House Democrats

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After Stimulus Vote, Happy Hour's at the White House

Obama invites lawmakers for cocktails

(Newser) - A little liquor can buy a lot of goodwill. At least, that’s what President Obama is hoping—he’s invited key lawmakers to the White House for cocktails after the House votes this evening on the stimulus package, the New York Post reports. Keeping with Obama’s keenly diplomatic...

GOP Peeved at Pelosi's New House Rules

Package limits minority party power, repeals committee term limits

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi is kicking off the 111th Congress with a rule change, and Republicans are not pleased, reports the Hill. The move institutes new restrictions on motions to "recommit," squashing a tactic that allowed the outnumbered GOP to delay bills to stymie Democrats. “This is not the...

Emanuel Still Gets Paycheck From Congress

No salary (yet) for White House gig; he hasn't resigned as rep

(Newser) - Rahm Emanuel has started his new job as Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff, but his paycheck is still coming from Congress, the Hill reports. Emanuel is not getting a salary from Obama’s transition team. He hasn’t resigned the House seat to which he was just...

Pelosi to Emanuel: This Is My House
Pelosi to Emanuel:
This Is My House
ANALYSIS

Pelosi to Emanuel: This Is My House

Speaker wants White House to go through her to get to Dems

(Newser) - Speaker Nancy Pelosi is setting clear parameters for how she expects the Obama White House to work with House Democrats now that former lieutenant Rahm Emanuel will be chief of staff, Politico reports. When Emanuel recently offered advice on a leadership race, she replied that it is “an internal...

New Congress' Key Fights Could Be Dem-on-Dem
New Congress' Key Fights Could Be Dem-on-Dem
ANALYSIS

New Congress' Key Fights Could Be Dem-on-Dem

Party split ideologically, geographically on major issues

(Newser) - The Democrats have amassed so much power in Congress their internal conflicts may matter more than their fights with the GOP. In Politico, Martin Kady II takes a look at some likely intra-party fault lines:
  • Californians against rust-belters on the environment: “The Midwestern Democrats—Sherrod Brown, Evan Bayh, and
...

Pelosi Calls for Probe of Dem Linked to 'Hush-Money Affair'

Florida congressman linked to sex harassment payoff of mistress staffer

(Newser) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for an ethics investigation following a news report that Florida Democrat Tim Mahoney had an affair with a staffer, then paid her $121,000 to dodge a sexual harassment suit. The congressman has also called for an investigation, saying he's confident he will be...

Bush Moves Quickly, Signs Bailout Bill Into Law

Reps who switched vote already spinning change for constituents

(Newser) - Less than 2 hours after the House passed the $700 billion bailout bill, President Bush signed it this afternoon. With a stroke of a pen, he set in motion $110 million in tax cuts and sent the legislators on both sides of the 263-171 vote home to explain themselves to...

Revised Bailout Bill Easily Clears House, 263-171

(Newser) - The House passed the revised $700 billion buyout plan this afternoon, 263-171, raising hopes that the economy will be able to fend off a recession, reports the Washington Post. After 5 days of arm-twisting, 26 Republicans switched their no votes; a total of 91 joined 172 Democrats in backing the...

House Steels for High Noon Bailout Vote

Efforts to sway votes move into overdrive as second effort looms

(Newser) - Leaders and lobbyists are scrambling to marshal support for the revamped bailout bill before it returns to the House at midday today, the Washington Post reports. Democratic and GOP chiefs believe they can sway enough votes to swing it—although only a few have switched so far. Some Republicans who...

Senate Version of Bailout Grows Sweeter, Fatter

(Newser) - The Senate version of the bailout bill has ballooned to more than 400 pages as legislators flesh out details in hopes of gaining passage as soon as tonight, Politico reports. The marquee measure boosts FDIC coverage of individual accounts from $100,000 to $250,000, with numerous lower-profile provisions intended...

Shocked Legislators Weigh Next Move
 Shocked Legislators 
 Weigh Next Move 
UPDATED

Shocked Legislators Weigh Next Move

Discontent on both sides moved House to kill bailout

(Newser) - The efforts of Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner were not enough to quell a revolt within their parties that killed the financial bailout bill today. The bipartisan opposition to the bill reflected in the 228-205 vote—95 Democrats and 133 Republicans dissented—reflects liberal representatives’ unease with rescuing highly paid...

Dems Ditch Ban on Offshore Drilling

Current moratorium expires Oct. 1, GOP hails victory

(Newser) - Democrats are removing a ban on offshore drilling from the budget resolution to avoid a White House veto, Politico reports. The move aims "to take a budget standoff of the table so we can address the larger Bush financial crisis," said a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelos....

Democrats Switch Policy to Back Offshore Drilling

GOP pressure, $4 gas behind sea change on energy position

(Newser) - The Democrats are tossing a big part of their environmental policy overboard to reach a compromise on offshore drilling, reports the New York Times. A shift in public opinion, coupled with Republican pressure on the issue, has convinced the party to reverse its long-held opposition to back a deal allowing...

Dems Put Auto Aid in Fast Lane
 Dems Put Auto Aid in Fast Lane 

Dems Put Auto Aid in Fast Lane

It's about jobs, Pelosi says

(Newser) - House Democrats are considering a $25 billion rescue plan for the flagging US auto industry, the Los Angeles Times reports, hoping to speed the measure through Congress in a matter of weeks. “This is very, very important,” said Nancy Pelosi. “It's about jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs....

House Scuttles Gas Tax Holiday Proposal

Dems warn proposal will be DOA in the House

(Newser) - The gas tax holiday backed by Hillary Clinton and John McCain will be DOA in the House, lawmakers have warned, reports the Hill. The measure has been left off House energy proposals that could be tacked onto the Iraq spending bill because "there’s no reason to believe that...

Mukasey Open to Spy Bill Deal
Mukasey Open to Spy Bill Deal

Mukasey Open to Spy Bill Deal

AG calls for 'creative' solution to debate on phone company lawsuits

(Newser) - The nation's top lawman welcomed a deal today on a stalled federal spy bill, Reuters reports. “If somebody has some brilliantly creative compromise, I'm happy to hear that,” Attorney General Michael Mukasey said. A recent House bill would allow lawsuits against phone companies that gave records to Washington,...

Stalling Spy Bill Hurts Intel, Admin Asserts

Letter pushes House Dems to pass new wiretapping rules

(Newser) - As House Dems refuse to pass the Senate’s wiretapping bill, the administration is heaping more pressure on them to change their minds, reports Muckraker. A letter to the House intelligence committee from top administration officials claims that the failure to pass the bill is causing “lost intelligence information”...

Bush Chides House Dems for Law Expiration

Eavesdropping measure expires at midnight

(Newser) - With a law that expands the government's power to eavesdrop due to expire at midnight, President Bush scolded Congress today for sitting idly by and allowing it to happen. Bush said Congress' failure to act could cause the US to “lose a vital lead that could prevent an attack,...

Bush Favors Tax Rebates for Stimulus

Congress considers refunds of up to $800 as recession fears grow

(Newser) - President Bush's plan to give the economy a temporary lift favors tax rebates of up to $800 for individuals and tax breaks for businesses, the AP reports. Bush met privately with lawmakers today and will outline his plan tomorrow. Congress hopes to act quickly as fears of a recession grow....

Dems Relent on Spending Bill
Dems Relent on Spending Bill

Dems Relent on Spending Bill

Leaders bow to White House pressure on domestic funding

(Newser) - House Democratic leaders surrendered to pressure from the White House on a wide-ranging domestic spending bill yesterday, dropping demands for $22 billion in additional funding, the Washington Post reports. That still may not be enough for Republicans, who are talking about a possible veto because the bill—$936.5 billion...

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