Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who supports expanding Social Security and Medicare and raising taxes on the wealthy, will get a seat on the Senates powerful Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over those big issues. Sanders supports increasing Social Security benefits for current and existing recipients by $2,400 a year and increasing cost-of-living adjustments to keep...

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Thursday that hes throwing his support behind Ben Wikler, the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, to take the helm of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). I have said since the day after the election that Democrats should view this moment as a challenge. We must listen...

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer is endorsing Ben Wikler to lead the Democratic National Committee, a boost for the Wisconsin state party leader in a race that has drawn little […]

The 119th Congress begins Friday with Republicans in full control of the House and Senate for the first time since 2019. Here's what to know.

BOSTON State Senate President Karen Spilka was reelected to lead the Senate by that chamber’s Democrats in a private caucus on Monday prior to the formal start of the new 194th legislative session. Following the swearing in of members including three new senators Spilka gave a speech that promised more “transparency,” and […]

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is asking the Senate Homeland Security Committee to call on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI director Christopher Wray to testify after the New Orleans attack. Hawley sent a letter to incoming chairman of the committee Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), emphasizing Biden administration officials cannot shirk public accountability as President...

Also: Senate oath | Red flags | Remote work | Poor example. Mercury News reader letters to the editor for Jan. 1, 2025.

A top aide to President-elect Trump is reportedly cautioning his picks for Cabinet positions to avoid posting on social media ahead of hearings in the Senate as Trumps team seeks to avoid unnecessary controversies. Incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles wrote in a memo, which was first reported on by The New York...

The House and Senate adjourned their last meetings of the 2023-2024 term early Tuesday morning after beginning them on Monday morning.

President-elect Trump on Tuesday urged Republicans to be smart and tough in the face of potential Democratic efforts to delay the confirmation of his nominees. We just won a Historic Landslide and Mandate from the American People, but Senate Democrats are organizing to improperly stall and delay the confirmation process of many of our Great...

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who expressed confidence at his chances of maintaining his leadership post, gave a preview of what “big ticket items” are on tap for 2025 with Republicans in control of the House, Senate, and White House. Following a potentially contentious election in which Johnson is vying to keep the speaker’s gavel at ...

Former President Jimmy Carter is expected to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week after congressional leaders announced their intent to ask the House and Senate to pass a resolution allowing the honor.

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act sets the rules for presidents to tap acting officials to fill vacancies throughout the executive branch.

BOSTON Patients would pay no more than $25 for certain name-brand medications to treat chronic illnesses, including insulin for diabetes, and face no costs whatsoever for similar generic options under a compromise bill that the House and Senate whisked to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk on Monday. The bill (S 3012) that popped out of […]

President-elect Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that Senate Democrats will “improperly” attempt to delay the cabinet confirmation process and implored Republicans to stand up to the opposition party’s “tricks.” With Republicans taking control of the Senate by a six-seat majority in January, Democrats will be handicapped in any effort to tank a Trump cabinet nominee ...

The Treasury Department revealed on Monday that Chinese hackers had breached its systems in a major cyber security incident. In aletter to the Senate Banking Committee from Assistant Secretary for Management Aditi Hardikar, the department revealed that hackers accessed unclassified documents and employee workstations. The department believed a Chinese intelligence agency was behind the b...