Category: US House

Marjorie Taylor Greene blasted for attacking colleague’s transgender daughter: ‘Sickening, pathetic, unimaginably cruel’

Washington Post logo

After a contentious debate on the Equality Act, which would extend civil rights protections to the LGBTQ community, Rep. Marie Newman (D-Ill.) on Wednesdayraised a transgender pride flag outside her office — which happens to sit directly across from the office of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), one of the bill’s most vocal opponents.

“Our neighbor, [Greene], tried to block the Equality Act because she believes prohibiting discrimination against trans Americans is ‘disgusting, immoral, and evil,’” Newman, who has a transgender daughter, wrote on Twitter with a video of her hanging the flag. “Thought we’d put up our Transgender flag so she can look at it every time she opens her door.”

Greene, who lost her committee memberships by promoting false and extremist claims, quickly responded with her own video mocking Newman’s earlier tweet as she hung up a poster that said: “There are TWO genders: Male & Female. Trust The Science!” Continue reading.

Dissecting the House GOP spin against Biden’s $1.9 trillion covid relief bill

Washington Post logo

“We’re here today because Pelosi, Schumer and Biden decided to use a pandemic to push forward a progressive wish list — items to reward political allies, friends and donors at the expense of the American working class.”

— Rep. Jason T. Smith (R-Mo.), top Republican on the House Budget Committee, in remarks at a news conference, Feb. 24, 2021

House Republicans are objecting to the $1.9 trillion measure being pushed by President Biden and Democrats in Congress to deal with the coronaviruspandemic and its economic fallout. As part of the attack, the GOP staff on the House Budget Committee has distributed a pie chart that asserts only a small portion of the bill actually deals with combating the virus.

In his remarks, Smith listed a series of objections to the bill. Let’s take a tour through them and offer an assessment. Some of the claims have to do with arcane budget issues, while others reflect a more philosophical dispute. As this is a reader guide, we’re not going to issue a Pinocchio rating, but readers should be aware that several of these points are off-base or stretched.

“If this package was clearly about crushing the virus, then why is less than 9 percent of all total spending actually used to put shots in people’s arms?”

The GOP cites Biden himself for the $160 billion that this figure represents: “That’s why the American Rescue Plan puts 160 million — billion dollars into more testing and tracing, manufacturing and distribution, and setting up vaccination sites — everything that’s needed to get vaccines into people’s arms, which is the most difficult logistical effort the United States has undertaken in peace time,” Biden said Feb. 19, while touring a Pfizer vaccine plant. Continue reading.

Politicians who hate government give government a bad name

Texas cold snap lays bare hypocrisy of GOP’s limited-government mantra

Ronald Reagan, considered a secular saint before, during and after his two presidential terms by many in the Republican Party, an actor-turned-politician who also served as California’s governor, was famous for his stated disdain of the thing he spent much of his life doing: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” 

Of course, his administration’s tax cuts were plenty helpful for high earners, but it certainly made for a catchy sound bite. And it became a guiding philosophy for his, and now Trump’s, Republican Party.

And that brings us to the culmination of the effort to paint any government acting competently with a dash of compassion as evil — Texas, the Lone Star State that went it alone. We all saw how that worked out. When a cold snap broke the state, exposing glaring failures in everything from its independent energy grid to its power and water systems, the state’s leaders were either ghosts — escaping to Mexico for a vacation, in the case of Sen. Ted Cruz, or to Utah, where state Attorney General Ken Paxton traveled — or defiant apologists. Continue reading.

Capitol Riot Costs Will Exceed $30 Million, Official Tells Congress

New York Times logo

The architect of the Capitol and other officials told lawmakers that the physical and psychological toll of the Jan. 6 riot — including damaged artifacts and staff trauma — will be extensive.

WASHINGTON — The top operations and maintenance official of the United States Capitol told lawmakers on Wednesday that the costs of the Jan. 6 attack will exceed $30 million, as his office works to provide mental health services, increase security and repair historical statues and other art damaged in the riot.

“The events of Jan. 6 were difficult for the American people, and extremely hard for all of us on campus to witness,” J. Brett Blanton, the architect of the Capitol, testified as he and other top officials gave their first extensive look at the damage inflicted on the House’s fine art collection and the strain on congressional employees from the assault.

Speaking to the House Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers are considering an emergency bill to cover the costs of the most violent attack on the Capitol in two centuries, Mr. Blanton described how his staff sheltered congressional aides as “the crowd began crashing through windows and prying open doors.” Continue reading.

Biden’s COVID Package Is Overwhelmingly Popular. Republicans Hate It Anyway.

Huff Post logo

“I would be surprised if there was support in the Republican caucus if the bill comes out at $1.9 trillion,” said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

Polls show President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package is overwhelmingly popular with the American people, but that isn’t stopping Republicans from lining up against it.

According to a survey conducted by The Economist/YouGov, 66% of Americans back Biden’s plan, which includes $1,400 stimulus checks, added unemployment assistance, an expanded child tax credit, and hundreds of billions of dollars for schools and vaccine distribution. A survey released Tuesday by Morning Consult showed the plan polling even higher, at 76% with all Americans, including 60% of Republicans. 

Congressional bills rarely see this kind of public support, especially in a political atmosphere as divided as this one. Continue reading.

What America has been waiting for: the American Rescue Plan

DFL Logo


In what is expected to be a historic moment for Americans, the legislation that so many people desperately need will likely be approved later this evening in the U.S. House of Representatives. President Joe Biden’s comprehensive American Rescue Plan, which includes major areas such as direct relief checks, increased unemployment aid, vaccinations and tests, schools, and more, will answer the calls of the American people and provide help during this enduring crisis.

“The need is great. The opportunity is there,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. said. “The precision of this legislation to directly address the needs of the American people, the lives of the American people and the livelihoods.”

Democrats have been listening to needs of their constituents and will be passing the American Rescue Plan through the House tonight. Americans made it clear that a coronavirus relief plan would help ease their lives while enduring the harsh effects of the pandemic. The overwhelming majority of Americans support President Biden’s coronavirus relief agenda, including strong bipartisan support.

Continue reading “What America has been waiting for: the American Rescue Plan”

Phillips Backs Popular American Rescue Plan, Relief for American Workers, Families, Small Businesses and Cities Passes House

Rep. Phillips banner


WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a COVID-19 relief package which passed the House early this morning. The plan is supported by a large, bipartisan majority of Americans and makes emergency investments in schools, families, unemployed workers, vaccine distribution, small businesses and local governments.

While the House bill seeks to raise the federal hourly minimum wage to $15, the Senate Parliamentarian ruled yesterday that the provision cannot be included in the Senate companion. Phillips has expressed concern about the inclusion of such a transformative policy in a COVID relief bill by means of budget reconciliation, and convened a House Small Business Oversight Subcommittee hearing this week to begin working on a bipartisan proposal that can pass through Congress and achieve the trifecta of livable wages, more jobs, and thriving small businesses. Watch the hearing here. 

“Thousands of Minnesotans have reached out to my offices to demand action and ask for help,” said Phillips. “We must answer the call and deliver a strong bill that meets the moment. The American Rescue Plan is imperfect, but I believe it’s in our common interest to resource vaccinations, schools, local governments, small businesses, families, and unemployed workers during this once-in-a-lifetime crisis.”

Continue reading “Phillips Backs Popular American Rescue Plan, Relief for American Workers, Families, Small Businesses and Cities Passes House”

House passes $1.9 trillion COVID relief package

Axios logo

The House approved President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package on a 219-212 vote early Saturday morning, sending it to the Senate for a possible rewrite before it gets to Biden’s desk.

The big picture: The vote was a critical first step for the package, which includes $1,400 cash payments for many Americans, a national vaccination program, ramped-up COVID testing and contact tracing, state and local funding and money to help schools reopen.

  • Two Democrats — Reps. Jared Golden (Maine) and Kurt Schrader (Ore.) — joined Republicans in voting against the bill.

What to watch: The bill will likely undergo an overhaul in the upper chamber after the Senate parliamentarian ruled the $15 minimum wage increase cannot be added in the relief package. Continue reading.

Bill would strip pension for president convicted of felony

The Hill logo

Two key House Democrats will roll out legislation Thursday that would revoke a lifetime pension and other taxpayer-funded perks from former presidents who are convicted of felonies during or after office.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), who leads the Democrats’ campaign arm, and Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) have authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act. It would reform the Former Presidents Act of 1958 by stripping past presidents convicted of a felony of their $219,200 annual pension, office space and a budget to pay for staff.

The legislation does not impact lifetime Secret Service protection for convicted presidents. It will formally be introduced on Thursday, when Maloney and Jayapal will begin gathering co-sponsors.  Continue reading.

GOP leaders clash over Trump presence at CPAC

The Hill logo

Two Republican leaders disagreed over former President Trump while standing feet away from each other at a press conference on Wednesday. 

The awkward moment between House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) during the House Republican leadership press conference highlighted the division over the future of the GOP.

When asked whether Trump should speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, McCarthy — who served as one of Trump’s move vocal allies in Congress during the course of his administration — quickly asserted he believes that yes, Trump “should” be present at the annual GOP event slated to take place in Orlando, Fla., this weekend. It will be Trump’s first public political speech since leaving office. Continue reading.