On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Vice President Kamala Harris broke the previous record set by John C. Calhoun in the 19th century for the most tie-breaking votes cast in the U.S. Senate. Harris has now cast 32 tie-breaking votes, eclipsing Calhoun’s record of 31 during his tenure as vice president from 1825 to 1832. The latest tiebreaker occurred during the confirmation of Loren Alikhan as a U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia. As vice president, Harris serves as the president of the Senate, granting her constitutional authority to break ties. Harris’s accomplishment is noteworthy not only for its historical significance but also in the context of the current political landscape. The U.S. Senate has been narrowly divided throughout the Biden administration, comprising 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and three independents. Of the independents, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine caucus with Democrats, while Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party in 2022 to register as an independent. The surge in tie-breaking votes contrasts with previous administrations, as former Vice President Mike Pence cast 13 tie-breaking votes, while President Joe Biden did not cast any during his vice presidential tenure in the eight years of the Obama administration. In a speech on the Senate floor earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised her historic achievement. Schumer emphasized the circumstances of Harris’ tenure, characterized by a closely divided Senate and a highly partisan environment. He acknowledged the weighty responsibility placed on the vice president as president of the Senate, noting that Harris has played a crucial role in passing pivotal legislation. From the American Rescue Plan to the Inflation Reduction Act and the confirmation of federal judges, Schumer commended Harris for her contributions to the functioning of the Senate. “When it’s mattered most, Vice President Harris has provided the decisive vote on some of the most historic bills of modern times,” Schumer asserted. “All of us thank her for making the work of the Senate possible.”

NNPA newswire,

Zoleka Mandela, granddaughter of the South African martyr and its first democratically elected president, died Sept. 25 after an 11-year battle with cancer. She was 43.
Mandela spent her last years raising awareness about cancer prevention, providing details about her treatment for the disease that had begun with a diagnosis of breast cancer when she was 32.
She was treated and she was in remission until the cancer came back, spreading to her liver, spine, lungs and brain.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation issued a statement Tuesday, news reports say, saying it “extends its heartfelt condolences to the Mandela family on the passing of Zoleka Mandela, tragically last night.”
“We mourn the loss of a beloved grandchild of Mum Winnie and Madiba and a friend of the foundation.”
The foundation described her as “a tireless activist for health care and justice.”
“Her work in raising awareness about cancer prevention and her unwavering commitment to breaking down the stigma surrounding the disease will continue to inspire us all,” it said.
Treated as an outpatient until being admitted to the hospital last week, Mandela had gained a following on social media for her candidness about the progress in her disease as well as some of the issues of her past, including depression, drug and alcohol addiction and being molested as a girl.
In addition to crusading for cancer awareness and fighting the stigma of the disease, Mandela had campaigned for road safety when her daughter was killed in a car accident in 2010.
“What do I tell my children?” Mandela posted on Instagram in August 2022. “How do I tell them that this time around I may not get to live my life as a survivor? How do I tell them everything will be OK when it’s not? I’m dying … I don’t want to die.”
In April, Mandela told a radio host on Kaya FM “I’m learning to be okay with my eventuality.”
Zoleka was 10 years old when Nelson Mandela was released from Robben Island in 1990 where he had been imprisoned in South Africa for 27 years. President Mandela died in 2013.
Zoleka Mandela was named one of the BBC’s 100 Women of the Year in 2016.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Zenani, and her son Zenawe who was born prematurely. She is survived by four other children.
BET, BBC and News 24 were sources for this report.