Congress

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Aug. Health Reform Looks Impossible

Divisions among lawmakers may make reaching goal impossible

(Newser) - President Obama has called for the passage of a health care bill by August—but that would require an unusually smooth few weeks on Capitol Hill, Politico reports. The Senate Finance Committee hasn’t released a version of the bill planned for early June; disagreements among Democrats in both chambers...

Dems to Probe Cheney's Secret CIA Program

(Newser) - Democrats plan to investigate the CIA program Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly ordered be kept secret from Congress, reports the Washington Post. The 8-year-old covert operation only came to light June 24 after CIA officials briefed spy-chief Leon Panetta, who then canceled the program. A day later, Panetta notified Congress,...

Cheney Told CIA to Hide Counterterror Program

Panetta has since ended still-secret program

(Newser) - Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to withhold information from Congress about a secret counterterrorism program for 8 years, CIA chief Leon Panetta has told congressional intelligence committees. The revelation, leaked by two intelligence insiders to the New York Times, serves the latest volley in the fierce dispute over how fully...

It's Official: Burris Won't Run

(Newser) - Roland Burris made it official this afternoon: He won't run for a full term next year, the Chicago Tribune reports. “I love serving the people of Illinois,” the current holder of President Obama's old Senate seat said. But “political races have become far too expensive in...

No House Resolution Praising Jacko: Pelosi

(Newser) - The House of Representatives will not consider a resolution praising Michael Jackson’s humanitarianism, the Boston Globe reports. “A resolution, I think, would open up to contrary views to—that are not necessary at this time to be expressed in association with a resolution whose purpose is quite different,...

Obama Must Show Congress Who's Boss
Obama Must Show Congress Who's Boss
OPINION
Jul 9, 2009 12:48 PM CDT

Obama Must Show Congress Who's Boss

Lack of cooperation drags down domestic agenda: Klein

(Newser) - President Obama’s domestic agenda is in trouble, writes Joe Klein of Time, because of his “undue respect for the institution of Congress, a sclerotic body badly in need of creative leadership.” Obama is sitting on the sidelines while the Senate manhandles his health care and energy proposals....

Economic Muck Gives GOP Hope for New Blood in 2010

Candidate recruitment up amid bad news for Dems

(Newser) - As bad economic reports keep coming, Republicans are seeing candidate recruitment soar, the Hill reports. The party has had “probably its first good couple weeks in four years,” says an analyst, fueled in large part by rising unemployment and sinking stocks. Meanwhile, Democrats have lost top Senate candidate...

Dems: Panetta Admits CIA Lied

(Newser) - A group of Democratic lawmakers says CIA chief Leon Panetta admitted that the agency has misled Congress since 2001 and "concealed significant actions," reports Politico. A letter released by the lawmakers, all members of the House Intelligence panel, offered no specifics on when Panetta made the admission or...

Fat Chance Lawmakers Will Read Health Bill: Hoyer

(Newser) - House lawmakers may well be be voting before the end of summer on a momentous health-care reform bill. But that doesn't mean they're actually going to read the bill. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer laughed off the suggestion when CNS News posed it. “If every member pledged to not...

Grave Lack of Security at Fed Buildings: GAO

Agents snuck in bomb parts, assembled them in restrooms

(Newser) - A covert investigation shows the nation’s federal buildings are woefully under-protected from potential terrorist attacks, CNN reports. Undercover agents were able to sneak bomb components through security into each of the 10 federal buildings—occupied by the Homeland Security, Justice, and State departments—they tested, assemble explosive devices in...

Franken Victory Could be Nightmare for Harry Reid

Majority leader faces 'a lot more pressure'

(Newser) - Al Franken brings Harry Reid a potential extra vote—but he also brings the Senate majority leader a massive headache, Politico reports. “What’s really changed for us?” says a leadership aide. “Nothing, really. Except there’s a lot more pressure.” That may be an understatement: Democrats...

Obama to Lefties: Don't Bash Health Care Moderates

President urges advocates to promote his health care agenda instead

(Newser) - President Obama wants his liberal allies to stop heckling moderate Democrats on health care, the Washington Post reports. “We shouldn’t be focusing resources on each other,” Obama said in a phone call with a handful of senior House and Senate lawmakers. Grass-roots groups have been slamming legislators...

60 Votes No Quick Fix for Senate Dems

Absences, diverse opinions could prove stumbling blocks

(Newser) - With the Minnesota election finally settled, Senate Democrats have 60 potential votes now—but that won’t guarantee smooth sailing, the New York Times reports. Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd may often be out sick, and a range of viewpoints means the caucus won’t likely “walk in lockstep,...

Post Sells Access to Officials, Reporters

For $25,000, lobbyists can meet with lawmakers, WaPo staff

(Newser) - Lobbyists who pay $25,000 to $250,000 can attend off-the-record Washington Post gatherings with administration officials, members of Congress, and members of the paper's staff, Politico reports. The offer, described on a flier passed along by a lobbyist, “essentially turns a news organization into a facilitator for private...

Congress Hands Taxpayers Hefty Travel Tab
Congress Hands Taxpayers Hefty Travel Tab
ANALYSIS
Jul 2, 2009 7:10 AM CDT

Congress Hands Taxpayers Hefty Travel Tab

Jaunts to Paris, Kabul cost $13M last year, 10 times 1995 figure

(Newser) - Spending by Congress on taxpayer-funded trips overseas is nearly ten times what it was in 1995 and triple the amount spent in 2001, the Wall Street Journal finds in an analysis of some 60,000 travel records. Last year, hundreds of members of Congress went abroad at a cost of...

Iraq Vet to Spearhead Reversal of 'Don't Ask'

Rep. Murphy steps in as bill's sponsor

(Newser) - The battle to ditch the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays is being led by the first Iraq veteran to serve in Congress, the Los Angeles Times reports. Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy has taken over as sponsor of a bill that would allow gays to openly serve...

The Climate Change Bill Is Awful—Now Pass It

'Pathetic' Waxman-Markey at least puts a price on carbon: Friedman

(Newser) - Waxman-Markey is a "pathetic" and "appalling" bill that totally fails to respond to the urgency of climate change—and it should be passed by the Senate and signed into law straight away, writes Thomas Friedman. For the New York Times columnist, the flawed legislation has one great...

Don't Expect Laughs From Sen. Franken
Don't Expect Laughs From Sen. Franken
OPINION
Jul 1, 2009 5:34 AM CDT

Don't Expect Laughs From Sen. Franken

During campaign he was wonky and even a bit boring

(Newser) - Liberals may be hoping for biting wit and conservatives for embarrassing shtick, but according to Bob Benenson of CQPolitics, Al Franken is likely to disappoint both when he finally arrives in the Senate. Throughout his campaign Franken displayed an impressive mastery of Minnesota issues and made clear his candidacy was...

Debate Rages as Congress Mulls Ban on Horse Slaughter

(Newser) - All US horse slaughterhouses have closed, but horse slaughter remains a big business. Thousands are shipped to Mexico and Canada, with sometimes-grisly results. “The treatment of these animals is absolutely unspeakable,” said one Mexico City veterinarian tells Salon. Now, Congress is considering a bill to ban both slaughter...

Dems Put Pragmatism Before Policy
Dems Put Pragmatism Before Policy
OPINION
Jun 30, 2009 8:56 AM CDT

Dems Put Pragmatism Before Policy

Desperate to pass bills, Congress quick to forgo ideals: Brooks

(Newser) - The Democrats learned lasting lessons from the Clinton health care battle: Let Congress, not the White House, write the bills; don’t try to fight the corporations; and avoid failure at all costs. As a consequence, writes David Brooks in the New York Times. the party has taken a “...

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