Emily Pierce
Emily Pierce is a senior staff writer at Roll Call, where she has worked since 2003 covering Senate leadership and policy issues. Emily also writes the award-winning Road Map column that appears in Roll Call every Tuesday. Before her stint at Roll Call, Emily worked for six years as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly. At CQ, Emily covered banking and technology policy, campaigns and elections, as well as Senate leadership. A native of Georgia, Emily graduated from American University.
Leahy Withdraws LGBT Immigration Proposal 'With a Heavy Heart'
May 21, 2013The Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup of a comprehensive immigration rewrite took an emotional and tense turn Tuesday evening when Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., sought to offer an amendment to expand the bill to gay and lesbian couples.
Coburn Wants Tornado Disaster Aid to Be Offset
May 20, 2013The tornado damage near Oklahoma City is still being assessed and the death toll is expected to rise, but already Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., says he will insist that any federal disaster aid be paid for with cuts elsewhere.
Damage Control: Obama's Wednesday News Dump
May 15, 2013The White House worked overtime Wednesday to try to change the narrative on two ongoing controversies embroiling the Obama administration.
Blast From the IRS' Scandal Past
May 13, 2013Way back in March 2012, Roll Call published a story about how tea party types were pretty irate over the amount of info they were being asked to provide to the IRS in order to get nonprofit status.
Heritage Author's Resignation not Enough for Hispanic Caucus
May 10, 2013The Congressional Hispanic Caucus called on the Heritage Foundation Friday to renounce the writings of Jason Richwine, a former Heritage employee and one of the authors of the group’s recent immigration report.
'I Would Have Been Aborted,' Says Stutzman
May 10, 2013Rep. Marlin Stutzman’s outrage over the “horrors” revealed at a Philadelphia abortion doctor’s office led the Indiana Republican down a personal path of discovery recently.
Boehner Wants More Benghazi Emails From White House
May 9, 2013On the heels of a marathon Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Wednesday on the U.S. consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya, Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, said he planned to push the White House to release sensitive emails that could further illuminate what transpired.
Suspicious Packages Removed From Senate Office Buildings
April 17, 2013U.S. Capitol Police have removed several suspicious packages from the Hart and Russell Senate Office Buildings.
Obama, House Follow Senate's Lead on STOCK Act
April 12, 2013Updated 6:02 p.m. |Keeping with the trend of burying the news, the announcement that President Barack Obama will sign a partial rollback of the STOCK Act came in a court filing Friday in Maryland.
Senate Beats Back Gun Bill Filibuster
April 11, 2013The Senate on Thursday cleared a major hurdle on a gun background check bill, voting 68-31 to overcome a filibuster of the bill. However, the ultimate fate of the bill is uncertain as it is likely to face another filibuster attempt before any vote on final passage.
Rand Paul Gets Presidential Profile Treatment From CBN
April 5, 2013Host David Brody explained at the outset of his Christian Broadcasting Network show that he doesn’t usually spend an entire half-hour on a single subject, but that Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul merited a closer look — and that’s exactly what Paul got.
Pryor Still 'Undecided' on Gay Marriage
April 5, 2013Sen. Mark Pryor does not appear to be ready any time soon to follow the example of many of his Democratic colleagues who have recently come out in support of gay marriage.
Bill Nelson Is 51st Senator to Back Gay Marriage
April 4, 2013A majority of senators now support gay marriage rights after Florida Sen. Bill Nelson became the latest member to issue a reversal on the issue Thursday.
Coons Is Red in the Face Over Gay Marriage
March 27, 2013Sure, it’s become en vogue for Senate Democrats to come out in support of gay marriage this week. But several members are taking things a step further — with at least 13 members changing their Twitter avatars in support of gay marriage.
Overheard: Boehner Gives It Back to Obama
March 20, 2013“I’d rather be heckled than ignored. Or, as I like to say, you only tease the ones you love.”
Biden, a Lost Soul in Rome
March 18, 2013Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. clearly brought his A-game to Rome for Pope Francis’ inaugural Mass celebration.
The Quotable Senator
Feb. 28, 2013It went unsaid in Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s childhood home, whether that home was in Guinea, Cambodia, the Philippines or any of the other outposts his father was stationed at as a foreign service officer.
Menendez: Flights to Caribbean 'Fell Through the Cracks'
Feb. 4, 2013Embattled Sen. Robert Menendez told CNN on Monday that his failure to reimburse almost $60,000 in flights on a political donor’s plane was an oversight and that he righted the mistake “when it came to my attention.”
Immigration Deal at a Glance
Jan. 28, 2013The immigration proposal outlined Monday by a bipartisan group of senators is intended to create a new system in which border security is enhanced while those who are in the United States illegally get a chance at a green card.
Gingrey 'Partly' Defends Akin's 'Legitimate Rape' Comments
Jan. 11, 2013Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., stepped into the Todd Akin rape controversy this week, telling a group of constituents that the former Missouri GOP congressman was “partly right” in saying that a woman’s body can prevent pregnancy in events of “legitimate rape.”
Ayotte Joins Senate GOP Leadership
Jan. 3, 2013Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tapped sophomore Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., on Thursday to be a member of his informal kitchen cabinet of leadership advisers.
Senators Throw Impromptu Biden Roast
Dec. 2, 2012Senators gave glowing reviews of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s speech at Thursday’s memorial service for the late Sen. Warren B. Rudman, R-N.H., even if they felt the veep went on a bit too long.
Minnesota: Michele Bachmann Squeaks Out a Win
Nov. 7, 2012Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) will be returning to Capitol Hill in the 113th Congress, after eking out re-election by a narrow margin against businessman Jim Graves (D).
Harry Reid’s Job Secure, but He Faces Harrowing Road Ahead
Nov. 6, 2012Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid got what he wanted from Tuesday’s elections. But it may be a case of “be careful what you wish for.”
