theonion--2019-07-25--Aging Congress Moves Into More Manageable Single-Story Ranch Capitol

WASHINGTON—Explaining that the lawmakers had really begun to slow down over the last few years, the aging United States Congress announced Thursday that they would move into a more manageable single-story ranch Capitol. “We don’t do too much nowadays anyway, so it’ll be easier to have a smaller place—plus, all those stairs out front were really messing with our knees,” said all 535 combined members of the House of Representatives and Senate, noting that the move was “bittersweet” after 200 years in the historic First Street Capitol, but that the ranch structure was ultimately a safer and more comfortable choice for all. “We don’t even move around as much as we once did, so we don’t need all that space with the big fancy dome and everything. Now everything we need is on the first floor. It’s just more comfortable, especially for those of us who are starting to get confused easily.” Congress disclosed that the ultimate catalyst for the move came when Joe Manchin (D-WV) fell down in the previous Capitol’s bathroom and was trapped there helpless for nine hours.

The Onion on Politics, shared by The Onion to The Onion


thepoliticalinsider--2019-02-08--Former Democratic Rep John Dingell Longest Serving Member Of Congress Ever Dies At 92

Former Democratic Rep John Dingell, Longest Serving Member Of Congress Ever, Dies At 92

Evie Fordham on February 7, 2019  Former Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell died Thursday, a day after his family revealed he was in hospice care.  Dingell was the longest-serving member of Congress in history, according to [The Detroit News](https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/02/07 /political-giant-john-dingell-congressional-legend-dies/2789108002/).  “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of John David Dingell, Jr., former Michigan Congressman … Congressman Dingell died peacefully today at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his wife Deborah. He was a lion of the United States Congress and a loving son, father, husband, grandfather and friend,” Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, Dingell’s wife, said in a [statement](https://twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1093700485880709121). She now represents his former district.  Dingell was [diagnosed with prostate cancer](https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2019/02/06 /john-dingell-in-hospice-care-after-cancer-diagnosis/2788039002/) in 2018 and wanted to share a message with his social media followers after the hospice announcement.  ### More from The Political Insider  “The Lovely Deborah is insisting I rest and stay off here, but after long negotiations we’ve worked out a deal where she’ll keep up with Twitter for me as I dictate the messages,” Dingell [wrote](https://twitter.com/JohnDingell/status/1093278546255056897) on Twitter Wednesday, referencing his wife. “I want to thank you all for your incredibly kind words and prayers. You’re not done with me just yet.”  The former congressman had [stepped down from office](https://dailycaller.com/2014/02/24/john-dingell-longest-serving- member-of-congress-announces-retirement/) in 2014 after serving since 1955. He first came to represent Michigan’s 12th Congressional District after winning a special election following the death of his father, Rep. John D. Dingell Sr, according to [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/John_Dingell).  He helped draft many of the nation’s important environmental and energy laws, reported The Detroit News. He was also a [big supporter of the Affordable Care Act](https://dailycaller.com/2013/03/20/rep-dingell-obamacare-will-make-the- american-people-live-longer-and-be-happier-video/).  “Let me just say this: You ain’t seen nothing yet. My dad was one of the authors of Social Security, [and] worked a long time to get it through. We finally, under your leadership, Madame Leader [Nancy Pelosi], we got the Affordable Care Act,” Dingell said in March 2013.  Politico health care reporter Dan Diamond predicted his influence would outlast him through the progressive left’s push for Medicare for all.  “Dingell was one of the key architects — for nearly 60 years in the House! — in the movement that’s become Medicare-for-All,” Diamond [wrote](https://twitter.com/ddiamond/status/1093265424240836616) Wednesday after news broke that Dingell had entered hospice care.  Dingell was not a fan of President Donald Trump, having [called on him to resign](https://dailycaller.com/2017/08/09/dem-lawmaker-taunts-trump-on- anniversary-of-nixons-resignation/) in August 2017.  _[Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham.](https://twitter.com/eviefordham?lang=en)_  _Send tips to[ [email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email- protection#bbdecdd2defbdfdad2d7c2d8dad7d7dec9d5deccc8ddd4ced5dfdacfd2d4d595d4c9dc)._


truepundit--2019-02-08--Former Democratic Rep John Dingell Longest Serving Member Of Congress Ever Dies At 92

Former Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell died Thursday, a day after his family revealed he was in hospice care.  Dingell was the longest-serving member of Congress in history, according to The Detroit News.  “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of John David Dingell, Jr., former Michigan Congressman … Congressman Dingell died peacefully today at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his wife Deborah. He was a lion of the United States Congress and a loving son, father, husband, grandfather and friend,” Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, Dingell’s wife, said in a statement. She now represents his former district.  Dingell was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 and wanted to share a message with his social media followers after the hospice announcement.  “The Lovely Deborah is insisting I rest and stay off here, but after long negotiations we’ve worked out a deal where she’ll keep up with Twitter for me as I dictate the messages,” Dingell wrote on Twitter Wednesday, referencing his wife. “I want to thank you all for your incredibly kind words and prayers. You’re not done with me just yet.”  The former congressman had stepped down from office in 2014 after serving since 1955. He first came to represent Michigan’s 12th Congressional District after winning a special election following the death of his father, Rep. John D. Dingell Sr, according to Ballotpedia.  He helped draft many of the nation’s important environmental and energy laws, reported The Detroit News. He was also a big supporter of the Affordable Care Act.  “Let me just say this: You ain’t seen nothing yet. My dad was one of the authors of Social Security, worked a long time to get it through. We finally, under your leadership, Madame Leader , we got the Affordable Care Act,” Dingell said in March 2013.  Politico health care reporter Dan Diamond predicted his influence would outlast him through the progressive left’s push for Medicare for all.  “Dingell was one of the key architects — for nearly 60 years in the House! — in the movement that’s become Medicare-for-All,” Diamond wrote Wednesday after news broke that Dingell had entered hospice care.


truepundit--2019-07-02--Cruz Calls Out Congress for Refusing to Change Asylum Laws That Put Children at Risk It Is Not H

Cruz Calls Out Congress for Refusing to Change Asylum Laws That Put ‘Children at Risk’: ‘It Is Not Humane’ (VIDEO)

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called out his colleagues in Congress for failing to close asylum loopholes that put migrant families at risk.  During a press conference from the border on Monday, Cruz outlined the treacherous journey that migrants from Central America take as they head to the United States. He called out Congress for refusing to come together to address some of the asylum loopholes that encourage families to make the journey.  “This is a crisis — and unfortunately, this is a man-made crisis. The responsibility for this crisis lies directly on the United States Congress. On loopholes that Congress has put into law that are encouraging far too many people to make this arduous journey. Today, a group of reporters walked one mile in the blazing sun with water, with medical assistance if we needed it. Now, imagine doing that if you were a 4-year-old child. Imaging doing that if you were a woman eight months pregnant. Our policies — the loopholes that Congress has put in place — is encouraging people to risk their lives.” – READ MORE


unian--2019-09-11--Reuters US senators expect Congress to reinstate aid for Ukraine even if Trump cuts it

Reuters: U.S. senators expect Congress to reinstate aid for Ukraine even if Trump cuts it

Trump administration officials said last month that the White House was reviewing whether the $250 million in military assistance for Ukraine should be sent to the country.  Republican and Democratic senators said on Tuesday they expected the U.S. Congress would pass legislation restoring $250 million in military aid for Ukraine if President Donald Trump goes ahead with plans to block the assistance.  "If he decides not to spend this money, I truly am fairly confident, that, on a bipartisan basis, Congress will reappropriate it," Republican Senator Ron Johnson told reporters, according to Reuters.  Johnson made his remarks at a news conference with Democratic Senator Chris Murphy about their recent trip to Europe, which included stops in Ukraine, Kosovo and Serbia. Murphy also visited Germany.  Trump administration officials said last month that the White House was reviewing whether the $250 million in military assistance for Ukraine should be sent to the country, even though it had already been approved by Congress in legislation signed into law by the president.  Johnson said he had spoken to Trump about the aid just before the trip, and Trump had told him his concern was about whether European countries, not the United States, should be providing funds to Ukraine because the country is in their "backyard."  Read alsoTrump says ready to join Normandy talks on Donbas settlement – media  Murphy said it was clear in meetings with Ukrainian officials that they did not have a full understanding of why the money might be withheld. He said the Ukrainians brought up the issue in every meeting with the U.S. lawmakers.  The two senators said they had sought to reassure the Ukrainians that Congress was behind the country as it faces Russian aggression.  "Regardless of what the president does, the United States Congress is with you, and we support the courage of the Ukrainian people," Johnson said.


usatoday--2019-01-03--How this Congress is different from the past Meet the lawmakers making historic firsts

How this Congress is different from the past: Meet the lawmakers making historic firsts

WASHINGTON – The 116th Congress kicked off Thursday with more women and racially diverse lawmakers than ever before – and many freshmen marking "firsts" for their states or the nation.  The surge was driven largely by Democrats as the party took over House control for the first time in eight years.  Among those taking the oath on Thursday was freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., one of the first Muslim women in Congress.  Omar, with family in tow, navigated through the U.S. Capitol and down a hall to a space crowded with statues and mostly new members of Congress.  Her father, Nur Mohamed, was by her side as he was 23 years ago when they first landed at a D.C. airport from a refugee camp in Kenya.  “He had really high hopes, but I don’t think when he was thinking about the opportunities that awaited his children as he brought us here,’’ Omar recalled as she rushed to get in line for a ceremonial picture with the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. “I don’t think that he imagined that they would be of abundance - that he would within a little over 20 years take his daughter to get sworn in into the United States Congress. And so we are humbled and overwhelmed really with joy.”  Sworn in were 127 women – 102 in the House and 25 in the Senate – breaking a record of 110, set in 2018, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Of the 127, 106 are Democrats and 21 are Republicans.  The House will also have the largest number of women of color ever – 43 – plus the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.  Pelosi, the only woman to have ever served as House speaker, was re-elected to the post on Thursday.  Women weren’t the only ones to make history Thursday.  Rep. Jim Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat and the first quadriplegic elected to Congress in 2010, presided over the first day of business for the new Congress, serving as the "Speaker Pro Tempore."  “The American people elected our new Democratic majority to enact a more positive and forward-looking agenda,’’ Langevin, co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, said in a statement. “Serving as Speaker pro tempore tomorrow reaffirms our commitment to creating a more inclusive government that works for everyone.”  Here's a breakdown of some of the firsts:  The New York activist and Democrat, 29, cruised to victory after upsetting established Democrat Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary race. She is already making waves. In November, she kicked off her first day of new-member orientation by participating in a climate change protest at Pelosi's office. Ocasio-Cortez, who voted for Pelosi as speaker Thursday, has said she will oppose a rules package, crafted by Democratic leaders. She opposes its new budget rules that she tweeted are a "dark political maneuver designed to hamstring progress on healthcare+other leg."  Minnesota voters elected Omar, and Michigan voters elected Tlaib. Omar also became Minnesota's first Somali-American legislator, the first woman of color elected to Congress from the state and the first woman in Congress to wear a hijab, a Muslim head covering. Democrats will vote on new rules, clarifying the prohibition on wearing hats in the House does not apply to religious headwear.  Omar, who sported a red hijab Thursday, said she understands the symbolism of her historic election, “especially in a time when there is so much divisiveness in our nation…It still tells people that there is hope and we should still be optimistic about the American dream. And it’s really not one off. There are so many of us that are walking into Congress that really are showing this nation that we are capable of having the American dream realized.”  For her ceremonial swearing-in photo, Tlaib put her hand on her Koran. She also wore a traditional Palestinian robe made by her mom.  "For my mom, it honors her in so many ways," she said.  Aside from making history, Tlaib said the whole event made her a little emotional.  "Just being here, you have to think, 'Is it really happening?'" she said.  Pressley, a former Boston City Councilor who became the first black women to represent Massachusetts in the House, tweeted a picture of the plaque bearing her name outside her new door in one of the House office buildings.  Pressley, with black shoes in hand, rushed around National Statuary Hall, hoping to find her place in in line to take her photo with Pelosi.  “It feels good,’’ she said of the day.  Democrat Jahana Hayes became the state's first black woman – along with the state's first black Democrat – elected to the House. She is a political newcomer who was the 2016 National Teacher of the Year.  Davids is a Kansas Democrat and member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. She is also Kansas’ first LGBTQ member of Congress.  Haaland is a New Mexico Democrat and member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe.  “I’m so excited to be here,’’ said Haaland, sporting native garb, before rushing off to cast a vote. “It took native women 240 years to get on the House floor.”  Republican Marsha Blackburn defeated former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen in a closely watched race for the Senate. Blackburn succeeds retiring Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, as the state's next junior senator and first woman elected to the seat.  Sinema, a Democrat, won a competitive election against McSally, a Republican, to replace the retiring GOP Sen. Jeff Flake and become Arizona's first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in November. McSally was then appointed to fill the seat once held by the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and must face voters again in 2020.  Hyde-Smith, a Republican, had been appointed to fill a vacancy before winning her election. A former state agriculture commissioner and state senator, she will complete the two years remaining of GOP Sen. Thad Cochran’s term. She fended off a challenge from Democrat Mike Espy last November. Her campaign got a 11th hour boost from President Donald Trump, who traveled to Mississippi on the eve of the Senate run-off.  Iowa had women as governor and senator, but the state elected women to the U.S. House for the first time. Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne, both Democrats, beat out their incumbent opponents, both men.  Escobar, El Paso's first woman in Congress, posted a picture of the nameplate on her door and invited visitors to D.C. to stop by. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve our beloved community and country,’’ she tweeted.  Contributing: Joel Shannon, Aamer Madhani and Michael Collins, USA TODAY; Seth A. Richardson, Reno Gazette-Journal; Jonathan Ellis, Sioux Falls Argus Leader; Sara Sanchez, El Paso Times; Joey Garrison and Joel Ebert, Nashville Tennessean; Robin Opsahl, Des Moines Register; The Associated Press, Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press

Deborah Barfield Berry and Nicole Gaudiano, USA TODAY


usatoday--2019-01-04--How this Congress is different from the past Meet the lawmakers making historic firsts

WASHINGTON – The 116th Congress kicked off Thursday with more women and racially diverse lawmakers than ever before – and many freshmen marking "firsts" for their states or the nation.  The surge was driven largely by Democrats as the party took over House control for the first time in eight years.  Among those taking the oath on Thursday was freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., one of the first Muslim women in Congress.  Omar, with family in tow, navigated through the U.S. Capitol and down a hall to a space crowded with statues and mostly new members of Congress.  Her father, Nur Mohamed, was by her side as he was 23 years ago when they first landed at a D.C. airport from a refugee camp in Kenya.  “He had really high hopes, but I don’t think when he was thinking about the opportunities that awaited his children as he brought us here,’’ Omar recalled as she rushed to get in line for a ceremonial picture with the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. “I don’t think that he imagined that they would be of abundance - that he would within a little over 20 years take his daughter to get sworn in into the United States Congress. And so we are humbled and overwhelmed really with joy.”  Sworn in were 127 women – 102 in the House and 25 in the Senate – breaking a record of 110, set in 2018, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Of the 127, 106 are Democrats and 21 are Republicans.  The House will also have the largest number of women of color ever – 43 – plus the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.  Pelosi, the only woman to have ever served as House speaker, was re-elected to the post on Thursday.  Women weren’t the only ones to make history Thursday.  Rep. Jim Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat and the first quadriplegic elected to Congress in 2010, presided over the first day of business for the new Congress, serving as the "Speaker Pro Tempore."  “The American people elected our new Democratic majority to enact a more positive and forward-looking agenda,’’ Langevin, co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, said in a statement. “Serving as Speaker pro tempore tomorrow reaffirms our commitment to creating a more inclusive government that works for everyone.”  Here's a breakdown of some of the firsts:  The New York activist and Democrat, 29, cruised to victory after upsetting established Democrat Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary race. She is already making waves. In November, she kicked off her first day of new-member orientation by participating in a climate change protest at Pelosi's office. Ocasio-Cortez, who voted for Pelosi as speaker Thursday, has said she will oppose a rules package, crafted by Democratic leaders. She opposes its new budget rules that she tweeted are a "dark political maneuver designed to hamstring progress on healthcare+other leg."  Minnesota voters elected Omar, and Michigan voters elected Tlaib. Omar also became Minnesota's first Somali-American legislator, the first woman of color elected to Congress from the state and the first woman in Congress to wear a hijab, a Muslim head covering. Democrats will vote on new rules, clarifying the prohibition on wearing hats in the House does not apply to religious headwear.  Omar, who sported a red hijab Thursday, said she understands the symbolism of her historic election, “especially in a time when there is so much divisiveness in our nation…It still tells people that there is hope and we should still be optimistic about the American dream. And it’s really not one off. There are so many of us that are walking into Congress that really are showing this nation that we are capable of having the American dream realized.”  For her ceremonial swearing-in photo, Tlaib put her hand on her Koran. She also wore a traditional Palestinian robe made by her mom.  "For my mom, it honors her in so many ways," she said.  Aside from making history, Tlaib said the whole event made her a little emotional.  "Just being here, you have to think, 'Is it really happening?'" she said.  Pressley, a former Boston City Councilor who became the first black women to represent Massachusetts in the House, tweeted a picture of the plaque bearing her name outside her new door in one of the House office buildings.  Pressley rushed around National Statuary Hall, hoping to find her place in in line to take her photo with Pelosi.  “It feels good,’’ she said of the day.  Democrat Jahana Hayes became the state's first black woman – along with the state's first black Democrat – elected to the House. She is a political newcomer who was the 2016 National Teacher of the Year.  Davids is a Kansas Democrat and member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. She is also Kansas’ first LGBTQ member of Congress.  Haaland is a New Mexico Democrat and member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe.  “I’m so excited to be here,’’ said Haaland, sporting native garb, before rushing off to cast a vote. “It took native women 240 years to get on the House floor.”  Republican Marsha Blackburn defeated former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen in a closely watched race for the Senate. Blackburn succeeds retiring Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, as the state's next junior senator and first woman elected to the seat.  Sinema, a Democrat, won a competitive election against McSally, a Republican, to replace the retiring GOP Sen. Jeff Flake and become Arizona's first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in November. McSally was then appointed to fill the seat once held by the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and must face voters again in 2020.  Hyde-Smith, a Republican, had been appointed to fill a vacancy before winning her election. A former state agriculture commissioner and state senator, she will complete the two years remaining of GOP Sen. Thad Cochran’s term. She fended off a challenge from Democrat Mike Espy last November. Her campaign got a 11th hour boost from President Donald Trump, who traveled to Mississippi on the eve of the Senate run-off.  Iowa had women as governor and senator, but the state elected women to the U.S. House for the first time. Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne, both Democrats, beat out their incumbent opponents, both men.  Escobar, El Paso's first woman in Congress, posted a picture of the nameplate on her door and invited visitors to D.C. to stop by. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve our beloved community and country,’’ she tweeted.  Contributing: Joel Shannon, Aamer Madhani and Michael Collins, USA TODAY; Seth A. Richardson, Reno Gazette-Journal; Jonathan Ellis, Sioux Falls Argus Leader; Sara Sanchez, El Paso Times; Joey Garrison and Joel Ebert, Nashville Tennessean; Robin Opsahl, Des Moines Register; The Associated Press, Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press


usatoday--2019-01-05--Did you catch these sometimes hidden messages from lawmakers as Congress returned to work

Did you catch these sometimes hidden messages from lawmakers as Congress returned to work?

WASHINGTON - The choice of earrings. The book that was used to swear them in. A flag outside their office.  Congress' newly sworn in lawmakers have taken bold stances in seemingly subtle ways to raise awareness and show off what makes the 116th Congress so diverse.  Here's a rundown of some of the sometimes subtle or hidden messages lawmakers have used during their swearing-in and first few days in Washington that you may have missed.  She's already the youngest person elected to Congress and doesn't shy away from taking bold stances.  New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offered an array of subtle messages in her clothing choice during her swearing in this week to honor women's suffrage and embolden young women who will come after her.  Wearing an all-white suit, gold hoops earrings and bold red lipstick, Ocasio-Cortez said her outfit was to "honor the women who paved the path before me, and for all the women yet to come."  White is one of the official colors of the suffragist movement and a similar effort was done in 2017 with dozens of Democratic women wearing all white to protest President Donald Trump.  "I wore all-white today to honor the women who paved the path before me, and for all the women yet to come," Ocasio-Cortez posted on Twitter. "From suffragettes to Shirley Chisholm, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the mothers of the movement."  She added in another tweet that her lipstick and gold hoop earrings were inspired by Sonia Sotomayor. Ocasio-Cortez said in the tweet that Sotomayor "was advised to wear neutral-colored nail polish to her confirmation hearings to avoid scrutiny."  "She kept her red. Next time someone tells Bronx girls to take off their hoops, they can just say they’re dressing like a Congresswoman," Ocasio-Cortez wrote.  Rep. Deb Haaland made history as being one of the first of two Native American women sworn into Congress this week. She paid homage to those roots and her heritage with wearing traditional pueblo garb during her swearing in.  Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, donned moccasins, turquoise jewelry and a tunic with bright turquoise sleeves.  Her family, including her mother who was in a wheelchair, similarly wore pueblo attire with intricate patterns and hues of red, brown and bright turquoise colors.  After she was sworn in, Haaland shared a moment with fellow Democrat Sharice Davids of Kansas. The pair, who were the first Native American women to ever be elected in Congress, shared a hug.  Minnesota's Ilhan Omar became the first Muslim woman in Congress, along with Michigan's Rashida Tlaib.  But Omar also became Minnesota's first Somali-American legislator, the first woman of color elected to Congress from the state and the first woman in Congress to wear a hijab, a Muslim head covering.  She celebrated that during her swearing-in on Thursday with wearing a traditional red hijab. She also placed her hand on the Quran of her late grandfather when she was sworn in.  "As a kid, I acted as my grandfather's translator at our caucuses and he was the one who first sparked my interest in politics," Omar wrote on Twitter. "I wish he could be here to witness this historic moment, but he was here in spirit as I placed my hand on his Quran for the ceremonial swearing-in."  Military and state flags are common sights throughout the office buildings that surround the U.S. Capitol but outside Rep. Jennifer Wexton's office sits something different.  Wexton, the newly sworn-in Congresswoman representing Virginia's 10th district, hung up a transgender flag outside her new office in the Longworth House office building.  Wexton, who is an aunt to a transgender child, told the Washingtonian that the white, pink and blue striped flag was a showing of solidarity with the LGBT community.  "The trans community has been under attack," Wexton told the Washingtonian. "I wanted to show my solidarity because we are talking about my friends and family."  Rashida Tlaib, who along with Omar became the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, also paid homage to her heritage during her first act in Congress.  Tlaib wore a Palestinian thobe, an ankle-length Arab garment, when she was sworn in. Tlaib, a Democrat representing Michigan's 13th district, also was sworn in with a Quran.  In an opinion piece for Elle magazine, Tlaib wrote about the importance of the garment and watching her mother stitch similar dresses when she was young. She wrote that her mother had to drop out of school in 8th grade and work for a tailor to help support her family in Palestine.  "Throughout my career in public service, the residents I have had the privilege of fighting for have embraced who I am, especially my Palestinian roots," she wrote. "This is what I want to bring to the United States Congress, an unapologetic display of the fabric of the people in this country. This is why I decided to wear a thobe when I am sworn into the 116th Congress."  Kyrsten Sinema made history Thursday when she and Martha McSally became the first two women from Arizona sworn into the U.S. Senate. Sinema, a Democrat, made even more history than that, becoming the first openly bisexual person in the Senate.  But her outfit during her swearing-in and first day in Congress got a lot of attention and many saw a deeper meaning.  Sinema’s wore a pink coat during her first day as a U.S. Senator and during the campaign, Sinema was attacked for protesting the Iraq war while wearing a pink tutu. Some online saw the choice of a pink coat as a hidden dig to those who attacked her.  Andrew Kaczynski, a reporter for CNN, tweeted, “One of attacks from Republicans on Sinema during the campaign was she worn a pink tutu while protesting Iraq — which Republicans attempted to label as denigrating service members. I can't help but thinking this is an elaborate troll.”


abcnews--2019-01-02--Art of the deal Lawmakers float options to Trump for end to shutdown

Art of the deal: Lawmakers float options to Trump for end to shutdown

With the new year underway and a new Congress set to reconvene with the partial government shutdown stretching into its 12th day, Republican lawmakers are floating multiple different options to the White House ranging from short-term deals to potential grand bargains on immigration reform.  The public appeals follow a joint announcement by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and presumptive incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of bills that would fully fund the agencies who have experienced a lapse in federal funding but not supply the president with any money for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.  The White House on Tuesday evening made clear in a statement it would reject the proposal from Schumer and Pelosi, but did not offer any apparent counter-offer ahead of a planned Situation Room briefing on border security for leaders of both parties at the White House on Wednesday afternoon.  "Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi released a plan that will not re-open the government because it fails to secure the border and puts the needs of other countries above the needs of our own citizens," press secretary Sarah Sanders said. "The Pelosi plan is a non-starter because it does not fund our homeland security or keep American families safe from human trafficking, drugs, and crime."  However, the announcement from Pelosi that House Democrats would seek to pass the government funding measures immediately upon her taking the Speaker's gavel on Thursday put renewed pressure on Republicans.  Leaders in the party have yet to announce a concrete package with the White House on any legitimate counter-offer in between the $1.3 billion for border security funding proposed by Democrats and the $5.7 billion for a border wall previously passed by House Republicans before relinquishing control of the chamber.  Sources familiar with the president's thinking say he doesn't plan to make any sort of counteroffer to Democrats during Wednesday's meeting with congressional leaders, though in a Cabinet meeting Tuesday he signaled he would support a border wall funding provision with a fix for the more than 700,000 individuals protected by the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) program who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.  It was not immediately clear, however, which of the several possible deals floated by Republicans the president found as preferable.  Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, penned an op-ed in the Washington Post Tuesday outlining three different paths lawmakers could choose to take that the president should accept.  One option, per Alexander, would involve Democrats providing $1.6 billion in funding to the Department of Homeland Security, with "an additional $1 billion to improve border security at ports of entry."  The second, broader deal pushed by Alexander proposes a deal previously passed out of the Senate in February that would have allocated $25 billion in border security funding with a fix for the more than 700,000 individuals protected by the DACA program who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.  A third, much broader compromise deal floated by Alexander would involve a DACA fix as well as measures to protect others in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), along with more than $40 billion for border security. The so-called 'Gang of Eight' bill was passed in 2013 but was never brought for a vote in the House, and was largely dismissed by Trump and his campaign during 2016 as an 'amnesty' deal prioritizing undocumented immigrants.  Sources familiar with President Donald Trump's thinking tell ABC News he has drawn a red line of at least $2.5 billion in wall funding, a figure that Vice President Mike Pence and acting chief of staff had last presented to lawmakers as a potential compromise.  But asked during his Cabinet meeting whether he would accept less than $2.5 billion, Trump seemed to rule out the figure altogether.  "No, not $2.5, no," Trump said. "We're asking for $5.6. And you know, somebody said 2.5. No. This is national security we're talking about."  Emerging from a two-hour Sunday lunch with the president, Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that he was "encouraged" Trump might support $5 billion for a border wall in exchange for a declaration of support of 'the Bridge Act.' Graham and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin previously introduced the bill that would provide one-time renewable three-year work permits to DACA recipients and extend legal status for temporary protected status holders.  "There is a lot of sympathy for the population in Congress and I think the president is open-minded about this dilemma," Graham said. "The president didn't commit, but he's open-minded."  Despite Trump's public declaration of support for a DACA deal, Democrats have said that communication between both sides has been scarce.  Ahead of the Situation Room meeting Wednesday afternoon, there was no direct contact between Trump to Schumer or Pelosi in 22 days, aside from feuding via their Twitter accounts.  For their part, Pelosi and Schumer have made no indication they will back down from their pledge to introduce the series of six appropriations bills that would fully fund the shuttered government agencies through September, and fund DHS through Feb. 8, temporarily delaying the fight over immigration and the border wall.  While Trump has framed the shutdown as a dilemma for Pelosi as she assumes the speakership, Pelosi tweeted Tuesday that it provides an opportunity for Democrats to show unity in providing a path to reopen the government as Republicans continue the debate over a possible compromise that would appeal to Trump's demands.


abcnews--2019-01-04--As shutdown heads into 3rd week Trump hosts lawmakers for 2nd White House meeting

As shutdown heads into 3rd week, Trump hosts lawmakers for 2nd White House meeting

President Donald Trump is hosting Democratic and Republican lawmakers at the White House Friday for the second meeting in three days as the government shutdown heads into its third week.  The meeting will largely mirror a Situation Room briefing on border security Wednesday with the same eight members of leadership for both parties in the House and Senate. Friday's briefing will similarly take place in the Situation Room and is not expected to be open to press coverage.  The meeting also comes after the House and Senate adjourned Friday morning. The two chambers are set to return next Tuesday, all but assuring that the partial government shutdown will likely continue well into next week.  Fresh off her election as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi is expected to pressure the president to sign a series of measures House Democrats passed Thursday evening that would open the six federal agencies shuttered in the government shutdown and extend Department of Homeland Security funding through Feb. 8 to make time for negotiations on border security.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he would not bring the bills for a vote in his chamber without approval from the president, who has only dug in on his demands for more than $5 billion in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.  "The package presented by the House's new Democratic leaders yesterday can only be seen as a time-wasting act of political posturing," McConnell announced on the Senate floor Friday morning.  He went on: "It does not carry the support of the president ... the president would actually veto it. And it cannot earn the support of 60 of my colleagues over here in the Senate. My friends across the aisle understand the ground rules perfectly well."  But there were new signs of cracks in the GOP line as Republican members awaited word from the White House on what exactly the president might sign that would satisfy a sufficient number of Democrats to pass out of the Senate, where a 60-vote threshold is required.  Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, both said they would support measures that would end the partial shutdown and not provide the funding demanded by the president for his border wall.  Reacting to Gardner and Collins' statements, press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters Friday the president wouldn't back down.  "Look the president has the support of the American people because they want to feel safe," Sanders said. "The number one duty that the president has and frankly that Congress shares with him is to protect the people in this country."  Both sides made no progress in the Wednesday meeting as President Trump and DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen sought to exclusively focus on the need for a wall, which Democrats have described as unnecessary and "immoral" in the broader argument for enhanced border security.


abcnews--2019-01-06--Some Texas lawmakers see less appetite for divisive measures

Texas' last legislative session ended with one lawmaker threatening to shoot another after reporting Hispanic protesters to immigration agents, and corporate giants from Amazon to the NFL issuing warnings over a "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people.  More than a year later, comes a test: whether a humbling 2018 for Texas Republicans will soften one of the most conservative statehouses in the country.  The Texas Legislature returns Tuesday, and unlike places such as Colorado and Minnesota where Democrats seized control of legislative chambers in November's midterm elections, Republicans remain firmly in power. They're ringing in a 20th consecutive year of controlling every statewide office. But they also took their licks: Democrats flipped 14 seats in the Legislature, closing the gap.  Beto O'Rourke's star-making challenge against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz at the top of the ticket propelled the upsets, igniting his own White House prospects and leaving Texas Republicans wobbled after their worst election in a generation.  Now after years of the Texas Capitol playing host to some of the nation's biggest fights over abortion, immigration and anti-LGBT laws, some legislators in both parties foresee the midterm results and 2020's high stakes as curbing the appetite for divisive bills that derailed past sessions and turned off voters in the state's booming big cities.  The party in power after the 2020 election will draw new voting maps — an upper hand Republicans used last time to carve Texas into a 101-49 House supermajority in 2011. That advantage has since shrunk to 83-67.  "I think the voters made it clear what issues they want us focused on," said Republican state Rep. Jeff Leach, who held onto his suburban district near Dallas, where the GOP lost five House seats. "Their message to Republicans, at least, was: Don't compromise your values and your principles and beliefs, but focus on the big aspirational issues that keep Texas strong for a generation to come."  During Texas' most recent legislative session in 2017, Leach supported a contentious bill that would have required transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate. The bill ultimately failed amid a backlash from Fortune 500 companies.  Now, Leach says, "I have not had anyone tell me" that issue needs to be a priority.  Across the U.S., Democrats picked up more than 330 statehouse seats in November, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures. Other states where Republicans absorbed big losses while maintaining legislative power include Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia.  Already in Texas, there are hints of less turbulence on the eve of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's second term. Like many states, public school funding is the biggest issue singled out by both parties. Paying to help rebuild the Texas coast in the aftermath of 2017's Hurricane Harvey, the nation's most destructive storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, is another task.  Of course, calls for bipartisanship and getting to the unflashy business of state governance ring eternal at the start of every legislative session. And some Republicans lawmakers had signaled to audiences of Texas conservative activists before the midterms that they would continue pushing bills on social issues, which would likely rekindle opposition with gay rights groups and big businesses.  The Texas Legislature is only at work for five months every two years, but reliably packs drama and spectacle into such a short amount of time. In 2003, Democrats fled the state to a Holiday Inn in Oklahoma to break quorum and stop a redistricting bill that cost them seats. A decade later, then-Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis staged a 13-hour filibuster to temporarily block a sweeping anti-abortion law, propelling her to a failed run for governor.  The last session saw Texas Republicans mostly at war with themselves. Abbott demanded the "bathroom bill," though opponents included moderate House speaker, who is now leaving office.  All the while, Texas was passing one of the nation's toughest crackdowns on "sanctuary cities," allowing police to ask people during routine stops whether they're in the U.S. illegally. Tensions over the bill spilled into chaos on the session's final day, when Republican state Rep. Matt Rinaldi called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Latino protesters in the House gallery. Democratic state Rep. Poncho Nevarez angrily confronted Rinaldi, who later wrote on Facebook that he had warned Nevarez that he would "shoot him in self-defense."  Rinaldi lost re-election to his Dallas-area district last year, and Navarez — re-elected to a fourth term in his district along the border with Mexico— says Republicans who push divisive bills this time do so at their own electoral risk.  "I think it's going to be different. We went down a real dark path last session," Nevarez said.


abcnews--2019-12-04--NYC lawmakers to consider cracking down on paper receipts

New York City lawmakers are considering a ban on paper receipts coated with the chemical BPA and a requirement that retailers offer emailed receipts instead of paper ones.  The City Council announced last week that it will hold hearings on a package of bills aimed at cracking down on paper receipts.  “Nobody needs foot-long receipts," said Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Democrat. “We will work with businesses and consumers to cut out paper receipt waste and protect the planet. Let’s not print receipts when they aren’t wanted, especially when we have technology to issue environmentally friendly alternatives."  Most cash register receipts are coated with bisphenol A, known as BPA, or the related chemical BPS. Some studies have determined the chemicals could harm the female reproductive system at high levels.  The City Council will consider bills in the next few months to restrict the use of BPA-coated paper, to require stores to offer e-receipts, to require that receipts be printed on recyclable paper and to require businesses to recycle receipts.


breitbart--2019-12-10--Report: Vulnerable Democrat Lawmakers Floating Censure Instead of Impeachment

A small group of almost a dozen moderate House Democrats is floating the long-shot idea of censuring President Donald Trump instead of impeaching him, according to a report.  The group, representing Democrats whose districts went for Trump in 2016, huddled on Monday afternoon in an “11th-hour bid to weigh additional — though unlikely — options,” according to Politico.  Schrader said Tuesday that censure would be “certainly appropriate and might be a little more bipartisan, who knows,” according to the outlet. But he added, “Time’s slipping by.”  Censure — unlike impeachment — could be bipartisan, whereas impeachment has not garnered the support of one House Republican. In fact, two Democrats defected on the vote to begin an impeachment inquiry — Reps. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) and Collin Peterson (D-MN).  Impeachment is particularly risky for the 31 Democrats who won seats in districts that went for Trump in 2016.  A recent McLaughlin & Associates poll showed Brindisi underwater for 2020 and even lower if he supports impeachment. He and other moderates were crucial to the Democrats winning control of the House in 2018.  And polls have shown support for impeachment slipping, notably among independents and in swing states critical to the 2020 presidential race.  Censure, versus impeachment, would also help Democrats avoid a lengthy Senate trial that could distract Democrats in the run-up to the election, and is expected to acquit Trump anyway.  “Right now, there’s no other options. This is another option,” one lawmaker told Politico.  A censure resolution would be “nearly impossible to sell to the caucus at this point, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team have already settled on impeaching the president,” Politico reported.  Still, some of the worried Democrats have quietly reached out to centrist House Republicans in recent days to see whether they would be willing to censure Trump, according to the outlet.  “I don’t think [moderate Democrats] have enough to block impeachment. Ten to 12 max. But they’re working to raise it,” one Republican lawmaker, who has discussed censure with some Democrats, told the outlet. “And [they’re] obviously reaching out to Republicans to see if they would join them.”


breitbart--2019-12-20--Lawmakers Signal Impeachment Trial Details Will Remain Unsettled into the New Year

Senate leaders signaled on Thursday that the details of the Senate impeachment trial will largely remain a mystery heading into the New Year, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) failed to reach an agreement on key details of the trial.  The two leaders had what McConnell described as a “cordial” conversation on Thursday but confirmed that they remain at an “impasse.”  McConnell said, according to the Hill:  Those logistical questions revolve around documents and witnesses — including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton — which Schumer claims are necessary to “ensure a fair trial.”  McConnell is expected to “consider Sen. Schumer’s proposal over the holidays,” according to Schumer spokesman Justin Goodman.  “Senator Schumer made clear to Sen. McConnell that the witnesses and documents are necessary to ensure a fair trial in the Senate,” Goodman stated, according to the Hill.  “Sen. Schumer asked Sen. McConnell to consider Sen. Schumer’s proposal over the holidays because Sen. Schumer and his caucus believe the witnesses and documents are essential to a fair Senate trial,” he added.  Senate leaders, however, say additional witnesses are unnecessary, as Democrats should have already made their case in the House.  “The Senate is meant to act as judge and jury to hear a trial, not to rerun the entire fact-finding investigation because angry partisans rushed sloppily through it,” McConnell said on Tuesday.  So now the Senate Democratic leader would apparently like our chamber to do House Democrats’ homework for them. He wants to volunteer the Senate’s time and energy on a fishing expedition to see whether his own ideas could make Chairman Schiff’s sloppy work more persuasive than Chairman Schiff himself bothered to make it. So, madame president, this concept is dead wrong. The Senate is meant to act as judge and jury to hear a trial, not to rerun the entire fact-finding investigation because angry partisans rushed sloppily through it. The trajectory that the Democratic leader apparently wants to take us down or before he’s even heard opening arguments could set a nightmare nightmarish precedent for our institution. If the Senate volunteers ourselves to do House Democrats’ homework for them, we will only incentivize an endless strain of dubious partisan impeachments in the future, and we will invite future Houses to paralyze future Senates with frivolous impeachments at will.  I am not going to support witnesses being called for by the president. I am not going to support witnesses being called for by Sen. [Charles] Schumer [D-N.Y.],” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Wednesday.  “I continue to believe that the unanimous bipartisan precedent that was good enough for President Clinton ought to be good enough for President Trump,” McConnell added on Thursday. “Fair is fair.”  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has yet to indicate when she will transfer the articles to the Senate. McConnell said on the Senate floor on Thursday that she is too afraid to send “their shoddy work product to the Senate.”  As Breitbart News reported, “the Senate can act, regardless — and would vote to acquit.”


businessinsider--2019-06-14--Republican lawmakers are closing in on a bill that would challenge Trumps tariff powers

Republican lawmakers are closing in on a bill that would challenge Trump’s tariff powers

As President Donald Trump hails protectionist policies as a key way to gain leverage abroad, Republican lawmakers are moving toward legislation that would shift tariff powers to Capitol Hill.  Trump has upended a key GOP platform over the past year by igniting trade wars with multiple countries, including US allies. Now, senators appear to be closing in on a plan that seeks to limit presidential trade authority.  Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio put out competing bills this year that seek to reform Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which lets the president unilaterally impose tariffs on the grounds of national security concerns. Toomey told Business Insider he hopes a markup will be ready "in the coming weeks."  Trump was met with sharp backlash from Republican lawmakers this month after holding the threat of tariffs over Mexico until the US ally agreed to take steps to stem the flow of migrants across the southern border. The president has separately drawn criticism from his party for invoking Section 232 to impose blanket duties on steel and aluminum imports.  "Misusing this trade tool not only hurts our exports and our manufacturers, but also our consumers, and I'm hopeful the Senate Finance Committee takes action on this legislation," said Portman.  A bonus just for you: Click here to claim 30 days of access to Business Insider PRIME  Both Toomey's Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act and Portman's Trade Security Act have bipartisan support and seek to rein in trade powers at the White House.  Toomey's plan is seen as the tougher of the two, requiring congressional approval for the president to declare an import a national security threat. It would also retroactively include all presidential orders up to four years prior to its passage.  Portman's bill would add administrative steps to the Section 232 process and allow congressional committees to issue a joint resolution of disapproval to tariff actions by the president. Proponents say that approach might be less likely to face opposition, while critics argue that it lacks binding language.  "The problem is that there's no guarantee that that bill would get time on the floor in the Senate or the House," said a Republican aide familiar with the legislation. "The Toomey legislation guarantees a vote."  Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is leading efforts to forge a compromise on the dueling bills. In a call with reporters Tuesday, the Iowa Republican acknowledged Trump would likely not be fond of the legislation but avoided criticizing the president.  "This is not about Trump," he said during the call, according to POLITICO. "It's about the balancing of power."  Economists say protectionist policies distort trade flows while acting as a tax on businesses and consumers at home. That has put some Republican lawmakers in an uncomfortable spot, especially as Trump restricts trade to address issues like immigration.  "Trump is unusual in his fondness for tariffs as a bargaining chip, and his comfort in using emergency powers to justify it," said Donald Moynihan, the McCourt chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. "We have gotten to a point where some Republican members of the Senate have lost trust in Trump when it comes to tariffs."  The president argues that duties will ultimately benefit Americans, making any short-term pain at home worth it. He believes reshaping trade policies will bring jobs back to the US, a signature promise of his that dates back to the 2016 campaign trail.  "The President's tariffs have not come anywhere close to tanking this unprecedented level of economic and job growth but have instead brought our allies and adversaries to the table all for the benefit of the American worker," White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said when asked about the Section 232 reform bills.  While Democrats tend to support a tougher stance toward perceived trade policy imbalances, there is no shortage of disagreement with the president's approach. When asked about legislation that would limit presidential tariff authority, a spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred Business Insider to a comment she had made earlier this year.  "I really haven't seen that legislation, but I do support reclaiming some of Congress's – it is Congress's prerogative," Pelosi said in February.  Now read more markets coverage on Markets Insider and Business Insider:  Trump's trade war strikes again: Broadcom plummets after cutting its yearly sales forecast, dragging the entire chipmaker industry lower  GOLDMAN SACHS: Buy these 17 'superstar' stocks, which dominate sales in their industries and have been crushing the market  Beware a 'Trump recession': JPMorgan unloads on the president's role in erasing a full year of market progress — and lays out a scenario that could save the day


cbsnews--2019-01-16--Lawmakers push bill to boost minimum wage to 15 an hour

Lawmakers push bill to boost minimum wage to $15 an hour

Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday are expected to introduce new legislation that would bring the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024 after wage hikes took effect in 20 different states this year.  More than 100 Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors of House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott's Raise the Wage Act of 2019, which aims to ensure all working Americans earn a living wage. It's expected to give roughly 40 million Americans a bump in pay, according to a press advisory. Once fully phased in, the average affected worker would see about a $3,500 increase in annual pay. Today, one in nine U.S. workers earn wages that leave them in poverty, according to the Economic Policy Institute.  "No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty," said Chairman Scott. "Raising the minimum wage is not only good for workers, it is good for businesses, and good for the economy. When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities. This bill is a stimulus for Main Street America," he said.  Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a companion bill in the Senate with 31 cosponsors. He laid out an argument on Twitter Monday for a hike in the federal minimum wage, which remains stuck at $7.25, where it has hovered since 2009.  "The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is a starvation wage. That is why I, along with many other members of Congress, will introduce legislation this week to raise that wage to $15 an hour. If you work 40 hours a week, you should not live in poverty," Sanders said.  A follow-up tweet read: "A job must lift workers out of poverty, not keep them in it. We must raise the federal minimum wage from a starvation wage of $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. Doing so would directly increase the wages of more than 25 percent of the U.S. workforce."  Speaker Nancy Pelosi is also behind the bill.  "A $15 federal minimum wage affirms the bedrock idea of fairness in our country: that hard work deserves a decent wage. We will open up opportunities for working families and drive economic growth that lifts up all communities -- because our economy works best when it works for everyone, not just the wealthy and privileged few," she said.  Fast-food workers have been fighting for $15 an hour since 2012, when 200 McDonald's employees walked off the job in New York City. The Fight for $15 has become a global movement that's now active in more than 300 cities across six continents.  Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, the organization behind Fight for $15, called the prospective bill "a huge step forward in deciding to end poverty work in America."  She said recent minimum wage hikes across the country illustrate "the power of the idea that when you work hard for a living you ought to be able to lead a decent life and provide for your family."  She also touted the economic benefits of a minimum wage increase.  "Workers have more money to spend in communities spurred by economic activity and growth," she said. "Businesses are positively impacted by people having more money in their pockets."  Restaurant owners in some states have argued that wage hikes actually result in operators cutting jobs to offset increases in payroll.  "Should Congress drastically increase operating costs then these small businesses will be forced to hire fewer people, reduce hours, or even close their doors," Shannon Meade, Vice President of Public Policy and Workforce for the National Restaurant Association said in a statement.  Heidi Shierholz, senior economist and director of policy at the Economic Policy Institute, concedes that while some restaurants might feel the pinch in the near term, a mandated federal minimum wage will, in the long run, benefit workers and businesses by putting money "into the hands of people who have no choice but to spent it" and generate economic activity.  She cited empirical evidence that shows minimum wage increases have increased wages without causing job loss.  "That doesn't mean there aren't businesses that don't have the right business practices that struggle in environments where they have higher wages," she said.  The Raise the Wage Act would also lift provisions that allow businesses to pay subminimum wage for tipped workers.  Minimum wage workers weighed in on the bill.  "100% of the people who make less than $15.00/hour want the federal minimum wage to be $15.00/hour," said Twitter user Sharon Fane.  The bill will likely be challenged in the GOP-controlled Senate. President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, opposes the idea of mandating any federal minimum wage.


cbsnews--2019-06-27--Trump and lawmakers react to tragic photo of migrants

A haunting image that shows the danger so many are willing to face to try and enter the U.S., has gone viral. Now, officials are pointing blame.  Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his almost 2-year-old daughter Valeria are seen face down in south Texas' Rio Grande. The child's arm is still holding on to her father's neck after they both drowned trying to cross into the country. As the bodies were taken away, Tania Ramirez, the wife can be heard sobbing.  Oscar's mother, who is in El Salvador, broke down when she heard the news. She said the last message she got from her son was Saturday, when he told her he loved her and to take care of herself.  The final act of desperation came after weeks of trying to seek asylum at the U.S. consulate in Mexico. But the family said they couldn't get anyone to talk to them.  The image brought immediate comparisons to Aylan Kurdi, the 3-year-old Syrian refugee who drowned just outside Turkey during Europe's refugee crisis in 2015.  President Trump reacted to the photo on Wednesday, saying "I hate it," but quickly blamed the Democrats in Congress for not changing the asylum policy that he said has encouraged the migrant surge at the border.  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shot back. "These are not drug dealers or vagrants or criminals. They are people simply fleeing a horrible situation in their home country," he said.     The Senate on Wednesday passed a $4.6 billion humanitarian aid package for the border after rejecting a House measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Mr. Trump, saying there needs to be negotiations.     The political posturing in Washington, D.C., doesn't change the reality at the border.  "I don't know how the government will be able to fix those systemic problems in one day's time," said Elora Mukherjee, an attorney who recently toured Customs and Border Protection's facility in Clint, Texas, where hundreds of migrant children are being held.  CBP has downplayed her description of conditions being unsanitary when she visited the facility last week.  There are 117 children at the facility, which has a capacity of 106. CBP officials on Wednesday allowed reporters into the crowded facility for a guided tour. Officials showed CBS News where the children play, eat, shower and sleep. But CBS News was not allowed to speak with any of the children.


cbsnews--2019-07-22--Trump and lawmakers reach 2-year deal on budget and debt ceiling

Congressional leaders and the White House said they have reached an agreement to avoid automatic budget limits and suspend the debt ceiling for two years, which would push a contentious battle over spending beyond the 2020 election. President Trump and Democratic leaders announced the deal, which increases spending by $320 billion, according to a congressional aide.  "I am pleased to announce that a deal has been struck with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy - on a two-year Budget and Debt Ceiling, with no poison pills," Mr. Trump tweeted. "This was a real compromise in order to give another big victory to our Great Military and Vets!"  A Pelosi aide told CBS News that the speaker spoke to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin three times on Sunday, with Schumer joining on one occasion. The conversations continued Monday morning when the three spoke again, and in the afternoon, when Mnuchin called to address any outstanding issues. Mnuchin then hosted a conference call with Pelosi, Schumer and McCarthy at 5 p.m. and told them the president would be tweeting within the hour announcing the deal.  After the president's tweet, Schumer and Pelosi quickly hailed the "bipartisan agreement" in a statement, saying they were "pleased that the Administration has finally agreed to join Democrats in ending these devastating cuts." The Democratic leaders said they had secured an increase in non-defense spending that "exceeds the defense number by $10 billion over the next two years" and agreed to suspend the debt limit until July 31, 2021.  "The House will now move swiftly to bring the budget caps and debt ceiling agreement legislation to the Floor, so that it can be sent to the President's desk as soon as possible," Schumer and Pelosi said. "With this agreement, we can avoid the damage of sequestration and continue to advance progress for the people."


cbsnews--2019-08-07--Lawmakers urge leaders to call Congress back to address racist attacks

Several House members are urging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call Congress to return to Washington, D.C., to address white supremacy, in light of the recent shooting in El Paso, Texas, which has been classified as domestic terrorism. Reps. Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, and Tom Malinowski, Democrat of New Jersey, are circulating a letter that will call on Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to interrupt the summer recess and bring Congress back to Washington.  Forty-eight House members have signed onto the letter as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Vice, which first reported it.  "After yesterday's shootings in El Paso, it is beyond question that terrorists motivated by a common white supremacist ideology are committing deadly attacks against Jewish, Muslim, African-American, Hispanic and other non-white communities in the United States and around the world, and pose a clear and present danger to our national security," Malinowski said in a statement obtained by CBS News.  At least two recent shootings in the U.S. have targeted synagogues, and the shooting suspect in the El Paso case was allegedly motivated by anti-immigrant animus.  "There is legislation pending in the House and Senate that would strengthen our government's ability to defeat domestic terrorism, while making it harder for terrorists to acquire guns. Congress should be called back into session as soon as possible to act on this urgent threat," Malinowski continued, adding that it is too long to wait until Congress reconvenes on Sept. 9.  Malinowski cited the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act as an example of legislation which could be passed if Pelosi and McConnell called Congress back to Washington. This bill would hold the Justice and Homeland Security departments responsible for addressing domestic terrorism and improve data collection.  "Congress should quickly appropriate supplemental funds to both departments, including for programs to counter violent extremism in the United States that the administration had previously cut," Malinowski said.  He also called on Congress to "condemn any political leader or public figure who echoes the beliefs of these terrorists, including that immigrants are "invading" the United States or set on "replacing" any of our citizens." The proposal, a veiled reference to President Trump's previous language on immigration, is unlikely to gain much support in the Republican-controlled Senate.  Malinowski also mentioned a bill on universal background checks which passed the House in February. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and GOP Rep. Peter King urged McConnell to call the Senate back to Washington to vote on the bill in a press conference on Tuesday.


cbsnews--2019-09-26--Explosive Lawmakers get first look at whistleblower complaint

"Explosive": Lawmakers get first look at whistleblower complaint

The office of the director of national intelligence gave lawmakers access to a whistleblower complaint that includes President Trump's conversation with the Ukrainian president on Wednesday, hours after the White House released a memorandum summarizing the call between the two leaders. After seeing the complaint, one Democratic congresswoman described it as "nothing short of explosive."  The complaint precipitated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to announce a formal impeachment inquiry on Tuesday.  The administration's decision to give lawmakers the document came one day after the Senate voted unanimously on a resolution demanding the material. The House was set to vote on its own resolution on Thursday before the committees were given the document.  Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr told reporters his committee had received the whistleblower complaint shortly after 4 p.m. Members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and party leaders streamed in and out of a secure hearing room on Capitol Hill late Thursday afternoon to examine the document, which one lawmaker said was 10 to 12 pages long.  In a quick statement after viewing the report, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said: "I want to thank the whistleblower for coming forward."  "I found the allegations deeply disturbing and very credible. I can understand why the inspector general found them credible," Schiff said.  Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley told reporters the complaint "reinforces our concerns," and called it "disturbing" and "alarming."  Democratic Representative Jackie Speier, of California, said on MSNBC Wednesday night that the complaint is "nothing short of explosive. It is so much more than the summary of the telephone call that has been presented by the White House as evidence. I am not even in a position to say that that was involved in the complaint until it is actually declassified. I can tell you that I was stunned by the breadth of the complaint and the details (with) which the whistleblower expressed his concerns."  The Associated Press says, "Most Republicans were quiet or defended the president as they left the secure rooms."  Senate Intelligence Committee member Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, said, "This is going to take a lot of time but there's obviously some really troubling things here."  He criticized Republicans he said are rushing to defend the administration and Democrats he said are rushing to impeach the president.  The complaint involves the call between Mr. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 25, during which Mr. Trump asked Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. The call came days after the Trump administration froze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine.  The complaint was submitted to the inspector general for the intelligence community, who found it to be of "urgent concern." However, the Justice Department, which said that the complaint involved a possible campaign finance violation, reviewed the record of the call and determined that there had been no wrongdoing and concluded that "no further action was warranted," according to spokesperson Kerri Kupec.  The White House released a document summarizing the call earlier on Wednesday, which revealed that the president had urged Zelensky to probe Biden and Hunter Biden, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company.  The president met with Zelensky in New York on Wednesday, where he is attending the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.  "I think you read everything. I think you read text," the Ukrainian leader said, when asked whether he felt pressured to investigate the Bidens. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to be involved [in] democratic, open elections of USA. We had, I think, good phone call. It was normal."  According to the memo, Zelensky said Ukraine was "almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes," referring to powerful anti-tank missiles. Mr. Trump responded he "would like you to do us a favor though," telling Zelensky he would like to find out what happened with "this whole situation with Ukraine." Mr. Trump also mentioned CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company that helped investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.  Mr. Trump later mentioned "the other thing," saying "there's a lot of talk about Biden's son." Zelensky pledged that a new prosecutor would look into the case and asked for additional information. Mr. Trump told Zelensky he would have Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr call. The Justice Department, which released the memo of the call, said Wednesday that Barr never discussed anything related to Ukraine with Giuliani.  On Wednesday, Democrats said the memo was worse than they anticipated, with Schiff saying it was reminiscent of a "classic mafia-like shakedown." But Mr. Trump claimed that the document vindicated him and said that the memo showed no explicit quid pro quo with Ukraine.  Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, will testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday. He disputed a report by The Washington Post that he had threatened to resign if the White House tried to block him from talking about the complaint before Congress. "I have never quit anything in my life, and I am not going to start now," he said in a statement.  The whistleblower also wants to testify before the committee, according to Schiff.  Stefan Becket, Kathryn Watson and Emily Tillett contributed to this report


cbsnews--2019-11-03--Hoyer: Lawmakers "have a duty" to pursue impeachment inquiry

Washington — Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the House, said lawmakers in Congress have a constitutional responsibility to continue the intensifying impeachment inquiry into President Trump — regardless of the potential political fallout his party may face.  "This is not a calculation about whether this is good for us politically or bad for us politically," Hoyer said on "Face the Nation" on Sunday.  Hoyer conceded that the impeachment drive — as well as potential articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump — "may well" have political ramifications for Democrats. But he suggested it is a price his party is willing to pay.  "But we have a duty. We have a duty to the country, to the American people, and to the Constitution of the United States," he said.  For weeks, Democratic-led committees in the House have arranged close-door hearings with current and former Trump administration officials familiar with efforts by Mr. Trump and his allies to enlist the help of the Ukrainian government in digging up dirt on political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.  On Thursday, the House voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry that Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in September.  Unlike California Congresswoman Jackie Speier, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Hoyer would not offer a specific timeframe for public hearings, which were authorized through the resolution on Thursday. Speier said earlier on "Face the Nation" that they could start to take place next week.  "Time is not constraining us," Hoyer said. "The truth and the facts are constraining us. We are going to move as soon as the facts and the truth dictate that we have."


cbsnews--2019-12-07--Lawmakers near agreement on parental leave for federal workers

Capitol Hill leaders are nearing agreement in negotiations on an annual defense policy bill that would extend 12 weeks of paid parental leave to federal workers, both military and civilian, in exchange for establishing President Trump's space force initiative.  The agreement would trade a major expansion of benefits to federal workers for a legacy initiative of Mr. Trump's. Federal workers currently can take unpaid leave.  Democratic and GOP aides confirmed the developments. The agreement is not finalized and comes after extensive behind-the-scenes battling on the annual defense measure, which has passed Congress every year since the Kennedy administration. Further details were not available.  The parental leave provision is a victory for federal workers, who would face benefit cuts under Mr. Trump's budget submissions. Those cuts have always been ignored by Congress, though pension changes were approved under GOP control of the House. The parental leave issue was a priority for Democrats such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who weighed in forcefully this week.  Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and adviser, said Friday that such a provision would "mark a HUGE step forward towards making paid leave a reality for all Americans."  Numerous details regarding the space force program remain to be worked out and funding for the program would be delivered through separate spending legislation that's also taking shape behind the scenes.  The aides requested anonymity because the agreement is not finalized.


cbsnews--2019-12-17--New Jersey lawmakers pass marijuana referendum for 2020 ballot

Trenton, New Jersey — A super-majority of New Jersey lawmakers on Monday passed a proposed ballot question to legalize recreational marijuana, putting the referendum before voters on the 2020 ballot.  The Democrat-led Assembly passed the measure 49-24, with one abstention, while the Senate passed the question 24-16.  The proposal need not go before Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, though he supports marijuana legalization.  The question asks voters if they'll approve recreational cannabis for people 21 and older. All sales of marijuana products would be subject to the state's 6.625% sales tax, and towns could pass ordinances to charge local taxes as well.  "The time to end the prohibition of adult-use cannabis is now," Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said.  If approved by voters, New Jersey would become the 11th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana is legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia.  The ballot question was the second choice of Murphy and legislative leaders, who failed in March to advance legislation that would have legalized cannabis. Legislators at the time cited a number of concerns with the bill, including worries that some who were convicted of dealing marijuana could too easily get their records cleared. The opposition at the time was on both sides of the political aisle.  Supporters of the question accepted it after it became clear that legislation didn't have enough support. Some worried that the ballot question defers lawmakers' responsibility to address racial and social justice concerns since black residents get arrested on marijuana charges at a disproportionate rate compared with whites.  "A constitutional amendment asks voters to make a decision first and find out the details later, undermining the principles of a representative, participatory democracy," said Amol Sinha, the executive director of the state American Civil Liberties Union.  The larger-than-three-fifths majorities in both chambers matters because it ensures the question will be put to voters by 2020. Had only a simple majority of both houses passed the question, then lawmakers would have had to hold a second vote in the new session, which starts Jan. 14.


cbsnews--2019-12-21--Lawmakers locked in impeachment impasse as Trump heads to Florida

President Trump is spending the holidays in Florida as lawmakers are locked in an impasse over how to proceed with a Senate trial following a House vote to impeach him.  Mr. Trump traveled to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday evening, after signing the National Defense Authorization Act at Joint Base Andrews in Virginia. He later signed a package of government spending bills while onboard Air Force One, en route to Florida.  His trip comes after he became the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, with a historic House vote this week on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House must deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate, which will then hold a trial overseen by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.  Senate Majority Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are at an impasse over the rules for the trial. Schumer has called for witnesses from the White House, including acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, but McConnell has indicated that's a nonstarter.  "He wants a special pre-trial guarantee of certain witnesses whom the House Democrats did not even bother to pursue themselves as they assembled their case, or he wants to proceed without any organizing resolution whatsoever," McConnell said about Schumer in a speech on the Senate floor Thursday. "So as I said, a cordial conversation, we remain at an impasse on these logistics."  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also said she would not send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, which adjourned until January, and that the House would not vote on impeachment managers until the Senate finalizes its plans for the trial.  Pelosi and Democrats in the House and Senate are trying to pressure the Senate to call for more documents and for witnesses who did not testify in the House impeachment proceedings because the White House prevented them from appearing.  Given that Pelosi has not transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate, the White House is considering making the case that Mr. Trump has not been officially impeached, two sources involved in the president's impeachment defense told CBS News this week.  The White House is considering making that case based on an opinion piece by Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman on Bloomberg's opinion page Thursday. Feldman was one of the legal experts called by Democrats to testify before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month and has advocated for Mr. Trump's impeachment and removal from office.  "If the House does not communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn't actually impeached the president. If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn't truly impeached at all," Feldman wrote.  However, Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe wrote on Twitter that he disagreed with Feldman's analysis, saying that "under Art. I, Sec. 2, Clause 5, he was impeached on Dec 18, 2019. He will forever remain impeached. Period." That portion of the Constitution says that the House of Representatives "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."  Two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict Mr. Trump in order for him to be removed from office, and as the Senate is controlled by Republicans, that outcome is unlikely.  Mr. Trump slammed Pelosi on Friday, suggesting that she should be impeached. Members of Congress cannot be impeached, only voted out of office.  "Nancy Pelosi is looking for a Quid Pro Quo with the Senate. Why aren't we Impeaching her?" Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.  The impeachment developments came in the same week that the House voted to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement on a bipartisan basis, a legislative victory for Mr. Trump. The National Defense Authorization Act also establishes the Space Force, a defense priority for Mr. Trump, in a deal that Democrats agreed to in return for 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers.  The president is expected to speak at the Turning Points USA Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach on Saturday evening.


chicagosuntimes--2019-02-05--Illinois lawmakers sending pointed messages with their State of the Union guests

WASHINGTON – Illinois lawmakers are using their guests, even their very presence and what they wear to President Donald Trump’s second State of the Union address on Tuesday night, to send political messages of their own.  Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., boycotted Trump’s first two speeches to a joint session of Congress, but he will be in the House chamber on Tuesday, his spokesman said, to show support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the record 106 women in the House.  Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., boycotted in 2018; she is attending this year with a federal furloughed worker to spotlight the negative effect of the shutdown.  Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill, won’t decide about going until Tuesday.  Many of the Democratic women — including Schakowsky, Cheri Bustos, Robin Kelly and Lauren Underwood from Illinois — will be wearing “suffragette white,” sending a message the mostly male GOP congressional contingent can’t come close to matching. Rush will also sport white.  This will be Trump’s first speech with the Democrats in control of the House and with Pelosi, the first and only female House speaker, seated over his shoulder on the dais.  Quick reminders, since we only do this story once a year:  Many Democratic guests have a common theme this year — people who have been hurt by Trump’s immigration policies and by the record 35-day partial government shutdown, triggered by Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion for his southern border wall.  Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has invited as his guest Toby Hauck, a furloughed Aurora air traffic controller and Air Force veteran.  Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is highlighting the contributions immigrants make with her guest, Lily Wu, a first-generation Chinese-American from Chicago, an Illinois Brotherhood of Electrical Workers apprentice.  Duckworth’s political career is a direct result of Durbin inviting her to attend President George W. Bush’s 2005 State of the Union, when she was an unknown wounded Iraq war vet recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.  Here’s the rest of the Illinois rundown, by district:  1st: Rush “will not bring a guest because he can’t find anyone who wants the ticket,” said his communications director Ryan Johnson.  2nd: Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., is inviting Diane Latiker, a constituent from Roseland on the Far South Side who is a founder of Kids of the Block.  3rd: Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., will bring Chicago Police Officer Gino Garcia, an advocate for victims of domestic violence.  6th: Freshman Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., has invited Judie Caribeaux, the executive director of Family Shelter Service in DuPage County and a survivor of domestic abuse.  8th: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., invited Joe Podlasek who runs the Trickster Art Gallery of native art in Schaumburg.  9th: Schakowsky’s guest is Frank Lagunas, a Chicago Environmental Protection Agency Remedial Project Manager who was furloughed.  10th: Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., is hosting “Dreamer” Ivan Hernandez, 26, of Waukegan whose legal immigrant status is imperiled by Trump’s policies.  11th: Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., has invited Marilyn Weisner, the Executive Director of the Aurora Food Pantry in Aurora. She is the widow of the late former Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, who died last December.  13th: Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., asked Taylorville Fire Chief Mike Crews to highlight his efforts following the Dec. 1 Taylorville tornado.  14th: Freshman Underwood may well have the youngest guest at the SOTU, Allie Bland, a 7-year-old from Naperville who left uplifting notes at the Family Shelter Service in DuPage.  15th: Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., will let one of his interns guest.  17th: Bustos’ guest is Tom Mueller a soybean farmer from Edgington, hit by Trump’s trade wars.  18th: No word yet from Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill.


cnbc--2019-01-29--Lawmakers offer proposals to end government shutdowns for good while the pain is fresh

Lawmakers offer proposals to end government shutdowns for good — while the 'pain is fresh'

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally over. Now lawmakers from both parties are seeking a way to ensure it never happens again.  Several proposals are on the table. They go beyond the immediate discussions over border security that will need to be resolved over the next three weeks, when the government could once again run out of money.  Instead, these bills would guarantee that the lights stay on even if lawmakers can't reach a spending agreement by Feb. 15, or any future date.  At the heart of the proposals are continuing resolutions that would keep government funding unchanged and automatically take effect during any lapse in appropriations. Lawmakers wouldn't have to debate whether to take action — it would just happen.  "We have to put an end to budgeting by crisis, and auto-CRs are a very reasonable approach," said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "Of course, our political leaders should actually do their jobs and pass thoughtful budgets, but given how often they routinely demonstrate that cannot be counted on, this would take the damaging shutdown threat out of the equation."  One of the idea's most vocal supporters on Capitol Hill is Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who has introduced the proposal in every session of Congress since 2010. His bill has 19 co-sponsors, including Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley, Alaska moderate Republican Lisa Murkowski and GOP conference chairman John Barrasso.  Portman said he is urging lawmakers to include the measure as part of any deal to fund the government by Feb. 15.  "Let's do something about it now while the pain and inefficiency of this moment is fresh on our minds," he said Friday.  House GOP leadership also signaled openness to the idea. On NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy said he supports an automatic funding measure but would amend it to ensure that lawmakers and their staffs would not get paid until a spending deal is reached.  Democrats also appear to be warming to the plan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed tentative support for the idea on Friday during a lunch with columnists, saying she hopes it's something "we might be able to put forward."  Democratic Sen. Mark Warner introduced legislation earlier this month instituting an automatic continuing resolution. The bill is titled the Stop Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years Act, or simply Stop STUPIDITY.  "Workers, business owners and tax payers are currently paying the price of D.C. gridlock and my legislation will put an end to that," Warner said in a statement.  But there is still plenty of partisan politicking around a proposal that ostensibly aims to end the damaging effects of partisan politicking. One critical difference between the Republican and Democratic bills is the level of automatic spending.  Portman's proposal would reduce federal spending by 1 percent if lawmakers do not reach an appropriation agreement within 120 days — and another 1 percent every 90 days after that until a deal is reached. Experts say the cuts are intended to ensure that the automatic spending levels do not become an easy way out for lawmakers reluctant to wrestle with thorny appropriations bills.  "It's probably not the right approach to fixing this issue," said Shai Akabas, director of the Economic Policy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center. "A CR, while it's certainly better than a shutdown, is pretty much the next worst thing. If we make it easier to do a CR by making it automatic, we're probably going to have a lot of CRs."  Portman's baked-in spending cuts also make his proposal a nonstarter for many Democrats. A spokeswoman for Warner called it "sequestration by another name."  Warner's proposal would adjust the automatic spending level for GDP growth. The only portions of the government not covered would be the White House and the legislative branch.  "It's a just more neutral default option," said Seth Hanlon, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a former Obama aide. "Senator Warner's bill doesn't try to stack the deck one way or the other. It just aims to prevent shutdown."  Still, the length and cost of the most recent shutdown are stoking growing interest in the idea. The Congressional Budget Office on Monday estimated the damage to the economy at $11 billion, with $3 billion of economic activity permanently lost. And in just three weeks, lawmakers could be standing on the brink of shutdown once more.  "It's not supposed to be ideal," Hanlon said. "It's just a tradeoff between the need for Congress to set priorities and the need to prevent a shutdown."


cnbc--2019-02-12--Lawmakers have a tentative deal to avoid a shutdown but Trump isnt backing it just yet

Lawmakers have a tentative deal to avoid a shutdown — but Trump isn't backing it just yet

Congressional negotiators said they reached a tentative deal Monday to fund the government and avoid another shutdown.  As always, President Donald Trump will hold the fate of any potential border security agreement in his hands. The announcement came only minutes before the president took the rally stage in the Texas border city of El Paso to argue that "walls save lives" as he made the case for his proposed border barrier.  The top four congressional appropriators emerged from a meeting on border security funding Monday night and announced an agreement in principle to fund the government past a midnight Friday deadline. The group, including Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., did not immediately give details of the deal or say when they would release bill text.  A congressional source told CNBC it would put about $1.4 billion toward physical barriers, but not a wall. It would include about 55 new miles of bollard fencing. The agreement would also reduce the cap for Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds by about 17 percent from the current 49,057 to 40,520, according to the source.  Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said Tuesday that "there is no wall money" in the tentative deal. It includes the same amount of money for physical barriers as a spending bill passed last year, he said.  A bill could get unveiled late Tuesday or early Wednesday. But that timing could change.  Speaking on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said "I look forward to reviewing the full text as soon as possible and hope the Senate can act on this legislation in short order." Making remarks shortly after McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the "tentative agreement represents a path forward for our country, away from another round of fraught negotiations up against a government funding cliff. Away from a dreaded government shutdown."  If passed, the measure would avoid reopening fresh wounds from a 35-day partial closure in December and January. About 800,000 federal workers were furloughed or worked without pay, missing two paychecks during the funding lapse.They face the prospect of more financial hardship if nine federal departments, or about a quarter of the government, close again.  The measure's passage depends on Trump's support. The president said during Monday's rally that he'd heard about a developing deal before he took the stage but did not hear the details. He contended that the agreement did not matter because "we're building the wall anyway."  WATCH: These virtual walls could be the cheaper and more effective answer to Trump's border wall


cnn--2019-01-05--Trump told lawmakers he prefers word strike to government shutdown sources say

Trump told lawmakers he prefers word 'strike' to government shutdown, sources say

Trump also kicked off the meeting with a profanity laden opening salvo lasting more than 15 minutes in which he made it clear that he had no plans to move on from his demand for $5.6 billion to build a border wall, according to a person familiar with the meeting.  Trump also addressed the issue of impeachment, directing his remarks at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to two people familiar with what happened inside the room. Pelosi, in response, told him the meeting was supposed to be about re-opening the government, not impeachment, the people said.  The White House did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.  The shutdown stretched into its 13th day Friday, with no signs of either side relenting on their stance over Trump's request for additional funding for a border wall, even after the meeting. According to two people familiar with what happened inside the room, Trump told the leaders his hard number was $5.6 billion for border wall funding, and he wasn't willing to negotiate. That was when he made clear that it didn't matter how long it would take -- months, years, "even to the election," according to those people. Trump also "said he'd keep the government closed for a very long period of time -- months or even years," according to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who was also at the Friday morning meeting and spoke to reporters in the White House driveway. "Absolutely I said that," Trump affirmed from the Rose Garden shortly afterward. "I don't think it will, but I'm prepared." Talks at the staff level will continue Saturday, but even those were clouded with confusion in the wake of the meeting. Trump said during his Rose Garden remarks that a working group had been formed to continue negotiations, led by Vice President Mike Pence. But Democratic officials familiar with the meeting said the idea of a specific "working group" never came up during the meeting, only that Pence had suggested staff discussions. In the hours immediately following Trump's remarks, the make up of who would meet this weekend -- and what the group would represent -- appeared to be a point of confusion for both sides. Invitations were eventually sent for leadership staff from both parties to meet at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which sits next to the White House and where Pence has an office. The meeting, which Pence is expected to attend and lead, will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday.