McConnell delays action on health care after McCain surgery

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky announced Saturday that he was delaying consideration of health care legislation in light of Sen. John McCain’s absence from recent surgery.

McConnell released a statement on Saturday night saying that he was deferring action on the measure as McCain recovers at his home in Arizona.

"While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act," McConnell said.
Surgeons in Phoenix removed a blood clot from above McCain's left eye on Friday. The 80-year-old Senate veteran was advised by doctors to remain in Arizona next week, his office said.
A procedural vote expected in the coming days had been cast as a showdown over the measure designed to replace Obamacare once and for all.
With a 52-48 majority, Republicans can afford to only lose two votes. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie for final passage.
Two Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine, have already said they'll vote against the measure.
McConnell and other GOP leaders have been urging senators to at least vote in favor of opening debate, which would allow senators to offer amendments. In recent days GOP leaders have expressed optimism that they were getting closer to a version that could pass the Senate.

The Left just loves Crap like this.

VP Pence Touts President’s Agenda During Pro-Business Speech

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Maverick PAC annual Mavericks Conference in in Washington, Saturday, July 15, 2017. The Mavericks Conference is the annual gathering of conservative young professionals. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

July 15, 2017
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Vice President Mike Pence touts the Trump Administration’s successes in front of a pro-business Super-PAC.
Pence spoke at the Mavericks Conference on Saturday and said the U.S. economy is back because of President Trump.
He says 800,000 jobs have been added since the President took office and claims he has cut through more Federal red tape than any president in history.
Pence also praised the President for his effort in securing the border, saying border crossings are down 60% since January.
He’s added the administration is firmly behind the Senate Republican Health Care bill and anticipates a vote next week.

Border Wall Construction May Start in Texas

In this Jan. 25, 2017, file photo, an agent of the border patrol, observes near the Mexico-U.S. border fence, on the Mexican side, separating the towns of Anapra, Mexico and Sunland Park, N.M. (AP Photo/Christian Torres, File) July 15, 2017

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The first segment of President Trump’s border wall could start in South Texas.
On Friday, Customs and Border Protection officials announced they are looking to begin construction in the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in January.
Officials say the area was chosen because the property is already owned by the Federal Government.
Customs and Border Protection plans to build an 18-foot levee wall through 3 miles of the refuge.
The site is located on the Texas-Mexico border, about 10 miles Southeast of MCallen in the Rio Grande Valley.

Illegal Alien Cartoons

Sessions says when cities protect illegal immigrants, 'criminals take notice'

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will not stand back and let the national murder rate continue to rise.

During a stop in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the attorney general said he plans to hire 300 additional federal prosecutors to fight violent gangs like MS-13, a ruthless criminal enterprise with roots in El Salvador.

The national murder rate has increased 10 percent the past year. According to Sessions, that’s the largest increase since 1968.
Sessions was in the City of Lights to continue his fight against Sanctuary Cities. He said too many jurisdictions are still refusing to cooperate with federal authorities and are protecting criminal who, under federal law, should be deported.
SESSIONS SAYS SANCTUARY CITIES RISK LOSING DOJ, DHS GRANTS
The Justice Department is threatening to withhold federal funding from cities that don’t cooperate with federal officials in enforcing immigration laws.
"When cities like Philadelphia, Boston or San Francisco advertise that they have these policies, the criminals take notice," Sessions said in Vegas.
He said lax immigration enforcements leads to increased violence. He pointed to Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco who allegedly moved to that city because of its sanctuary status.
"Her death was preventable — and it should have been prevented," Sessions said. "He walked the streets freely because San Francisco refuses to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In fact, he admitted that one reason he was in San Francisco that day was that he knew the city had these policies in place."
SANCTUARY CITIES LOSE ACCESS TO FEDERAL GRANTS THAT REQUIRE COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW – CUE THE HISTORIANS
Right now, four cities, four counties and two sanctuary states are undergoing a legal review by Sessions, including Vegas, where he urged Clark County to cooperate with ICE. In all, he said, some 300 jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
“These jurisdictions,” he said, “are protecting criminals rather than their law-abiding residents.”
He said cooperation will help the government dismantle gangs like MS-13, which is wreaking havoc across the country.
“To take these gangs off of our streets,” he said, “we need cooperation between law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels.”

All eyes on Nevada’s Republican senator mulling ObamaCare decision

Republicans are not in the position to lose votes if they hope to repeal ObamaCare, so pressure is being placed on senators like Sen. Dean Heller, R- Nev., to declare allegiance on the newly crafted bill.

If Heller supports the bill, he would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval in a state that did not support President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

But if he opposes the bill, conservative groups will likely come after them like they did earlier this year after he opposed the GOP's initial health care bill.
And Democrats plan to target his seat either way in next year's mid-term elections.
Trump on Friday tweeted encouragement to Republicans on the Hill to "do what is right for the people" and get their "failed ObamaCare replacement approved."
Trump declared a day earlier that failure would make him "very angry" and that he would blame Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“I will be at my desk, pen in hand!” Trump tweeted.
The reworked bill Sen. Mitch McConnell presented to fellow Republicans aims to win conservatives' support by letting insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, he seeks to placate hesitant moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs.
Fox News' Sean Hannity took aim Thursday night at Republican senators who expressed skepticism of or opposition to the revised health care measure that would repeal and replace ObamaCare.
"You made us a promise, the American people, for seven years. You guaranteed you’d end ObamaCare," the "Hannity" host said. "You assured all of us you would develop a health care bill that actually worked for the American people. Stop your whining, roll up your sleeves, get to work, put your egos aside, get it done."
Last month, a pro-Trump group reportedly planned to launch the seven-figure ad campaign against Heller.
Heller is up for re-election in 2018 and is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP senators.
"Obamacare is collapsing. This is a crisis for the American people. There is no excuse for any Republican or Democrat to oppose the Senate health care bill outright," Brian Walsh, president of the group, said in a statement at the time. "Senator Heller ... appears to be heading down a path with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the radical left."

Ariz. Border Patrol Arrest Over 500 Illegal Aliens Under “One and Done Initiative”

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Officials along the U.S.-Mexico Border nab over 560 illegal aliens in just one month alone.
The Customs and Border Protection Agency prosecuted 565 people who were arrested on their first attempt at crossing the border near Tucson, Arizona in June.
Crossing illegally just one time results in a misdemeanor charge, while multiple crossings become a felony.
Before June, most illegal immigrants were not charged on their first attempt at crossing the border.
Officials say the “one and done initiative” was reinstated to prevent illegals from injury or death while crossing the Sonoran Desert.
Last month Border Patrol rescued 80 illegals who were lost in that desert.

Sonoran Desert

House Backs Massive Increase in Defense Spending

The House passes its version of a massive defense bill backing President Trump’s desire for a bigger and stronger military.
The 344 to 81 vote passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets military policy and authorizes nearly $700 billion in spending for the Department of Defense.
The measure also increases spending on missile defense by 25%, adds thousands of more active duty troops to the army, provides new ships for the navy, and a salary increase for u-s troops.
It also creates a new Space Corps military service.
The Senate will vote on its version of the bill later this year.