Georgia’s General Assembly gavels in a new legislative session on Monday. The opening days of a legislative session typically include more ceremony than legislative action, but the agenda Gov. Nathan Deal is expected to lay out in his State of the State address this week will shape the 40-day legislative session.
Category: US House of Representatives
Ethics reviews incomplete for several Trump Cabinet choices
In this Dec. 12, 2016, file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. The government’s ethics office says several of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet choices have not completed a review to avoid conflicts of interest even as Senate Republicans move rapidly to hold at least nine confirmation hearings next week.
Winter storm coats South with snow and ice
A widespread winter storm brought snow, freezing rain and black ice to the Southeastern United States on Saturday, leaving road closures, power outages and dangerous driving conditions in its wake. Nineteen of the lower 48 states were under winter storm advisories, watches or warnings that impacted more than 60 million people, according to the National Weather Service.
Paul: Trump backs health repeal, replacement at same time
A Republican senator who challenged Donald Trump for the White House nomination says the president-elect “fully supports” repealing President Barack Obama’s health law only when there’s a viable alternative to replace it. Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled Congress are moving toward a vote on repeal legislation in coming weeks, but they anticipate a transition period of months or years to a replacement.
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan: Obamacare ‘Needs To Be Repealed’
Congress is back in session and at the top of Republicans’ agenda is repealing Obamacare. Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan discusses efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton: GOP needs an Obamacare alternative before repeal
Rep. Tom Cotton said Republicans need to have an alternative to Obamacare before repealing President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. “I think when we repeal Obamacare we need to have the solution in place moving forward,” the Arkansas Republican told MSNBC’s Chuck Todd Thursday.
Rahm to implement police reforms, with or without consent decree
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he’s determined to implement police reforms outlined by the U.S. Justice Department whether or not President-elect Donald Trump and Attorney General-designee Jeff Sessions pursue a consent decree mandating changes, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. Trump campaigned on a promise to take the handcuffs off rank-and-file police officers.
Concerns over dumping Obamacare growing among GOP lawmakers
From left, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La. meet with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, following a closed-door meeting with the GOP caucus to disucss repeal of President Obama’s health care law now that the GOP is in charge of White House and Congress.
Congressman takes down student’s art
A Republican lawmaker removed a high school student’s painting from a Capitol Hill display Friday because it shows a pig in a police uniform aiming a gun at African-American protesters. The image was inspired by the shooting and protests in Ferguson, Mo.
Daily Beast Exposes Racist Alt-Right Conspiracy Theory About Fort Lauderdale Shooter
Daily Beast exposed how fake news purveyors pushed a race baiting alt-right conspiracy theory about accused Ft Lauderdale shooter, Esteban Santiago, which alleged that CNN doctored a photo of Santiago. In reality, CNN has not shown a picture of Santiago, and right-wing media outlets that ran with the racist conspiracy theory, namely Gateway Pundit, have had to repudiate their own false claims.
Putin ordered campaign to influence prez election: US intel
The United States intelligence community in a new declassified file has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering an “influence campaign” to help Donald Trump win the White House and denigrate his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a bid to undermine public faith in the American democratic process. US President-elect Donald Trump was quick to refute the conclusion, saying hacking did not impact the November 8 presidential polls outcome.
Trump says Mexico should reimburse US for border wall
His tweet followed media reports that his transition team and Republican leaders in Congress are considering a plan to fund the wall through the appropriations funding process as early as April. President-elect Donald Trump repeated his promise to make Mexico pay for a border wall in his latest wide-ranging Twitter storm early Friday morning.
Airport shooter exposes security vulnerabilities
The gunman who killed five people at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport exposed security vulnerabilities at airport public areas that were once an afterthought, experts say. When National Guardsman Esteban Santiago allegedly killed five people and injured eight others after grabbing a gun from his luggage and loading it in a bathroom, his murderous spree highlighted a point of weakness: areas outside of screening checkpoints such as baggage claims, check-in counters and passenger pickup zones where security is comparatively light.
Pencea s chief of staff seeks return to Indiana utility board
The chief of staff for outgoing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is seeking to remain in state government by returning to the commission that oversees utility companies. Jim Atterholt told the Indianapolis Business Journal he has applied for an opening on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
Will Trumpa s promised wall become taxpayer-funded fence?
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What are conservatives doing voting to increase debt by $9 trillion?
Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio have been adamant – the federal debt is way too high and has got to be tamed fast. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, helped lead the 2013 fight against raising the debt limit , a fight that resulted in a partial government shutdown.
Nunes rebukes Obama administration for not responding to Russian hack threats sooner
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept.
Congressman: Obama not creating Grand Canyon monument
President Barack Obama has decided against creating a national monument covering areas of public land around Grand Canyon National Park, an Arizona congressman said Friday. Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva said White House Council on Environmental Quality officials told him of the decision during a meeting earlier this week.
Trump Denies Reports Border Wall Will Be Taxpayer-funded
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday refuted claims that American taxpayers would be on the hook for a border wall with Mexico. Speaking to the New York Times, Trump said that the wall would initially be funded through Congress, but the money would eventually be repaid by Mexico.
The Latest: Report says Russians will continue to target US
U.S. intelligence officials are predicting that Russia will continue to develop capabilities to help President Vladimir Putin target the United States. A new declassified report says that immediately after Election Day, Russian intelligence began a spear-phishing campaign against U.S. government employees and individuals associated with U.S. think tanks or nonprofit organizations working in the fields of national security, defense and foreign policy.
Republicans face early stumbling blocks on Obamacare repeal
Republicans are unanimous in their desire to “repeal and replace” President Barack Obama’s signature health care law — but they are already flirting with not having the 50 votes needed to pass the bill in the Senate. Republicans have 52 seats in the Senate, meaning they can only afford to lose three members of their caucus before they cannot pass legislation without Democratic votes.
Suspect in Idaho murder refuses extradition from New York
The Idaho Statesman reports that Bruce A. Marchant was arrested at a New York City Veterans Affairs hospital in December after Boise detectives conducted interviews in the death of Boise State University student Sierra Bush. Criminal suspects cannot be moved from one state to another without an extradition hearing unless they waive that right.
Longtime Texas Rep. Johnson to retire at term’s end
Johnson, 86, was a fighter pilot in Vietnam and Korea before his election to Congress in 1990. He spent seven years as a prisoner of war in the notorious Hanoi Hilton.
Lawmaker removes Capitol Hill art with pig in police uniform
A California lawmaker has removed a painting that showed a pig in a police uniform, one of hundreds of artworks on display at the Capitol and sponsored by a member of Congress. Joe Kasper, a spokesman for Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, says the lawmaker unscrewed the artwork from the display and returned it to the office of Missouri Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay.
The Trump era begins
President Obama plans a valedictory for next week, and, as he promised, he’s continuing to work until the end. Last week, for example, he designated two new national monuments in Utah and Nevada .
GOP Should – Show Their Cards’ on Obamacare Redo, Obama Says
U.S. President Barack Obama holds a year-end press conference in the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 16, 2016. Republicans should “show their cards” with a better Obamacare replacement before taking steps to repeal the law, President Barack Obama said in an interview on his signature health program.
Cops didn’t like a student painting hanging in the U.S. Capitol. So a congressman took it down.
An acrylic painting, right, by high school student David Pulphus is on display on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday. The painting by Pulphus, which is reported to depict Ferguson, Mo., in a chaotic scene with people marching and police officers that appear to be pigs, was chosen by Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. as part of the annual U.S. Congressional Art Competition.
Will Democrats challenge Donald Trump’s legitimacy during the Electoral College ratification?
This article originally appeared on AlterNet . The vast majority of congressional Democrats don’t want to take a final stand against Donald Trump’s election, even a symbolic move telling Americans why they believe his presidency is illegitimate, at Friday’s ratification of the 2016 Electoral College vote.
Morning Digest: Hillary Clinton unexpectedly won three Texas House seats held by Republicans
Donald Trump has won the presidency after narrowly carrying a few states to put him above 270 electoral votes.But according… a- Pres-by-CD : We arrive in Texas for our project to calculate the 2016 presidential results for all 435 congressional districts nationwide. You can find our complete data set here , which we’re updating continuously as the precinct-level election returns we need for our calculations become available.
Hate-Crime Charges Filed in Attack on Mentally Disabled Man in Chicago
Family spokesman David Boyd and others hold a news conference Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, in Crystal Lake, Ill., after an 18-year-old man was assaulted in Chicago earlier this week. Four people were charged with hate crimes Thursday in connection with a video broadcast live on Facebook that showed a mentally disabled white man being beaten and taunted, threatened with a knife and forced to drink from a toilet.
Trump on Border Wall: Mexico Will Pay Us Back
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday tweeted that Mexico will reimburse American taxpayers for a new border wall and that U.S. money spent will be for the “sake of speed.” The dishonest media does not report that any money spent on building the Great Wall , will be paid back by Mexico later! His tweet came as top aides consider a plan to ask Congress to ensure money is available in U.S. coffers for the wall, but to rely on existing law that already authorizes fencing and other technology along the southern border.
HUFFPOLLSTER: Few Americans Want To Repeal Obamacare Without A Replacement
Views of President Obama’s signature health care law remain divided. The Democratic Party has a challenging midterm season ahead of it.
House rebukes United Nations
The House overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan measure Thursday that rebukes the United Nations for criticizing Israeli settlements as Republicans used the debate to accuse President Barack Obama of turning his back on the Jewish state. Lawmakers voted 342-80 for the non-binding resolution that declares unwavering support for Israel and insists that the United States reject any future U.N. actions that are similarly “one-sided and anti-Israel.”
Poll: Most Americans Say Don’t Repeal Obamacare Without A Replacement
An overwhelming majority of people disapprove of Republican lawmakers’ plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without having a ready replacement for the health care law, according to a poll released Friday. And judging by the letter-writing and lobbying in the first week of the new Congressional session, many health care and business groups agree.
Joe Biden to Trump: ‘Grow up, Donald’
In an interview with PBS NewsHour that aired Thursday, Biden was asked about President-elect Donald Trump’s tweets, specifically one where he called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer “the head clown” and another in which he wrote, “Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks. Thought it was going to be a smooth transition – NOT!” “Grow up, Donald.
Trump wants the US taxpayer and NOT Mexico to pay for the wall:…
Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow and Meg Ryan among the stars to turn out for Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher’s memorial service ‘His father had been touching him down there’: The Menendez Brothers’ cousin breaks her silence to claim the boys WERE being molested before they murdered their parents Charles Manson had OVER 100 behavioral violations in prison before he was hospitalized: Serial killer spat at guards, made voodoo dolls and had saw blades in the soles of his shoes Trump now wants US taxpayer and NOT Mexico to pay for the wall: Republican official say Congress could foot bill for President-elect’s border plans in dramatic pledge reversal Sears to close 150 stores and sell its famous Craftsman tool brand for $900M in a bid to keep the company afloat Could REDDIT help you stop drinking in 2017? Research finds the website is helping more than 50,000 recovering alcoholics find … (more)
Sources: Trump will ask Congress to pay for border wall
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that the President-elect’s preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials. The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border, though in October, Trump suggested for the first time that Mexico would reimburse the US for the cost of the wall.
Spy chief James Clapper ‘resolute’ on Russia cyber attack, differs with Trump
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on foreign cyber threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 5, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The top U.S. intelligence official said on Thursday he was “even more resolute” in his belief that Russia staged cyber attacks on Democrats during the 2016 election campaign, rebuking persistent skepticism from Republican President-elect Donald Trump about whether Moscow was involved.
Urban League of Louisiana annual Holiday Awards Luncheon honors 4 leaders
The Urban League of Louisiana hosted its fourth annual Holiday Awards Luncheon on Dec. 28 to honor four people for their leadership and contributions to New Orleans and the state. Held at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, the party was hosted by former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial , who is now the National Urban League President and CEO, and Urban League of Louisiana President and CEO Erika McConduit .
Education money: Battle for billions begins in Legislature
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks during the annual AP Legislative Preview, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, left, speaks as Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, listens at right during the annual AP Legislative Preview, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash.