The House today passed a lobbying and ethics bill that Democratic leaders said is aimed at eliminating the “culture of corruption” that plagued Congress under Republican rule. The vote was 411-8.
The legislation would force disclosures about the campaign contributions “bundled” by lobbyists, and it would require members to recuse themselves from consideration of any matters where they have conflicts of interest.
The measure also would deny pension benefits to members of Congress convicted of crimes. “There is no reason for taxpayers to subsidize criminal behavior of members of Congress,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
Categories: Maryland, Producer's Picks, Ethics, Lobbying, Steny Hoyer
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With Senate Democrats vowing to force Republicans into a literal filibuster over the Iraq war rather than a procedural one, House Democrats apparently don’t want to miss out on all of the fun. The leadership in the lower chamber coordinated a series of “one-minute speeches” at the beginning of today’s floor debate.
The Gavel, the blog maintained by the staff of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., published video and pullout quotes of some of the speeches, and Pelosi’s office posted more of them to YouTube. Here are links:
Categories: Maryland, New York, California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee, Iraq, Democrats, Steve Cohen, Keith Ellison, John Hall, Hank Johnson, John Sarbanes, Albio Sires, Russ Carnahan, Frank Pallone, Tom Udall, Zoe Lofgren
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Video excerpts from a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on how to address shortcomings in America’s emergency rooms (posted to YouTube by the office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.):
Elijah Cummings, D-Md.:
Ramon Johnson, associate director of emergency medicine at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center:
Categories: Maryland, Health, Elijah Cummings
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Six years into his presidency, George W. Bush is channeling the veto spirit of his father, former President George H.W. Bush.
Until this week, President Bush had vetoed only one bill. He vetoed his second on Tuesday, rejecting a measure that would have set a timetable for removing U.S. troops from Iraq. And then today, Bush issued a veto threat against a “hate crimes” bill just hours before the Democratic-led House passed it on a 237-180 vote. The legislation would expand the categories of violent acts punishable as hate crimes to those based on the victims’ sexual orientation, gender or disability.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.
All of the veto news this week is reminiscent of the presidency of Bush’s father from 1989 to 1993. The elder Bush clashed constantly with the Democrats who had controlled both chambers of Congress for the better part of four decades. He vetoed 44 bills in four years — all but one of which were upheld.
If this week is any indication of what the current President Bush can expect for the remainder of his second term, it could be a long two years.
Categories: Maryland, Georgia, White House, Civil Rights, Gay Rights, Steny Hoyer, Crime, Vetoes, John Lewis
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The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., posted the following video excerpts of the hearing to YouTube:
Plame
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Paul Hodes, D-N.H.
John Sarbanes, D-Md.
Plus other highlights of the hearing from PoliticsTV:
Categories: Maryland, California, New Hampshire, Paul Hodes, John Sarbanes, Intelligence, Henry Waxman
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