Senate Democrats push GOP to end blockade of Biden nominees
CBSN
President Joe Biden unveiled two more ambassador nominees Wednesday, as the White House and Democrats warned that maneuvering by some Senate Republicans to block all but a small fraction of diplomatic and other national security appointees is doing serious harm to U.S. efforts around the globe.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has threatened to keep lawmakers who are eager to get home for Christmas at work in Washington into next week if progress isn't made on the backlog of more than 70 ambassadorial nominees awaiting votes. But about 20 members, mostly Republicans, were already missing during Friday morning votes.
Much of the White House and Schumer's frustration has been pointed toward a few Senate Republicans who have set roadblocks — most notably Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas — by using holds and other procedural maneuvering to slow dozens of ambassador and other appointments at the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State. Schumer told reporters Friday morning there isn't a deal with Republican Senator Ted Cruz on nominations, and that the Senate will be "slogging" through them Friday.
The U.S. Treasury has authorized the purchase of Iranian oil that's already at sea, exempting buyers from the tight sanctions that have restricted the country's oil industry for years — a move aimed at stemming soaring prices amid the U.S.'s war with Iran. In:
A federal judge has struck down some of the Defense Department's strict controls on how journalists with access to the Pentagon are allowed to report — ending a policy that caused many news outlets to leave the Pentagon. In:
A jury has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors by deliberately driving down Twitter's stock price in the tumultuous months leading up to his 2022 acquisition of the social media company for $44 billion. But it absolved him of some fraud allegations, finding that he did not "scheme" to mislead investors. In:
Washington — The Senate on Friday again failed to move forward with legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security, extending the shutdown that has snarled air travel around the country. Alan He and Caitlin Huey-Burns contributed to this report.
Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam. In:
The Justice Department on Friday moved to dismiss its criminal case against two former Louisville police officers who were facing civil rights charges in connection with the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.
Although the Trump administration is pulling multiple levers to tame energy costs amid the widening Iran war, the average price of gasoline in the U.S. on Friday neared $4 a gallon, raising questions about whether those efforts are working. Edited by Alain Sherter In:
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Washington — Pentagon officials have made detailed preparations for deploying U.S. ground forces into Iran, multiple sources briefed on the discussions told CBS News. In:
Delays at major U.S. airports across the country persist as Transportation Security Administration officers continue to work without pay and call-outs mount as the partial government shutdown drags on. In:
For U.S. consumers, soaring oil prices due to the Iran war don't just mean pain at the pump — the impact is also likely to be felt by shoppers both in stores and online. In:
A second Marine Expeditionary Unit of about 2,200 Marines and three warships is headed toward the Middle East, as the war with Iran continues. In:
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