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Fri. May 16, 2008
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Republican Gambit On The House Floor Leads To Troop Funds Being Shot Down

The House Thursday voted down providing $162.5 billion to fund the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of FY08 and part of FY09 after 132 Republicans voted present and most Democrats, who oppose the war, voted against the funding, resulting in an unusual 149-141 vote.

House Panel Vote Shapes Extenders Debate

The House Ways and Means Committee Thursday approved a $57 billion tax bill backed by an array of interests ranging from multinational financial services and manufacturing firms to advocates for the poor on a near party-line, 25-12 vote.

Dodd And Shelby 'Virtually Very Close' To Housing Deal

Top Senate Banking Committee members said they were very close to a deal Thursday night on legislation to provide new oversight to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with language that would use the two's assets to fund a proposal for the Federal Housing Administration to insure up to $300 billion in new mortgages for troubled borrowers.

Community Pharmacists Hope To Catch Eyes, Votes With Ad

Hundreds of community pharmacists are set to come to town next week along with their new ad campaign and its catchphrase, "You're getting screwed."

Fischer Fights Party Establishment In Race To Face McConnell

Greg Fischer made a fortune when, at age 25, he helped his family develop the machine that dispenses ice and soda, a staple in convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

Allegations Roil GOP Primary For Race To Succeed Hooley

Oregon's 5th District Republican primary is headed toward a wild finish Tuesday amid allegations that one of the candidates gave a girlfriend money for an abortion.

New Jersey Dems Gang Up On Andrews, Praise Lautenberg

Congressional Democrats from New Jersey ganged up on one of their own Thursday, portraying Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J., as an ally of President Bush and other Republicans.

Senate Votes To Overturn Looser Media Ownership Rules

Despite a veto threat from the White House, the Senate acted quickly Thursday to approve legislation that would annul the FCC's relaxation of media ownership limits.

Timing, Cost Concerns Still Pose Hurdle For Child Abuse Bill

A bill to improve the government's coordination of cases involving sexual exploitation of minors, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, was a big win for child safety advocates but they acknowledge the bill could still face significant hurdles.

Group Looks To Shift SPR Sales To Alternative Projects

A group of oil-patch and liberal Democrats introduced a bill Thursday to sell off oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and provide $1 billion overall to alternative energy projects. Supporters include a mixture of those who have both supported and opposed efforts by Democratic leaders to repeal billions in oil and gas industry incentives to pay for renewable energy tax breaks.

Anti-Piracy Caucus Releases Watch List

Intellectual property crimes in China, Russia and Canada will get more scrutiny on Capitol Hill in the coming year, leaders of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus said Thursday.

Panel Considers Prescription For Nursing Home Transparency

The private equity firms that buy nursing home chains set up layered entities to run the homes, making it difficult for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and states to find out who owns and operates the facilities, a situation that Congress might need to address soon, according to members of the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

Small Biz Hearing Turns Into Brawl Over Ethanol Policy

It was an unlikely place for an "exciting, enthusiastic, spirited" event, but Thursday's House Small Business Committee hearing on whether federal ethanol policy has led to high food prices produced enough fireworks for Small Business Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez to label it as such.

Senate Panel Passes $193 Billion War Supplemental Bill

Defying a White House veto threat, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $193 billion war supplemental spending bill containing about $10 billion in domestic spending not sought by President Bush.

Senate Names Conferees, Setting Up Likely Tuesday Meeting

The Senate Thursday named conferees to put the final touches on the FY09 budget resolution.

A Plan For A Grand New Party

If the darkest hour is just before dawn, Republicans have to be hoping the alarm clock will shortly jolt them from their long, painful nightmare.

People

LATEST INFO. Josh Lamel is the new vice president for Internet, telecom, technology policy and the commercial sector for the Information Technology Association of America.

Farm Bill Veto Is Coming, Administration Confirms

President Bush will sign a one-week extension of the 2002 farm bill through next Friday and will veto the new farm bill, probably next week, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner said late Thursday.

Key Dems Seek To Withhold Funding For Satellite Office

House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson and Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee Chairwoman Jane Harman, D-Calif., on Thursday asked other House chairmen to withhold funding for a new Homeland Security Department office designed to access space satellites in support of operations within the United States.

Treasury Will Not Cite China For Manipulating Currency

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will not cite China for manipulating its currency to gain unfair trade advantages, despite growing pressure from Congress to retaliate for a U.S. trade deficit with China that reached $256.3 billion last year.

Young Taps Campaign Fund For Attorney Fees In Probes

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, spent $1.1 million from his campaign treasury to pay legal fees for his defense in federal investigations while letting a special legal fund sit idle for the first three months of the year, the Anchorage Daily News reported.