Apr 28 Watch Specter’s Switch Further Tilts Senate Power Toward Democrats Long-time GOP Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday he will switch parties and join the Democrats, bringing the party within one seat of a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority. Political reporters assess the news. Continue watching
Mar 04 Watch Leahy, Other Lawmakers Call for Investigation of Bush-Era Terrorism Policies Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy called for a nonpartisan "truth commission" to investigate the Bush administration's policies on interrogation of terror detainees. Kwame Holman reports. Continue watching
Feb 05 Watch Lawmakers Wrangle Over Costs of Stimulus Package Senate Democrats pushed for more votes on an economic stimulus bill Thursday amid efforts to trim the plan's costs. Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., offer their views. Continue watching
Oct 31 Watch Torture Tactic Questions Dominate Mukasey Confirmation Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey's responses to questions on the constitutionality of torture tactics troubled some Democratic senators during his confirmation hearings and have slowed the next steps in his nomination. Two members of the Senate Judiciary panel discuss Mukasey's bid. Continue watching
Jul 26 Watch Senate Democrats Arrange Perjury Charges for Gonzales Senate Democrats are calling for a special counsel for investigation into the testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The NewsHour reports on the counsel, designed to look into perjury charges brought against Gonzales. Continue watching
Jul 24 Watch Gonzales Testifies Before Senate on Attorney Firings Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, fielding questions about his interaction with former Attorney General John Ashcroft and about the firings of U.S. attorneys. Continue watching
Jun 28 Watch Senate Fails to Move Forward on Immigration Bill With only 46 of the 60 votes needed to bring the immigration bill to final passage, the Senate voted Thursday to officially suspend debate on immigration reform. The NewsHour discusses the decision with Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. Continue watching
Jun 11 Watch Senate GOP Looks to Block No-Confidence Vote on Gonzales Senate Republicans moved to block the no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales proposed by Democrats. The NewsHour reports on what the resolution means for the White House. Continue watching
Apr 19 Watch Gonzales Faces Tough Questioning in Senate U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales fielded tough questions about the firing of eight U.S. attorneys at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday. Committee leaders Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., discuss his testimony. Continue watching
Sep 28 Watch Senate Rejects Habeas Corpus in Interrogation Bill The Senate passed a bill Thursday on the prosecution and interrogation of suspected terrorists, rejecting an amendment that would have allowed the suspects to challenge their detention in court. Experts discuss this and other aspects of the legislation. Continue watching