Stories by Emily Pierce:
Sept. 12, 2011
Nine months after leaving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) communications war room, former senior communications adviser Jim Manley has decided to join Quinn Gillespie & Associates.
Aug. 18, 2011
Sen. Tom Coburn’s recess swing through northeastern Oklahoma caused a media stir this week after the two-term Republican called his colleagues “cowards,” joked about wanting to carry a gun on the Senate floor, and said President Barack Obama’s race may have played a role in his support of government social programs.
July 20, 2011
President Barack Obama would sign a short-term debt limit deal that lasted only a few days if lawmakers appeared close to a deal but couldn’t get it finished by Aug. 2, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday in a statement.
July 19, 2011
President Barack Obama stopped short of endorsing the deficit reduction plan outlined by the Senate’s “gang of six,” but he expressed hope that it could provide the framework for a larger deal to increase the debt limit.
June 29, 2011
Republicans on Wednesday pushed back strongly against President Barack Obama’s insistence that new revenue raisers be included in any deal to raise the debt ceiling.
June 8, 2011
Big retailers held off big banks in the Senate Wednesday, when Sen. Jon Tester failed to secure enough votes to delay the reduction of debit card swipe fees.
May 12, 2011
Speaker John Boehner accused Democrats and the White House of reacting to his budget plan with “panic and hysteria” Thursday, saying his request for trillions of dollars in spending cuts “isn’t radical.”
Jan. 17, 2011
For many top Democratic communicators this year, it was time to pursue other career options — ones that don’t revolve around a 24-hour news cycle.
Jan. 12, 2011
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced Wednesday that his longtime communications director, Joe Shoemaker, is leaving the office at the end of the month.
Jan. 11, 2011
A small, conservative minority of the minority dominated the Senate amendment process during the 111th Congress, with Sen. Tom Coburn responsible for one of every eight amendment votes on the chamber floor.
Jan. 10, 2011
FBI agents on Friday arrested a Colorado man who threatened Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and his staff, the Denver Post reported Monday.
Jan. 7, 2011
Sen. Patty Murray has decided to promote her leadership staff director, Mike Spahn, to be her new overall chief of staff upon the departure of current chief Jeff Bjornstad.
Jan. 6, 2011
Senate Democrats emerged from a caucus meeting Thursday bullish about their chances for changing Senate filibuster rules, but they apparently were no closer to an agreement on how to do it.
Jan. 5, 2011
Senate Democrats are used to being the center of attention, but for the first time in two years, they say they are content to take a back seat to the new House Republican majority.
Jan. 5, 2011
Senate Democrats kicked off their push to change Senate filibuster rules by formally unveiling a proposal on Wednesday to eliminate some types of filibusters, while guaranteeing amendment rights to the minority.
Jan. 4, 2011
Talk about your longest day. Under Democrats’ controversial plan to change Senate rules, the first day of the 112th Congress will last about two and a half weeks.
Jan. 2, 2011
Sen. Harry Reid set a record during the 111th Congress by becoming the chamber’s most successful Majority Leader in history at killing attempted filibusters.
Dec. 26, 2010
While many Americans were still reveling Sunday in the Christmas spirit, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn had a warning for them about judgment day.
Dec. 19, 2010
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Sunday evening put the chamber on a course to finish its business by midweek, setting up test votes on a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia and a continuing resolution to keep the government funded.
Dec. 19, 2010
Senate Democrats working on their own earmark reform proposal said Sunday that House and Senate Republicans may have already killed Congress’ ability to secure money for pet projects for at least the next two years.
Dec. 19, 2010
New York Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand vowed on Sunday to get a vote and final passage of a health bill for Sept. 11 first responders before Congress adjourns for the year.
Dec. 17, 2010
Senate Democrats made little headway Friday on how or whether to change Senate rules to make it easier to move legislation through the chamber next year, and it was becoming clear that major changes to filibuster rules do not have the support to prevail.
Dec. 17, 2010
A day after caving under Republican opposition to an omnibus spending bill laden with earmarks, Senate Democrats appear poised to abandon another nearly year-long spending measure over a lack of GOP votes.
Dec. 16, 2010
Sen. Ron Wyden announced Thursday that he will undergo surgery next week to treat early-stage prostate cancer.
Dec. 16, 2010
Senate Democrats continued to struggle Thursday with whether and how to change rules for the chamber as well as their own caucus, and they plan to hold another meeting on the issue Friday afternoon.
