Brennan Leach
@brennanleach
Covering Congress @NBCnews | @NorthwesternU grad
Sen. Mike Lee refuses to answer Qs regarding his controversial post in the wake of the MN shootings or his conversation with Sen. Tina Smith over the post. His aide attempted to shield our cameras as we questioned him.
OVERNIGHT: GOP-led Senate votes to cancel $9 billion in funding for foreign aid, NPR and PBS Final: 51-48. Murkowski + Collins join all Democrats to vote NO. McConnell, who voted against MTP, switched to YES on the final. W/ @frankthorp @brennanleach: nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Asked if he has full confidence in AG Pam Bondi following her handling of the Epstein docs, Sen. John Kennedy says: “That's a killer question, but it'll probably be ruled a suicide.”
As Trump decided to pick his biggest political fight to date with his MAGA base, thousands of his adherents were gathered together at the Student Action Summit. And all they wanted to talk about was the "Epstein files." nbcnews.com/politics/trump… by @Mdixon55 @brennanleach
NEW: Trump's push to claw back funding ignites a fight that threatens a government shutdown Dems say they won't sign off on a bipartisan deal if Republicans undo the parts they dislike on party lines. On the next Hill fight, w/ @frankthorp @brennanleach: nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Our excellent @NBCNews Capitol Hill team makes it easy to come to work every day, including when we have to cover the occasional overnight session: @SyedahAsghar @ryanobles @news_jul @MZanona @frankthorp @brennanleach @scottwongDC @sahilkapur @RebeccaRKaplan
NEW: Sen. Lisa Murkowski stares me down for more than 10 secs after I ask her to respond to Sen. Rand Paul’s critique of the deal she struck to get her to a YES and pass the OBBB. “Do I like this bill? No. But I tried to take care of Alaska’s interests.” w/ @frankthorp
BREAKING @NBCNews: Senate Republicans narrowly pass Trump's mammoth tax cuts & spending bill after marathon 24-hour voting session Vote was 51-50 w VP JD Vance breaking tie w/@sahilkapur @frankthorp @brennanleach @news_jul nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
VP Vance arrived at the Capitol moments ago, as the Senate continues their ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ vote-a-rama. Asked by @kellyfphares if he can get the bill across the finish line, Vance said “We’re gonna find out.”
2:15am — Murkowski & Collins head to the floor as the Senate continues voting on amendments to Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Murkowski and Collins both declined to say how they’d vote on final passage this hour.
If you’re curious how the vibes in the Capitol are going, here’s what the drink cooler in the refectory looked like this morning vs what it looks like now —>
OBBB LATEST: Senate begins votes on Trump's massive bill as Republicans race toward final passage w/@sahilkapur @frankthorp @brennanleach @gakhoriaty nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Sen. Hawley, now a YES on ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ says Rs have a “lot of thinking to do” on Medicaid. “We can't be cutting healthcare for working people and for poor people in order to constantly give special tax treatment to corporations,” he told me.
.@SenThomTillis is a NO on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: “I’ll be voting no on the motion to proceed, and on final passage,” he tells reporters (via @brennanleach). nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Senate Republicans release 940-page bill for Trump's agenda as they race to vote this weekend w/@sahilkapur @frankthorp + assists @brennanleach @gakhoriaty nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
BREAKING: Senate passes landmark crypto regulation bill on a big bipartisan 68-30 vote, sending it to the House ... via @nbcnews w/@news_jul & assist from @brennanleach nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
DNI Gabbard asked by @brennanleach about this responds “What President Trump is saying is the same thing I said in my annual threat assessment in March to Congress.”
Iran is "very close" to a nuclear weapon, he said. "I don't care what she said I think they were very close to having them," Trump told us on AF1 when asked about Tulsi Gabbard testimony in March. I asked him about efforts to help Americans leave the region, with commercial…
Tina Smith says she confronted Mike Lee over 'cruel' social media posts on the Minnesota shootings. Via @gakhoriaty and @brennanleach nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Personal news🎉: I’m excited to share I’ll be joining Axios as a congressional reporter covering House Republicans Monday! Add me to your press lists and send tips to [email protected] or reach me on Signal: katesantaliz.57
Murkowski on Padilla: “I've seen that one clip. It's horrible. It is shocking at every level. It's not the America I know."