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Vexation, victory claims as Dems face their limits in Senate
Democrats have conflicting views of what they're accomplishing in the 50-50 Senate and of how to take advantage of their control on the chamber.
Politics
WASHINGTON – With elections in view and Democrats' headline domestic bill in a rut, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer have very different takes on how things are going in their chamber.
“I know we're spending the week dealing with assistant secretaries of something or other, and that's terribly important," Sanders, the progressive firebrand and Vermont independent, said dryly on Wednesday. The Senate confirmed 15 nominees last week for the Federal Maritime Commission, judgeships and other posts.
“It has been a busy, productive and truly bipartisan week here,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the next morning. The New York Democrat cited a sexual harassment bill lawmakers approved minutes later and progress on addressing violence against women, the budget and industrial competitiveness.