Latest news with #Democrat
AsiaOne
42 minutes ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
US Senate rejects bid to curb Trump's Iran war powers, World News
WASHINGTON - The Republican-led US Senate rejected a Democratic-led bid on Friday (June 27) to block President Donald Trump from using further military force against Iran, hours after the president said he would consider more bombing. The Senate vote was 53 to 47 against a war powers resolution that would have required congressional approval for more hostilities against Iran. The vote was along party lines, except Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman voted no, with Republicans, and Kentucky Republican Rand Paul voted yes, with Democrats. Senator Tim Kaine, chief sponsor of the resolution, has tried for years to wrest back Congress' authority to declare war from both Republican and Democratic presidents. Kaine said his latest effort underscored that the US Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the sole power to declare war and requires that any hostility with Iran be explicitly authorised by a declaration of war or specific authorisation for the use of military force. "If you think the president should have to come to Congress, whether you are for or against a war in Iran, you'll support Senate Joint Resolution 59, you'll support the Constitution that has stood the test of time," Kaine said in a speech before the vote. Lawmakers have been pushing for more information about weekend US strikes on Iran, and the fate of Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. Earlier on Friday, Trump sharply criticised Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran, and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels. He was reacting to Khamenei's first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids against Iranian nuclear sites. 'Obliterated' Members of Trump's national security team held classified briefings on the strikes for the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday and Friday. Many Democratic lawmakers left the briefings saying they had not been convinced that Iran's nuclear facilities had been "obliterated," as Trump announced shortly after the raid. Opponents of the resolution said the strike on Iran was a single, limited operation within Trump's rights as commander-in-chief, not the start of sustained hostilities. Senator Bill Hagerty, a Tennessee Republican who served as ambassador to Japan during Trump's first term, said the measure could prevent any president from acting quickly against a country that has been a long-term adversary. [[nid:719557]] "We must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line," Hagerty said before the vote. Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to Iran's nuclear programme was not as profound as he has said. Iran says its nuclear research is for civilian energy production. Under US law, Senate war powers resolutions are privileged, meaning that the chamber had to promptly consider and vote on the measure, which Kaine introduced this month. But to be enacted, the resolution would have had to pass the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson, a close Trump ally, said this week he did not think it was the right time for such an effort. During Trump's first term, in 2020, Kaine introduced a similar resolution to rein in the Republican president's ability to wage war against Iran. That measure passed both the Senate and House of Representatives, with some Republican support, but did not garner enough votes to survive the president's veto.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Senate rejects effort to restrain Trump on Iran as GOP backs his strikes on nuclear sites
WASHINGTON: Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Donald Trump from further escalating with Iran fell short Friday, with Republicans blocking a resolution that marked Congress' first attempt to reassert its war powers following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The resolution, authored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. Asked Friday if he would bomb Iranian nuclear sites again if he deemed necessary, Trump said, "Sure, without question." The measure was defeated in a 53-47 vote in the Republican-held Senate. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined Republicans in opposition, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote in favor. Most Republicans have said Iran posed an imminent threat that required decisive action from Trump, and they backed his decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend without seeking congressional approval. "Of course, we can debate the scope and strategy of our military engagements," said Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. "But we must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line." Democrats cast doubt on that justification, arguing the president should have come to Congress first. They also said the president did not update them adequately, with Congress' first briefings taking place Thursday. "The idea is this: We shouldn't send our sons and daughters into war unless there's a political consensus that this is a good idea, this is a national interest," Kaine said in a Thursday interview with The Associated Press. The resolution, Kaine said, wasn't aimed at restricting the president's ability to defend against a threat, but that "if it's offense, let's really make sure we're making the right decision."
The Sun
an hour ago
- Business
- The Sun
California legislature acts to keep film and TV production at home
HOLLYWOOD'S home state of California will more than double annual tax incentives for film and television production to $750 million under a measure passed by the Democratic-led legislature on Friday. The increase from the current $330 million was approved as part of a broader tax bill that is expected to be signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in the coming days. Democrat Newsom had advocated for the boost, a step to help reverse a years-long exodus of production from California to places such as Britain, Canada and other U.S. states that offer generous tax credits and rebates. Producers, directors, actors and behind-the-scenes workers have warned lawmakers that Hollywood was at risk of becoming the next Detroit, the automaking capital devastated by overseas competition, if current trends continued. Permitting data showed production in Los Angeles, the location of major studios including Walt Disney and Netflix, fell to the second-lowest level on record in 2024. California has lost more than 17,000 jobs since 2022 from its declining share of the entertainment industry, according to union estimates. Producer Uri Singer said he shot three films in New York to take advantage of its tax incentives. He received a California tax credit to shoot his current project, a horror flick called "Corporate Retreat," in Los Angeles. "You can get such good cast and crew that are available that makes shooting in L.A. financially better," he said. "Besides that, creatively you find here anyone you want, and if you need another crane, within an hour you have a crane." Plus, "the crew is happy because they go home every day," Singer added. Local advocates applauded California's expansion of tax incentives, though they said more needs to be done. Writer Alexandra Pechman, an organzier of a "Stay in LA" campaign by Hollywood workers, called on Hollywood studios to commit to a specific amount of spending in California to support creative workers. "It's time for the studios and streamers to do their part to turn this win into real change for all of us," Pechman said. Industry supporters also are pushing for federal tax incentives to keep filming in the United States. Republican President Donald Trump has offered a different way to address the issue. Trump said in May that he had authorized government agencies to impose a 100% tariff on movies produced overseas. The movie tariff has not been implemented.
The Sun
an hour ago
- Business
- The Sun
California boosts film tax credits to $750 million
HOLLYWOOD'S home state of California will more than double annual tax incentives for film and television production to $750 million under a measure passed by the Democratic-led legislature on Friday. The increase from the current $330 million was approved as part of a broader tax bill that is expected to be signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in the coming days. Democrat Newsom had advocated for the boost, a step to help reverse a years-long exodus of production from California to places such as Britain, Canada and other U.S. states that offer generous tax credits and rebates. Producers, directors, actors and behind-the-scenes workers have warned lawmakers that Hollywood was at risk of becoming the next Detroit, the automaking capital devastated by overseas competition, if current trends continued. Permitting data showed production in Los Angeles, the location of major studios including Walt Disney and Netflix, fell to the second-lowest level on record in 2024. California has lost more than 17,000 jobs since 2022 from its declining share of the entertainment industry, according to union estimates. Producer Uri Singer said he shot three films in New York to take advantage of its tax incentives. He received a California tax credit to shoot his current project, a horror flick called "Corporate Retreat," in Los Angeles. "You can get such good cast and crew that are available that makes shooting in L.A. financially better," he said. "Besides that, creatively you find here anyone you want, and if you need another crane, within an hour you have a crane." Plus, "the crew is happy because they go home every day," Singer added. Local advocates applauded California's expansion of tax incentives, though they said more needs to be done. Writer Alexandra Pechman, an organzier of a "Stay in LA" campaign by Hollywood workers, called on Hollywood studios to commit to a specific amount of spending in California to support creative workers. "It's time for the studios and streamers to do their part to turn this win into real change for all of us," Pechman said. Industry supporters also are pushing for federal tax incentives to keep filming in the United States. Republican President Donald Trump has offered a different way to address the issue. Trump said in May that he had authorized government agencies to impose a 100% tariff on movies produced overseas. The movie tariff has not been implemented.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
U.S. lawmakers urge probe into OnePlus phone security
WASHINGTON: Two U.S. lawmakers on Friday asked the Commerce Department to investigate whether devices sold by Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus in the United States pose security concerns, according to a letter seen by Reuters. WHY IT MATTERS Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs a House of Representatives committee on China, and the panel's top Democrat, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, noted that major U.S. retailers sell OnePlus devices for use on two U.S. wireless networks. The lawmakers said a recent analysis by a commercial company provided to the committee indicates that these devices may potentially collect and transmit extensive user data -including sensitive personal information to servers under Chinese jurisdiction without explicit user consent. Shenzhen-based OnePlus did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Commerce Department also did not immediately comment. CONTEXT BestBuy and both sell OnePlus phones for U.S. consumers, which operate on the Verizon and T-Mobile networks, the committee said. The lawmakers asked the department to task its Information and Communications Technology and Services program with investigating OnePlus phones, including to determine user data types collected by OnePlus devices without explicit user consent "including potential transfers of sensitive personal information and screenshots." Washington in recent years has cracked down on Chinese telecoms, revoking the authorization for China Telecom's U.S. subsidiary and others to operate in the United States, citing national security concerns. The Federal Communications Commission in November 2022 banned approvals of new telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE as well as telecom and video surveillance equipment from Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.
