Pelosi stages 8-hour speech to push for vote for ‘Dreamers’

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi staged a record-breaking, eight-hour speech Wednesday in hopes of pressuring Republicans to allow a vote on protecting "Dreamer" immigrants - and to demonstrate to increasingly angry progressives and Democratic activists that she has done all she could. Wearing four-inch heels and forgoing any breaks, Pelosi, 77, spent much of the rare talkathon reading personal letters from the young immigrants whose temporary protection from deportation is set to expire next month.

California officials pledge to reject offshore drilling

California commissions that oversee coastal lands and water pushed the Trump administration Wednesday to leave the state out of plans to expand offshore drilling, warning the state would block pipelines to get oil back to land. The agencies weighed in ahead of a public hearing Thursday in Sacramento, the only opportunity for people to register their opinions in person in California.

Military leaders want Congress to approve budget deal

The Pentagon says it should be able to get more planes into the air, more ships on the seas and more equipment to troops in the field if Congress approves the major budget agreement struck by Senate leaders on Wednesday. Military leaders have said they're confronting a readiness crisis, punctuated by a series of deadly accidents, that they attributed to funding shortages stemming from the "sequester" budget cuts earlier this decade.

Pelosi makes a marathon plea to help Dreamers

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi started speaking around 10 a.m. and yielded the floor at 6:11 p.m., setting a record. - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi staged a record-breaking, eight-hour speech Wednesday in an attempt to force a House vote on protections for the Dreamer immigrants - and to prove to an increasingly angry wing of progressives and activists that she has done all she could.

The doctor’s in, but jury is out on new LA Times owner

Dutch lender Rabobank's California subsidiary is scheduled to enter a plea Wednesday in a long-running investigation that led to allegations the bank was used to launder millions of dollars in Mexican drug money. Dutch lender Rabobank's California subsidiary is scheduled to enter a plea Wednesday in a long-running investigation that led to allegations the bank was used to launder millions of dollars in Mexican drug money.

Two-year budget deal leaves conservative Republicans fuming over deficits Source: Cox Media Group

A two year budget agreement announced Wednesday by Congressional leaders was met with scorn from many more conservative Republicans on Capitol Hill, as the combination of big increases in military and domestic spending left some GOP lawmakers frustrated over a lack of budget discipline, while outside groups quickly predicted the plan could swiftly bring back $1 trillion yearly deficits. "It's almost a quarter trillion dollar increase in spending," said Rep. Jim Jordan , who told reporters it reminded him of the Obama Stimulus law.

Boosted by PACs, incumbents running for Texas House outraise rivals

State Rep. Matt Schaefer speaks during his campaign kick-off and fundraiser in Tyler, Texas, on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. Representatives of Grassroots America, Texas Right to Life, Texas Eagle Forum, Empower Texans, Texas Home School Coalition, Gun Owners of America, and Texans for Vaccine Choice were in attendance.

Several immigration activists hold sit-in at Michael Bennet’s…

Seven activists have been holding a sit-in inside Sen. Michael Bennet's Denver office Wednesday, demanding his immediate help on passing legislation to help immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children. The protesters were demanding that the Democrat set up a meeting with other senators to discuss the program that helps such immigrants - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - issue a public statement about the meeting and set up a separate meeting with constituents in Colorado.

“Intraparty war”: What happens to Pelosi after a 2018 failure?

The wonder of this question is that it's being asked at all - and especially, as Politico reports , by Democrats themselves. Wait , some readers may think, won't Democrats win big in the first-term midterm against an unpopular president ? Until very recently, that had been the conventional wisdom and Democrats had absolutely convinced themselves of it.

Pelosi surpasses four hours in immigration speech on House floor

Tyler recently shar... - Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi took to the floor Wednesday morning to address the emerging bipartisan federal spending deal in the Senate, pointing to several "Democrat priorities" included in the deal but drawing the line over the lack of a solution for so-called Dreamers whose status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy is in jeopardy after March 5. Pelosi announced she and a "large number" of House Democrats will oppose any deal unless Speaker Paul Ryan commits to a future open immigration debate, complaining House Democrats are second-class members of Congress without a commitment from Ryan.

Legislators hope to fix uncertainty plaguing school budgets this session

Rep. Paul Seaton said he hopes the Legislature will pass House Bill 287 to avoid budget uncertainty for Alaska school districts. This session, some state legislators hope to put an end to the uncertainty school districts across the state face when it comes to their budgets.

Pelosi’s DACA floor speech nears six-hour mark

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi took to the House floor and spoke for more than five hours to oppose the spending deal to lift spending caps and avert a government shutdown -- because the plan does not address immigration issues. The deal, which was proposed by Senate leaders on Wednesday, will require Democratic support to pass the House, so the House Democratic leader's comments make the plan's future unclear.

Why 1 Missouri race has Republicans worried about a ‘blue tsunami’

The victory by Mike Revis was the 35th time since Trump was elected that Democrats have flipped a Republican-held state legislative seat. 2. In the Minnesota gubernatorial caucuses - the first step in the state's nominating process - 30,000 Democrats turned up to caucus as compared to just 11,000 Republicans.

Dems head to midterms with energized base, unsettled agenda

From left, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., chat as they pass in the Senate subway on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. The Capitol is seen in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018.

FISA court should make public everything it knows about Carter Page

In this Nov. 2, 2017, file photo, Carter Page speaks with reporters following a day of questions from the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. A new congressional memo alleging FBI surveillance abuse is being used to undermine the legitimacy of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

The Latest: Pelosi against budget deal unless DACA vote

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., left, the vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, head to a closed security briefing at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she and many fellow Democrats will oppose an expected bipartisan budget deal unless Republicans allow the chamber to vote on legislation protecting immigrants.