Niels Lesniewski
Bio:
Niels Lesniewski covers the Senate for Roll Call. He joined what is now CQ Roll Call in September 2007, hired by Roll Call for the GalleryWatch legislative tracking service that was integrated into CQ in 2009. He is known for his expertise on the peculiarities of Senate procedure.
Niels began covering the Senate for CQ in January 2010, taking the title of CQ SenateWatch editor in the summer of 2011. He has contributed to coverage of all the biggest policy stories on Capitol Hill in recent years, including the response to the 2008 financial collapse, the health care overhaul and several budget standoffs.
A Connecticut native, Niels graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a dual degree in theatre and government. Before joining CQ Roll Call, he worked for theater productions in D.C. and New England. While in college, he interned for ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Outside of work, Niels is an avid sports fan. He started attending Nationals games back when the team was among the worst in the National League and still playing at RFK Stadium.
Stories by Niels Lesniewski:
May 9, 2013
As a Senate panel kicked off what could be weeks of meetings to work through a bipartisan overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws Thursday, there were no shortage of interested observers, including Sen. Marco Rubio.
May 9, 2013
Britain’s Prince Harry had no shortage of gawking onlookers for his trip through the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building to look at an exhibit on land mines, on a day in which Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., served as tour guide for the prince.
May 9, 2013
Updated 12:08 p.m. | For the second time in as many days, Senate Republicans are using the rules to delay action on one of President Barack Obama’s nominations. This time, it’s Gina McCarthy, the president’s choice to become administrator of the EPA.
May 9, 2013
The upcoming farm bill might be a venue for legalizing industrial hemp production, at least if Kentucky lawmakers get their way.
May 8, 2013
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s marathon markup of the immigration overhaul drafted by the “gang of eight” senators kicks off Thursday morning, with 301 amendments filed in advance and available at the committee’s website.
May 8, 2013
It should come as no surprise that Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s first bill deals with consumer finance.
May 8, 2013
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s plan to move ahead on President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Labor Department ran afoul of one of the chamber’s more obscure rules on Wednesday.
May 8, 2013
Even a water resources development bill can’t escape the fissures on the Second Amendment in the Senate.
May 8, 2013
In his column in Wednesday’s Roll Call, former House Rules Committee Staff Director Don Wolfensberger called the whole “regular order” debate a “political Rorschach test.” The ink blots are yielding some unexpected questions, however.
May 7, 2013
As the clock approached 5 p.m., senators rushed to file immigration amendments in advance of the Judiciary Committee’s Tuesday filing deadline.
May 7, 2013
Sen. Rand Paul’s call to have an immigration markup in the Homeland Security panel isn’t getting much traction.
May 7, 2013
As Democrats and Republicans continue to spar over the budget process, there’s more than meets the eye to the battles on the Senate floor.
May 6, 2013
Updated 6:55 p.m. | Even without video, Sen. Saxby Chambliss should make ESPN SportsCenter’s top plays tonight.
May 6, 2013
“Gang of eight” immigration negotiators purposely didn’t include provisions for immigrants in same-sex relationships in their bipartisan bill, but the issue they so carefully avoided may rear its head this week.
May 6, 2013
Even though the outcome is not in doubt, senators and outside groups are making their final pitches for and against a Senate plan to allow states to collect sales taxes for Internet purchases.
May 3, 2013
New Hampshire’s senators commemorated a great loss on May 3.
May 3, 2013
If you missed the Minnesota congressional delegation’s annual “Hotdish Cook Off” last month, now you can try some of the recipes at home.
May 2, 2013
The Army Corps of Engineers is facing criticism from three powerful GOP senators, including the Senate minority leader, over a parochial concern about fishing.
April 30, 2013
At Tuesday’s presidential news conference, a national security disagreement between President Barack Obama and Sen. Lindsey Graham took center stage.
April 30, 2013
Kentucky scored a little-noticed Senate victory over North Carolina earlier this month.
April 30, 2013
Debates about letters of the alphabet can now return to “Sesame Street,” as Congress has sorted out what to do with the letter “s.”
April 29, 2013
Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. offered Sen. Lindsey Graham his support for re-election — including a pledge to “rip your skin off for you” if it helps the South Carolina Republican’s 2014 prospects.
April 27, 2013
Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Friday night that he supports making a classified Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture and enhanced interrogation more available to the public.
April 26, 2013
Amid the debate over ending furloughs for air traffic controllers, the House is once again proclaiming a constitutional right to move first on all spending bills.
April 26, 2013
Sen. Rand Paul’s use of an American Sign Language interpreter on the Senate floor Thursday was unusual, but it wasn’t unprecedented.
