The Leader Board
15 Circuit Court Judges Confirmed
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "These are men and women who try to interpret laws as written or as the Constitution seems to specify." (Bowling Green Daily News, 4/02/2018) Circuit Court Judges Confirmed In 2018 FIFTEEN: Kyle Duncan of Louisiana confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote 50-47 to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): "His breadth of experience makes him a great choice…. [Kyle Duncan] has extensive courtroom e… Continue Reading
04.23.18
‘America Will Be Better Off If Mike Pompeo Is Confirmed’
Editorial Pages On Mike Pompeo: 'Solid Knowledge Of The World,' 'A Professional,' 'Has Gained The President's Trust' USA TODAY EDITORS: "Unless a nominee has clear ethical or competency failings, presidents should be accorded wide latitude to select top aides whom they trust and agree with. Pompeo passes that test and merits approval…. Pompeo has a strong record for being tough on Moscow's recent history of malign behavior … Pompeo is no dummy - he graduated from Harvard Law Sc… Continue Reading
04.23.18
‘What Could It Be Other Than Politics?’
Dems Flip-Flop On Pompeo, Once Said 'He Is Smart, Hard-Working And Devoted To Protecting Our Country' '[U]nder Ordinary Times, He Would Be Confirmed Overwhelmingly' "[Democrat S]enators say they are hearing a clamor from their party's base to fight the nomination - and liberal groups want Democrats to increase their opposition to Pompeo …" ("Dems Hedge On Pompeo's Fate, Politico, 4/17/2018) Mike Pompeo was confirmed as CIA Director by a vote of 66-32, with 15 Democrats voting to … Continue Reading
04.20.18
Mike Pompeo, ‘A Highly Qualified Nominee’
Sen. Burr: 'Somebody's Going To Be Hard-Pressed To Show Me Anything That's A Disqualifier Other Than Politics' Sen. Corker: 'We're Much Better As A Nation Having Mike Pompeo As Secretary Of State' SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Here is a man who -- through mastery of the daily briefings he receives, counsel on our nation's most sensitive intelligence activities, and proven leadership in returning our CIA to the aggressive gathering of foreign intelligence -- has inspired … Continue Reading
04.19.18
'Are You Kidding Me?'
Overwhelming Bipartisan Support For Secretaries Of State Was A Long-Standing Senate Tradition SEN. BOB CORKER (R-TN), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman: "[M]y Democratic friends, who know that … the base, if you will, on the Left, will view this as a proxy vote in support of Trump, obviously are finding ways to not vote for him. This is very much against any kind of tradition that we've had here…. [A]nd there's nothing in Pompeo's past that, in any way, could possibly… Continue Reading
04.18.18
Dems Sink Coast Guard Bill
Democrats 'Flip-Flopped Under Partisan Pressure And Voted Against It' SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "In a dangerous world, the brave men and women of the Coast Guard are 'always ready' for the call -- whether it be to interdict drugs, secure our ports, or conduct daring maritime rescues. They deserve our support. So why did this bill fail? Because it contained an eminently sensible, bipartisan provision to streamline regulations for the mariners and vessel operators who dri… Continue Reading
04.18.18
‘Chopping Away’ At Regulations
16th CRA Targets 'Unaccountable, Out-Of-Control Agency That Circumvented The Proper Rulemaking Process' SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Republicans are chopping away at the tangled mess of regulations the last administration left behind. Our whole economy is getting a tune-up…. We used the Congressional Review Act a record 15 times last year." (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/17/2018) 'GOP Maneuver Could Roll Back Decades Of Regulation' "Republicans are preparing to ope… Continue Reading
04.17.18
Tax [Reform] Day
As Americans File Their Taxes For The Final Time Under The Old Code, Senate Republicans Spotlight Current And Future Tax Reform Benefits SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Today is 'Tax Day,' the deadline for most Americans to file their tax returns. For many middle-class families and businesses, this date is circled on the calendar with regret and trepidation. But this year, this depressing day has a silver lining?-?simply put, it's 'out with the old, and in with the new.' Toda… Continue Reading
04.17.18
Tax Day 2018: ‘Out With The Old, And In With The New’
Across America, Working Class Families And Small Business Owners Keep More Of Their Money, Making 'A Tremendous Difference' SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Today is the last time American families will have to file under the unfair, outdated tax code that Congress and the president got rid of a few months ago. 'Out with the old, and in with the new.' Republicans' historic overhaul cut taxes for families and small businesses. We doubled the standard deduction, expanded the chi… Continue Reading
04.16.18
More Money In Floridians’ Pockets
Sen. Rubio: 'Millions Of Parents Across This Country Will Have More Money In Their Pocket Come Tax Time Next Year.' PRESIDENT TRUMP: "[T]his country is starting to rock with our businesses coming back in. It's starting to really rock…. We've had tremendous success from the company standpoint and from the people's standpoint. They're going out. They have a lot more money to spend." (President Trump, Roundtable Discussion on Tax Cuts, Hialeah, FL, 4/16/2018) SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): "I… Continue Reading
04.16.18
‘Confirm Mike Pompeo’
Former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright: 'He Will Be Somebody That Replenishes The State Department' THE WASHINGTON POST EDITORS: "Confirm Mike Pompeo" (Editorial, The Washington Post, 4/12/2018) Democrats: 'The State Department Needs A Secretary Of State Quickly,' Director Pompeo Is 'A Nominee Who Really Answers Our Questions' FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: "He has been a member of Congress. And he's had a job recently that has put him in a position of knowing an awful lot.… Continue Reading
04.13.18
Historic Democrat Obstruction
President Trump's Nominees Have Faced 86 Cloture Votes In First 2 Years Vs. 24 For Previous 6 Presidents Combined SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Over and over again, we've had to file cloture and exhaust floor time on amply-qualified nominees who then soar through their confirmation votes by lopsided margins…. The numbers speak for themselves." (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/11/2018) WALL STREET JOURNAL: "Democratic obstruction against nominees is nearly total, most not… Continue Reading
04.12.18
‘Pompeo Is The Right Man’
30 Bipartisan Former National Security Officials Say 'Director Pompeo Is A Strong Choice To Lead The Department Of State' "Thirty former government officials with national security experience have written a letter to the top Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, Sens. Bob Corker and Bob Menendez, endorsing the current CIA Director and former Kansas Congressman [Mike Pompeo]. The authors cite the 'hot wars' in Syria and Afghanistan, emerging crises in Ir… Continue Reading
04.10.18
‘Worth Celebrating’
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch's First Year on the Court "Neil Gorsuch became the Supreme Court's newest member a year ago this Tuesday. President Donald Trump's pick for the high court, its 113th justice, has now heard more than 60 cases on issues including gerrymandering, fees paid to unions and the privacy of certain cellphone records." (The Associated Press, 4/08/2018) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "[W]e've confirmed top-notch legal minds to the federal bench, inclu… Continue Reading
03.23.18
Safety Provisions ‘Will Be Effective And Save Lives’
Omnibus Legislation 'Delivers For Students And Teachers' By Including Fix NICS And STOP School Violence Act SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "The [omnibus] legislation also delivers for students and teachers across our nation, who deserve to learn and work without fear of violence. At the insistence of the Speaker and myself, this bill will include two important, bipartisan, commonsense measures to address real issues facing the nation: the Fix NICS bill and the STOP School Vio… Continue Reading
03.22.18
‘Tax Reform Is Helping Hoosiers’
Sen. Young: 'I Was Proud To Support The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act' SEN. TODD YOUNG (R-IN): "We delivered several major successes to the American people last year, including tax relief for hard-working Hoosiers and small businesses. … I was proud to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act…" (Sen. Young, Press Release, 1/26/2018) Hoosier Paychecks Going Up SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "…tax reform is helping Hoosiers. Pat Williams, who lives in Southern Indiana, recently shared ano… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Omnibus Bill ‘A Victory For Families Caught In The Grip Of The Opioid Epidemic’
'It Is Time To Liberate Our Communities From This Scourge Of Drug Addiction' PRESIDENT TRUMP: "It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction." (President Trump, "How We Will Win The War On Opioids," 3/1/2018) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "[The omnibus bill is] a victory for families caught in the grip of the opioid epidemic. This bill scales up research, treatment and prevention funding and provides for grants to first responders. It will confro… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Restoring America’s Military
Omnibus Bill 'Delivers The Largest Year-On-Year Increase In Defense Spending In Fifteen Years' SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: "The agreement provides the biggest year-over-year increase in defense funding in 15 years. Combined with FY2018 funding previously approved by Congress for missile defense and disaster response, the Defense Department will receive more than $61 billion over the 2017 enacted level. The omnibus measure funds a 2.4 percent pay increase for troops and includes substanti… Continue Reading
03.20.18
Tax Reform ‘Wonderful’ In Missouri
'Bonnie Brazzeal, Who Works In The Cafeteria At The College Of The Ozarks, Choked Up When She Told The President That She Received A Bonus From Her Employer As A Result Of The Tax Cut' SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Last Wednesday, President Trump visited a Boeing manufacturing facility in St. Louis to hear how tax reform is helping Americans. … These Americans' tax reform stories are amazing. So is the fact that only one senator from Missouri voted to help all this good news happen." (Se… Continue Reading
03.19.18
‘Sustain Our Military's Primacy’
'Our Backlog Of Deferred Readiness, Procurement, And Modernization Requirements Has Grown In The Last Decade And A Half And Can No Longer Be Ignored.' SEC. MATTIS: 'Congressional Action Will Ensure Our Military Can Defend Our Way Life, Preserve The Promise Of Prosperity, And Pass On The Freedoms You And I Enjoy To The Next Generation' 2018 National Defense Strategy: "To address the scope and pace of our competitors' and adversaries' ambitions and capabilities, we must invest in modernization… Continue Reading
