Tag: U.S. Congress

Poll: Voters overwhelmingly approve of border deal, want Trump to sign it

Registered voters overwhelmingly want President Trump to sign a bipartisan border security bill ahead of a Feb. 15 deadline, according to a new Hill-HarrisX poll.

Sixty percent of respondents in the Feb. 12-13 survey said they want Trump to approve a border compromise negotiated by a bicameral conference committee that includes $1.38 billion for fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Twenty-four percent said they want the president to accept the budget framework to avoid a shutdown and then declare a national emergency to expand the border barrier, while 16 percent said they want Trump to hold out for a better deal, even if it might result in another partial government shutdown.

View the complete February 13 article by Matthew Sheffield on The Hill website here.

Congress poised to put Trump in veto bind

President Trump has not issued a veto since taking office more than two years ago, but that may soon change.

The House will move a step closer to a major confrontation with Trump by voting as soon as Wednesday on a resolution that would cut off U.S. military support to the Saudi-led coalition in neighboring Yemen.

The measure is expected to easily pass the chamber controlled by Democrats. After that, it will move to the GOP-led Senate, where is it also expected to have enough votes.

View the complete February 13 article by Rebecca Kheel on The Hill website here.

‘It’s way too many’: As vacancies pile up in Trump administration, senators grow concerned

From the Justice Department to Veterans Affairs, vast swaths of the government have top positions filled by officials serving in an acting capacity — or no one at all. More than two years into Trump’s term, the president has an acting chief of staff, attorney general, defense secretary, Office of Management and Budget director and Environmental Protection Agency chief.

To deal with the number of vacancies in the upper ranks of departments, agencies have been relying on novel and legally questionable personnel moves that could leave the administration’s policies open to court challenges.

The lack of permanent leaders has started to alarm top congressional Republicans who are pressing for key posts to be filled.

View the complete February 4 article by Juliet Eilperin, Josh Dawsey and Seung Min Kim on The Washington Post website here.

Post-shutdown negotiations look brutal for Trump

Lawmakers in both parties are skeptical about President Trump’s chances of securing funding for his wall on the Mexican border after a 35-day partial government shutdown that bruised the White House’s political standing.

The deal reached last week gives Trump and Congress until Feb. 15 to reach a new deal to prevent another partial shutdown, and the president is demanding new legislation again that would fund his signature campaign issue.

Democrats seem unlikely to budget any money for a border wall, and even if they did, lawmakers say such a deal would likely require Trump to include significant immigration reforms, such as giving immigrants known as Dreamers a pathway to citizenship or permanent residency. 

View the complete January 28 article by Alexander Bolton on The Hill website here.

The case for ending shutdowns, once and for all

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized on Jan. 22 President Trump’s new proposal to end the partial government shutdown. (The Washington Post)

The record-long impasse — along with the failures of past efforts — makes a strong argument for passing a bill that would take the option off the table.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will soon go without their second paycheck this month, as the 32-day shutdown drags on with no end in sight. But if there’s a silver lining for them, it might be this: The messier this gets, the more momentum there could be for a mechanism to effectively outlaw future shutdowns.

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday introduced a bill called the Stop STUPIDITY Act. In the event of a lapse in government funding, the act would reinstate funding levels from the previous fiscal year — except for Congress and the office of the president, which would not receive funding until they reached an agreement.

Warner’s Republican colleague Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) reintroduced his own proposal last week. Rather than shut down the government in the absence of a budget, it would institute an across-the-board 1 percent funding cut for all agencies and would cut another 1 percent every 90 days that no agreement is reached.

View the complete January 23 article by Aaron Blake on the The Washington Post website.

New momentum for Equal Rights Amendment

Equal rights for women could soon be enshrined in the Constitution.

Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) almost 47 years ago to establish gender equality under the law, and state support is closing in on clearing a crucial obstacle.

The Virginia Senate passed a resolution last week to ratify the ERA, which would make gender equality the law of the land. If the House follows suit, the commonwealth would become the 38th state needed for ratification.

View the complete January 22 article by Lydia Wheeler on The Hill website here.

Diverse freshman class looks to shake up Capitol Hill


Rep.-elect Dean Phillips, D-Minn., moved into his office Wednesday. He brought with him a photo of Kevin Garnett at a 2004 playoff game in which Phillips can be seen cheering in the crowd. Credit: Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

It’s the largest freshman class in nearly 50 years, with a record number of women, including the first two American Indian women and first two Muslim women elected.

WASHINGTON – Even before they are sworn in Thursday, the 100 newly elected House members are promising to be one of the most independent — and difficult to control — freshman classes in years.

They are far younger and more diverse than their predecessors. It’s the largest freshman class in nearly 50 years, with a record number of women, the youngest female House member ever elected and the first two American Indian women and first two Muslim women elected.

They also include the first single mothers with young children, more than 18 veterans, two NFL players and even a mixed martial arts fighter.

View the complete January 3 article by Jennifer Haberkorn on The Star Tribune website here.

‘They’re going to absolutely crush him’: Trump is reportedly panicking and ‘losing it’ as Democrats finally gain the upper hand

He didn’t realize he’s playing a losing game.

President Donald Trump is not used to presiding over a divided government, and it’s clear he’s not going to like it.

His performance in the government funding fight, in which he first promised he’d be “proud” to shut down the government in exchange for border wall spending, then backed down from the fight, and then reversed himself again, proved he’s a terrible negotiator and an even worse statesman.

Now that he’s in a position to infuriate his base if he doesn’t get the border wall money or infuriate the majority of the country if the government shuts down, he’s given all his chips to the Democrats. They can still use the filibuster to block any spending bill in the Senate, and soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears absolutely giddy at the thought that she will have a Democrat majority in her chamber come January that can easily block any other Trump priorities.

View the complete December 21 article on the AlterNet.org website here.

Want to Know More About: GI Bill Error?

Willie Geist: “The VA Faced A Backlog When Its Computers Were Not Able To Process A Change In Housing Allowances Signed Into Law By President Trump Last Year.” WILLIE GEIST: “Meanwhile, earlier this month, the department of veterans affairs promised lawmakers the agency would pay back veterans who saw their benefits come up short because of a massive computer glitch. Yesterday after weeks of leaving veterans in the dark, the VA announced that it will not reimbursed the veterans that were paid than they were owed. That is because the departments says it cannot make retroactive payments without impacting future claims. The VA faced a backlog when its computers were not able to process a change in housing allowances signed into law by President Trump last year.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 11/29/18; VIDEO]

Mike Barnacle: “Well The Level Of Fraudulence And Hypocrisy Surrounding The Veterans Administration Has Been Ongoing Now For Months If Not Years.” WILLIE GEIST: “Mike, this is V.A. promised under the G.I. Bill to pay for housing, to pay for school, these payments did not go through, because they can’t figure out a computer system these men and women will not repaid for the short fall. It’s pathetic. This can’t stand.” MIKE BARNACLE: “Well the level of fraudulence and hypocrisy surrounding the veterans administration has been ongoing now for months if not years. We have seen the speaker of the house, Paul Ryan, addressing people at the Pentagon about everything the veterans will mean to the American politics. The future is now for veterans and their families who have returned from multiple tours. The fact that the congress cannot get together and get this done in a single hour of a single day is outrageous.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 11/29/18; VIDEO]

Elise Jordan: “Why Is This Not A Number One Priority With The Trump Administration? They Said They Were Going To Be All About Taking Care Of Vets. They’re Going To Let This Stand Because Of Their Own Incompetency?” ELISE JORDAN: “Why is this not a number one priority with the trump administration? They said they were going to be all about taking care of vets. They’re going to let this stand because of their own incompetency? They don’t want to mess with a computer system and the payment and the funding. It’s absurd to me. I’m so sick of the platitudes, support our troops, Paul Ryan talking about the men and women who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let’s handle this Figure out what they’re doing in Afghanistan, when yesterday a U.S. Bomb killed 30 civilians.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 11/29/18; VIDEO]

Dean Phillips, Ron Case, PG Narayanan, Kathy Nelson and Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn care about each of us.

Dean’s campaign slogan “Everyone’s Invited” is ever-present with his accessibility, kindness and listening to what every person has to say all around the metro. His clear, consistent messages are followed up with his actions.

Ron’s 22-year history on the Eden Prairie City Council shows that he takes action on our behalf. Rather than beginning with line items, he asks first: What do people want and need and what are people willing to pay for? His connections across Eden Prairie and Minneapolis, as well as his numerous endorsements by our City Council members and Debbie Goettel, show that he represents the vision for continuing the thriving success of Eden Prairie and Minneapolis. As a resident of Eden Prairie cumulatively for 18 years, Ron’s work for each of us in our community is one of the main reasons I love living here.

Kathy’s record on the City Council has been in alignment with the vision and support for our community, and having known PG in the business world for more than 20 years, I know he will be a strong asset to our City Council.

As a first-time candidate, Carlie is a proven problem solver whose inclusive vision is for a strong community. Continue reading “Dean Phillips, Ron Case, PG Narayanan, Kathy Nelson and Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn care about each of us.”