Udall calls out GOP for caving to Tea Party: ‘I have never been more frustrated’

U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, a Colorado Democrat long known for his moderate views and willingness to reach across the aisle (sometimes to the chagrin of the state’s liberal base), has apparently had enough of the unbending rigidity of the Republican Party in Washington these days. In an email today to supporters, Udall called out the Tea Party and members of the GOP who are caving into its no-compromise agenda.

U.S. Senate defeats amendments to limit EPA powers

The Senate has rejected a Republican amendment that would have blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Colorado Senate Republican women vote ‘aye’ on civil unions, send strong message to House leaders

Senate Republicans delivered Pat Steadman’s same-sex civil unions bill to the Republican-controlled House Thursday with momentum and a message. Although the twelve Republican men in the Senate voted against it, the three Republican women in the Senate voted in favor of the bill, making the case to leaders of the Republican-controlled House to take up the bill with good faith and allow it to move beyond committees and onto the floor of the House for a vote.

Senate fails to pass unemployment insurance extension

The U.S. Senate Tuesday failed to pass a bill that would have extended federal unemployment benefits through next year. Republicans, citing concerns for the growing budget deficit, objected to the fact that the $56.4 billion price tag tied to…

Bennet says what you think in C-Span hot-mic moment: ‘It’s all rigged’

Recently-reelected Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet is no fan of the Senate. He has griped about it to the national and local press. He hates the lolly-gagging, the arcane rules, the posturing and, apparently, the bad planning of his Democratic…

New Order: McConnell faces off with DeMint on earmarks

From the perspective of many conservatives, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is doing himself and Republicans a lot of harm by fighting Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-S.C.) proposal to ban requests for earmarks among Republicans in next year’s Senate. The first reason,…

Exasperated Bennet ‘driven nutty’ by deeply dysfunctional Senate

Michael Bennet is battling hard in a nasty Democratic primary for the right to keep his seat in the U.S. Senate, even though he finds the place shockingly dysfunctional.

“Sit and watch us for seven days—just watch the…

Unemployment benefits extension no help for growing numbers of jobless

Late Thursday afternoon, President Obama signed into law a bill granting workers out of a job for more than 26 weeks additional unemployment insurance payments, paid for by the federal government. The benefits had been in place since November 2009, but had lapsed for seven weeks — an unprecedented hiatus, given the 9.5 percent unemployment rate. The bill, held up in the Senate by Republicans concerned about the deficit, makes benefits retroactive to June 2 and forward to Nov. 30. In states with higher than 8 percent unemployment, workers will continue to receive up to 99 weeks of benefits.

Senate likely to approve unemployment benefits extension today

Today, Congress plans to vote to extend unemployment benefits, which have been held up in the Senate for an unprecedented two months. Lawmakers will reconsider H.R. 4213, also known as the jobs bill or the extenders package, as the vehicle for a $34 billion extension of benefits — retroactive to June 2, when they lapsed, and continuing through the end of November.

In unemployment benefits extension, a logistical headache for states

On Tuesday, members of the U.S. Senate plan to vote on a federal extension of unemployment benefits, which has been blocked by Republicans for an unprecedented two months. The swearing-in of Carte Goodwin, the temporary replacement for the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), will give Democrats the crucial 60th vote to overcome a GOP filibuster and restore unemployment insurance to 2.5 million Americans.