John Thune

WATCH: Senate GOP takes first steps to change rules to speed up Trump’s nominee confirmations

By Mary Clare Jalonick, Stephen Groves, Associated Press

Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s move is the latest salvo after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan.

A Senate rules change flying under the radar

By Lisa Desjardins

Senate Majority Leader John Thune started the process this week to change a core Senate function — the way the chamber approves a president’s nominees.

WATCH: Thune won’t commit to Senate vote on Epstein files in Senate leadership briefing

By Associated Press

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., won’t commit to a Senate vote on legislation that would require the Justice Department to release files on the sex trafficking investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. But he said that he believes “transparency is always…

Senate will change rules to push Trump’s nominees past Democratic delays, Thune says

By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Republicans are ready to change the chamber’s rules to allow quick confirmations of dozens of President Donald Trump’s executive branch nominees and will move to speed up votes after months of Democratic delays.

Congress is in August recess, but tensions lie ahead on spending and Trump nominations

By Kevin Freking, Associated Press

Lawmakers have left Washington for the annual August recess, but a few weeks of relative quiet at the U.S. Capitol can’t mask the partisan tensions that are brewing on government funding and President Donald Trump’s nominees.

WATCH: Senate votes to advance Trump’s request for $9 billion in spending cuts

By Kevin Freking, Associated Press

A final vote in the Senate could occur as early as Wednesday. The bill would then return to the House for another vote before it would go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature before a Friday deadline.

Senate works a tense overnight session as Republicans seek support for Trump’s big bill

By Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick, Matt Brown, Associated Press

Thune wants to satisfy Republicans worried the bill's reductions to Medicaid will leave millions more people without care and those in his conservative flank seeking steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts.

WATCH: Trump hosts ‘big bill’ event as key provision found to violate Senate rules

By Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press

Trump hosted House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP lawmakers in the East Room at the White House joined by truck drivers, firefighters, tipped workers, ranchers and others that the administration says will benefit from the bill.

3 big changes to Trump’s ‘big bill’

By Lisa Desjardins

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is President Donald Trump’s signature agenda item in Congress.

WATCH: Top lawmakers pay tribute to Jimmy Carter as his casket arrives at the U.S. Capitol

By Bill Barrow, Associated Press

As the sun set outside the Capitol, Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune celebrated his faith, military service and devotion to service more than anything he did in politics.