Congress

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Lame Duck Congress Looks to Pass All or Nothing

If House doesn't approve tax deal, nothing will get done

(Newser) - Congress is about to pass lots of major legislation—or nothing at all. The House’s dilemma: If it tries to change the Senate’s $858 billion tax bill, the Senate won’t have time to vote on repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the DREAM Act, START, or...

New Low: Congress' Approval Rating Hits 13%

Only 13% approve of the job it's doing

(Newser) - Virtually no one is pleased with the current Congress. In a new Gallup poll, just 13% said they approve of the job Congress is doing, compared to 83% who said they disapprove. That’s an all-time nadir, according to Politico ; previously, the lowest level was 14% in July 2008. Among...

What the Right (and Left) Get Wrong in the Obesity War

Choice is great—but we're making the wrong ones, writes Cathy Young

(Newser) - As Michelle Obama and Congress champion efforts to fight childhood obesity, the right, led by Sarah Palin and Fox News, is angrily firing back. While some of their concerns are fair—that healthy-eating messaging can escalate into “propaganda,” for example—others suggest “a reality check is in...

Bernie Sanders Ends Tax Speech—After 8.5 Hours

Vermont independent stages a filibuster of sorts in protest

(Newser) - Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor about 10:30am today to speak out against the tax-cut deal—and kept on going until about 7pm. All told, the 69-year-old spoke for 8 hours and 37 minutes, notes the Huffington Post . "You can call what I am doing today whatever...

Ron Paul Defends WikiLeaks on House Floor

The US response has been 'hysterical' and un-American

(Newser) - Ron Paul rose to the defense of WikiLeaks on the House floor today, criticizing the "hysterical response" of the US as "killing the messenger." He likened the leaks to that of the Pentagon Papers, which were considered by many to be traitorous at the time but ultimately...

Bid to Repeal 'Don't Ask' Fails in Senate
Repeal of 'Don't Ask'
Fails in Senate
breaking news
Dec 9, 2010 3:27 PM CST

Repeal of 'Don't Ask' Fails in Senate

Democrats can't get needed 60 votes to open debate

(Newser) - Republicans blocked a last-ditch effort in the Senate today to lift the military's ban on openly gay troops, rejecting another project pushed vigorously by President Obama. The 57-40 vote fell three short of the 60 needed to overcome procedural hurdles to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." (Update: Two...

Schumer Turns Attack Dog for Dems
 Schumer Turns 
 Attack Dog 
 for Dems 
analysis
Dec 5, 2010 9:45 AM CST

Schumer Turns Attack Dog for Dems

No more 'throwing up our hands,' says NY sen.

(Newser) - Sen. Charles Schumer has been quiet the past few years, with the onetime attack dog turning to bipartisan dealmaking. Now he’s among the Democratic Senate leadership—and as Congress wages war over taxes, he’s resumed his old role as a firebrand, writes Manu Raju for Politico . Over the...

Rangel's Censure Is a Joke
 Rangel's Censure Is a Joke 
OPINION roundup
Dec 4, 2010 9:59 AM CST

Rangel's Censure Is a Joke

Post columnists question the fairness

(Newser) - If his House censure is still stinging, Charlie Rangel would do well to pick up today's Washington Post. Columnists Dana Milbank and David Broder don't exactly make the case he's innocent (not even Rangel does that), but they lend sympathetic voices:
  • Milbank: He belittles the House ethics panel, calling it
...

Congress Makes Commercials Quieter

Though it'll take 2 years to hear the benefits

(Newser) - Congress began turning down the volume on TV commercials today, approving a bill that requires advertisers to keep their spots close to that of the program they interrupt. The bill, awaiting the president's signature, gives the FCC a year to figure out the logistics of establishing new standards and another...

Romney: START Must Be Stopped

 Romney: START 
 Must Be Stopped 
OPINION
Dec 3, 2010 1:35 PM CST

Romney: START Must Be Stopped

Mitt Romney: Obama's rushing a dangerous treaty

(Newser) - President Obama is trying to rush the New START treaty through Congress—but it’s far too important not to explore thoroughly before a decision is made, writes Mitt Romney in the Boston Globe . The president has already gotten Congress to speed through his stimulus package and health care reform....

Obama, GOP Hold Hushed Tax-Cut Talks

President calls for speedy renewal of jobless benefits

(Newser) - Could the president and GOP lawmakers be inching toward compromise ? Working against the clock, Obama and congressional Republicans have been holding behind-the-scenes talks about extending tax cuts—due to expire at year’s end—and renewing expired emergency jobless benefits, and they're making slow and steady progress on the...

House Censures Charles Rangel

Nancy Pelosi formally reads the resolution after vote

(Newser) - After all that, it was a over in a few minutes: The House voted 333-79 to censure Charlie Rangel today for a host of ethics violations, after which he had to stand and listen to Nancy Pelosi read the formal rebuke, reports Politico . It's only the 23rd time the House...

House Votes to Scrap Tax Cuts for Wealthy

But bill has no chance in the Senate

(Newser) - Call it a symbolic gesture or call it chicken crap , but the House has officially staked its position on the Bush tax cuts. It voted today 234-188 to keep them in place for the middle class but let them expire for the wealthy, reports the Hill . The latter is defined...

Boehner: Democrats' Tax Bill Is 'Chicken Crap'

Says House vote is a political stunt

(Newser) - John Boehner's line about the Democrats' pending House vote on the Bush tax cuts is getting plenty of attention for the Speaker-to-be, notes Politico : “I’m trying to catch my breath so I don’t refer to this maneuver going on today as chicken crap, all right?” he told...

Senate Screw Up Derails Food Safety Bill

House set to send the bill back

(Newser) - House Democrats plan to spike the food safety bill their Senate counterparts trumpeted about passing yesterday , arguing that the upper chamber has stepped on its constitutional authority to create new taxes. The Senate bill includes a set of fees that are classified as revenue raisers, which are technically considered taxes,...

Tax Cut Showdown: Dems' Two Options

Must win centrists as Bush cuts expire

(Newser) - When it comes to tax cuts, the Democrats’ options are few. Politically speaking, it’s too late to force the expiration of Bush cuts on those earning more than $250,000. But Dems have two notable choices, writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times : one, to let the Bush...

Senate GOP to Dems: We'll Block All Bills
Senate GOP to Dems: We'll Block All Bills
UPDATED
Dec 1, 2010 9:00 AM CST

Senate GOP to Dems: We'll Block All Bills

All 42 say they won't budge til tax cuts, gov't funding addressed

(Newser) - All 42 Senate Republicans have signed a letter pledging to block all legislation during the lame-duck session until the Senate addresses the Bush-era tax cuts and funding the government—the latter of which must pass in order to prevent a shutdown of the government, MSNBC reports. This could spell disaster...

GOP: Time for Democrats to Work With Us Now
GOP: Time for Democrats
to Work With Us Now
boehner and mcconnell
Nov 30, 2010 9:40 AM CST

GOP: Time for Democrats to Work With Us Now

John Boehner, Mitch McConnell lament 2 years of 'misplaced priorities'

(Newser) - Further evidence that today's summit-that-isn't-quite-a-summit between Republicans and Democrats won't yield many kumbayas: Mitch McConnell and John Boehner stake out their position on working with Democrats in a Washington Post op-ed and say they're happy to do so—provided President Obama and company are willing to "move away from...

New Lawmakers to Slumber on Hill

Office will double as bedroom for some frugal freshmen

(Newser) - As they start their lives in Washington, the 94 incoming members of the House of Representatives need places to live—and about 15% are considering simply using their offices. The move puts their disdain for Washington, and for spending, on display. “It's the ultimate I'm-not-a-professional-politician statement,” write Michael...

Pentagon: Hurry Up on DADT
 Pentagon: Hurry Up on DADT 
Nov 22, 2010 6:06 AM CST

Pentagon: Hurry Up on DADT

Better for Congress, not courts, to repeal it: Gates

(Newser) - Top military brass are calling on Congress to quickly repeal "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell"—before the courts overturn the policy, potentially ordering changes that military leaders consider too fast or poorly thought-out. “If this law is going to change, it's better to be changed by...

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