Congress

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Colin Powell: Tea Party Candidates Can't Win

But Dems, GOP also too partisan, he tells Christiane Amanpour

(Newser) - Colin Powell took aim at Tea Party candidates, Democrats, and Republicans alike today in a plea for compromise on Capitol Hill. Speaking on Christiane Amanpour, the former Bush secretary of state said Tea Party contenders are too hard-line to win next year's presidential election: "The Tea Party point...

Gingrich: Super Committee Failure 'Good for America'

Liberal bloggers pretty happy about it, too

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich certainly isn’t mourning the super committee’s super failure , calling it “good for America” this morning, Politico reports. Gingrich, a longtime critic of the panel, said the “gridlock” in Washington is “partly the president's fault, it's partly the Congress' fault, but it'...

After Super Failure, What's Next?

Key issues remain on table for lawmakers as super committee throws in towel

(Newser) - As the debt super committee prepares for an awkward day in which it's expected to announce that it is throwing in the towel, Politico examines what's on the horizon for Washington following the failure to reach an agreement . With no workable proposal on the table, members won’t...

Super Committee Prospects? Find Synonyms for 'Bleak'

Hope fading fast as deadline nears

(Newser) - So how go the super committee talks as the clock ticks toward the deadline of Wednesday (which really means Monday night for all practical purposes)? It's all but impossible to find even a glimmer of hope:
  • Washington Post : Headline: "Supercommittee at impasse as deadline nears"; snippet: "By
...

At Least 58 Lawmakers Among Top 1%

Darrel Issa, Michael McCaul, and John Kerry top the list

(Newser) - About 11% of Congress might be taking Occupy Wall Street’s anti-1% rhetoric personally. At least 58 lawmakers have a net worth north of $9 million, putting them in the top 1% of all Americans by wealth, according to a USA Today analysis of financial disclosure forms. The actual figure...

Giffords Posts Hopeful Audio Message on Facebook

'I want to get back to work,' says congresswoman

(Newser) - Gabrielle Giffords is anxious to return to Washington, and she’s telling her supporters directly. The congresswoman has posted an audio message on Facebook, ABC News reports. “Hello, this is Gabby Giffords,” she says. “I miss you, I miss Tucson, the mountains, blue skies, even the heat....

Obama to Congress: You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine

He heads overseas amid crunch time: Politico

(Newser) - With President Obama on a nine-day trip to Australia, Indonesia, and Hawaii as Congress's debt super committee enters its endgame phase and yet another shutdown threat looms, it's a clear sign that the branches of government "are officially in the breakup phase," writes Carrie Budoff Brown...

Super Committee May Punt on Toughest Tax Decisions

Temporary deal would defer details until after the 2012 elections

(Newser) - With Congress's debt committee apparently deadlocked and its Nov. 23 deadline looming, both parties are talking about putting off the toughest decisions until after the 2012 elections, reports the LA Times . Worried that a final deal would only inflame both bases and that outright failure would result in brutal...

Debt Plan Will Contain New Tax Revenues: Boehner

But entitlements must be adjusted, speaker says

(Newser) - Despite Republican leaders' push against a tax hike, the super committee debt deal will include new tax revenues, John Boehner said yesterday. "I think there is room for revenues, but I think there clearly is a limit to the amount of revenues that are available." His comments follow...

How Many House Members Skip Out on Votes?

More than you might think, according to 'NYT' analysis

(Newser) - If Congress was graded like school, some House members wouldn't be getting As: Almost 20 of them have missed more than 10% of this year’s votes, according to a New York Times analysis. Though 10% may not seem very significant at first glance, the Times notes that most...

Congress' Approval Rating 9%; President Obama at 46% in CBS/NYT Poll
 Congress' New 
 Approval Rating Low: 9% 
in case you missed it
Oct 29, 2011 7:00 PM CDT

Congress' New Approval Rating Low: 9%

Just when you thought 11% rating couldn't go lower...

(Newser) - Congress’ approval ratings have sunk to their lowest since CBS and the New York Times started keeping track in 1977: Just 9% of Americans now approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 11% last month. Only a tenth of Americans trust the government to make generally sound decisions,...

Lawmakers: We Hate Congress, Too

9% approval rating sounds too high to some members of Congress

(Newser) - You can add one more group to the long list of those who hate Congress—members of Congress. News that Congress' approval rating has hit a record low of 9% has left many lawmakers wondering just who the 9% are, Politico finds. “We’re below sharks and contract killers,...

Tea Party Caucuses Get Quiet

House, Senate groups haven't met in months

(Newser) - In January, the Senate Tea Party Caucus was in full swing, holding a meeting on Capitol Hill—but neither that group nor its House counterpart have done much of anything since. Though a leader of the Senate caucus points out that “it’s only been nine months,” the...

Weiner Campaign Still Spending Cash

Spent $130K just after resignation—and he's not the only one

(Newser) - In the three months after he resigned, Anthony Weiner spent $130,000 in campaign funds, FEC data shows—more than what most current US representatives from New York City spent over the same period, the Hill reports. Some $10,000 went to travel, $25,000 to consulting and “policy...

Congress Isn't Ready for Massive Terrorist Hit: Critics

What would happen if majority of members killed, incapacitated?

(Newser) - The Washington Post points to an important question that failed to get asked after the FBI arrested Rezwan Ferdaus for allegedly planning an attack on the US Capitol: Is Congress prepared for a catastrophic terrorist strike? If more than half of the members of the House or the Senate were...

Joe the Plumber Running for Congress

Files for candidacy in Ohio

(Newser) - With all eyes on the 2012 presidential election, a familiar face from 2008 has returned: Joe the Plumber is set to run for Congress, Capital New York reports. Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher has filed a statement of candidacy and established a congressional campaign committee. He is seeking Ohio's 9th district...

Congress Averts Shutdown, for Now
Congress Averts
Shutdown, for Now
Oct 4, 2011 4:31 PM CDT

Congress Averts Shutdown, for Now

House clears spending bill that puts off larger fights

(Newser) - The House passed a spending bill today to fund the government for six weeks, delaying a series of battles over spending and policy that include everything from labor law and environmental regulations to abortion and the Pentagon budget. The 352-66 vote sent the measure to President Obama in time to...

House Clears Bill to Keep Gov't Running

It passed unanimously—with only 3 votes

(Newser) - A nearly empty House of Representatives today passed a stopgap spending measure to avert a government shutdown this weekend and refill disaster aid coffers. The measure passed the House with the unanimous permission of all members present in a chamber that was nearly deserted because Congress is on vacation. It...

Shutdown Averted, but DC's Antics Are Getting Absurd

...and costly: Ezra Klein

(Newser) - The government shutdown has been averted , but don't expect Ezra Klein to break out the confetti. This week's shutdown threat was the third we've faced this year, and the "most absurd yet." Congress has gone from battling over sizable figures (a deal struck earlier this...

Senators Make Deal to Avoid Government Shutdown

Lawmakers freed up to act on gridlocked legislation

(Newser) - Ending weeks of political brinkmanship, Congress finessed a dispute over disaster aid tonight and advanced legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. The breakthrough came hours after the Federal Emergency Management Agency indicated it had enough money for disaster relief efforts through Friday. That disclosure allowed lawmakers to...

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