Roll Call's Senate Challenger Rankings

Senate Challenger Rankings-rollcall: In close races, the quality of the candidates can make all the difference. And with a few notable exceptions, most incumbents acquit themselves well with strong fundraising, good campaigns, and a message tailored for victory.

Senate Appropriations speeds through spending bills

Senate Appropriations speeds through spending bills-thehill: The Senate Appropriations Committee hit a milestone Wednesday, clearing its twelfth and final annual spending bill at the earliest point since 1988.

Pulse Check: Why Lamar Alexander wants a deal on Obamacare\

Pulse Check: Why Lamar Alexander wants a deal on Obamacare-politico: Sen. Lamar Alexander says he's more than happy to strike deals with Democrats — even on Obamacare. "Whoever the president is in January, we're going to have to take a good, hard look at Obamacare," the powerful chairman of the Senate HELP committee told POLITICO's "Pulse Check" podcast. "It can't continue the way it is."

Joe Biden: Agencies don't report clinical trials should lose funds

Joe Biden: Agencies don't report clinical trials should lose funds-stat: At a national cancer summit Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden threatened to cut funds to medical research institutions that don’t report their clinical trial results in a timely manner.

Control of the Senate? Flip a Coin

Control of the Senate? Flip a Coin-nationaljournal: Hil­lary Clin­ton holds a siz­able lead over Don­ald Trump in na­tion­al polls, and is the clear front-run­ner for the pres­id­ency. But des­pite the GOP’s Trump dis­rup­tion, the battle for the Sen­ate is shap­ing up to be much more com­pet­it­ive, with Re­pub­lic­ans hold­ing a cred­ible chance to main­tain their ma­jor­ity even if they lose the White House.

Utah’s Misty Snow makes history as Dems’ transgender Senate nominee

Utah’s Misty Snow makes history as Dems’ transgender Senate nominee-saltlaketribune: Utah voters picked a historic, and largely unknown, Democratic candidate to challenge Sen. Mike Lee this November.

Paul Ryan urges new trade deal with the U.K. after Brexit

Paul Ryan urges new trade deal with the U.K. after Brexit-washingtonpost: House Speaker Paul D. Ryan is calling on the administration to start talking to the United Kingdom about a new trade agreement to ensure “a smooth” relationship after the country parts ways with the European Union.

Republicans may have just forfeited half their Senate pickup chances

Republicans may have just forfeited half their Senate pickup chances-washingtonpost: And by half, we mean one. But the fact we're writing about what looks like one, very-likely missed opportunity for Senate Republicans to unseat a Senate Democrat underscores just how tight their margin of error is to keep control of the Senate this year.

The Eight House Primaries to Watch Tuesday

The Eight House Primaries to Watch Tuesday-nationaljournal: The last batch of con­gres­sion­al primar­ies be­fore a month­long break in the elec­tion cal­en­dar take place Tues­day in a quar­tet of states, though the res­ults to watch are in just two of them.

Polls show tight Clinton-Trump race in 2016 battlegrounds

Polls show tight Clinton-Trump race in 2016 battlegrounds-thehill: Battleground state polls show Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton locked in a tight race for the White House with just more than four months to go before Election Day.

A Single Senator Stymies the Export-Import Bank

A Single Senator Stymies the Export-Import Bank-newyorktimes: Thursday is an ignominious anniversary for the government agency that helps finance foreigners’ purchases of American exports. Thanks to a single senator, it has been a full year since the 82-year-old Export-Import Bank could approve deals exceeding $10 million, a limit that rules out high-dollar deals on airplanes, power generators, heavy equipment and nuclear reactors.

Ryan: GOP won't 'tolerate' another sit-in

Ryan: GOP won't 'tolerate' another sit-in-thehill: Speaker Paul Ryan warned that Republicans “will not tolerate” it if Democrats launch another sit-in on the House floor after the Fourth of July recess to force a vote on gun control.

The Surprising Evolution of House Republicans on Taxes

The Surprising Evolution of House Republicans on Taxes-rollcall: House Republicans have been talking for years about bringing top individual and corporate tax rates down to 25 percent, but the tax overhaul plan they released on Friday offers a different approach.

Former commissioners: Make FDA an independent agency

Former commissioners: Make FDA an independent agency- politico: Six former Food and Drug Administration commissioners from Democratic and GOP administrations dating back to the Reagan era today called on Congress to make the agency independent, raising its profile and power by taking it out from under the umbrella of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Post-Brexit, will European Medicines Agency be homeless?

Post-Brexit, will European Medicines Agency be homeless?-stat: Britain’s popular vote to leave the European Union seems likely to cause major disruptions for the drug approval process in the UK and across the channel in mainland Europe, analysts said Friday. There were also predictions that medical research funding will take a hit.

On Its Last Day, Ideologically Split Court Is Set to Issue Three Rulings

On Its Last Day, Ideologically Split Court Is Set to Issue Three Rulings-wallstreetjournal: The Supreme Court will issue three final decisions Monday, ending a term overshadowed by the February death of Justice Antonin Scalia and the political standoff that has engulfed the institution ever since.

Clinton blames Republican leaders for a "paralyzed" Congress

Clinton blames Republican leaders for a "paralyzed" Congress-ap: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton chastised Republican lawmakers on Sunday for a "paralyzed" Congress, saying they've fueled populist anger by refusing to "do their job."

History’s Warning to Marco Rubio

History’s Warning to Marco Rubio-politico: Other failed presidential candidates have thought the Senate would be a good platform for another shot at the presidency. They were wrong.

GOP sees path forward after six-year ObamaCare struggle

GOP sees path forward after six-year ObamaCare struggle-thehill: The Republican alternative to ObamaCare just got a little more real.

Trustees: Medicare Savings Recommendations Forestalled

Trustees: Medicare Savings Recommendations Forestalled-morningconsult: Medicare spending has stayed low enough so far that there will be no panel this year recommending savings to the program, according to a Medicare Trustees report released Wednesday. The panel, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, will only become reality if Medicare costs grow at a certain rate.

Bernie Sanders’s awkward return to the Senate

Bernie Sanders’s awkward return to the Senate-thehill: Bernie Sanders is back in the Senate, and his return has been a bit awkward.

Marco Rubio: 'I changed my mind,' will run for re-election

Marco Rubio: 'I changed my mind,' will run for re-election-cnn: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is seeking re-election to the Senate, publicly admitting he changed his mind and giving a boost for Republicans facing a tough fight to maintain their Senate majority in November.

Rating Change: Utah GOP Congresswoman Less Safe for Re-Election

Rating Change: Utah GOP Congresswoman Less Safe for Re-Election-rollcall: A recent public poll showing Republican Rep. Mia Love trailing Democratic challenger Doug Owens by 6 points doesn’t smell quite right. But the congresswoman could still be in for a competitive race, even though Utah’s 4th District isn’t a typical swing seat.

California Democrat Moves to More Vulnerable Rating

California Democrat Moves to More Vulnerable Rating-rollcall: Democratic Rep. Ami Bera of California topped Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, 53-47 percent, in a preview of the general election since they were the only two candidates on the June 7 primary ballot.

Behind Ryan, GOP unveils plan to replace ObamaCare

Behind Ryan, GOP unveils plan to replace ObamaCare-thehill: House Republicans on Wednesday released their long-awaited replacement plan for ObamaCare, drawing a contrast with Democrats and setting off a new round of fighting over healthcare policy.

Rubio To Run For Senate

Rubio To Run For Senate-rollcall: UPDATE: Marco Rubio will run for Senate in Florida, according to reports.

Just after new polling numbers were released Wednesday favoring Rubio, the former presidential candidate decided he would run for Senate, according to media reports.
- See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/rubio-leads-in-florida-race-even-though-hes-not-yet-running?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.TPSkkJQt.dpuf

Hoyer Supports End-of-Year Omnibus

Hoyer Supports End-of-Year Omnibus-morningconsult: House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer on Tuesday cast doubt on Congress being able to pass all appropriations bills separately as congressional leaders have aimed to do this year.

House GOP Health Plan, Unsurprisingly, Is Market-Based

House GOP Health Plan, Unsurprisingly, Is Market-Based-morningconsult: House Speaker Paul Ryan’s policy plan for health care, as expected, leans heavily on market forces, more so than the current system created by Obamacare. The proposal contains a host of previously proposed Republican ideas on health care, many of which are designed to drive people to private insurance markets.

In fight of his political life, McCain hammers Obamacare

In fight of his political life, McCain hammers Obamacare-politico: John McCain is running for reelection like it’s 2010.  The Arizona Republican has made his opposition to Obamacare — which dominated Senate races across the country six years ago — a central point of his campaign, by all accounts, the toughest reelection fight of his career.

Dems target Mia Love in must-win Utah House race

Dems target Mia Love in must-win Utah House race-thehill: Freshman Rep. Mia Love’s (R-Utah) heavily targeted seat is moving closer to the Democratic column in a must-win contest for Democrats.

Some Democrats Aren’t Giving Up on Universal Health Care

Some Democrats Aren’t Giving Up on Universal Health Care-morningconsult: Democrats should push for universal health coverage ahead of the November election, several health care advocates urged the committee drafting the Democratic National Committee’s platform at a recent session focused on health policy.

White House Working With Congress on Language to Implement TPP, Froman Says

White House Working With Congress on Language to Implement TPP, Froman Says-morningconsult: The Obama administration is working with members of Congress to craft the legislative language necessary to bring the Trans-Pacific Partnership before both chambers of Congress for final approval, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said Monday.

In California Senate Race, Will Business Groups Back a Democrat?

In California Senate Race, Will Business Groups Back a Democrat?-rollcall: Loretta Sanchez’s campaign against Kamala Harris in the Democrat-on-Democrat California Senate race looks like a long shot.

The Coming Week: Gun Votes on Tap, but Changes Unlikely

The Coming Week: Gun Votes on Tap, but Changes Unlikely-morningconsult: In the House, the rollout of the House GOP policy agenda continues in the coming week with the final (and most anticipated) policy papers on health and taxes. House Speaker Paul Ryan is soldiering forth in promoting the Republican agenda, which is specifically designed for a Republican president, even though other Republicans acknowledge that Trump hasn’t shown much interest in the plan.

Clinton’s Health Policies Show Consumer Bent, Analysts Say

Clinton’s Health Policies Show Consumer Bent, Analysts Say-morningconsult: Hillary Clinton’s health plans show a willingness to take on industry groups to shift costs away from consumers, health care experts on both the right and the left agree. They also say that the Affordable Care Act laid the foundation for Clinton’s consumer-centered proposals. Everything becomes simpler after that major health overhaul.

Sources: Rubio to jump into Senate race next week

Sources: Rubio to jump into Senate race next week-cnn: Rubio to the rescue, Trump's UK trip, Clinton's next "Define Donald" speech and a new Ohio name on the veepstakes list are just some of the future headlines in this week's "Inside Politics" forecast.

Business groups urge Congress to pass TPP this year

Business groups urge Congress to pass TPP this year-thehill: Three powerful business groups on Thursday called on President Obama and congressional Republican and Democratic leaders to redouble their efforts to pass an expansive Asia-Pacific trade agreement by year’s end.

Trump Is Quiet on House GOP’s ‘Better Way’

Trump Is Quiet on House GOP’s ‘Better Way’-morningconsult: Donald Trump keeps hinting at an effort to bring more policy substance to his personality-focused campaign. Republicans in the House have made it clear they think the presumptive GOP presidential nominee should look to their “Better Way” policy agenda as an example of what a Republican Congress could accomplish when working with a Republican president.

Bernie Sanders, Still Running, Pledges to ‘Make Certain’ Donald Trump Is Defeated

Bernie Sanders, Still Running, Pledges to ‘Make Certain’ Donald Trump Is Defeated-newyorktimes: The primaries are officially over. Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump are attacking each other over the Orlando tragedy. Final touches are being made to convention plans. Running mates are being vetted.

Clinton vs. Trump: A race between a policy wonk and a ‘black box’

Clinton vs. Trump: A race between a policy wonk and a ‘black box’-stat: When Hillary Clinton announced in December that she wanted a big increase in Alzheimer’s research, she did it in typical Clinton fashion — with a major speech and a six-point plan, led by a specific commitment of $2 billion a year in federal funds to find a cure by 2025.

What will Marco Rubio do?

What will Marco Rubio do?-politico: Marco Rubio for months gave the same pat response when asked to reconsider his plan to leave the Senate and instead run for reelection: “Nothing has changed."

House Republicans take aim at regulations

House Republicans take aim at regulations-politico: House Republicans are taking aim Tuesday at President Barack Obama’s regulatory regime, arguing that the White House has impeded the economic recovery by flooding businesses with new rules.

McConnell steers Republicans away from ObamaCare fights

McConnell steers Republicans away from ObamaCare fights-thehill: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has urged GOP colleagues in private to avoid distracting political fights, yielding a surprising ceasefire on labor and health issues, two of the bloodiest battlegrounds in Congress.

The Coming Week: House GOP Tests New Amendment Rules

The Coming Week: House GOP Tests New Amendment Rules-morningconsult: House Speaker Paul Ryan’s move to exert more control over the appropriations process faces its first test in the coming week with the annual defense spending bill on tap.

Kamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, Again

Kamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, Again-rollcall: Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage. - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage. - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.   - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.   - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.   - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.   - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

Kamala Harris broke down barriers in California politics during a decades-long career in criminal justice. In 2016, she’s on track to do so again — this time on the national stage.   - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpuf

dKamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, AgainKamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, Again - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpufKamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, Again - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/harris-aims-make-history-california?utm_name=newsletters&utm_source=rollcallnewsalerts&utm_medium=email#sthash.O1Vnml3O.dpufKamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, AgainKamala Harris Aims to Make History in California, Againhttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2381005137925313471#editor/target=post;postID=7889322639726263260

Obama endorses Clinton for president: 'I'm with her'

Obama endorses Clinton for president: 'I'm with her'-thehill: President Obama formally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in a video released just an hour after he met at the White House on Thursday with her rival, Bernie Sanders.

Senate Appropriations Sends Labor-HHS Bill to Floor

Senate Appropriations Sends Labor-HHS Bill to Floor-morningconsult: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted to report the fiscal 2017 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related Agencies Appropriations bill to the floor.

FDA Looks to Streamline Use of Experimental Treatments in Some Situations

FDA Looks to Streamline Use of Experimental Treatments in Some Situations-morningconsult: The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued a guidance to help physicians request expanded access to investigational drugs and biologics to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases that don’t have other satisfactory cures.

What will Marco Rubio do?

What will Marco Rubio do?-thehill: Sen. Marco Rubio is coming under heavy pressure inside and outside the Beltway to change his mind and run for reelection to the Senate.  For Senate GOP leaders, the move is a political no-brainer.

Obama urges TPP passage, takes swipe at Trump on trade

Obama urges TPP passage, takes swipe at Trump on trade-thehill: President Obama on Wednesday pushed for passage of a sweeping Asia-Pacific trade deal while seeming to take a swipe at Donald Trump for perpetuating myths about expanding trade.

Showdown over ObamaCare subpoenas quickly escalating

Showdown over ObamaCare subpoenas quickly escalating-thehill: House Republicans and the Obama administration are clashing over subpoenas for ObamaCare documents.  Republicans are upping the pressure on the administration, saying officials are withholding documents that Congress has every right to see.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Supporters Pin Hopes on Lame-Duck Vote

Trans-Pacific Partnership Supporters Pin Hopes on Lame-Duck Vote-newyorktimes: The same harsh politics that have spawned obituaries for President Obama’s signature trade agreement between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations could actually help win its ratification in Congress in a lame-duck vote late this year, advocates are hoping.

McConnell, Ryan Use Balance-of-Powers Argument to Reassure Voters

McConnell, Ryan Use Balance-of-Powers Argument to Reassure Voters-wallstreetjournal: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan appear to be on opposite sides of the Donald Trump question, with the senator backing the party’s presumptive nominee for president and Mr. Ryan still holding out.

5 reasons Republicans really, really want Marco Rubio to run for reelection

5 reasons Republicans really, really want Marco Rubio to run for reelection-washingtonpost: That was none other than the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, urging his colleague Sen. Marco Rubio in an interview with MSBNC's "Morning Joe" to change his mind and run for reelection in Florida.

June primary fights set stage for Dems’ hopes to take over House

June primary fights set stage for Dems’ hopes to take over House-thehill: Republicans and Democrats are bracing for a busy June of primary fights that will go a long way toward determining how competitive the race for the House majority will be this fall.

Spending clash looms for GOP

Spending clash looms for GOP-thehill: The two top Republicans in Congress are pursuing strikingly different strategies on spending bills this year, setting up a possible collision when funding for the government is scheduled to expire just weeks before the presidential election.