Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
VP Kamala Harris breaks tie to approve budget after Senate voting marathon
Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate early Friday morning to approve a new government budget for 2021, clearing the legislative space for Democrats to pursue a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan. Published February 5, 2021
Democrats close in on $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus package despite GOP speedbumps
Senate Democrats were pushing toward approval overnight Thursday of a budget to clear the way for President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus package, but not before the GOP forced them to take tough votes on blocking illegal immigrants getting stimulus checks and making school bailout money contingent on reopening classes. Published February 4, 2021
GOP scores budget victory with ban on illegal immigrants getting checks
Senate Republicans won a change to Democrats' budget Thursday that would block illegal immigrants from getting checks. Published February 4, 2021
Trump won’t testify at impeachment trial, his lawyers tell Democrats
Former President Donald Trump brushed aside impeachment managers' demand Thursday that he testify at his looming Senate trial, accusing House Democrats of trying to turn the weighty proceedings into "a public relations stunt." Published February 4, 2021
House impeachment team demands Trump testify
The Democratic impeachment managers sent a letter Thursday demanding that former President Donald Trump appear and testify as part of the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate, and said if he refuses it will be evidence of his guilt. Published February 4, 2021
GOP lawmakers tell DHS secretary to ‘resist the calls of open borders advocates’
Troubled by President Biden's early executive actions on immigration, more than two dozen Republicans sent a letter to the new Homeland Security secretary urging him to "resist" the pressure of open borders. Published February 4, 2021
Biden thwarts the law with border wall halt: House GOP
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee demanded an explanation Thursday from the new Homeland Security secretary about President Biden's order to stop border wall construction, saying it "thwarts the will of Congress," which just approved nearly $1.4 billion in new money for the project. Published February 4, 2021
Joe Biden $1,400 checks demand defies economists, boosts Democrats
President Biden held firm Wednesday on his demand for direct payments of up to $1,400 to millions of Americans in any coronavirus package, bolstering Democrats' negotiating hand on Capitol Hill but defying economists who said the cash isn't the best way to stimulate the economy. Published February 3, 2021
Iranians arrested by Border Patrol jumping U.S. border in Arizona
Border Patrol agents arrested 11 Iranians Monday after they sneaked across the border into Arizona. Published February 3, 2021
House approves budget for Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus package
House Democrats powered a skeleton budget through the House on Wednesday, sidelining Republicans and carving out enough space to approve President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus wish list. Published February 3, 2021
Rep. Budd tells Congress to tear down its fence
A Republican congressman said Wednesday that it's time to tear down the fence that was hastily erected last month around the Capitol, saying it's turned the seat of American democracy into a fortress more akin to a military base. Published February 3, 2021
Senate reaches power-sharing agreement, with Democrats focusing on climate
Senators reached a deal Wednesday morning to share power in the evenly divided chamber, clearing the way for Democrats to take over control of the committees and begin to make progress on their agenda. Published February 3, 2021
Supreme Court cancels hearing on border wall
The Supreme Court on Wednesday canceled two upcoming hearings on the border wall and another Trump administration immigration policy, granting the Biden team's request for the matters to be shelved for now. Published February 3, 2021
Nancy Pelosi praises approval of fines for lawmakers refusing security checks
The House voted Tuesday to impose large fines on any lawmaker who refuses to go through a security check before reaching the chamber floor -- one of the changes Democrats imposed in the wake of last month's attack on the Capitol. Published February 2, 2021
House, Senate vote to begin budget debate
Both the House and Senate kicked off their debates over a new budget resolution Tuesday, blazing a path that could lead to them trying to push through a COVID-19 relief package without earning any Republican support. Published February 2, 2021
Biden signs order easing immigrants’ access to welfare
President Biden moved Tuesday to wipe away more of the Trump immigration infrastructure, signing orders easing legal immigrants' access to welfare and revoking his predecessor's get-tough border policies. Published February 2, 2021
Senate proceeds with budget resolution, readies Democrats’ COVID-19 package
Senators voted Tuesday to begin debating a budget resolution, taking the first steps toward approving a final COVID relief package without any GOP support. Published February 2, 2021
Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed as DHS secretary, begins unwinding Trump policies
The Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday to be the new secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, giving President Biden a point person to begin unwinding what he called the "cruelty" of the Trump administration toward immigrants, both legal and illegal. Published February 2, 2021
Senate to vote on budget resolution, readies Democrats’ COVID package
Senators voted Tuesday to begin debating a budget resolution, taking the first steps toward approving a final COVID-19 relief package without any Republican support. Published February 2, 2021
Biden team asks Supreme Court to cancel argument on Trump’s border wall
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Monday to cancel the upcoming oral argument on two critical immigration cases involving former President Trump's border wall and the "Remain in Mexico" policy that helped solve the 2019 border surge. Published February 2, 2021