The poll and data crunchers at FiveThirtyEight most recent predictions for the November elections show a bit of good better news for Democrats in one chamber of Congress. Continue reading “FiveThirtyEight: Democrats Slightly Favored To Win Senate”
Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act
After more than a year of legislative wrangling, Senate Democrats were able to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation is projected to lower the federal deficit by $300 billion over the next ten years and lower costs for Americans. Continue reading “Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act”
Will Smith Apologizes To Chris Rock + More News
Will Smith (screen capture)
Gun Reform Bill Advances In 65-34 Senate Vote
(screen capture)
Senate Approves $3.5 Trillion Budget In 50-49 Vote
Wow, that was quicker than I expected. Just hours after the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to improve the nation’s infrastructure, Democrats approved a $3.5 trillion budget that could help address climate change, expand Medicare, provide for pre-kindergarten and more. Continue reading “Senate Approves $3.5 Trillion Budget In 50-49 Vote”
Senate Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill 69-30
With overwhelming bipartisan support, the US Senate has passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package to address the nation’s crumbling infrastructure by a vote of 69 to 30. Continue reading “Senate Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill 69-30”
President Biden Urges Swift Passage Of Equality Act
President Joe Biden
I applaud Congressman David Cicilline and the entire Congressional Equality Caucus for introducing the Equality Act in the House of Representatives yesterday, and I urge Congress to swiftly pass this historic legislation.
Every person should be treated with dignity and respect, and this bill represents a critical step toward ensuring that America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all.
Full equality has been denied to LGBTQ+ Americans and their families for far too long. Despite the extraordinary progress the LGBTQ+ community has made to secure their basic civil rights, discrimination is still rampant in many areas of our society.
The Equality Act provides long overdue federal civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, locking in critical safeguards in our housing, education, public services, and lending systems — and codifying the courage and resilience of the LGBTQ+ movement into enduring law.
On my first day in office, I was proud to sign an Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. I directed agencies to implement the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling, and fully enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Now, it’s time for Congress to secure these protections once and for all by passing the Equality Act — because no one should ever face discrimination or live in fear because of who they are or whom they love.
The Equality Act, formally reintroduced in the House on Thursday, would ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination throughout the nation. The act would amend existing civil rights laws to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation passed in the House in 2019 with a bipartisan 236-173 vote but was never given a vote in the Senate. (via WhiteHouse.gov)
Jon Ossoff Projected As Winner Of Georgia Runoff Election
It’s official – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff has been projected as the winner of his race in the Georgia runoff elections. His win, a final backhand to Donald Trump, will give Democrats control of the Senate. From the New York Times:
The Rev. Raphael Warnock defeated Senator Kelly Loeffler, becoming the first Black Democrat elected to the Senate from the South. And Jon Ossoff, the 33-year-old head of a video production company who has never held public office, defeated David Perdue, who recently completed his first full term as senator.
Both Democrats now lead their defeated Republican opponents by margins that are larger than the threshold required to trigger a recount under Georgia law.
CNN PROJECTION: Democrats will take control of the US Senate as Jon Ossoff defeats Republican David Perdue in Georgia #CNNElection https://t.co/IsXay4MhZa pic.twitter.com/Hkg8sbdiEo
— CNN (@CNN) January 6, 2021
Georgia: Warnock Wins, Ossoff Victory ‘Very Likely’
L-R Jon Ossoff, Rev. Raphael Warnock (images via Twitter)
At a news conference, Gabriel Sterling, a top official from the Georgia secretary of state’s office, refers to Jon Ossoff as “Senator to be, probably, Ossoff.” Sterling says he anticipates that all but a few votes will be counted by 1 p.m. today and that Jon Ossoff will very likely defeat David Perdue.
With more than 60,000 absentee votes uncounted, mostly from Democratic-leaning counties, a Georgia elections official says Ossoff is the likely winner and no recount will likely be necessary.
The energy in the race has been enormous with the two Dems outpacing the Republicans in fundraising during the weeks leading up to the runoff election. Warnock becomes only the 11th Black U.S. Senator in the history of the nation and the first from Georgia. If he wins his race as expected, Ossoff will be the youngest Democratic senator to be elected since – Joe Biden. With the two wins, the U.S. Senate will be comprised of 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans leaving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to cast tie-breaking votes. Say it with me: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. 
(graphic via NY Times)
(graphic via NY Times)
Dems Outpacing Repubs In Fundraising For Georgia Senate Runoff
The two Democratic candidates in the Georgia Senate runoff races for U.S. Senate are far outpacing their Republican opponents in fundraising. From Fox News:
Democrat Jon Ossoff, who is taking on Republican Sen. David Perdue, took in more than $106 million from Oct. 15 through Dec. 16, according to his latest campaign finance report.
The Rev. Raphael Warnock, the Democrat trying to unseat Sen. Kelly Loeffler, was close behind with a little over $103 million.
Perdue reported $68 million over the same two-month span, with Loeffler collecting just under $64 million. Three of the campaigns reported their financial data on Thursday. Loeffler submitted hers a day earlier.
The two races will determine which party will control the Senate in 2021. If the Democrats win both seats, there will be 50 Dems and 50 Republicans in the chamber, but with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris – who serves as president of the Senate – control would swing to the Democrats.