House of Representatives

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House Chamber Evacuated Over Suspicious Powder

Substance determined to be harmless, authorities say

(Newser) - The House chamber was evacuated today after a suspicious white powder was found on the gallery floor, the Washington Post reports. "Nothing hazardous was found," a police spokeswoman said this afternoon. The House is still on recess until tomorrow, so only pages were present in the chamber when...

Poll: Dems Hit Record Low
 Poll: Dems Hit Record Low 
51% WOULD VOTE GOP

Poll: Dems Hit Record Low

Gallup puts GOP 10 points ahead in generic ballot

(Newser) - Things have never looked worse for the Democrats heading into midterm elections, according to the latest Gallup poll. The "generic ballot" test—which asks whether voters would prefer a Republican or Democratic congressional candidate—put the GOP ahead by 10%, the highest margin since Gallup started asking the question...

Reid Once Tried to Roll Back Citizenship, Too

Dem wanted to change 14th amendment rules in 1993

(Newser) - When Republicans started pushing to repeal or change the 14th amendment so that the children of illegal immigrants would not be citizens, Harry Reid said they’d “either taken leave of their senses or their principles.” Which is pretty awkward, because in 1993, Reid introduced an immigration reform...

House Approves $26B in Jobs Aid

Republicans criticize it as another bailout

(Newser) - The House today approved $26 billion in emergency funding intended to protect the jobs of teachers and other government employees across the country, the Washington Post reports. Nancy Pelosi called the House back from August recess for a 1-day session to approve the bill, which she thinks will save 300,...

Rangel on House Floor: I'm Not Quitting

Embattled congressman urges colleagues to schedule ethics hearing

(Newser) - Charles Rangel has no plans to resign, wants a chance to address the ethics charges against him , and would rather be expelled than linger in limbo. In a rambling but impassioned half-hour speech on the House floor this afternoon, the New York Democrat said, "If I can't take my...

10 Failed Celeb Political Bids
 10 Failed Celeb Political Bids 

10 Failed Celeb Political Bids

Wyclef Jean will be in good company if he loses

(Newser) - Wyclef Jean is running for president of Haiti , but already things aren’t going well for the controversy-plagued singer. If he loses, he won’t be the first celebrity to suffer a failed political campaign: Time lists 10 others:
  • Norman Mailer: Despite being a literary giant, the Pulitzer Prize- and
...

Maxine Waters Faces Three Ethics Charges

California Democrat has pledge to mount aggressive defense

(Newser) - The House ethics committee announced three counts of alleged ethics violations against another of its members today, further damaging the Democrats' prospects and emboldening Republicans heading into congressional elections in November. The charges against Democrat Maxine Waters include an allegation that she requested federal help for a bank in which...

Senate Passes Aid Bill, Drags House Back
 Senate Passes Aid Bill, 
 Drags House Back 
SNOWE, COLLINS DEFECT AGAIN

Senate Passes Aid Bill, Drags House Back

State aid bill makes it through filibuster

(Newser) - The House is headed back to Washington early, after Senate Democrats unexpectedly broke through a Republican filibuster on their much-delayed state aid bill. The bill provides $26.1 billion to prevent state worker and teacher layoffs. Democrats got Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe to once again cross the aisle and...

Waters Vows to Fight Ethics Charges

Congresswoman says she'll prove innocence at trial

(Newser) - Maxine Waters isn’t rolling over for the House Ethics Committee. “The case against me has no merit,” the Los Angeles Democrat declared in a statement, promising to prove as much at trial. “I don’t think she’s going to be very diplomatic about this,”...

Maxine Waters Broke House Rules: Ethics Panel

California congresswoman likely to face 'trial'

(Newser) - Maxine Waters broke conflict of interest rules when she intervened on behalf of a bank in which her husband was an investor, the House ethics committee will argue in the California Democrat's forthcoming "trial," reports Politico . She could have copped a plea but vehemently refused to acknowledge any...

NY Pol Lists Foe's 'Jewish Money' Donors

Rep. Mike McMahon scrambles to fire staffer, apologize

(Newser) - A Democratic congressman is practicing damage control after his campaign compiled a list of Jewish donors contributing to his GOP challenger. Rep. Mike McMahon's staff didn't exactly try to keep it a secret: They gave the report, subtly titled "Grimm Jewish Money Q2," to the New York Observer...

Rep. Weiner Wigs Out on Republicans

 Rep. Weiner 
 Wigs Out on 
 Republicans 
'the gentleman will sit!'

Rep. Weiner Wigs Out on Republicans

He blasts them on House floor over aid to 9/11 responders

(Newser) - Anthony Weiner's temper on the House floor has yielded another YouTube moment, this time as he lashed out at Republicans for blocking a measure to provide $7.4 billion in aid to 9/11 responders. As Sam Stein of the Huffington Post explains, the New York congressman was incensed that Republicans...

Congress Cuts Racist Crack Sentencing Disparity

Felony amount now only 18 times higher for powder cocaine

(Newser) - Congress quietly eased up the federal sentencing guideline on crack cocaine yesterday, addressing one of the more glaring disparities of the drug war. In what critics have called a racist double-standard, possessing a mere 5 grams of crack is considered a felony, compared to 500 grams for powdered cocaine. The...

Erin Andrews Almost Cries Touting Stalker Law

'There is hope,' she says

(Newser) - Erin Andrews appeared on Capitol Hill today to speak out in favor of a new, tougher federal stalking law, and nearly came to tears in the process. “These stories are not easy to talk about,” said the ESPN reporter, flanked by members of Congress. “It's so funny....

House Panel Accuses Rangel of Ethics Violations

A separate panel begins a trial later this month

(Newser) - A House investigative committee has charged Rep. Charlie Rangel, the former chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, with ethics violations. The panel's actions sends the case to a trial on the allegations. A separate ethics panel will decide whether the alleged violations can be proved by clear,...

House Extends Jobless Benefits

Measure now goes to President Obama for his signature

(Newser) - Congress has approved legislation to restore unemployment insurance to people who have been out of work for six months or more, ending a seven-week interruption that caused 2.5 million people to lose benefits averaging about $300 a week. The 272-152 House vote sends the measure to President Obama, who...

Pelosi: Dems 'Will Keep Control of the House. Period'

House speaker is optimistic (in fundraising letter)

(Newser) - Whatever Robert Gibbs may think , Nancy Pelosi isues a defiant prediction about the midterms: "Here is what will happen in November. Democrats will keep control of the House. Period." Of course, it wouldn't hurt if Democratic supporters opened their wallets, she adds in a fundraising letter . She helpfully...

House Panel Votes to Block New BP Drilling

Firm facing 7-year ban on applying for new offshore leases

(Newser) - BP faces being banned from new offshore drilling for up to 7 years under a measure passed by the House Natural Resources Committee. The amendment to a sweeping oil reform bill doesn't mention BP by name, but bans firms that have had more than 10 fatalities at drilling facilities or...

House Passes Wall St. Reform; Senate Delays Its Vote

Harry Reid needs time to corral votes

(Newser) - The easy vote is over for financial reform: The sweeping measure that, among many other things, creates a consumer protection agency and puts limits on derivatives trading breezed through the House 237-192. But it won't reach President Obama's desk by July 4 as planned because the Senate has postponed its...

Rep: Recession Victims Not Minorities, But 'Good Americans'

Dem Kanjorski comments spark uproar

(Newser) - Pennsylvania's Democratic Congressman Paul Kanjorski is under intense fire for remarks contrasting "minorities" and "good American people." People helped by a Pennsylvania foreclosure prevention program "are not minorities, and they're not defective, and they're not all the things you like to insinuate that these programs are...

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