Barney Frank, a Massachusetts congressman who co-authored the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and was a pioneering openly gay politician, has died at 86. He served 32 years in Congress and was known for his sharp wit and advocacy on banking and civil rights.
Posts tagged as “Bowdoin, Maine”
Senator Bill Cassidy loses Louisiana GOP primary to Trump-backed candidates, ending his 20-year political career. Cassidy's 2021 vote to convict Trump and clashes with Health Secretary RFK Jr. contributed to his defeat.
Bipartisan talks to end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) saw progress during a recent meeting between senators and the White House’s border czar, Tom Homan, though no agreement was reached. The shutdown, which began February 14, has caused significant disruptions, including unpaid federal workers and TSA staffing shortages leading to airport delays. Despite proposals from the administration to negotiate on immigration enforcement reforms, Democrats insist on substantial changes to ICE policies before funding DHS, while Republicans demand funding the entire department, leaving the standoff unresolved as the Senate’s recess approaches.
In February, President Trump signed an executive order to ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports teams that align with their gender identity, interpreting Title IX to exclude transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. This move has led to legal and political debates, including a lawsuit against Maine's Department of Education for allegedly not complying with the federal interpretation of Title IX. The conflict has escalated into a broader confrontation between the Republican-led federal government and Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who has resisted the directive and is prepared to challenge it in court.
The United States Senate unanimously passed a bill to address a provision in recent government funding legislation that threatened to cut Washington, D.C.'s budget by approximately $1 billion. This bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators Susan Collins and Chris Van Hollen, allows the District to maintain its current level of local fund spending, countering the House Republican continuing resolution that had initially included the budget cuts. The swift passage of the bill highlights the urgency and bipartisan support to protect D.C.'s financial interests, ensuring the well-being of its residents amid ongoing budget negotiations.
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown, focusing on increasing defense and veterans' health care funding while cutting non-defense spending. This legislative move, introduced by Speaker Mike Johnson, comes amid tensions with the Trump administration and advisor Elon Musk, who have been criticized for ignoring congressional spending directives. The resolution now heads to the Senate, where bipartisan support is needed to reach the 60-vote threshold, as the deadline to avert a shutdown approaches.
Donald Trump has filed an appeal in Maine Superior Court to challenge the state's Secretary of State's ruling that he is ineligible to appear on the Republican presidential primary ballot. Trump's attorneys argued that the ruling was "infected by bias and pervasive lack of due process" and that the Secretary of State should have recused herself. The court is expected to hear the case in the coming weeks, with the outcome having a major impact on the Republican presidential primary in Maine.
Four Colorado voters have asked the Supreme Court to decide whether former President Donald Trump is constitutionally eligible to appear on the state's Republican primary ballot. The appeal follows Maine's Secretary of State barring Trump from running for the presidency under the rarely used Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The Colorado voters believe the case is of "utmost importance" and warrants quick action, as it revolves around the Constitution's insurrection clause and whether Trump incited the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court's decision could have a major impact on the Republican Party's future.