Category: US House of Representatives

Weird War Over Congress Pig-Cop PaintingBy Matt Laslo

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are supposed to be the grownups in the room, but a spat over a high school student’s painting is revealing their childish tendencies-and the episode could have broad implications for race relations under President Donald J. Trump . Every year high school students across the U.S. compete to get their art hung in the Capitol where it’s on display for the millions of visitors who walk through the complex annually, but this year one young artist’s work has inflamed racial tensions among lawmakers and revived a debate over police tactics.

Trump says buy LL Bean but many products are made in China

Republican President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday urged people to buy from outdoors retailer L.L. Bean – even though many of its products are made in China – as it faces calls for a boycott because of a company heiress’ donations to his candidacy. Trump, in tweeting the endorsement, garnered criticism from the nonpartisan money-in-politics watchdog Every Voice for “personally encouraging his supporters to boost the companies of his super donors.”

Obama adds Alabama civil rights area to Park Service

” President Barack Obama signed an order Thursday designating an historic civil rights district in Alabama as a national monument, placing several blocks of a city once rocked by racial violence on par with landmarks including the Grand Canyon. The National Park Service will now have oversight of a downtown section of Birmingham, Alabama, that was a focal point of civil rights struggles in 1963 against harsh enforcement of laws mandating racial segregation.

CIA nominee Pompeo agrees Russia behind election hacks

Donald Trump’s pick to run the CIA on Thursday sided with intelligence officials who have determined the Kremlin was behind election cyberattacks, and he took a tough stand against Russia, distancing himself from the president-elect, who wants to warm relations with Moscow. Rep. Mike Pompeo, a four-term conservative Kansas Republican, spoke at his confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee amid a testy standoff between Trump and the spy community over Russian activities during the presidential election.

Six children presumed dead in Baltimore fire

A woman and three other children escaped the midnight blaze and were hospitalised as of midday Thursday, fire officials said. The collapse of floors and burning debris at the three-story home in Northeast Baltimore, US, made it difficult for firefighters to fight the fire and search the site, Baltimore City Fire Chief Roman Clark said.

Will Trump Shred the Iran Nuclear Deal?

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, listens to Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, before resuming talks over Iran’s nuclear program in Lausanne, Switzerland, Monday, March 16, 2015. Stack up the op-eds and essays on the disasters that await the world once Donald Trump moves into the White House and you’ll have a long list of dismaying scenarios.

Trump defends L.L. Bean heiress over donations backing him

In this June 2012 photo, Linda Bean speaks to reporters outside the Cabinet Room after a meeting with Maine Gov. Paul LePage at the State House in Augusta, Maine. President-elect Donald Trump urged Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, for people to buy L.L. Bean products as the company faces calls for a boycott because of Linda Bean’s donations to his candidacy.

Trump’s CIA choice to be questioned amid Russia hacking fury-Image1

Donald Trump’s pick to run the CIA faces a Senate confirmation hearing amid a testy standoff between the president-elect and the spy community. Rep. Mike Pompeo, a four-term conservative Kansas Republican, is a member of the House intelligence committee and also served on the partisan committee to investigate the deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.

Trumpa s CIA choice to be questioned amid Russia hacking fury

Donald Trump’s pick to run the CIA faces a Senate confirmation hearing amid a testy standoff between the president-elect and the spy community. Congressman Mike Pompeo is a member of the House intelligence committee and served on the committee to investigate the deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.

GA Congressman Sanford Bishop keynote speaker at MLK event

PHENIX CITY, AL Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop made a stop in the Chattahoochee Valley Saturday as he was the keynote speaker at a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration event. Bishop, a U.S. representative for Georgia’s 2nd congressional district, was the keynote speaker at the Community of Concerned Clergy’s “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration” in Phenix City, Alabama.

GA Congressman Sanford Bishop keynote speaker at MLK event

PHENIX CITY, AL Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop made a stop in the Chattahoochee Valley Saturday as he was the keynote speaker at a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration event. Bishop, a U.S. representative for Georgia’s 2nd congressional district, was the keynote speaker at the Community of Concerned Clergy’s “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration” in Phenix City, Alabama.

Alabama lawmaker: Democrats’ criticism of Trump pick Sessions is…

A Republican lawmaker on Wednesday came to defense of fellow Alabaman Jeff Sessions, saying attacks on the potential attorney general by Democrats who object to him is part of their “war on whites.” Speaking on Alabama’s WBHP 800, Rep. Mo Brooks , made his comments on the same day that civil rights pioneer and fellow House member John Lewis and Sen. Corey Booker spoke out against the controversial lawmaker.

Alabama lawmaker: Democrats’ criticism of Trump pick Sessions is…

A Republican lawmaker on Wednesday came to defense of fellow Alabaman Jeff Sessions, saying attacks on the potential attorney general by Democrats who object to him is part of their “war on whites.” Speaking on Alabama’s WBHP 800, Rep. Mo Brooks , made his comments on the same day that civil rights pioneer and fellow House member John Lewis and Sen. Corey Booker spoke out against the controversial lawmaker.

Idaho Rep. Heather Scott faces possible sanctions for claiming female …

Idaho State Representative for Distric 1 Heather Scott talked about local politics in Priest River before the candidates forum at Priest River Junior high school sponsored by Bonner County Republican Central Committee on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. BOISE – In an outburst that shocked and upset her fellow lawmakers, controversial North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott claimed female members of the Idaho House get leadership positions only if they “spread their legs.”

Idaho Rep. Heather Scott faces possible sanctions for claiming female …

Idaho State Representative for Distric 1 Heather Scott talked about local politics in Priest River before the candidates forum at Priest River Junior high school sponsored by Bonner County Republican Central Committee on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. BOISE – In an outburst that shocked and upset her fellow lawmakers, controversial North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott claimed female members of the Idaho House get leadership positions only if they “spread their legs.”

Booker makes history by testifying against sitting senator Sessions …

Booker makes history by testifying against sitting senator Sessions – while black lawmaker says scheduling their testimony at the end is like ‘being made to go to the back of the bus’ Civil rights icon, Rep. John Lewis, warned Sessions’ pro-‘law and order’ stance could be code for violating civil rights, as it was in the segregated South Sen. Cory Booker said he was guided by his ‘conscience’ and love of ‘country’ to testify against another senator, a first for the legislative body In an unprecedented move, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., spoke out about one of his Senate peers, testifying against the nomination of Sen. Jeff Session, R-Ala., for President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general.

Rex Tillerson doesn’t rule out idea of Muslim registry

Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson did not rule out the idea of a U.S. registry for Muslims when he was asked about it his confirmation hearing Wednesday. Asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., if he would support a U.S. registry for Muslims, Tillerson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “I would need to have a lot more information over how such an approach would be constructed.”

Obamacare drama at Senate vote-a-rama

Senate Republicans are poised to take the first step to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare law by approving a budget blueprint that they’ve dubbed the Obamacare “repeal resolution.” The largely symbolic exercise — set to begin Wednesday evening and possibly stretching into the wee hours of Thursday — is ripe for theater.

Trump denounces ‘disgrace’ of reports of Russian ties to him

Trump says he owns a “great” company but really one of the … . FILE – In this Oct. 26, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, accompanied by, from left, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Trump, Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump, speaks during the gra… NEW YORK – A defiant President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday adamantly denied reports that Russia had obtained compromising personal and financial information about him, calling it a “tremendous blot” on the record of the intelligence community if such material had been released.

January 11: Wastebook: Taxpayers Billed for Computers to Binge Watch…

The federal government spent millions of taxpayer dollars studying if women can pick Barbie out of a lineup, creating robot flowers, and building a computer that binge watches Desperate Housewives , according to a new report on wasteful spending. Sen. Jeff Flake on Tuesday released Wastebook: PORKemon Go , the latest chronicle of waste in a series started by former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn .

Trump Already Looking Ahead to 2020 Re-Election

“Donald Trump plans to keep his Manhattan-based campaign headquarters open as he assumes the presidency – a move that represents a sharp break from his predecessors, and one that positions him to begin running for reelection in 2020,” Politico reports. “Trump intends to retain a skeletal campaign staff of around ten people with a senior aide at the helm.

Black lawmakers to speak out against Sessions in hearing

” Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, used strong words in the first day of his Senate confirmation hearings to deny any hints of a racist past. On day two, a group of black lawmakers will speak out against his nomination ” including New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker, who will take the rare step of testifying against a current Senate colleague.

GOP concerns about deficits, debt disappear in Trump era

” For decades, congressional Republicans have pushed to slash the budget and reduce the size of the federal government, especially during the eight years Democratic President Barack Obama was in office. Now that Republican President-elect Donald Trump is poised to take charge, deficits and debt just don’t seem to matter to the GOP.

Trump’s HHS pick faces calls for probe of stock trades

” President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s top health official is facing calls for investigation of whether his stock picks were guided by insider knowledge as a senior member of Congress. Georgia Republican congressman Tom Price was chosen by Trump partly for of his plan to repeal “Obamacare.”

Dems call for county commissioner in Georgia to resign after John Lewis comments

Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter waded into controversial territory over the weekend when he wrote a Facebook post calling U.S. Rep. John Lewis — a civil rights legend already locked in a war of words with President-elect Donald Trump — a “racist pig.” The reaction to Hunter, a Republican, taking on Lewis a few days before the holiday honoring the life of counterpart Martin Luther King Jr. was varied, but swift.

Bill on tallying up regulation costs wins U.S. financial industry backing

Financial lobbyists on Tuesday applauded a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require the Securities and Exchange Commission to review the costs of rules before putting them into force, which is part of a broader push from Republicans to reform regulation. The legislation, introduced by Missouri Republican Ann Wagner, the newly minted chair of the financial services oversight subcommittee, is expected to go to the floor of the House on Thursday for a vote.

Paul Ryan surrenders on healthcare repeal: goal now is to repeal/replace ‘concurrently’

Donald Trump has won the presidency after narrowly carrying a few states to put him above 270 electoral votes.But according… That whole repeal immediately, replace later thing-not going so well for Republicans. Paul Ryan admitted as much Tuesday morning, writes The Hill: “It is our goal to bring it all together concurrently,” Ryan told reporters after meeting with House Republicans behind closed doors.

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Republicans will work on unraveling and replacing the health care law at the same time, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday as GOP leaders struggled to align their zeal to rapidly erase one of President Barack Obama’s proudest achievements with Congress’ legislative and political pitfalls. Ryan, R-Wis., spoke to reporters amid growing concern among Republican lawmakers about erasing Obama’s overhaul -which expanded coverage to 20 million people – without having an alternative to show voters.