Congress

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To See GOP's Future, Look to the House
To See GOP's Future, Look to the House
ANALYSIS
Sep 1, 2008 12:36 PM CDT

To See GOP's Future, Look to the House

In long term, Obama victory could make minority party reform

(Newser) - The Republican Party brand is tainted, its leaders recognize, and regardless of John McCain's fate, the institution is in soul-searching mode as the scaled-down convention kicks off today. Many House Republicans have come to believe an Obama victory might be better for the GOP in the long term, reports Politico,...

Obama Campaign Asks Pelosi to Quiet Down

Speaker's abortion gaffe compounds general meddling, Dem adviser says

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi has been politely asked by Barack Obama’s campaign to refrain from making more public statements, the American Spectator reports. The House Speaker is reportedly angry about not being more included in campaign decision-making, and Catholic fury over her bungled answer to the “when does life begin?”...

FBI Looks to Expand Powers of Investigation

Agency wants to open cases without reason for suspicion

(Newser) - The Department of Justice is aiming to relax restrictions on the FBI so agents can investigate people without any clear reason for suspicion, congressional Dems tell the New York Times. The plan, which may be revealed in September, has attracted concern, including a letter from four Democratic senators warning that...

Gay Candidate Wins Shot at US House Seat

33-year-old entrepreneur earns Dem nomination with primary win

(Newser) - Entrepreneur Jared Polis, who is openly gay, won a Colorado congressional primary Tuesday, and says his victory should send “a signal to young gays and lesbians across the country that they can consider a career in public service,” the New York Times reports. Polis is favored to win...

Public Vetoes Most Pols' Books
 Public Vetoes Most Pols' Books 
Aug 12, 2008 3:52 PM CDT

Public Vetoes Most Pols' Books

Exceptions incluide Clintons, Obama, McCain

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are big deals in Congress, but their power apparently doesn’t extend to bookstores, Politico reports. Despite much-hyped releases, new books by the Speaker of the House and the majority leader have sold a mere 6,500 copies—combined. These days, even B-list lawmakers have...

GOP Energy-Bill Protest Could Overlap With Dem Convention

Letter turns up heat on Pelosi to reconvene

(Newser) - Republicans say their measures to suspend the House’s August recess and force a vote on a national energy bill could continue until just before the Democratic National Convention—or beyond, the Hill reports. “Republicans will not rest until we have an honest, up-or-down vote on the American Energy...

Dems Fight to Retake the South
Dems Fight
to Retake
the South
Aug 7, 2008 10:21 AM CDT

Dems Fight to Retake the South

Party is running the most competitive Dixie campaign in 40 years

(Newser) - Democrats are mounting a full-scale assault on Southern congressional seats, the Wall Street Journal reports. By fielding socially moderate candidates, Democrats look like they might do the unthinkable: reverse the “Great Reversal,” the civil rights-era shift of the South from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican one. And...

Detroit Mayor's Mom Survives Primary Scare

Rep. Kilpatrick, 6-term incumbent, gets Dem nod by 1,700 votes

(Newser) - It looks like the mother of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will survive the scandal that has engulfed her son and keep her seat in Congress, the Detroit Free Press reports. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick barely held off two challengers in the Democratic primary yesterday, making her the heavy favorite in...

GOP Finds Hope in Last-Ditch Fla. Candidate

Prisoner abuse scandal not impeding Congressional bid

(Newser) - South Florida Republicans are thrilled with Congressional candidate Allen West. They see the black Army veteran as a potential GOP standard bearer. There’s just one problem: In 2003, West was accused of abusing an Iraqi detainee and violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. But some Republicans actually see...

Stevens Pleads Not Guilty
Stevens Pleads Not Guilty
UPDATED
Jul 31, 2008 12:57 PM CDT

Stevens Pleads Not Guilty

Judge sets pre-Election Day trial date, but defers ruling on venue change to Alaska

(Newser) - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens pleaded not guilty today in federal court in Washington to seven counts of corruption, the Anchorage Daily News reports. At his lawyers' request, the judge set a tentative trial date of Sept. 24, more than 5 weeks before the Nov. 4 general election. He'll rule on...

Bush Aides Must Testify: Judge
 Bush Aides Must Testify: Judge
Jul 31, 2008 12:36 PM CDT

Bush Aides Must Testify: Judge

Judge rejects administration's interpretation of executive privilege

(Newser) - Turning aside White House arguments that top aides are protected from subpoenas by executive privilege, a judge ruled today that Harriet Miers must testify before a congressional committee on the firings of nine federal prosecutors, the Washington Post reports. Miers and fellow aide Joshua Bolten can, however, invoke executive privilege...

Housing Bill Funds Democratic Ally

Group sets out to register the poor

(Newser) - Nestled in the housing bill President Bush signed yesterday is an acronym Republicans don’t like one bit: ACORN. The Wall Street Journal reports that the group is among the many housing-related nonprofits the bill hands cash to, but Republicans grumble that it does more than housing. It’s also...

Nat'l Review: Stevens, Get Out
 Nat'l Review:
 Stevens, Get Out
OPINION
Jul 30, 2008 1:16 PM CDT

Nat'l Review: Stevens, Get Out

Indicted Republican senator 'disgraced himself and his office'

(Newser) - Newly indicted Ted Stevens should resign as soon as possible, write the editors of the National Review. The Alaskan senator, who is accused of seven counts of making false statements, legally “deserves the benefit of the doubt—but not from an ethical standpoint,” they note. “The facts...

Payback Time for Meanest Man in Congress
Payback Time for Meanest Man in Congress
Opinion
Jul 30, 2008 7:29 AM CDT

Payback Time for Meanest Man in Congress

Stevens bullied his way into power, and now maybe to disgrace

(Newser) - Few tears were shed on Capital Hill when Ted Stevens was indicted yesterday. Alaska’s celebrated senator spent 4 decades bullying Congress, writes Michael Crowley in the Washington Post, rising ever higher in the ranks by making politics personal. “I'm a mean, miserable SOB,” he’d boast, sporting...

House Measure Apologizes for US Slavery

Resolution marks first official expression of regret for divisive past

(Newser) - The House has apologized to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws. Today's resolution marks the first time Congress has ever formally apologized for America's past history of enslaving and discriminating against blacks.

Congress Moves to Ban Toxin Found in Toys

Bush could yet veto bill including measure to keep phthalates away from children

(Newser) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to ban a group of toxins common in children’s toys, part of a consumer-protection bill, the Washington Post reports. The ban mirrors tougher standards at big retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and, like those bans, wouldn’t take effect until after the holiday...

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...

Iraq Needs Its No-Bid Oil Contracts
Iraq Needs Its No-Bid
Oil Contracts
Opinion
Jul 26, 2008 3:15 PM CDT

Iraq Needs Its No-Bid Oil Contracts

Deals aren't exploitative, argues energy adviser

(Newser) - US lawmakers have been raging against no-bid deals struck by foreign oil companies in Iraq—but impeding them would be pure folly, energy consultant Raad Alkadiri argues in the Washington Post. Most of these companies have already advised Iraq on its oil fields for free; Baghdad only sought to formalize...

Senate Passes Massive Housing Relief Bill

Bush is expected to quickly sign the measure into law

(Newser) - Congress has passed a housing rescue bill aimed at sparing 400,000 struggling homeowners from foreclosure. President Bush is expected to sign the measure quickly. The Senate passed the legislation by a 72-13 vote in a rare Saturday session. The measure lets homeowners who cannot afford their monthly payments refinance...

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