U.S. Congress

Free Will Astrology: January 23-29, 2013

What The Fiscal Cliff Means For New York, Pt. 2

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid admitted his cynicism towards a fiscal cliff compromise, blaming the House Republicans' "dictatorship." The New York Post's cover featured a diver jumping off a cliff, with the catchy headline 'This Fall Is Really Going To Hurt.' We later found out t ... More >>

Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker to Run for Senate in 2014

Newark, NJ mayor Cory Booker released a YouTube video this morning outlining his own political aspirations for the future. Booker, a nationally-known, high-profile figure, is seen as one of the rising stars of the Democrat party, and many expected him to challenge Republican incumbent Chris Christie ... More >>

In New Vision of Politics, Rightbloggers Denounce Boehner the Leader, Praise DeMint the Leaver

Jim DeMint, one of the most ideologically pure and least effective legislators in the U.S. Senate, announced he would leave Congress to run the right-wing Heritage Foundation think tank; or, as the Foundation itself put it, "Jim DeMint to Lead the Battle of Ideas." It would seem to us that, compar ... More >>

New York AG Takes On "Reciprocity" Gun Bill

As it currently stands, the Second Amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the right to own firearms. But each state is permitted to place its own restrictions on the types of firearms -- and the manner in which they're possessed -- that people are allowed to own.A bill making its way through Congress wo ... More >>

Medical Marijuana: Maine's Proposed Prescription Pot Rules Criticized by Many

As Maine tries to come up with ways to manage its medical marijuana program, one of the state's lawmakers is speaking out against some proposed restrictions. As detailed by the Portland Daily Sun, Rep. Deb Sanderson worries that the state will implement rules that "are more restrictive and divergen ... More >>

The Evil Ways Immigrants Destroyed America When Reagan Granted Them Amnesty

There has been the expected nuclear hay made by Republicans out of President Obama's decision to give temporary relief to the children of undocumented immigrants in lieu of the D.R.E.A.M. Act passing. We were in the Rose Garden to witness the first attack personally, as an Irish immigrant, of all pe ... More >>

Here Are Some More Abortion Restrictions

So here we were, waiting for takeout, thinking we could make it through a whole news cycle without someone trying to restrict abortion. We thought wrong because, you know, legislators nationwide are apparently trying to break 2011's second-place record -- for the number of new laws restricting rep ... More >>

Goodbye, Chemical Cannabis? U.S. Senate OKs Fake Pot Ban

The U.S. Senate has just put the kibosh on K2. After a months-long effort to ban synthetic marijuana, spearheaded by the Empire State's very own Charles Schumer, the Senate voted today to ban the sale of fake bud.

CISPA: House OKs Internet Security Bill, President Obama Promises To Veto Measure

In the latest round of Congress v. internet, the House of Representatives voted 248-168 Thursday in favor of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. The measure would encourage companies such as Facebook to freely share your info with law enforcement agencies if you seem like a "cyber th ... More >>

Congressman Bob Turner Wants To Be Senator Bob Turner

​Queens Congressman Bob Turner -- who replaced disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner after winning a special election in September -- has been in office for what seems like all of 30 seconds...and he's already seeking higher office.Turner announced this afternoon that he'll seek the Republic ... More >>

SOPA, PIPA, and Kill Switch Bill: Are They Back? Harry Reid to Push for Cyber Security

Late last night Anonymous tweeted that the Senate was trying to sneak in SOPA under a new name, writing: "Le sigh. US Senate Really wants to go another round with the Internet?" The hacktivist group linked to an RT story detailing Sen. Harry Reid's still secretive plans to float an internet securit ... More >>

What We Talk About When We Talk About SOPA

SOPA, the Stop Internet Piracy Act, is the latest congressional move to put an end to the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material. The basic idea of SOPA -- now considered in the House of Representatives -- and its Senate analog, the Protect Intellectual Property Act, purportedly aims at ... More >>

Mother Trucker! Tractor-Trailer Rule Could Up Food Costs

Something that could keep you from dying in a gruesome, fiery auto accident could also make your groceries more expensive.

Village Voice Media Asks for Your Support of Senate Bill 596

House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill; Gabrielle Giffords Returns to House Floor to Vote

​Moments ago, the House of Representatives passed the bi-partisan debt ceiling bill 269-161. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords surprised lawmakers and onlookers by returning to the House floor to vote "yes" on the legislation. She was greeted by a standing ovation. It was her first vote since being shot ... More >>

David Weprin Chosen by Democrats to Run For Anthony Weiner's Seat in Congress

​Congressman Anthony Weiner's resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives for his sexting lies led to a local flurry of speculation about a successor, who will be picked in a special election on September 13. Today, the Queens Democratic County Organization selected Assemblyman David We ... More >>

House Republicans End Symbolic Resolutions

​Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have put an end to the process of passing resolutions that are purely symbolic or celebratory. The Washington Post reports that last year, the House "passed more than 250, honoring everything from the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. to the IFC ... More >>

Anthony Weiner to Be Replaced in Special Election on September 13

​New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is prepared to announce a September 13 special election to fill Anthony Weiner's seat in the House of Representatives, but won't do so until the extended legislation session in Albany ends, reports Andrew Siff of WNBC-TV. Also on that day is the New York state p ... More >>

Lulz Security Hackers Target Senate.gov and Bethesda Software Because They Can

LulzSec Logo​The latest hacker group on the scene to prove how unsafe information is on the web call themselves Lulz Security, "the world's leaders in high-quality entertainment at your expense." In response to unfavorable coverage of WikiLeaks, the mischief-makers hacked a PBS website late la ... More >>

Rally for Women's Rights Brings 6,000 to Foley Square

​Saturday's Rally for Women's Health in Foley Square served as a reminder that activism in America is alive and well, contrary to whatever the Internet might have been telling us. An estimated 6,000 people gathered at the event held by New York City's Planned Parenthood in an attempt to tell W ... More >>

Patriot Act Fail Is A Civil Liberties Win, For Now

​The House of Representatives failed on Tuesday night to extend three security measures in the post-9/11 Patriot Act, voting 277-148 to push the provisions through 2011, but failing to reach the required two-thirds majority, the Washington Post reports. For those doing math at home, that's sev ... More >>

Here's the Constitution Section House Republicans Won't Read, the Part About Slavery

"Several hours"​At this very moment, politicians are reading the United States Constitution on the floor of the House of Representatives. The exercise is some sort of symbolic act, led by the newly Republican majority, but also including Democrats, lest they be called terrorists. The reading i ... More >>

Return to Sender

What would comprehensive immigration reform look like if the feds got off their duffs?

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Moves Through Senate With 63-33 Vote

​A 63-33 bipartisan vote early on Saturday afternoon allows the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which would allow openly gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the United States military, to advance to a final vote. The vote comes after a Pentagon report ruled that the military faces littl ... More >>

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is Dead After 65-31 Vote to Repeal Policy

via​As expected, the repeal of the Clinton-era "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning gays in the military has passed the Senate by a vote of 65-31. President Obama must now sign the bill into law, which he is expected to do. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to overturn the ban ... More >>

Barack Obama Holds "Slurpee Summit"; Google Investigated for Antitrust; Rock Center Xmas Tree Lights Up

​• President Obama will meet with congressional leaders from both parties today -- a/k/a, the "Slurpee summit," actual Slurpees TBD -- to discuss a number of issues, including the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and tax cuts. Can some ice shavings and food coloring bring peace to this nation ... More >>

Charlie Rangel's Sins Don't Rate Too High on the House Scam Meter

​ Charlie Rangel's pending date with a censure vote before the full House of Representatives has prompted a lot of historical digging into great congressional scalawags of the past. By any reasonable standard, Rangel -- no matter what you think of him -- appears to come up pretty short. Remar ... More >>

23 Inevitable Headlines about Rep. John Boehner: A Gift to the American Political Media

​Congratulations Rep. John Boehner of the Fightin' Ohio 8th! You're looking to be the next Speaker of the House. As such, we've decided to equip the American Political Media with 23 evergreen headlines in the inevitable event your already-emotional tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives g ... More >>

Federal Government Finally Teaching Some Kids to Screw

​After ten years of funding sex education programs built on abstinence, the federal government is getting a little bit looser. A little bit! This year, "a five-year, $375 million grant is being divided among 28 programs that have been proven to lower the pregnancy rate among participants, no m ... More >>

Three Former Reality TV Stars Are Running for Congress this Fall

​Donald Trump told Surya Yalamanchili "you're fired" on national television in 2007, and now the former contestant hopes to be "hired" into the U.S. House of Representatives by Ohio voters. He is one of three ex-reality show cast members running for Congress this fall, including Republican Sean Du ... More >>

Go Cocks? South Carolina Senate Candidate Alvin Greene's College Porn Problem

​This is what one gets in Carolina for trying to "share the love," huh?

Fools for Joe Arpaio

A new study reveals that 100 percent of the Arizona sheriff's fans are morons

Harold Ford Definitely Plans to File His First NY Tax Return

​Turns out one of the things Harold Ford is planning to learn in his getting to know you tour of the state he wants to represent in the Senate is what it feel like to file his taxes here. Gawker got confirmation yesterday from Ford spokeswoman Tammy Sun that the would-be junior New York Senato ... More >>

Harold Ford Jr. "Strongly Considering" Senate Race; Conservatives Give Him a Hand

High Democratic operatives warned Steve Israel and others off challenges to Kirsten Gillibrand, but Harold Ford is unbossed, dammit, at least by the current bosses. The New York Post gleefully affords Harold Ford Jr. a front-page spot from which he announces, "I am strongly considering running for t ... More >>

Now Giuliani is Supposed to Be Running for the Senate

​The Daily News, apparently not wanting to be left out, reports that "sources" tell them Rudolph Giuliani, who is allegedly done with his speculative gubernatorial run, "will run for U.S. Senate instead." Politico's got it; so has Talking Points Memo; aaaaand it's in play!...

Gigantic Health Care Bill Here for You to Not Read

​Here it is, folks, all 1,990 pages of it -- the House of Representatives' Health Care Bill, which was unloaded today by Nancy Pelosi. It is said to be "very similar" to the Senate version now working, which may speed reconciliation sufficiently that we may have a finished product by the time ... More >>

Bushwhacking the Constitution

U.S. Senate proves as disdainful of the Constitution as George W. Bush. Be forewarned.

Democrats Attack Over War Intelligence

Bush, GOP look for escape with pandemic flu plan, fight over Alito nomination

John McCain v. Bush

Defying the president, the Senate condemns torturing anyone in American custody anywhere

Cheney Stops News Cycle Cold

Veep's debate performance shifts headlines away from Bush's lousy show

Say What?

The Ideology Police

Targeting Middle East studies, zealots' 'homeland security' creates campus insecurity

The Spoils System

Iraq Plunder to Get a D.C. Display

Ignoble End to a Bright Career

The Senator and the AFL-CIO Sell Out

House of Hypocrites

While congress is set to sit in judgment of President Clinton, many of its members have their own indiscretions to deal with. Lucky for them Ken Starr isn't investigating them and the notoriously lax ethics committee is.

Gerry Meandering

Many handshakes and few ideas on the Ferraro campaign trail

Ex'ed Files

The Ferraro Archives That Are Open to No One

The Last Reformer?

Mark Green's Senate Campaign Ignores the Isms (as in Leftism)