House of Representatives

Stories 581 - 600 | << Prev   Next >>

Patriot Act Gets 3 More Months
 Patriot Act Gets 3 More Months 

Patriot Act Gets 3 More Months

House agrees to Senate timeline, sends bill to White House

(Newser) - The House today voted 279-143 to approve a 90-day extension of three controversial Patriot Act provisions, sending the measure to President Obama for a surefire signature. The House had earlier approved a year-long extension , but today opted to instead mirror a shorter timeline passed by the Senate, Wired reports. The...

House Wades Through 600 Spending Cut Proposals

Democrats call moves 'Extreme and indiscriminate'

(Newser) - There was a flurry of actual policy debate on Capitol Hill yesterday, as Republicans, determined to slash $60 billion to $100 billion in spending, waded through some 600 amendments, debating everything from health care reform to wild horses roundups, the Los Angeles Times reports. John Boehner has scrapped rules past...

New Lawmakers Battle Freshman 15

Seriously, does this suit make me look fat?

(Newser) - Being a freshman is tough: Making friends, figuring out where the bathroom is, partying without packing on the pounds. Such are the trials and tribulations of the newest crop of lawmakers, who report that weight gain—thanks in part to frequent cocktail parties—is no joke. “At every event,...

House Passes Patriot Act Extensions

Move to extend surveillance powers passes 275-144

(Newser) - The House of Representatives has voted 275-144 to extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act until the end of the year. The measures—which would keep in place surveillance powers including counterterrorism officials' ability to conduct roving wiretap surveillance of targets—were slammed as "intrusive" and "unconstitutional"...

House Rejects Extension of Patriot Act Provisions

Twenty-six Republicans buck party line

(Newser) - The House today failed to extend the life of three surveillance tools that are key to the Patriot Act. Republicans brought up the bill under a special expedited procedure requiring a two-thirds majority, and they fell seven votes short. Twenty-six Republicans voted against the measure, along with 122 Democrats. Supporters...

House Votes to Repeal Obama's Health Care Law

Measure is all but certain to fail in the Senate

(Newser) - The Republican-controlled House has voted to repeal the health care law President Obama signed last year. The 245-189 vote marks the fulfillment of a promise many Republicans made in last fall's political campaigns. The measure has little or no chance of passing the Senate, where Democratic supporters of the law...

Five Votes to Watch in Today's Health Care Repeal
Five Votes to Watch in Today's Health Care Repeal
analysis

Five Votes to Watch in Today's Health Care Repeal

It's going to pass, but there's still some political intrigue at play

(Newser) - After all the talk, the House will finally vote later today on whether to repeal health care. It's no great mystery how things will shake out, of course: It's going to pass in the House, fail in the Senate, "then die the death of the symbolic bill that it...

GOP Rep Wants to Enclose Congress in Plexiglass

Lawmakers seek to boost security after Giffords shooting

(Newser) - Lawmakers return to the Capitol today for the first time since Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson and some are seeking increased protection. Rep. Dan Burton, a Republican from Indiana, plans to reintroduce legislation calling for the House gallery to be encased in a "transparent and substantial material"...

What the Arizona Shootings Mean
What the Arizona
Shootings Mean
analysis roundup

What the Arizona Shootings Mean

Maybe no more access to reps—and hopefully, no more violent rhetoric

(Newser) - As Gabrielle Giffords fights for her life, questions arise: How will this affect other US representatives, who typically interact with the public much more than other political figures? And who—or what—is to blame? Some viewpoints:
  • “Congress and its members are about to be permanently quarantined, physically isolated,
...

Tea Party Fails History on Constitution
Tea Party Fails History
on Constitution
dana milbank

Tea Party Fails History on Constitution

Dana Milbank: Reading a sanitized version was a mistake

(Newser) - The "Tea-Party-infused lawmakers" who pushed for this week's reading of the Constitution did so to honor the framers, but the stunt actually "did the opposite," writes Dana Milbank. He joins the chorus of those criticizing the move to read a sanitized version, one "conjuring a fanciful...

House Republicans Vote Before Swearing In

2 Reps' votes invalidated after blunder

(Newser) - House Republicans were left red-faced yesterday after realizing that two of them had cast votes even though they weren't technically members of Congress. Reps. Pete Sessions and Mike Fitzpatrick skipped this week's official swearing-in ceremony on the House floor to attend a ceremony elsewhere. The eight votes they cast during...

Birther Interrupts House's Reading of Constitution

She objects during section on presidential citizenship

(Newser) - And you thought listening to members of Congress read the Constitution in its entirety today would be dull: Well, it is, mostly, but a birther in the gallery livened things up during the section about only a natural-born citizen being eligible to be president. "Except Obama, except Obama,"...

John Boehner, Republicans Take Over
John Boehner,
Republicans Take Over
breaking news

John Boehner, Republicans Take Over

112th Congress is formally under way

(Newser) - Much pomp and circumstance and gavel-surrendering took place on Capitol Hill today as the 112th Congress got under way, reports the AP . The GOP-controlled House formally elected John Boehner as its new speaker, with Nancy Pelosi moving to her new gig as minority leader. "God bless you, Speaker Boehner,...

Pelosi: No Regrets ... and New Twitter Handle

Outgoing speaker now @NancyPelosi

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi's reign as the first female House speaker ends at noon today, but at least she's now got a shorter Twitter handle. "I’m now @NancyPelosi, 2 characters shorter than @SpeakerPelosi," she wrote to followers last night. ReTweeters "rejoice!" she added. Incoming speaker John Boehner,...

Boehner's First Order of Business: Decrease His Power

Rule package expected to be approved by GOP today

(Newser) - John Boehner may be the incoming speaker of the House, but he doesn’t want a whole lot of power. In fact, one of tomorrow’s first votes could be on a package of rule changes Boehner says will decentralize power—and even allow minority-party members to have more of...

House GOP Vows to Cut $100B ... From Somewhere

But 20% reduction may be too drastic to be realized

(Newser) - The Republican-controlled House is determined to follow through on its plan to cut $100 billion in domestic spending this year—it just isn’t quite sure where the cuts will come from. The military, domestic security, and veterans are safe, but all other federal programs would face 20% cuts, on...

In GOP-Led House, the Constitution Will Be God

Every single bill must cite passage authorizing legislation

(Newser) - When Republicans take over the House next week, they'll christen the new session with a dramatic reading ... of the Constitution. Apparently, the 4,543-word document has never—in 221 years—been read aloud in the chamber. But the GOP is determined to center the 112th Congress around the document when...

Lawmaker: McCain Killed Soldier Counseling

Measure sought to provide Reserve soldiers with more help

(Newser) - Prompted by the suicide of a young soldier, a Democratic representative tried to pass legislation to get more counseling and resources to Reserve members—and he blames John McCain for quashing it. “I know for a fact, because he told me, that Sen. McCain doesn't support it,” New...

House Passes Sweeping Tax Bill
House Passes
Sweeping Tax Bill
tax cut deal

House Passes Sweeping Tax Bill

Tax cut package sent to Obama's desk

(Newser) - The House of Representatives, acting with uncommon speed, has given final approval to a bipartisan bill that will avoid a scheduled rise in income taxes for millions on the first of January. The vote was 277-148 late last night on the legislation, which is the result of a compromise between...

Pelosi Scrambles for Tax Vote Tonight or Tomorrow

Liberals want amendment on estate tax

(Newser) - Call it what you will—"liberal fury" ( Politico ), "liberal insurrection" ( the Hill ), "liberal uprising" ( Washington Post )—Nancy Pelosi is pretty sure she can deal with it and have the House vote on the overall tax deal tonight or tomorrow. The measure...

Stories 581 - 600 | << Prev   Next >>