Formal and Informal Powers of the Senate

Formal powers of the Senate are impeachment, the power to approve treaties, expulsion of a member, and Conduct investigations. The informal powers of the Senate are Filibusters and Cloture. We know which ones are formal because they are stated in the constitution. Informal powers are not mentioned in the constitution.

Senate Sessions Research

1. Jeff Sessions was first elected to the senate in 1996. He was recently elected in 2014 so his term will be over and up for reelection in 2020.
2. Senate Committee on the Judiciary is one of the committees Jeff is on. He is a senior member of this committee and he is the chairman of the subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest. Another subcommittee is on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights, and Federal Courts. He is also apart the committee on Armed Service. Sessions is the chairman on the subcommittee on Strategic Forces. The other subcommittee is on Airland. Senator Sessions is also a ranking member of the committee on the Budget. He is also apart of the committee on Environment and Public Works, and he is a serves on the following subcommittee, which are, Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety.
3. Jeff Sessions ranks 18th in seniority in the Senate. He is also the 9th ranked Republican for seniority in the Senate.
4. Jeff Sessions top 5 major contributors are McWane Inc, Northrop Grumman, Parker Towing, Drummond Co, and Bradley, Arant et al.
5. If Jeff Sessions resigns, the governor of Alabama will appoint a replacement. Then the state legislator will have to schedule a special election. 
6. The potential replacements for Senator Sessions are Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, Martha Roby a congresswomen for the 2nd district of Alabama, Robert Aderholt a congressman a representative of the 4th district in Alabama, and Mo Brooks a congressman a representative of the 5th district of Alabama.
7. Nominating Senator Sessions as the Attorney General. The responsibilities of the Attorney General are represent the United States in legal matters, gives legal advice to the president and the cabinet, represents the USA government in the Supreme Court of the United States, and supervises and direct administration and operation of the offices, boards, divisions, and bureaus that compromise the department. 
8. Jeff being nominated has had some controversy because he has had a history of being accused of racism. 
9. In order to become the Attorney General, its a two step process in the senate. The first step is the Judiciary department the the majority of the senate has to vote on the nominee. 
10. The Attorney General for President Obama was Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, and Mark Filip(acting). The Attorney General for President Bush was Michael Mukasey, Peter Keisler (acting), and Paul Clement(acting). The Attorney General for President Clinton was Janet Reno.  

Two police officers were shot in separate attacks

According to Politico, two cops were shot in two separate accidents and the authorities are calling it "targeted." One of the police officers died and the other was shot in the face, but is aspected to survive. In San Antonio, the detective was writing a traffic ticket to a motorcyclist when he got shot in his cop car Sunday morning. There has been no arrest made and the police don't believe the suspect has any relation to the motorcyclist. In St. Louis, a police officer was shot in the face and is in critical condition in the hospital. He is expected to survive. The police officer was shot twice in the face Sunday night in an "ambush" (that is what the police are calling it). The suspect was later killed in a shoot out with police.

Police Badge

Federal Regulators Block new Mining Claims near Yellowstone

CBS News says, that the Obama administration, in its final days, plan to keep industry out of environmentally sensitive areas, such as people wanting to mine near Yellowstone. The mining claims to about 30,000 acres north of Yellowstone would be banned for two years until a long-term ban in considered. Last week, interior officials canceled oil drilling in the Arctic and cancelled at least 25 oil leased in Colorado and about 15 in northwestern Montana. All these new environmental conscience things are happening, because Trump has made it very clear he doesn't believe in climate change and wants to use more coal and have more off shore oil drilling.

Yellowstone

Transgender Americans Nervous after the Election

According to CBS News, many transgender Americans are worried about their civil-rights protection. Since the GOP won, many transgender Americans are worried they are going to have much more resistance when coming to what bathroom to use, and the new bill just passed about being open about being transgender in the military. According to Chase Strangio, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, says that transgenders "are concerned for their safety" involving legal rights in previous passed bills and laws. Their concerns are that the Trump administration will abandon the efforts to let transgender people use the bathroom of their choice at public schools, and that GOP governed states will limit and restrict transgender rights.

Transgender

Trump's Popularity has Risen since the Election

According to the Politco/Morning Consult Poll of registered voters Trump's popularity has increased after the election. About 46% of voters have a favorable view of Trump since he has gotten elected. About 34% have a very unfavorable opinion on him. While the other 12% have a somewhat unfavorable view of him. Usually after the election the victor's popularity goes up, the "honeymoon" phase. Since becoming President-elected his popularity has reach new highs. About 19% of the people polled, think that he is more organized in the transition period, and about 34% think it is about the same.

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Obama and Putin meeting Face to Face, possibly the Last time

From CBS News, they say that President Obama and Russian President Putin were meeting while they were at the economic summit in Peru. Their conversation was not able to be heard by journalist there, but the white house claims is was mostly talking about Syria. A White House official said that Obama encouraged Putin to keep his end of the deal in order to try to end the Ukraine Conflict. Obama and Putin met earlier this fall at the G-20 China Summit and discussed trying to end cease fire in Syria because they could not reach an agreement. According to president Obama, they could not reach an agree because there are "gaps in trust".

Putin