Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Jun 14, 2026

Sen. Mitch McConnell Hospitalized for Weeks After June 2026 Home Medical Emergency

Former Senate Republican Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 84, was hospitalized on June 14, 2026, after paramedics were dispatched to his Washington, D.C., home for a report of an "unconscious" person; police-scanner audio indicated EMS performed CPR for a "cardiac arrest" at the address. His office has never disclosed a diagnosis or the reason for admission. As of early July 2026 he remained hospitalized for weeks, with his office saying he "continues to improve" and is working with staff on Senate and Kentucky matters while the Senate is out of session. It was his second hospitalization of the year. Senate colleagues and Kentucky officials, including Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Rand Paul, offered well-wishes and updates on his recovery.

Senate Passes $70 Billion ICE and Border Patrol Funding Bill 52-47

The Senate voted 52-47 early on June 5, 2026 to pass a $70 billion immigration enforcement package funding ICE ($38.6B) and Customs and Border Protection ($26B) through the end of the Trump administration. The bill also includes a $5 billion DHS enforcement allocation and a $1.776 billion DOJ "anti-weaponization" settlement fund that had sparked weeks of internal Republican backlash. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican to vote against the bill, which all Democrats opposed. The final vote came just before 5 a.m. after a 19-hour session that saw Republicans defeat multiple Democratic and GOP amendments to eliminate the settlement fund. The bill now heads to the House, where Majority Leader Steve Scalise indicated he wants quick passage.

Trump Says Iran Deal "Largely Negotiated" — GOP Senators Call It a Disaster

On May 23, 2026, President Trump announced on Truth Social that a memorandum of understanding to end the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is "largely negotiated," with Secretary of State Rubio confirming "a pretty solid thing on the table." The reported deal terms — a 60-day ceasefire extension, Iran retaining uranium enrichment capabilities, and Iran maintaining a role in the strait — immediately drew sharp Republican opposition. Senators Graham and Wicker, chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees respectively, called a 60-day ceasefire with Iran "a disaster." Sen. Ted Cruz warned that any deal leaving Iran with enrichment capabilities and effective control of the Strait of Hormuz would be "a disastrous mistake." Sen. Thom Tillis said the deal was "doomed to fail" without congressional oversight. Democrats also weighed in, with Sen. Cory Booker calling the framework hypocritical given the Trump administration's rejection of the Obama-era nuclear deal. Speaker Johnson and Rep. Massie were among the minority of Republican voices expressing support for or openness to a deal.

Ohio and Indiana May Primaries Test Trump's Midterm Influence

On May 5, 2026, Ohio and Indiana held primary elections that served as early tests of both Trump's hold on the Republican Party and Democratic enthusiasm heading into the 2026 midterms. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy — the former biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate — won the Republican gubernatorial primary and will face Democratic nominee Amy Acton, the former state health director who gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the marquee US Senate primary, former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown secured his party's nomination to challenge Republican Senator Jon Husted in what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races of the cycle. Pre-election data showed Democratic primary turnout outpacing Republican turnout by roughly 11%, a potential indicator of elevated Democratic enthusiasm. In Indiana, Trump invested heavily in ousting state Senate Republicans who had voted against his redistricting agenda, and at least five of seven Trump-backed challengers defeated incumbent GOP state senators — a striking demonstration of Trump's continued primary-election dominance within the party. $13.4 million was spent on Indiana state Senate primary advertising, up from $280,000 in 2024.

Trump Administration Claims Iran War "Terminated" to Dodge 60-Day War Powers Deadline

On May 1, 2026, the Trump administration declared that the Iran war has been "terminated" for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution — a legal maneuver designed to avoid the law's requirement that Congress authorize military action within 60 days of its start. A senior administration official stated that "the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28 have terminated," pointing to the US-Iran ceasefire agreed on April 7 and its subsequent extensions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the ceasefire effectively paused or stopped the 60-day clock entirely. Trump separately sent a letter to congressional leaders formalizing the declaration and called the War Powers Act itself "totally unconstitutional." On May 5, Secretary of State Rubio formally declared Operation Epic Fury — the offensive bombing campaign — concluded, with the US transitioning to the defensive Project Freedom mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Critics and legal experts continued to reject the administration's interpretation. Democrats noted that Senate Republicans had blocked a war powers resolution for the sixth time, while moderate Republicans including Susan Collins and Rand Paul broke with leadership to demand congressional authorization. Congress then left town for a week recess without taking action.

Trump Withdraws Casey Means as Surgeon General Nominee, Picks Nicole Saphier

On April 30, 2026, President Trump pulled his nomination of Dr. Casey Means for Surgeon General and announced radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier as his third pick for the role. Means' nomination had stalled since her late February confirmation hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, chaired by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who pressed her on vaccine policy and her lack of an active medical license. Means, a Stanford-trained physician-turned-wellness entrepreneur who did not complete her surgical residency, had become a symbol of the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins had also signaled reservations. Trump announced the change on Truth Social, blaming Cassidy for blocking Means through "intransigence and political games." Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor and Memorial Sloan Kettering radiologist, had herself previously questioned whether Means — who hadn't finished her residency and lacked an active license — was the right fit for the role. This is Trump's third surgeon general nominee of his second term, following the earlier withdrawal of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.

Senate Republicans Block War Powers Resolution to End Trump's Cuba Blockade

On April 28, 2026, Senate Republicans voted 51-47 to dismiss a war powers resolution introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) that would have required President Trump to obtain congressional approval to continue the US energy blockade of Cuba. Republicans argued the resolution was out of order because the US is not engaged in outright hostilities with Cuba, sidestepping the substance of whether Trump needed congressional authorization for the naval blockade. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans to kill the resolution. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY) were the only Republicans to break with their party and support the measure. Kaine argued the blockade had caused a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, including disrupted medical care, lack of clean water, and spiking food prices. The vote marked the latest in a series of congressional attempts to use the War Powers Act to constrain Trump's unilateral military and paramilitary actions during his second term.

Senate Adopts $70 Billion Budget Resolution to Fund ICE and Border Patrol

In the predawn hours of April 23, 2026, the Senate voted 50-48 to adopt a non-binding budget resolution that unlocks up to $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol, a key step toward ending the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown that began in mid-February. Republicans Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the only members of their party to vote against the resolution. The measure authorizes the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to draft reconciliation legislation funding the two agencies for three years, through the end of President Trump's term. The resolution now moves to the House, which has not yet voted. Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects the House to pass it. President Trump has set a June 1 deadline for final passage of the reconciliation bill.

Congressional War Powers Debate Over Iran

As the U.S.-Israel war on Iran approaches its 60-day mark — the limit set by the 1973 War Powers Resolution before continued hostilities require congressional authorization — senators from both parties have pushed war powers resolutions to force a vote. The Senate has defeated three such resolutions in 53-47 votes since the war began on February 28, 2026, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) the lone Republican consistently voting in favor. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) drew a line in an April 1 op-ed: "60 days must mean 60 days."

iran-war

war-powers

congressional-authorization

19 statements