Economics/Trade

“If in fact the Majority Leader slipped and said something he didn’t mean to say … then I invite him to come forward," Lee said.

Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) tried for a third time to get agreement from Republicans to form a conference committee on the House and Senate budget resolutions.

“Senate Republicans have now blocked our efforts to move to conference not once but twice,” Murray said Tuesday before asking for agreement for a third time. “Some say they want a framework before going to conference, but that’s exactly what a budget is. … There is no reason to wait.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Republicans wouldn’t agree to form a conference committee on the budget because they are afraid of a “backlash from the radical Tea Party.” 

“House Republicans are afraid of a backlash from the radical Tea Party … if they even discuss a compromise with us,” Reid said Tuesday morning. “Partisan politics is no reason to shy away from a bipartisan compromise.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Monday that he would again ask Republicans to join Democrats in appointing budget conferees.

Last month, Reid tried to get a unanimous consent agreement to form a budget conference committee so that the House and Senate could resolve the wide differences in their budget resolutions. Republicans objected to his request.

The Senate is poised to approve legislation that would allow states to collect a sales tax on goods sold online.

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) announced Friday a plan to strengthen the solvency of Social Security.

“There are responsible ways to cut the budget without hurting our seniors,” Begich said. “While I agree that we need to make major cuts to reduce the deficit, let’s be clear — Social Security is not the problem.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said Thursday that it is “unconscionable” that the National Labor Relations Board (NLBR) is still issuing decisions with an "invalid quorum."

“It is unconscionable that the National Labor Relations Board is continuing to issue decisions and regulations with an invalid quorum of one,” Isakson said. “A federal board such as this cannot operate with only one constitutional board member.” 

Colorado lawmakers called on leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees to pass a five-year farm bill during this Congress.

“We believe the Farm Bill represents a tremendous opportunity to support one of Colorado's and America's most crucial economic engines, to provide relief to farmers and ranchers affected by historic drought conditions, and to make a meaningful contribution toward national debt and deficit reduction goals," the lawmakers wrote Wednesday in a letter to Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Reps. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) demanded that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stop Wall Street brokerage firms from forcing investors into "unfair" arbitration agreements.

Franken and 36 of his Democratic colleagues wrote a letter to SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White, telling her that under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, she has the authority to protect consumers. They suggested she stop forced arbitration contracts in customer service agreements.

Reps. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.) and Rush Holt (D-N.J.) on Tuesday called on Congress to preserve a $40 million program aimed at preventing the number of military suicides.

In a letter to House appropriators, Runyan, Holt and more than 90 other members said the fiscal 2014 appropriations bills must include that funding going forward, as suicide remains a problem among members of the Armed Forces.