Reactions to the speech also are making their way onto the Internet. Here are video commentaries from: Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.; Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif.; Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.; Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation
The House today narrowly passed a bill designed to improve mine safety despite a veto threat from the White House. The vote was 214-199.
Here are debate excerpts floor speeches by Democrats George Miller of California, Tim Bishop of New York, Rush Holt of New Jersey and John Yarmuth of Kentucky.
It’s time for those New Year’s resolutions and both President Bush and Democrats in Congress have a few to share with the American people. What better way to do it than their weekly radio addresses.
Bush, for instance, has resolved to do something about “wasteful earmark spending.” “In the last election, congressional leaders ran on a promise that they would reform earmarks,” he said. “They made some progress but not nearly enough.” He said he is reviewing options he can take as president to curtail “special-interest items that are slipped into big spending bills like … often at the last hour, without discussion or debate.”
Bush also vowed to submit a budget in February that will restrain spending, keep taxes low and move the nation toward a balanced budget.
On the Democratic side, freshman Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York outlined “a vision to build America’s greatness.” Among other things, the agenda includes a push toward energy independence, advancements in technology that can create jobs, economic policies aimed at helping the middle class, changes to the education and healthcare systems, and efforts to secure the nation against attacks.
“I truly believe that all good things are possible when the American people are heard,” she said.
Equity and fairness are the key goals of the “mother of all tax reforms” proposed by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel.
Republicans have criticized the plan as the “mother of all tax hikes, but Rangel, D-N.Y., defended his bill in this week’s edition of “C-SPAN Newsmaker.” He said the measure “is good for American business” because it would close tax loopholes and give the same lower rate to all corporations rather than favoring a few.
“Everything that I do in the [tax] code, the president promised to do,” Rangel added, noting that President Bush in the past has promised to close tax loopholes and eliminate the alternative minimum tax, which aims to ensure that wealthy people pay at least some taxes despite write-offs. Rangel also said he is open to compromise.
“As chairman of the committee, I did not say ‘my way or the highway,’ as it used to be when Republicans were in charge. I welcome alternatives to the Democratic bill. I haven’t gotten anything.”
House Democrats today resurrected the debate over legislation to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as S-CHIP. The chamber passed the bill, dubbed “S-CHIP 2.O,” by a vote of 265-142.
President Bushvetoed an earlier bill on the subject and the House failed to override his veto. House Republicans largely opposed the bill and forced numerous procedural votes to stall passage.
Here are video excerpts of the debate from: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas; Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.; and Hilda Solis, D-Calif.
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