US Senate

Behind the backs of the US and world populations, social media companies have built up a massive censorship apparatus staffed by an army of “content reviewers” capable of seamlessly monitoring, tracking, and blocking millions of pieces of content.
The character of this apparatus was detailed in testimony Wednesday from representatives of Facebook, Twitter, and Google’s YouTube before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by South Dakota Republican John Thune.

Despite the White House’s apparent opposition, the US congress has passed a new sanctions package against Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Donald Trump seems destined to sign the legislation – and in fact, he has little choice.
Congress passed the bill by a nearly unanimous, veto-proof vote of those present: 419-3 in the House and 98-2 in the Senate (Sens. Paul and Sanders dissenting).

US Senator John McCain made a dramatic return to the US Senate on Tuesday, following a diagnosis of brain cancer and having a blood clot removed from above his left eye.
McCain made the trip back to Washington from where he was receiving treatment at the elite Mayo Clinic, in order to cast a crucial vote to move forward debate on Donald Trump’s healthcare bill. The bill’s been stalled in the senate due to opposition from several Republicans and the entire Democratic caucus.

Multiple media reports are confirming that longtime US senator from Arizona, John McCain, 80, has been diagnosed with brain cancer.
McCain has been out of the senate since the beginning of this week due to being hospitalized. His absence was part of the reason a scheduled vote to repeal Obamacare was postponed.
NBC News reported:

US Senator and former Presidential candidate John McCain is currently in his Arizona home where he is recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye.
McCain’s absence from the Senate has forced a delay in the vote to repeal Obamacare. Now, sources say that his recovery time may take longer than initially expected.

(ANTIMEDIA) — Bawitdaba…It looks like it’s happening. The rumors started Wednesday afternoon after self-proclaimed American bad-ass, Kid Rock, posted a brief but politically breathtaking message to his Twitter account:
“I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real… http://kidrockforsenate.com The answer is an absolute YES.”

The Republican majority US House of Representatives has blocked a Senate bill which passed 98-2 in the upper chamber. The bill would codify into Federal law, a plethora of US sanctions against Russia.
House Republicans cited a provision of the Constitution requiring all bills which regulate Federal revenue to originate in the House rather than the Senate.
The Duran’s Alexander Mercouris had previously written that the bill could be unconstitutional on even broader grounds as it interferes with the President’s ability to make and conduct foreign policy.

Shortly after the joint statement of the German and Austrian foreign ministers angrily denouncing the new sanctions against Russia voted on by the US Senate, Angela Merkel has added her voice to the protest and is making her opposition to the latest sanctions clear.
In her usual Sphinx like way Merkel avoided making a statement herself.  However her views have been made known by her spokesman Steffen Seibert in a briefing earlier today

The US Senate – as universally predicted – has approved by a 97-2 margin further sanctions against Russia, codifying sanctions previously imposed by US President Obama into law.
The supposed purpose of these sanctions is to “punish” Russia for its alleged interference in last year’s US elections.

A man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest.
— Simon and Garfunkel, “The Boxer” (1970)