No longer in charge, Sen. Mitch McConnell has been speaking his mind.

With the backing of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, a Senate Republican on Thursday filed a wide-ranging bill that would bar public water systems from adding fluoride to water supplies.

President Donald Trump seems to have questioned a well-documented part of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s life — his childhood battle with polio.

Brooke Rollins has been confirmed as secretary of agriculture.

Senate Republicans are vowing to move quickly on a budget plan that could pave the way for about $340 billion in additional border security and defense spending.

Georgia’s state Senate has passed a bill that would cut off public funding for gender affirming care for adults.

Republican skepticism in the Senate of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees has been worn down.

States are absorbing substantial increases in health care costs for the poor, as they realize that the people remaining on Medicaid rolls after the COVID-19 pandemic are sicker than anticipated and costlier to care for.

A unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that the swing state’s nonpartisan top elections official can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate.

House Republicans have missed another deadline to produce a massive budget package of tax cuts and slashed spending.

Arguing that elections officials overstepped their authority, state Rep. Debbie Mayfield on Thursday filed an emergency petition at the Florida Supreme Court after being blocked from running in a special election for a Senate seat.

Georgia's state Senate approved a bill that would prevent transgender women from competing in women's sports.

Labor unions that serve teachers, firefighters, police and other public employees in Utah will no longer be able to negotiate on behalf of their workers under a bill that has received final legislative approval.

More Senate hearings are coming up for President Donald Trump's picks for his Cabinet.

Republican state Rep. Debbie Mayfield of Melbourne lashed out Wednesday against Gov. Ron DeSantis after his administration blocked her from qualifying to run in a special election to replace outgoing Sen. Randy Fine.

President Donald Trump’s early moves, such as trying to slash the federal government and imposing tariffs on key allies, are testing how far Republicans are willing to go in supporting his supercharged “Make America Great Again” agenda.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has been impeached on a range of accusations that include plotting to assassinate the president and engaging in large-scale corruption.

Democrats are fighting to energize their party’s growing resistance to President Trump and his chief lieutenant, Elon Musk.

Vocal vaccine skeptic and activist lawyer Robert F.

Robert F.

Tennessee lawmakers have approved legislation drastically expanding the number of families who can use taxpayer money on private schools regardless of income.

Robert F.

On the eve of a special legislative session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republican lawmakers Sunday filed a flurry of bills to crack down on undocumented immigrants and place additional restrictions on the ballot initiative process.

The Senate has confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s defense secretary in a dramatic late-night vote.

The first bill signed by President Donald Trump is named after a slain Georgia nursing student whose name became a rallying cry during Trump’s White House campaign.

State Sen. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, is resigning effective March 31 from the Senate as he runs in a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, who was named national security adviser by President Donald Trump.

Many Republicans on Capitol Hill do not agree with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon and commute sentences for more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

The Senate has passed a bill that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.

President Donald Trump has named an acting defense secretary because his choice to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.

It's unclear who'll take over at the Pentagon and the military services when the top leaders all step down Monday as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

The struggle over the Equal Rights Amendment started more than a century ago when suffragist Alice Paul first proposed it shortly after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

The Senate is set for an Inauguration Day vote on legislation that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.

President-elect Donald Trump has proposed trillions of dollars of tax cuts.

The “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025” in the U.S. House of Representatives has sparked debate over the rights of transgender athletes in Florida and across the nation.

Some current and former defense leaders and veterans are questioning whether Pete Hegseth would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks if the Senate confirms him as President-elect Donald Trump's defense secretary.

Prosecutors say former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez should be imprisoned for 15 years after the Democrat became the first to be convicted of abusing a Senate committee leadership position and the first public official to be convicted of serving as a foreign agent.

Newly in the minority, Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to advance legislation that would require federal authorities to detain unauthorized immigrants who have been accused of certain crimes — signaling that they will try and find spots to work with President-elect Donald Trump while simultaneously trying to block much of his agenda.

President-elect Donald Trump has raised more than $170 million for his upcoming inauguration, a record amount as tech executives and big donors have eagerly written large checks.

Daylight saving time was once permanent not just in Florida but across the United States.

The city of Kissimmee and Orange County both approved no-camping ordinances on Tuesday, joining other municipalities in complying with new state requirements to address homelessness.

Some lawmakers emotionally recalled the violence.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to let voters repeal and create state laws without legislative involvement met opposition from the Republican leaders of the Legislature, who signaled that the idea is likely to be rejected for a second time.

The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is expected to be much less eventful than the certification four years ago.

New Senate Majority Leader John Thune is kicking off the new session with a promise to preserve the filibuster, saying in his first floor speech as leader that his priority will be to “ensure the Senate stays the Senate.”.

Virginia voters will begin the new year filling state Senate and House vacancies on Tuesday in a trio of special elections that could determine control of the narrowly divided chambers.

The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions.

President Joe Biden has vetoed a once-bipartisan effort to add 66 new federal district judgeships.

President Joe Biden has signed the annual defense authorization bill into law despite his objections to language banning transgender health care for military children.

The Senate has passed legislation to boost Social Security payments for millions of people.

President Joe Biden has secured the 235th judicial confirmation of his presidency.

The Senate has rushed through final passage of a bipartisan plan to fund federal operations and prevent a government shutdown.

With hours to go before a midnight government shutdown, the House has approved a new plan from House Speaker Mike Johnson that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but dropped President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s efforts to curb China’s and Russia’s access to American-made advanced computer chips have been “inadequate” and will need more funding to stymie their ability to manufacture advanced weapons.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been blocked from quickly advancing a bill that would allow local law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones.

The Senate has passed a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is challenging President-elect Donald Trump to reject the isolationist voices within their party and build his foreign policy around military strength.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, said any of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks requiring Senate confirmation should “steer clear” of efforts to discredit the polio vaccine.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is still suffering from the effects of a fall in the Senate earlier this week and is missing votes on Thursday due to leg stiffness, according to his office.

The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

Zimbabwe’s senate has approved a bill to abolish the death penalty and it is now set to be signed into law by the president.

The House has passed what was once a bipartisan effort to expand the number of federal district trial court judgeships across the country.

President-elect Donald Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world.

Republican state lawmakers in Florida have filed two bills that would roll back gun control measures passed in the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Senate Democrats failed in their bid to confirm a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board after the Senate rejected a razor-thin vote that hinged on the pivotal rejections of independent Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

The House has passed a measure that authorizes a 1% increase in spending this fiscal year and a double-digit pay raise for about half of the enlisted service members in the military.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell fell and sprained his wrist while walking out of a GOP luncheon on Tuesday, the latest in a series of medical incidents for him in recent years.

As California’s newest senator, Democrat Adam Schiff says he’s not going to shy away from familiar territory — opposing Donald Trump when he feels it is necessary.

Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

Democrats in Michigan are pressing to pass reproductive health care legislation before the party loses its majority with the new legislative session next year.

Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have asked Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

President-elect Donald Trump may nominate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the nation’s next defense secretary while his current pick, Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth, faces an increasingly strong headwind of allegations and criticism leading up to his Senate confirmation, according to CBS News.

President-elect Donald Trump has dialed in to what was described as a “love fest” with Senate Republicans.

Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris have met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as efforts push forward to secure access to the RFK Stadium site in the District of Columbia.

Republicans will control the White House and both houses of Congress come January.

The Australian Parliament has passed a social media ban for young children in a world-first law.

The Australian Senate is debating a ban on children younger than 16 from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction.

State senators are off to a quick start filing bills as they gear up for the 2025 legislative session.

Wayne Holdsworth became an advocate for banning Australian children younger than 16 from social media because his son took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam.

Australia’s House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years from social media.

An advocate for major social media platforms has told Australia's Parliament that a plan to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed rather than being rushed to approval this week.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, elevating a Republican congresswoman who has strong support from unions in her district but lost reelection in November.

The Senate won’t hold votes on four of President Joe Biden’s appellate court nominees as part of a deal with Republicans to allow for speedier consideration of other judicial nominations.

Sen. Mitch McConnell says he will lead a subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he carves out new roles once he relinquishes his long-running post as Senate Republican leader.

The leaders of the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have declined to testify publicly at a scheduled Senate hearing on global national security threats.

The Senate has rejected attempts by Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.

As senators prepare to consider Donald Trump’s picks for his Cabinet, they’ll likely be doing so without the FBI background checks that are staples of the confirmation process.

Australian senators have voted to censure an Indigenous colleague who yelled at King Charles III during a reception in Parliament House last month.

President-elect Donald Trump has named the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband.

The House has passed legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

Incoming Democratic Senator-elect Ruben Gallego of Arizona says building authentic connections with working-class voters can help Democrats find their way back to power in Washington.

After a resounding election victory, President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans say they have a mandate to govern.

In a system as vast as the U.S. government, cabinet members play a crucial role in guiding policies that impact every American.

President-elect Donald Trump is considering recess appointments to skip over Senate confirmations for some of the most powerful positions in the U.S. government.

Demand Justice, a progressive organization focused on the judiciary, is set to bombard Capitol Hill with a message for the closing weeks of the 118th Congress: Do “whatever it takes” to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominees as a second Donald Trump presidency looms.

Just hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was elected as the incoming Senate majority leader, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests — an announcement that he intends to nominate House Republican Matt Gaetz as attorney general.

A Federal Reserve official has given a lengthy defense of the central bank's political independence.

Democratic lawmakers who wield control of the Virginia Legislature are hoping to make good on promises made on the campaign trail, including becoming the first Southern state to expand constitutional protections for abortion access.

It was the first seriously contested Senate Republican leadership election in decades.

Congress has a short but important to-do list as lawmakers return to Washington this coming week for what is known as a lame-duck session.