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Senator Schumer says Irish deserve a separate deal for visas because of 1965 shutout - Says “Schumer visas” set to give Ireland 10,500 visas a year for the future (IrishCentral)

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:33:51 PDT

Sen Charles SchumerSounding very upbeat, Senator Charles Schumer (D-New York), architect of the senate immigration bill says he is now very confident that 10,500 Schumer visas will be passed as part of the billHe asked for the Irish community across the US READ MORE

Two Republican senators fail to strip Irish provision from immigration bill (IrishCentral)

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:16:04 PDT

By: NIALL O'DOWD

Two Republican senators made a major effort to strip 10,500 visas for Irish from the 2013 immigration bill at the Senate Judiciary hearings on Tuesday.

Senate President Murray Visits Ireland (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:18:46 PDT

Senate President Murray meets with the Mayor of Donegal, Frank McBrearty, and Mayor of Letterkenny, Dessie Larkin, to discuss collaboration and economic development opportunitiesSenate President Therese Murray is currently in Ireland as part of a trade-mission to connect with politicians and local councils, with Governor Deval Patrick also traveling to Ireland later this week as part of an effort to drum up business for companies in MassachusettsMurray began her 10-day trip in Derry on Thursday by attending the launch of the North West Health Innovation Corridor with the Derry City council and on Friday The senate president also traveled to Donegal where she met with the Mayor of Donegal and Mayor of Letterkenny to discuss collaboration and economic development opportunities READ MORE

Emigrants and Northern Irish to get vote in proposals to change face of Irish Senate forever (IrishCentral)

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:05:42 PDT

By: PATRICK COUNIHAN

Radical plans to reform Ireland’s Senate have been proposed – including a vote for emigrants and Northern Irish and parity for women in the upper house of the Irish parliament.

Irish government praises ‘Gang of Eight’ bipartisan Senate immigration reform legislation (IrishCentral)

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:28:30 PDT

By: KERRY O’SHEA

The bipartisan Senate panel on immigration reform, nicknamed the ‘Gang of Eight,’ has put forth their proposals for immigration reform. The Irish government, who will see many of its citizens affected by the potential reforms, praised the panel’s proposals.

US Senator says President Obama is not serious about immigration reform, it’s only a ploy (IrishCentral)

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:04:06 PDT

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Why I hope Irish American Steve Lynch is the next US Senator from Massachusetts (IrishCentral)

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 05:17:46 PDT

Irish American Steve Lynch potential next US Senator from Massachusetts (Photo: AP)On the 30th of April, Massachusetts voters will have the opportunity to choose the Democratic and Republican general election candidates to succeed John Kerry, now US Secretary of State, in the US Senate Two US Congressmen, Steve Lynch and Ed Markey, are battling it out for the Democratic nomination; three Republicans, former US Attorney Michael Sullivan, Massachusetts State Representative Dan Winslow and ex-US Navy Seal and businessman Gabriel Gomez, are seeking the GOP nod Polls show that Michael Sullivan leads his two rivals, while Ed Markey is currently the Democratic frontrunnerAn ocean away here in Ireland, however, I will be casting a ballot for a man who’s been an underdog his whole life, Steve Lynch READ MORE

After 13-hour Rand Paul filibuster Irish American John Brennan approved by Senate as CIA head (IrishCentral)

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 04:35:57 PST

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

After an epic filibuster which Democrats finally voted to end, the Senate confirmed John Brennan to be named as CIA director on Thursday.

State Senator calls St Patrick’s Day shirts insulting and degrading to Irish Americans (IrishCentral)

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:31:00 PST

By: IRISHCENTRAL STAFF WRITERS

State Senator David Carlucci may have Italian heritage, but racially insulting Saint Patrick's Day merchandise still gets his Irish up.

Irish Pastoral Centre welcomes US Senate proposal (IrishCentral)

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 12:31:31 PST

The Board and staff of the IPC in Boston Massachusetts welcomes the bipartisan agreement on a framework for immigration reform and the remarks made by President Barrack Obama in Nevada on Jan 29th, 2013 on the need for comprehensive reform We view the framework document as a first step in addressing problems with an immigration system that has been broken for yearsReform is crucial for the thousands of undocumented Irish in Massachusetts and around the nation READ MORE

Obama CIA appointee Brennan gets heckled by code pink and mugged by senators (IrishCentral)

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:31:23 PST

John McCain and Senate Democrats outbreak of homophobia over immigration bill (IrishCentral)

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:16:12 PST

Republican Senator John McCainIn a truly shocking moment of high handed arrogance, Senator John McCain announced this morning that granting immigration rights to legally married gay couples was not 'a matter of paramount importance' to him, or presumably anyoneWell, it may not be a terrific surprise that a rich old white Republican man can't bring himself to think of gay people as his social equals, but I can tell you it's a matter of 'paramount importance' to the tens of thousands of pointlessly separated gay couples whose legal marriages are still rendered meaningless by the pointless Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)McCain's casual bigotry, unthinkingly expressed, is precisely why he lost the presidency in 2008 McCain still calls a move toward equality for gay people a 'red flag READ MORE

John Kerry’s departure from the US Senate makes for more political intrigue in Massachusetts (IrishCentral)

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:01:00 PST

US Senator from Massachusetts John KerryFrom the moment current US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration to be President Barack Obama’s next Secretary of State, politicos in Boston and beyond have had plenty to gossip about With Rice – whose putative nomination was effectively scuppered by opposition from key Senate Republicans – out of the picture, most observers presumed that John Kerry, the senior US Senator from Massachusetts and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, would be President Obama’s pick They were correct, and it is likely that John Kerry will soon be confirmed to the key diplomatic postMeanwhile, back in Massachusetts, the political rumor mill began churning almost immediately READ MORE

Vicki Kennedy not running as she backs Ed Markey for U.S. Senate seat (IrishCentral)

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:19:02 PST

By: JEAN O'BRIEN

Speculation that Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Massachusetts icon Senator Edward Kennedy, would run for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Secretary of State nominee John Kerry was laid to rest on Friday, as Mrs. Kennedy gave her strong support to the candidacy of Congressman Edward Markey.

Democrats seeking Ted Kennedy’s widow to run for vacant Senate seat in Mass. (IrishCentral)

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 01:31:55 PST

By: KERRY O'SHEA

Top Massachusetts Democrats, and even President Obama himself, may be looking to nudge Ted Kennedy’s widow Vicki Kennedy into considering a run for the Senate seat that will be open if Senator John Kerry takes up the position of Secretary of State.

Senator Bob Casey’s mind changed by Newtown tragedy - calls for ban on assault rifles (IrishCentral)

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:47:06 PST

By: KERRY O'SHEA

Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey, a longtime champion of guns rights, has changed his stance in regards to new legislation on guns in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Senator Casey said he is “haunted” by last week’s events.

‘Fighting Irish’ Joe Donnelly to be the U.S. Senator from Notre Dame after Mourdock gaffe? (IrishCentral)

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:15:33 PDT

Joe DonnellyWhen Congressman Joe Donnelly declared for the Indiana Senate race he seemed to have two chances, slim and noneAs a Democrat in a red state he was at a major disadvantage Expected to face a popular incumbent in Richard Lugar, he seemed out of his depthThen a funny thing happened READ MORE

Irish senator Eamonn Coughlan wants sports along with religion to be examined in Irish high schools (IrishCentral)

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 05:01:33 PDT

Irish Senator Eamonn Coughlan (FG) has said that Physical Education (PE) - traditionally the 'sport' element of Ireland's high school curriculum - should be upgraded to an examinable subjectThe call follows the upgrading of other traditionally less emphasized high school programmes, such as Religious Education, to the ranks of those subjects which can be taken in the Leaving Certificate, the finishing exam in the Irish high school systemCurrently, 'PE' is taught in an ad-hoc and highly unstructured manner, with typical 'sessions' consisting of indoor soccer, circuit exercises, or any other of a number of aerobic exercisesCoughlan, however, said that PE's upgrade to an examinable subject would see it vested with a much greater degree of traditional classroom-based content than has currently been the case READ MORE

Irish senator Rónán Mullen embroiled in abortion spate after -- victims claim he was "smirking", "nasty", at meeting (IrishCentral)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 05:45:11 PDT

Irish Independent Senator Rónán Mullen has found himself at the center of an abortion spat after allegedly coming across as "nasty" and "smirking" at a meeting between politicians and abortion mothers at Ireland's parliament, Leinster HouseThe Senator has been struck by a whiplash reaction to his allegedly snide demeanor at the meeting attended by over 20 public representatives , including the hacking of his website on Saturday evening and a spate of further online abuse from other mothers similarly aggrieved by how the Senator 'came across' at the round-table discussionsOne mother has claimed that Mullen asked her - twice - what her 'agenda' was in coming to the meeting, a claim the Senator has strenuously denied, while the 'smirking' allegation was leveled at the Senator by a number of those in attendanceThe mothers - all of whom had traveled out of the State to have abortions because they had been told that their babies would, according to medical opinion, be born in conditions 'incompatible with life' - sought the meeting to raise awareness of the 'X case', a 20 year old Supreme Court ruling that has yet been legislated upon by successive governments READ MORE

Irish hopes high as majority leader Harry Reid says Senate will take up immigration reform (IrishCentral)

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 07:35:18 PDT

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the Senate will begin work on immigration reform when members return from recess this week"We need to do this this year," he told an immigration rally in Las Vegas Saturday "We cannot wait"His speech has stirred hopes in the hearts of many who were let down in the collapse of the 2007 "grand bargain," negotiated by the late Senator Edward Kennedy READ MORE