Topic: Susan Collins
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Briefing
Six 2012 races where the tea party counts
After playing kingmaker in the 2010 election cycle, the tea party movement is having a less prominent role in 2012. But its support or opposition could swing some key races and even determine whether Republicans win control of the Senate. Here are six US Senate contests where the tea party could make a difference.
All Content
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USA Update Flight delays coming to an end? House votes next on FAA furloughs.
The Senate voted Thursday to let the FAA repurpose money so it can halt furloughs of 15,000 air traffic controllers and end flight delays, tweaking rules of the 'sequester.' The House votes on the bill Friday.
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Irked by airport delays, Senators ease FAA furloughs
The Senate re-appropriated money Thursday to reopen closed air traffic control towers and rehire furloughed air traffic controllers. Many members of Congress had already flown home to their districts, thus experiencing the delays affecting many air travelers.
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'Shame on you!' Gun vote shamed by Obama, Giffords, Maisch
'Shame' was the word of the day after the U.S. Senate failed to pass gun control legislation yesterday. A spectator in the gallery yelled out 'Shame on you!' while President Obama referred to the vote as 'pretty shameful' and Rep. Gabby Giffords wrote 'Shame on them' in an op-ed about the senators.
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Decoder Wire Four reasons the Senate gun control bill may be kaput
The Senate is slated to vote Wednesday on nine gun control provisions, but prospects for passage for several – including expanding background checks to more gun buyers – look dim. Here's why.
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Is the National Rifle Association beginning to lose its clout? (+video)
A major gun rights group has announced its support for a compromise Senate measure that would expand background checks on gun buyers. The National Rifle Association continues to oppose such checks even though most NRA members support them.
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New cybersecurity bill: Privacy threat or crucial band-aid?
The cybersecurity bill was a flash point for privacy advocates a year ago. Now, changes have been made to the bill, which was the focus of a closed hearing Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee.
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Bipartisan deal on background checks: Biggest gun control win yet?
Two senators announced a bipartisan deal on a gun control bill that would expand background checks. Its passage is hardly assured, but just the compromise is significant.
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Opinion: Liberal hypocrisy on Bloomberg's moneyed fight for gun control
President Obama heads to Colorado today in his push for gun control – a cause NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has spent millions to support. Liberals who usually oppose the influence of money in politics are now praising Bloomberg. Such hypocrisy undermines their cause.
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Obama launches 'charm offensive' on Capitol Hill. Does it have a chance? (+video)
President Obama begins meetings with lawmakers Tuesday to discuss everything from deficits to guns. He is not known for cultivating working relationships on the Hill, and at the same time, GOP congressional leadership has been locked in opposition.
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Gun trafficking bill passes Senate panel. Is that it for Obama gun agenda?
A gun-trafficking bill picked up important Republican support Thursday, improving its chances for passing the full Senate. But other parts of President Obama's gun-control agenda are in limbo.
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Are Congress and Obama moving toward a budget deal?
As the public's patience with partisan politics wears thin, signs in Washington indicate possible movement toward bipartisan budget decision-making. The House passed a bill which would fund government programs through this fiscal year on Wednesday. The Senate is expected to pass a similar measure soon. Also on Wednesday, President Barack Obama invited Republican Senators to dinner.
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Why Brennan came off better than Hagel in Senate hearing
CIA director-designate John Brennan, in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, was not pressed very hard on the controversial drone strike program.
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Will Saturday cuts save the Postal Service?
Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe announced plans to reduce Saturday deliveries beginning in August. The Postal Service says the changes will save $2 billion annually. Though The Postal Service lost $15.9 billion last fiscal year, some in Congress and elsewhere oppose the Saturday cutbacks.
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Gun control: inklings of a compromise in the Great Gun Debate (+video)
Amid a largely partisan standoff on gun control, there are signs of bipartisan support on issues such as gun trafficking and expanding background checks for gun sales.
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Decoder Wire Why is Sen. Lindsey Graham now Obama's antagonist in chief?
Not long ago, the Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was seen as a 'maverick' Republican willing to work across the aisle. But there appears to be a clear reason for his rightward shift.
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Reports: Sen. John Kerry to be named secretary of State (+video)
Now that Susan Rice has withdrawn her name, President Obama reportedly will name Sen. John Kerry to take over as secretary of State when Hillary Rodham Clinton resigns.
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Decoder Wire Susan Rice: Was she pushed to end secretary of State bid?
With the 'fiscal cliff' unresolved and other big issues still on the table, President Obama didn't need a confirmation battle. Realistically, Susan Rice had little choice but to take her name out of the mix.
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More Republicans agree to higher tax rates for the wealthy
Recognizing that President Obama has the upper hand, more Republicans say they're now willing to consider higher tax rates for the wealthy. On Sunday, it was Sen. Bob Corker (R) of Tennessee.
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Decoder Wire Does Sen. Jim DeMint's departure spell doom for conservatives on the Hill? (+video)
Tea party stalwart Jim DeMint's decision to leave the Senate to run the Heritage Foundation may say something about the ability to effect change from the outside, as opposed to the inside.
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Controversy over Susan Rice's Benghazi comments continues (+video)
On Tuesday, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice met with Republican senators who have accused her of misleading the public following the attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi. The White House is searching for a replacement for Hillary Clinton, who plans to leave her job as secretary of state in January.
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Senate cybersecurity bill fails, so Obama could take charge
The Pentagon wants Congress to pass a cybersecurity bill to safeguard critical assets such as the power grid. But Senate efforts failed, meaning President Obama might issue an executive order.
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Opinion: How President Obama can win over Congress (+ video)
He may have won the election, but now President Obama faces enormous challenges in the House and Senate – among Republicans and Democrats. To succeed, he must do what does not come naturally to him: Spend lots of quality time with lawmakers of both parties.
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What will happen if Congress remains status quo?
In tomorrow's election Republicans are expected to retain the House, and Democrats are expected to retain the Senate. Can America survive another two years of dysfunction on Capital Hill?
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How the 2014 elections tip prospects for a 'grand bargain' on US deficits
Whoever wins the White House – President Obama or Mitt Romney – will need help from the other side of the aisle in the Senate to reach a deal on meaningful debt- and deficit-reduction. But key senators up for reelection in 2014 face wrenching tradeoffs.
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Benghazi attack: Will Senate inquiry be a factor in presidential election?
Senator Lieberman says his committee will try to ‘find out what happened and why’ in the Benghazi attack, but panel staff say the information-gathering stage is unlikely to be finished by the election.
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