legislation

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Dems Hit With Revolt in the Ranks

Line-by-line lawmaking drives wedge into plans

(Newser) - Congressional Democrats figured Obama's aggressive legislative agenda would face challenges from the GOP, but they've been surprised by squabbling within their own party that's broken out even before they've gotten to the new initiatives, the Washington Post reports. Among the people holding up the $410 billion spending bill leftover from...

Obama to End Stem-Cell Ban Monday

(Newser) - President Obama will overturn the Bush administration’s ban on federal funding for stem-cell research Monday, Time reports. The move fulfills a campaign promise and Obama’s pledge to bring science back to the fore in America, and will precede legislation expected later this year preventing future presidents from banning...

Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On
Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On
OPINION
Feb 5, 2009 4:36 PM CST

Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On

Klein: We need to move now on the stimulus package

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s Washington Post op-ed today arguing in favor of the stimulus is “a bit of a disappointment,” writes Joe Klein for Time. It’s "political boilerplate," and the president should probably stick to speeches. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that he's exactly...

Dems Gird for Fight Over Pro-Labor Bill

'Card check' legislation faces stiff business opposition, Senate fight

(Newser) - House Democrats are about to unveil a bill easing the unionization process, a measure that’s already sparked major backlash, the Hill reports. The Employee Free Choice Act, which President Obama has said he'll sign, would allow workers to skip secret ballot elections to create unions, instead openly signing cards....

Detroit's Not the Only Place That Needs 'Restructuring'

DC should streamline many useless layers

(Newser) - Lawmakers want to restructure Detroit’s auto industry—but Congress could use a little makeover, too, writes Philip K. Howard in the Wall Street Journal. He offers a prescription to streamline the government as one would a corporation:
  • Dump “legacy obligations.” Like Detroit, Congress must ditch old promises
...

Proposed Law Pushes College Football Playoffs

Bill proposed to do away with controversial BCS process

(Newser) - A flustered Texas lawmaker has decided to fix the college football ranking system that he says "constantly misfires" in sending the two best teams to the championship, the AP reports. Rep. Joe Barton is introducing a bill that would "prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason...

Bush Moves Quickly, Signs Bailout Bill Into Law

Reps who switched vote already spinning change for constituents

(Newser) - Less than 2 hours after the House passed the $700 billion bailout bill, President Bush signed it this afternoon. With a stroke of a pen, he set in motion $110 million in tax cuts and sent the legislators on both sides of the 263-171 vote home to explain themselves to...

Kennedy Crafts Proposal for Paid National Service 'Army'

Bill would recruit 175,000 workers

(Newser) - Sen. Ted Kennedy has crafted a sweeping national service bill, to be introduced today, that would recruit 175,000 citizens of all ages to work in health, education, environmental protection and anti-poverty programs—with their pay partially subsidized by the government. The plan would provide $5 billion over five years...

Wal-Mart Tells Managers to Fear Democratic Win

The retailer warns employees of disastrous labor legislation if left wins

(Newser) - Wal-Mart is warning store managers and department supervisors nationwide that a Democratic victory in November would likely lead to passage of a federal law making unionization easier, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a series of mandatory meetings, the company says it's not telling hourly employees how to vote, which...

Dems Fail to Override GOP's Bill-Blocker

Reid's bundled bill designed to trump Coburn falls short

(Newser) - A bill aimed at trumping one senator’s efforts to block dozens of pieces of legislation was itself halted yesterday, the Washington Post reports. Sen. Tom Coburn has held up some 80 bills to prevent spending he considers unnecessary; Democrat Harry Reid's legislative omnibus, which contained 35 bills in one,...

Democrats Out to Thwart Senate's 'Dr. No'

Big bill combines measures all blocked by prickly Coburn

(Newser) - While the Senate has long been in the business of passing catchall “omnibus” legislation, now Democrats are trying out the Tomnibus, a bill loaded with measures that have all been blocked by one man: Tom Coburn, alias Dr. No. The Oklahoma Republican wields Senate procedure like a deathray—he...

Russia Goes After Emo
 Russia Goes After Emo   
Jul 24, 2008 3:55 PM CDT

Russia Goes After Emo

Fearing for teens, Duma debates legislation to outlaw fashion, monitor websites

(Newser) - Fearing a threat to the wellbeing of its youth, the Russian Duma is going after what it sees as Public Enemy No. 1—emo.  Lawmakers are debating legislation to ban all signs of emo culture—an offshoot of punk music—from schools and government buildings, the Guardian reports. Lawmakers...

Congress: No More Scribbled Scrips, Doc

Legislation will nudge MDs toward electronic prescription system

(Newser) - Senators from both sides of the aisle are pushing doctors away from their prescription pads and towards electronic prescribing, the Chicago Tribune reports. Politicians and lobbyists hope the new system will cut down on mis-filled prescriptions and harmful, but avoidable, drug interactions.

'Lion' Kennedy King of the Senate

Mystery seizure sparks reflection on Hill icon

(Newser) - Ted Kennedy’s seizure yesterday forced Washington lawmakers to imagine a world without the legendary 76-year-old senator—and how difficult it would be to fill his shoes,Time notes. Willing to work across the aisle to push key legislation, the Democratic kingpin's name has been on nearly all the bipartisan...

House Says No To Genetic Discrimination

Bush has pledged to sign bill; hoorays from docs and scientists

(Newser) - A long-suffering bill outlawing genetic discrimination by health insurers and in the workplace sailed through the House today, and President Bush has pledged to sign it into law, Reuters reports. The bill, forms of which have kicked around Washington for 13 years, forbids insurers from denying coverage based on genetic...

France Moves to Outlaw 'Inciting' Thinness

Anti-eating disorder bill cites 'death messages,' could affect fashion

(Newser) - France’s lower legislative body today approved a law banning the promotion of anorexic behavior, the Guardian reports. Applicable to magazines, advertising and the web, the law can impose up to a $47,000 fine and two years in prison for “excessively inciting others to deprive themselves of food....

Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill
 Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill 
Apr 10, 2008 3:02 PM CDT

Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill

Wins approval by wide margin, but House, Bush opposition leave fate uncertain

(Newser) - The Senate approved a $15 billion measure to address the housing slump today, including $6 billion in total tax breaks to homebuilding firms and a $7,000 tax credit for buyers of foreclosed homes. Though it passed by an 84-12 margin, opposition from President Bush and the House could yet...

In the Works: Wireless Bill of Rights

States fight feds over who will regulate

(Newser) - Wireless carriers seem to have angered a few too many consumers with hidden fees and surprise charges. Politicians in 22 states are considering various versions of a wireless consumers’ bill of rights, reports BusinessWeek. But the wireless industry, daunted at facing different regulations in every state, is throwing its weight...

States Weigh Allowing Guns on Campuses

Bills pending in 12 legislatures; advocates want ability to protect selves

(Newser) - Twelve states are considering bills that would allow people to carry guns at public universities, USA Today reports, a response to last year's Virginia Tech massacre. "The only way to stop a person with a gun is another person with a gun," says a University of Cincinnati sophomore...

Airlines Move to Ground Flyer 'Bill of Rights'

Industry takes action in New York court against first law in nation

(Newser) - The airline industry is in court trying to block a New York "bill of rights" for airline passengers, which could have a big impact on similar measures nationwide. The Air Transport Association of America is arguing that New York has no jurisdiction to require the industry to provide food,...

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