Tag: U.S. House

DNC on House Vote to End Trump’s Shutdown

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after the Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to end Donald Trump’s shutdown and reopen the federal government:

“This shutdown should’ve never happened. Democrats offered multiple proposals to avoid it, but Donald Trump decided to throw a tantrum that would be embarrassing even for a toddler. And now hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been left without a paycheck, federal agencies have lost their resources, and millions of American families have lost access to critical benefits and services.

“Tonight’s vote marks the dawn of a new era of leadership in the House of Representatives. The Senate GOP and President Trump should end their reckless shutdown and pass this bipartisan legislation, which includes measures they’ve already supported. The American people have made their voices clear: They want to fund and reopen the government. The time for games is over.”

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.

DNC on Nancy Pelosi’s Election as Speaker of the House

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement:

“The speaker’s gavel is finally back where it belongs. Nancy Pelosi doesn’t just hold the title of first female Speaker of the House, she’s also one of the most effective legislators and leaders in our nation’s history. In the depths of the Great Recession, her leadership helped steer our nation back to economic prosperity. And because of her tenacity, millions of Americans have benefited from the Affordable Care Act and its protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

“Under Speaker Ryan, Republicans tried to take affordable health care away from the American people. They handed out massive tax breaks for their wealthy friends while leaving working families behind. And they marched in lockstep with Donald Trump’s regressive agenda that has now resulted in a disastrous government shutdown. In November, voters spoke loud and clear: enough is enough. It’s time to hold this administration accountable for its attacks on working families, civil rights, human rights, and the rule of law. The Democratic Party is back and we’re fighting for the brighter future every American deserves – from affordable health care to an economy that works for all. Under Speaker Pelosi and Democratic leadership in the House, we will restore the guardrails of our democracy and get our country back on track.”

‘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.

Congress will have to ‘start impeachment’ process after Cohen filings, former Nixon counsel says

Federal prosecutors filed new court papers on Dec. 7 that revealed a previously unreported contact from a Russian to Trump’s inner circle during the campaign. (Melissa Macaya , Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

John Dean, a White House counsel under President Richard M. Nixon convicted for his role in the Watergate scandal, said Friday that allegations against President Trump detailed in new court filings give Congress “little choice” other than to begin impeachment proceedings.

Dean’s comments, made during CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” segment, follow the release of a legal memo from federal prosecutors in New York regarding Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen. Prosecutors wrote Cohen had implicated Trump in the arrangement of hush-money payments to women during the 2016 election.

“I don’t know that this will forever disappear into some dark hole of unprosecutable presidents,” Dean said. “I think it will resurface in the Congress. I think what this totality of today’s filings show that the House is going to have little choice, the way this is going, other than to start impeachment proceedings.”

View the complete December 8 article by Michael Brice-Saddler on The Washington Post website here.

Schumer gets ready to go on the offensive

After spending the past two years trying to protect 10 incumbent Democrats in pro-Trump states, the Senate minority leader is ready to put Republicans on the defensive, knowing the GOP will have a tougher electoral map to defend in 2020.

Republicans will have a bigger Senate majority next year — 53 seats compared to 51 seats now — but will also have more seats that Democrats are looking to pick off in the next election cycle.

Schumer has started flexing his muscles in the lame-duck session of Congress. He’s pushing Republicans to add measures such as protecting special counsel Robert Mueller and eliminating a question about citizenship from the U.S. census to a year-end spending package.

He has also dismissed the possibility of reviving an immigration deal he offered to President Trump earlier this year that would fully fund the proposed border wall in exchange for protections for immigrants who came to the country illegally at a young age.

View the complete December 6 article by Alexander Bolton on The Hill website here.

Clock ticks down on GOP Congress

Lawmakers are facing an end-of-the-year traffic jam with legislation piling up and a tight schedule that leaves them little wiggle room.

Leadership is juggling a backlog of must-pass bills and nominations as well as eleventh-hour requests from rank-and-file members as legislators try to cram as much as possible into the final days of the work year. Republicans, in particular, are feeling pressure to make a last-ditch effort as they prepare to cede control of the House to Democrats in January.

But the schedule got further scrambled following former President George H.W. Bush’s death, with Washington expected to dedicate days to mourning the 41st president. House Republicans announced Monday they are canceling votes for the week, while the Senate is delaying the start of its work week.

View the complete December 4 article by Jordain Carney on The Hill website here.

I’m eager to see change in Washington

To the Editor:

Congratulations Congressional District 3! I now have my first Democratic Congressman EVER. Plymouth has held a Republican seat since 1961, but now it is held by Dean Phillips. Dean Phillips won this by taking zero PAC dollars. None. Not one. Therefore, he can go to Washington and represent me and not the NRA or other PACs who used to represent me through Erik Paulsen (now defeated). I am eager for this to help change the tone in our government. We need people to listen to each other and to compromise and work both sides of the aisle. I expect Dean Phillips to spearhead this movement, and that is the only way the Democrats can continue to succeed, in my opinion.

Kerry Anderson, Plymouth
Plymouth Sun-Sailor, November 12, 2018

What’s Happening on Day 3 of Dean Phillips’ 40-City Coffee and Conversation Tour

EXCELSIOR, MN – Dean Phillips will continue his 5-day, 40-city “Coffee and Conversation Tour” from November 2nd to Election Day, November 6th.

Phillips’s campaign for Congress is based on the idea that representation begins with listening, and that change begins with conversation. Phillips has been traveling the district in his Government Repair Truck for a year and a half, meeting with and hearing from voters of all backgrounds at over 120 public events, making this a fitting close to his campaign.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Brooklyn Park: 12:00 NOON, door knock kickoff, DFL office (2937 Brookdale Dr, Brooklyn Park)

Coon Rapids: 12:45 PM, Pappy’s Cafe and Tavern

Champlin: 1:30 PM, Hudy’s Cafe and Lil Bar Continue reading “What’s Happening on Day 3 of Dean Phillips’ 40-City Coffee and Conversation Tour”