Congress

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House Panel May Go After Clemens on Perjury

Panel drafts letter asking Justice Dept. to investigate

(Newser) - The congressional panel that questioned Roger Clemens about steroids has drafted a letter asking the Justice Department to investigate whether he committed perjury, the New York Times reports. The letter doesn't name his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who testified the same day and insisted Clemens is lying, but that could...

Wiretaps Continue Under Lapsed Law
Wiretaps Continue Under Lapsed Law
Feb 24, 2008 11:31 AM CST

Wiretaps Continue Under Lapsed Law

Nervous phone firms agree to cooperate with government

(Newser) - US spy agencies are continuing wiretap surveillance despite the fact that a law re-authorizing the administration's controversial program failed to pass a divided legislature last weekend. Telecommunications companies are cooperating with the government despite concerns, Reuters reports. Wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now,"...

Renzi Should Step Down, House GOP Leader Says

GOP doesn't want to weather another scandal

(Newser) - House Minority Leader John Boehner is pressuring Rep. Rick Renzi, indicted yesterday for extortion, money laundering, and fraud in connection with an Arizona land deal, to step down, urging his fellow Republican "to seriously consider whether he can continue to effectively represent his constituents under these circumstances.” Boehner...

Photo Looks Like Trouble for Clemens

Fan's party snapshot could figure in potential federal investigation

(Newser) - An 11-year-old fan's photo of Roger Clemens could mean trouble for the scandal-battered pitcher, especially if the congressional committee pursuing the steroids investigation refers the case to the Justice Department, the New York Daily News reports. The image is allegedly of Clemens at a 1988 party given by Jose Canseco,...

Arizona Rep. Renzi Indicted Over Land Deal

Charged with 35 counts of conspiracy, extortion, money laundering

(Newser) - Rep. Rick Renzi has racked up a 35-count indictment, including federal charges of conspiracy, extortion, wire fraud, insurance fraud, and money laundering, CNN reports. The Arizona Republican and two ex-business partners worked to sell land that buyers could then trade for federally-owned property, the AP reports; the sale brought one...

Senators OK After Emergency Afghan Landing

Snowstorm grounds choppers carrying Kerry, Biden, Hagel

(Newser) - Helicopters transporting three US senators over mountains in Afghanistan were forced to make an emergency landing today due to a snowstorm, the Associated Press reports. US troops sent ground transportation for Democrats John Kerry and Joseph Biden and Republican Chuck Hagel, none of whom was injured, and returned them to...

Mortgage Crisis Sparks GOP Defections

Lawmakers back Dem bills as constituents lose homes

(Newser) - GOP lawmakers are breaking ranks over the housing crisis as they see constituents suffering foreclosures, Politico reports. Ohio Rep. Steve Chabot, the owner of a 97.5% lifetime American Conservative Union rating, recently snubbed party leaders and the White House by co-writing a bill to let bankruptcy judges re-write mortgages....

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,...

McNamee Counsel: Rocket Can Rely on Bush Pardon

Poppy pal has nothing to worry about, he says

(Newser) - A lawyer for trainer Brian McNamee said today if pitcher Roger Clemens is ever charged with lying to Congress about steroid use, he would be pardoned by President Bush, the AP reports. "Even if he's prosecuted, he will never have to serve jail time or face a trial,”...

Waterboarding Is Illegal: Justice Dept.

Legal expert to tell House committee it's no longer acceptable

(Newser) - A top Justice Department official will declare to a House subcommittee today that waterboarding is no longer legal—a day after Congress defied President Bush's veto threat to explicitly outlaw the controversial interrogation tactic. "The set of interrogation methods authorized for current use is narrower than before, and it...

Bush Signs $168B Stimulus Plan
Bush Signs $168B Stimulus Plan
Feb 13, 2008 2:30 PM CST

Bush Signs $168B Stimulus Plan

First rebates from 'booster shot for our economy' to be mailed in May

(Newser) - President Bush signed Congress’ economic stimulus bill into law today, ensuring that the tax rebates at the heart of the $168 billion plan will find their way into American bank accounts by May. The average rebate for an individual will be $600, with $1,200 for couples and a $300...

Congress Sends Stimulus Plan to Bush
Congress
Sends Stimulus Plan to Bush
UPDATED
Feb 7, 2008 6:59 PM CST

Congress Sends Stimulus Plan to Bush

Most Americans will get rebates between $600 and $1,200

(Newser) - Congress approved an economic stimulus plan today that will give rebates of between $600 and $1,200 to most Americans. It now awaits President Bush's expected signature before checks can go in the mail. The House quickly approved the measure hours after the Senate finalized its version of the $168...

Clemens Testifies Under Oath on the Hill

Claims innocence in preparation for Feb. 13 public hearing

(Newser) - Roger Clemens spent five hours testifying to congressional lawyers under oath; he said he told them he never used performance-enhancing drugs. "It was great to be able to tell them what I've been saying all along—that I've never used steroids or growth hormone,” Clemens said about his...

CIA Acknowledges Waterboarding 3 Suspects

Senate committee hears specifics, warning of possible Al-Qaeda spread

(Newser) - The CIA used waterboarding three times following the 9/11 attacks, the agency's current director testified today. Interrogators used the method on suspected attack planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two top al Qaeda members, Reuters reports. Michael Hayden's statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee marks the first time a US official...

Bush Urges Economic Boost
Bush Urges Economic Boost
UPDATED
Jan 28, 2008 8:52 PM CST

Bush Urges Economic Boost

In Union speech, prez also backs climate change accord and troop funding

(Newser) - In his final State of the Union speech, an upbeat President Bush plugged his $150 billion stimulus plan today and urged lawmakers not to "load up the bill," CNN reports. He also advised cutting $18 billion in "bloated" programs, promised to veto pork-barrel funding, and asked policymakers...

House's $89K in Carbon Offsets Do Virtually Nothing

Environmentalists call payments 'waste of taxpayer money'

(Newser) - Whatever the good intentions were, the $89,000 the House of Representatives spent on carbon offsets doesn’t seem to have done much, the Washington Post reports. Most of the money went to fund programs that were going on anyway or had already ended. “It demonstrated why offsets are...

Bush State of Union to Focus on Economy

Will stress need for recession-buster measures

(Newser) - During his final State of the Union address tonight, President Bush isn't expected to announce any dramatic new policy initiatives—but will emphasize the need for government action to ward off a recession. The speech, entitled “Trust and Empower,” will call on Congress to permanently extend his $1....

Senate Pushes for Add-Ons to Stimulus Bill

20 million seniors could still be left out of final bill

(Newser) - Senators are balking at yesterday's pleas from President Bush for speedy action on the economic stimulus bill, planning substantial additions and changes, reports the Washington Post.  Proposed additions include $12.5 billion in unemployment benefits, $5 billion in food stamps. and $800 million for winter heating for the poor....

Deal on Stimulus Package Puts Heat on Senate

Bush, Congress bask in the brief glow of cooperation, but can it last?

(Newser) - The $150 billion package of tax breaks for consumers and businesses rolled out yesterday was the first show of bipartisan cooperation sans bloodletting since the  Democrats won control of Congress a year ago, the Washington Post observes. It took panic over a looming recession to make it happen, and it...

Complexity of Army Software Raises Concern

Mammoth Boeing project is most costly weapons plan

(Newser) - More than 2,000 developers are working on a $200 billion software project considered the biggest Army modernization since World War II, but many worry the Boeing-led Future Combat Systems may come in late and severely flawed. FCS, which dwarfs Windows in complexity, would enable communication with hovering drones, bomb-defusing...

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