WASHINGTON – A Senate panel deadlocked in a party-line vote Thursday on President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, setting up what could be the administration’s most contentious confirmation vote yet.

WASHINGTON – In a rare bipartisan vote following weeks of haggling and delays, on Tuesday the Senate passed a roughly $250 billion bill aimed at boosting the U.S. technology sector’s ability to compete with China, a priority shared by the Northwest’s Democratic and Republican senators alike.

WASHINGTON – When President Joe Biden addresses House and Senate members at the Capitol on Wednesday, marking his first 100 days in office, it will be a far cry from the usual address presidents give to a joint session of Congress near the start of each year.

WASHINGTON – The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump began Tuesday with a majority of senators rejecting the defense’s argument that trying a former official is unconstitutional, but the vote signaled Republicans likely have enough votes to acquit Trump.

WASHINGTON – The past four years have seen American foreign policy take a narrower view of national interests, with President Donald Trump often preferring to act alone. But a new report from Sen. Jim Risch makes the case for the U.S. to work more closely with its European allies to counter growing Chinese influence on the world stage.

As Election Day came to a close with no clear outcome in the presidential race and control of the Senate still undecided, Idaho remained a bastion of congressional Republicans as all three of the state's GOP incumbents appeared headed for decisive wins Tuesday.

Though Jim Risch has only been in the Senate for 10 years, he's spent several decades in public office. His opponent, Democrat Paulette Jordan, said the wealthy rancher has lost touch with his constituents and should be open to more public debates prior to the election. 

Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, unveiled sweeping legislation July 22 that aims to counter China's trade practices and military build-up, invest in U.S. competitiveness, and bolster alliances and international organizations.

Washington lawmakers and elections officials from both sides of the aisle challenged President Donald Trump’s Thursday morning tweet suggesting the United States should delay the November election, saying the president does not have the power to push back an election and that the vote-by-mail system is secure.

WASHINGTON – With key pieces of the federal government’s COVID-19 response set to expire at the end of July, time is running out for Congress to negotiate another round of pandemic relief spending, and lawmakers remain far apart on what a compromise bill should look like.

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are set to return to the Capitol on Monday after a two-week break, facing a de facto deadline at the end of the month to pass another round of coronavirus relief, but Republicans and Democrats will first need to reconcile dramatically different visions for what the legislation should include.

New legislation introduced by two Idaho Republicans would expand a controversial federal program that lets states partner with the U.S. Forest Service for forest management projects, allowing tribes and counties to collect revenue from timber sales from public lands.

WASHINGTON – As the numbers of infections and deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 continue to climb, Senators questioned Trump administration officials Thursday about the government’s response to the crisis and preparedness for future pandemics.

All-mail balloting led to a boost in turnout and late returns in Kootenai County, where several Republican primaries were up for grabs. But favorites in the federal races emerged from early returns Tuesday night.

The president said Tuesday he would withhold funding from the international health organization pending a review that could take up to 90 days, even as the world tries to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Critics say the decision comes at the worst time, as countries try to eradicate the highly contagious virus that was initially downplayed in warnings from the United Nations’ health agency.

The bill, which is slated for a vote in the House of Representatives on Friday, helps small businesses by backing lenders with federal money and gives schools the ability to help students whose routines have been upended by the coronavirus response.

Former Idaho Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state lawmaker Paulette Jordan announced Friday that she’s challenging two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch.

Republicans called the effort to remove Donald Trump from the White House an inadequate, partisan exercise, while Democrats said the ongoing concerns about electoral autonomy necessitated a conviction.

Nortnwest Republicans give President Trump’s speech high praise, Democrats call it a “victory lap” short on details for the future.