Congress

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Lawmaker to BP Exec: As a Samurai, You'd Kill Yourself

Cao gives lesson in 'Asian culture'

(Newser) - Florida congressman Cliff Stearns asked BP chairman Lamar McKay to resign during McKay's congressional testimony today. And he was the nice one. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, a Vietnamese-American who represents New Orleans, delivered a pointed history lesson, notes CBS . "Mr. Stearns asked Mr. McKay to resign," he...

Obama: Congress Is Hypocritical on Oil Spill

Same pols screaming about slow response would have blocked regulation

(Newser) - President Obama wants some members of Congress slamming his response to the Gulf oil spill to know they can't have it both ways, he tells Politico. "If six months ago, I had gone up to Congress and I had said we need to crack down a lot harder on...

BP's Tony Hayward Will Go Before Congress

CEO will testify before House panel on June 17

(Newser) - President Obama isn't all that interested in a one-on-one conversation with BP's Tony Hayward, but Congress is. The CEO famous for his gaffes is scheduled to testify June 17 before one of the House committees investigating the oil spill, reports the Hill . Hayward will face Bart Stupak's Energy and Commerce...

Warren Buffett, You Should Be Ashamed

His testimony on the meltdown is a PR disaster

(Newser) - Warren Buffett made a fool of himself on Capitol Hill yesterday, declares Felix Salmon. Forced to testify about the financial meltdown, he denied any culpability in the mess—never mind that he was the largest shareholder in Moody's. "From a PR point of view," writes Salmon at Reuters...

Capitol Hill's Favorite New Book: The Big Short

Lawmakers love how it explains meltdown

(Newser) - Listen to debate over financial reform on Capitol Hill for any length of time and you might think lawmakers were being paid to plug The Big Short, by Michael Lewis. They're not; they just love the way the book explains the financial meltdown and how a handful of investors made...

Senate Panel OK's Ending 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

It's first formal step toward scrapping ban

(Newser) - The end is near, or nearer, for Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The Senate Armed Service Committee today approved a measure to scrap the ban on gays in the military, reports the Washington Post . It's the first step in a legislative compromise: The full House will vote tonight or tomorrow, and...

Congress to Vote on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Today

Legislation paves way for gays serving openly

(Newser) - The House is expected to vote as early as today on a proposal that would repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Under the bill, which would give the military as much time as it wants to lift ban, the president, defense secretary, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of...

GOP Senator on Obama: 'He Needs to Take a Valium'

Capitol Hill meeting doesn't go so well

(Newser) - President Obama visited Senate Republicans today, but bipartisanship wasn't exactly overflowing, reports Politico . GOP Senator Pat Roberts' take: "The more he talked, the more he got upset. He needs to take a valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans and just calm down." The White House,...

Congressional Death Threats Up 300%: FBI

Most suspects are men with guns, many mentally disturbed

(Newser) - Death threats against members of Congress are up 300% this year, the FBI tells Politico , and almost everyone doing the threatening owns guns. Capitol Police say they've had to dramatically step up security efforts, which were also boosted in 2009. “We have about 12 open cases at any given...

Senate Finance Bill Could Trim Big Banks' Profits 20%

New rules on derivatives could be costly for Wall Street

(Newser) - To their surprise, the financial reform bill approved by the Senate last night has some real teeth, financial analysts tell the Wall Street Journal . Although specifics depend on what emerges from the confab with the House, some of Wall Street's biggest institutions could see profits decline by as much as...

Democrats Retain Murtha Seat in Congress

Mark Critz defeats Republican Tim Burns in Pennsylvania

(Newser) - Democrats will retain control of the seat held for decades by the late Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha after winning a special election to fill the final months of his term. Both parties viewed the contest as a test for the fall. Murtha aide Mark Critz defeated businessman Tim Burns. The...

Obama Shows Congress Who's Boss
Obama Shows Congress
Who's Boss 
analysis
May 17, 2010 5:12 PM CDT

Obama Shows Congress Who's Boss

President takes more hands-on approach to legislation

(Newser) - President Obama is growing more assertive on Capitol Hill. Since he took office, the president's supporters have criticized him for not exerting enough control over the details of legislation, instead letting Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hammer out specifics—even on major administration goals, like the health care bill. On...

Congress Wants Answers on Low Oil Leak Estimates

Experts say it's much higher than 5,000 barrels per day

(Newser) - News that way more oil than previously reported seems to be gushing out of the burst well in the Gulf of Mexico has caught the attention of Congress. Edward Markey, who chairs a House subcommittee on energy, says he'll ask BP and federal agencies to explain their estimates, reports CNN...

Congress Likes to Hitch Rides With Military to Meetings

Pentagon hauls legislators around DC

(Newser) - Military vehicles routinely haul members of Congress not only to countries around the world but to meetings around Washington. Congressional delegations sometimes ask the Pentagon for expensive military transportation to the White House or ceremonial events in DC, documents obtained by Roll Call show. The military has even provided shuttle...

Congressmen Bet Against Stocks Amid Crisis

All while some were decrying short selling

(Newser) - You know those evil short-sellers at Goldman Sachs and elsewhere that lawmakers have been railing against since around the start of the financial crisis? Well pot, meet kettle. The Wall Street Journal has identified 13 members of Congress who in some way bet against the market during the 2008 financial...

Energy Is Today's Railroad: It Will Change Everything
Energy Is Today's Railroad:
It Will Change Everything
David Brooks
Apr 30, 2010 9:16 AM CDT

Energy Is Today's Railroad: It Will Change Everything

Pass the energy bill as a first step

(Newser) - Unleash the "energy revolution," writes David Brooks today, making his pitch for the Kerry-Lieberman-Graham bill. It's imperfect, but an essential start. "Energy innovation is the railroad legislation of today," he argues, and if the US wants to remain the world's "pre-eminent nation," it needs...

McConnell Shifts, Says Deal on Financial Bill Near

He takes credit, and Chris Dodd laughs

(Newser) - The prospects of financial reform passing the Senate appear to be much better today, with Mitch McConnell making decidedly less confrontational noises, reports the Washington Post and Talking Points Memo . "We believe the process to achieve (a bipartisan bill) has now been reconstituted," said McConnell, who claimed that...

78% of Americans Don't Trust Their Government

Poll finds 'perfect storm' of discontent destroying faith in government

(Newser) - Americans who trust their government are becoming increasingly few and far between, according to a Pew Research Center poll that found that just 22% of those surveyed said they trust the government "just about always" or "most of the time." This is highest level of distrust in...

Obama Signs $18B Benefits Bill
 Obama Signs $18B Benefits Bill  
Apr 15, 2010 10:50 PM CDT

Obama Signs $18B Benefits Bill

Prez urges Congress to work on longer-term fix

(Newser) - President Obama signed an $18 billion bill to give the long-term unemployed a 6-week benefits extension soon after it passed both houses of Congress. The bill—which also includes health subsidies for the unemployed and a restoration of full Medicaid payments to doctors—made it through the House and Senate...

Oops: Congress Might Have Killed Its Own Health Care

Health bill error may leave lawmakers, aides without coverage

(Newser) - If you know exactly how the health care reform bill will impact your coverage, you may be a step ahead of your member of Congress, according to the New York Times . A report from the Congressional Research Service found that—because of imprecise language and a possible drafting error in...

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