Corrie MacLaggan AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas came a step closer to requiring some applicants for unemployment benefits to first undergo drug testing, when lawmakers gave final approval to a Republican-backed bill mandating such checks on Wednesday. The measure, which passed the state House 104-42, had already passed the state Senate. Texas Governor Rick Perry had earlier urged legislators to require drug tests for those seeking unemployment or welfare benefits in the state. ...

U.S. House votes to force approval of Keystone pipeline

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:53:57 -0400

By Ros Krasny WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives approved a bill as expected on Wednesday declaring that a presidential permit was not needed to approve the Canada-to-Nebraska leg of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a move that would take a decision on the project away from the Obama administration. The Republican-controlled House voted 241-175 with support from some Democrats. The bill faces an uphill battle because it would have to pass the Senate with enough votes to overcome a promised veto from President Barack Obama. ...

Obama threatens to veto Republican student loan plan

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:12:44 -0400

By Elvina Nawaguna WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House threatened on Wednesday to veto a Republican bill to switch federal student loan interest rates to a market-based system, arguing the plan would create more uncertainty for students and families. Under the legislation introduced by Republican Representatives John Kline of Minnesota and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans would be recalculated every year and pegged to 10-year Treasury notes, plus 2.5 percentage points. Currently, interest rates on those loans are set by the government. ...

Obama nominee vows to work with Congress to fund transportation

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:57:21 -0400

By Doug Palmer WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's choice to be transportation secretary promised on Wednesday to work with Congress to figure out how to fund U.S. transportation needs during a time of tight budgets and faced lingering Republican anger over recent air traffic controller furloughs. ...

U.S. Congress moves to tighten sanctions on Iran

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:42:39 -0400

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee approved legislation on Wednesday seeking to impose tighter sanctions on Iran, the latest congressional effort to slow development of the Islamic Republic's disputed nuclear program. The "Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013" passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee by a unanimous voice vote and is expected to easily pass the full 435-member chamber, where it already has about 340 co-sponsors. A vote by the Republican-controlled House is likely within the coming weeks. ...

Immigration bill gets Senate boost; House effort teetering

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:29:42 -0400

By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supporters of U.S. immigration reform are hoping that the smooth and drama-free passage of their legislation through a Senate committee - a departure from almost everything that has happened in Congress over the past four years - will boost the likelihood of the bill winning full Senate approval. Even Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee who voted against the immigration bill on Tuesday, told Reuters TV that the "very fair" debate by the panel "does improve its chances. ...

Senate rejects bid to let states run food stamps

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:58:41 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday rejected a Republican bid to turn the federal food stamp program over to the states.

Wis. governor to court Iowans, stoke 2016 talk

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:50:47 -0400

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Another year, another campaign.

Wis. governor to court Iowans, stoking 2016 talk

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:47:02 -0400

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is gearing up for re-election next year. But the Republican's actions suggest he might be seeking a much bigger prize — the presidency in 2016.

House Republicans promote 20-week abortion ban

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:57:45 -0400

House Republican who oppose abortion promoted legislation Wednesday that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. These Republicans want to move ahead despite recent court decisions that have struck ...

Senate says video slots on L.I. in casino talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:38:11 -0400

Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos confirmed a proposal to bring video slot machines to Long Island as part of negotiations to expand casinos. After a closed door meeting Tuesday with Gov. Andrew Cuomo ...

Mich. gov, GOP lawmakers agree to budget targets

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:05:49 -0400

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and leaders of the GOP majority in the Legislature reached a budget agreement Tuesday for next fiscal year that doesn't include an expansion of government health insurance for ...

How Petraeus Turned the CIA into the Good Guys in Benghazi

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:15:09 -0400

How did the CIA become the hero in the Benghazi talking point controversy? The Republican theory of the case is that the CIA provided mostly correct talking points (with one big flaw — it blamed spontaneous protests), which the State Department and the White House then edited into misleading mush to protect President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But, of course, the CIA is part of the Obama administration, too, and run by Obama appointees — why hasn't it enjoyed as much scrutiny as everyone else involved?

Immigration bill heads to full Senate

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:28:18 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — A far-reaching bill to remake the nation's immigration system is headed to the full Senate, where tough battles are brewing on gay marriage, border security and other contentious issues, with the outcome impossible to predict.

Will Senate bid lure Rogers from his House seat?

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:16:47 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Mike Rogers has pulled off a rare feat in a bitterly divided Congress — a working, productive relationship with Democrats in overseeing the nation's 16 spy agencies.

House panel approves spending cuts, assumes more to come

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:49:51 -0400

By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives made clear on Tuesday that automatic spending cuts will be a recurring nightmare for Washington as it passed a measure to sharply reduce funding for government agencies and programs next year. The Republican-controlled committee approved a $967 billion discretionary spending cap - the lowest in a decade - for the 2014 fiscal year that starts on October 1. That is an $80 billion reduction from the current fiscal year. ...

Senate panel approves immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:36:12 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Far-reaching legislation to grant 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.

Senate panel OKs changes sought by tech firms in immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:58:16 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Senate panel voted on Tuesday to make it easier for U.S. companies to hire foreign workers as part of a broad immigration bill being debated in Congress. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted for the amendment, which would loosen requirements that employers recruit Americans ahead of foreigners for high-tech jobs. The compromise was brokered by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer to win over Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican whose support is seen as important to bring other conservatives on board with broader immigration reform. ...

Lawmakers move to address U.S. military sex assault problem

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:49:29 -0400

By David Alexander WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers frustrated by a spate of high-profile military sexual assault cases unveiled draft proposals in the House of Representatives on Tuesday to crack down on the crime, but they stopped short the kind of overhaul sought by some officials. The Republican-led personnel panel of the House Armed Services Committee proposed additions to the annual defense policy bill that would impose tougher penalties on people who commit sex crimes and would ensure better treatment for victims. ...

Senator pulls same-sex proposal for immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:15:49 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An influential Democratic senator on Tuesday withdrew a proposal to allow U.S. citizens to petition for their same-sex spouses to immigrate to the United States, in an effort to maintain support for a broad immigration bill. Republican senators have vowed to vote against the immigration bill if the same-sex proposal is added to the legislation. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy was forced to withdraw the proposal after Democrats and Republicans on the panel said it would kill the bill. ...

McKeon: State didn't ask for help before Benghazi

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:15:44 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior House Republican says U.S. military forces weren't in a position to help those under attack at a U.S. diplomatic post in Libya because the State Department had failed to ask the Pentagon for help in securing the compound before the raid.

Texas House passes measure to prevent Medicaid expansion

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:52:13 -0400

By Corrie MacLaggan AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Texas House passed a measure on Tuesday that would prevent the state from expanding its Medicaid program as outlined by President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law. Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican, notified the Obama administration last summer that his state would not expand Medicaid, and he reiterated his opposition at an April press conference at which he called expansion "foolish. ...

Senate panel approves weapons for Syrian rebels

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:24:34 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.

Michele Bachmann Has Inspired a Sexy Romance Novel

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:19:29 -0400

Michele Bachmann was the muse for a new romance novel called Fires of Siberia, to be published June 1, about a fiery presidential candidate who tries to bone up on her foreign policy credentials only to get stuck in the wilderness with a sexy stranger. "Inspired by the life of Tea Party leader and Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Fires of Siberia is an old-fashioned bodice ripper romance that brings the heat for the 2013 summer beach reading season," touts publisher Badlands Unlimited.

Why Oklahoma's Two Republican Senators Are Leery of Unfunded Tornado Relief

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:13:24 -0400

Oklahoma's two Republican senators, Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe, are among the most fiscally conservative in all of Congress. In the wake of the deadly tornadoes that hit their home state Monday, they're living up to their reputations.

Republican Overreach on IRS

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:12:23 -0400

While there has been plenty to find fault with in the revelation that the IRS targeted some tea party groups seeking tax exempt status, some of the Republican rhetoric has been an overreach. Rep. Michele Bachmann falsely claimed that Americans “most personal, sensitive, intimate, private healthcare information is in the … More

Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting for Public Opinion to Turn Against Obama

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:10:33 -0400

Another day, another poll showing that President Obama's job-approval rating is not collapsing under the weight of scandals and controversies. Why is he holding steady? Will it last? And will Republicans take any cues from his staying power?

LePage: Eliminate Maine's income tax

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:52:43 -0400

Gov. Paul LePage says he wants to completely eliminate Maine's income tax. The Republican governor said Monday that if re-elected he would make eliminating the state income tax a goal. He also acknowledged ...

Virginia Republicans Panicking Over Their Choice for Lieutenant Governor

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:40:15 -0400

A minister who compared gays to pedophiles and Planned Parenthood to the Klu Klux Klan is not the No. 2 candidate Republican Party reformers had in mind for the marquee race of 2013.

Anti-uranium forces press Va. candidates for gov

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:16:05 -0400

Opponents of uranium mining in Virginia met with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe on the issue and they said he's solidly in their corner, while a meeting with Republican nominee Ken ...

Hey, Congress: It's comprehensive immigration reform or nothing

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:45:43 -0400

Some members of Congress argue that the comprehensive immigration reform bill before the Senate is too long and that it needs to be broken up and considered piecemeal. But a piecemeal approach flies in the face of the long history of failed stand-alone immigration bills. This Congress needs comprehensive reform to save itself from itself.

Ala. Legislature rejects Bentley's 2-year-delay

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:09:12 -0400

The Republican majority in the Alabama Legislature handed the GOP governor a major defeat Monday night by rejecting his proposal to delay the start of private school tax credits for two years. The House ...

Ark. treasurer accused of taking cash from broker

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:07:55 -0400

Arkansas' state treasurer was accused Monday of taking at least $36,000 in cash — sometimes stashed in a pie box — from a broker who later came to manage a large share of the state's $3.3 billion investment ...

Insiders Split on Edits of Benghazi Talking Points

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:38:36 -0400

National Journal's National Security Insiders were split down the middle on whether the Obama administration's edits to remove any mention of terrorism from the original public statements on the Benghazi, Libya, attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens showed it deliberately tried to mislead the American public.

Hatch, Schumer Reach Deal on High-Skilled Workers in Immigration Bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:43:49 -0400

Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Orrin Hatch have reached a deal on visas for high-skilled workers that should ensure the Utah Republican's vote for the immigration bill in committee.

Analysis: Some Republicans see new scandal in Sebelius fundraising

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:06:09 -0400

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the White House already reeling from three major controversies, some Republican lawmakers are zeroing in on what they perceive is another possible scandal tied to President Barack Obama's landmark health reform law just as it nears implementation. ...

Republicans Are Watching Their Rhetoric on Obama Scandals

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:06:11 -0400

Wary of being perceived as overly partisan, Republican leaders are displaying unexpected message discipline about the trio of scandals facing the Obama administration, with rank-and-file members hesitant to conclude anything before Congressional investigations begin.

GOP leaders say impeachment talk premature

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:43:58 -0400

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The Republican National Committee chairman and a leading conservative, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, urged caution Monday for Republican critics calling for President Barack Obama's impeachment, but would not rule out impeachment altogether as new details emerged about the White House's role in the developing scandal at the Internal Revenue Service.

Florida governor signs budget, but vetoes college tuition hike

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:24:06 -0400

By Bill Cotterell TALLAHASSEE (Reuters) - Florida Governor Rick Scott signed the largest budget in his state's history on Monday while vetoing a college tuition increase and axing $368 million in projects he said did not meet his Republican criteria of job creation, education improvement and holding down the cost of government. Scott, who had a tough time selling some of his economic priorities in the Republican-led legislative session that ended May 3, used his line-item veto to delete a 3 percent tuition hike. ...