Senate

Senate Votes Down Birth Control Exemption Bill
By Julianne Michel...
March 2, 2012 - 4:43pm
The bill would have allowed religious groups and employers to withhold birth control coverage from employees

The Senate voted Thursday to kill a bill that would have given insurers the freedom to decide whether or not to provide contraceptive coverage, if employers had moral or religious objections.

Senate Approves Bryson as Commerce Secretary
By Gabe Altieri
October 21, 2011 - 12:47pm
Former executive gains enough GOP support for nomination

The Senate approved the nomination of John Bryson as commerce secretary by a vote 74-26. Bryson replaces Gary Locke after he resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to China.

“I think he is an exceptional choice by the president…and he is going to be one of our best,” Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) told Politico.com.

DREAM put on hold
By Chet Davis
December 9, 2010 - 7:53pm
The Senate pulls the DREAM Act from consideration

Senate Democrats have admitted they don’t have enough votes to pass the DREAM Act, a bill that would have offered a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants, according to CNN.

Election 2010: Republicans take back the House, while the Democrats cling to their Senate majority
By Stephanie Tardugno
November 3, 2010 - 10:43am
Republicans will pick up 60 House seats after this year's election.

Voters' anger over a stubborn jobless rate and anxiety over troubled economy helped Republicans to a sweeping takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives and a stronger presence in state offices, projections indicate, according to CNN.

Schumer to debate challenger
By Lorne Fultonberg
October 14, 2010 - 7:21pm
The Democratic incumbent will debate Jay Townsend next weekend.

Democratic Senate Incumbent Charles Schumer has agreed to debate Republican challenger Jay Townsend, Sunday, Oct.

Schumer, Gillibrand ahead in senate races
By Lorne Fultonberg
October 8, 2010 - 12:50pm
New poll shows incumbent Democrats comfortably in the lead.

The incumbent senators from New York both hold sizeable leads over their Republican opponents, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.  The poll, which was released today, showed Kirsten Gillibrand with a 21-point advantage over challenger Joe DioGuardi, 55 percent to 34 percent.

House Passes bill to Combat Chinese Currency
By Stephanie Narvaez
September 29, 2010 - 7:17pm
A bill will impose duties to imports toward undervalued currencies

The bill was passed by a vote of 348 to 70, with support from both the Democrats and Republicans saying the legislation was a matter of job issues, according to CNNMoney.com.

The bill will help stop job loses in America and from going overseas. The current currency of the Chinese is the renminbi, has recently appreciated since talks with China about trade, which critics say helps steal U.S. manufacturing jobs.

State senators ask Espada to step down
By Evan Williams
April 22, 2010 - 7:39pm
Plus, Senate Dems push to advance financial reform bill and CBS wins rights to NCAA tourney.

Senators and congressmen congregated Thursday to call for Senate Majority leader Pedro Espada Jr. to step down because of an ongoing investigation determining his involvement in shady political and business activities.

Republican Ritchie running for senate seat
By Merav Savir
March 26, 2010 - 12:12pm
Also, US and Russia reach a nuclear arms agreement and an FIU football player was stabbed to death.

Republican Patricia Ritchie of St. Lawrence county is running for the 48th district Senate seat, Syracuse.com reports. Ritchie is currently the St. Lawrence county clerk.

The 48th District seat is currently held by Democratic Senator Darrel Aubertine. The district includes Oswego, St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.

Ritchie is scheduled to make an appearance in Fulton in Oswego county on Monday.

 

Healthcare bill passes, faces next challenge
By Drew Sagon
March 22, 2010 - 1:56pm
Plus, SU handles Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament and Buzz Aldrin gets ready to "Dance with the Stars."


The House passed the Senate's health care reform bill last night by a vote of 224 to 206, but Americans shouldn't expect to see changes right away. Before any legislative changes are made, members of the Senate have to sign off on the changes made to the bill on order to address the differences between the Senate and House bills. Senate Republicans maintain they will use any legislative techniques to delay or stop the bill from passing.