U.S. House of Representatives

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 >>

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 >>

Charlie Rangel: The Poster Boy For Congressional Term Limits?

Congressman Charlie Rangel escaped this year's Democratic primary -- and subsequent recount -- with his job and likely will be returning to Congress for what will be his 22nd term, which begs the question: is it time for Congressional term limits?Just to put the longtime representative's reign into ... More >>

Healthcare Ruling: Will It Help The Prez Or Rally The Rabid Republican Base

Remember in 2010 when Republicans picked up 63 seats in the House of Representatives in the biggest loss for a party (in this case, the Democratic Party) in the House since 1938? And how the huge loss can be partially attributed to right-wing outrage over President Obama's healthcare plan? Well, the ... 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.

Senator Chuck Schumer Calls on House to Pass the Violence Against Women Act with Key Provisions

Senator Chuck Schumer this morning called on the House to pass a bill called the "Violence Against Women Act," which he says literally saves women's lives. A measure to reauthorize the act was approved by the Senate on Thursday with broad bipartisan support, despite some objections from Republican ... More >>

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 >>

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.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo Endorse the Respect for Marriage Act

​Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Respect for Marriage Act, on a party line vote of 10 to 8. The bil, if passed, would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and make same-sex marriages legal through out the United States. (The bill will never pass, however, for it would ... More >>

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 >>

Thailand to Elect Female Prime Minister; Fighter Jet Intercepts Plane Near Obama

​Thailand looks set to elect its first-ever female prime minister, CNN reports. Exit polling shows "Yingluck Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai party with a wide lead over incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democratic Party." Shinawatra's party also appears to be set to take the majori ... 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 >>

Anthony Weiner Resigns for Real, Effective at Midnight

​Sexting congressman Anthony Weiner said he'd call it quits from the House of Representatives back on Thursday, explaining that the "distraction [he] created" -- with his penis, mostly -- makes his work "impossible." Today came the official letter, addressed to New York Secretary of State Cesa ... More >>

Joe Crowley, New York Congressman, Pulls a Bob Dylan Against GOP on Capitol Hill

Rep. Joe Crowley, who represents New York's 7th District, took a creative approach to attacking the GOP on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in a presentation without spoken words titled, "Speechless." Even if it's not a direct homage to Bob Dylan, it reminds us pleasantly of "Subterran ... More >>

Manifest Destiny

Mexico lost the war, but won the battle

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 >>

Somali Pirates Hijack American Couple's Yacht; Man Saved After Staten Island Ferry Jump; Bronx Rapist Busted (Weekend Links)

Jean and Scott Adam, an American couple, were taken captive by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean yesterday. The pair were sailing from Mumbai to Oman when they were captured, and "sources onshore in Somalia indicated that a well-known piracy gang from northern Somalia had captured them and was ta ... 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 >>

"Forcible Rape" Back to Just Regular "Rape" in House Bill

​The biggest problem in the House of Representatives at the moment is Chris Smith's "No Taxpayer for Abortion" Act, which seeks to limit women's choices in reproductive matters by doing things like banning federal funding for abortions in rape cases. Also an issue, though, was the bill's langu ... 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 >>

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repealed by House, Again

​The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 250 to 175 (almost straight down party lines) to repeal the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers in the U.S. military. This is the second time a repeal has been approved by the House. Previously it was repealed in connection with a defense spend ... 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 >>

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 >>

The Terror Babies Conspiracy Anderson Cooper Freakout! (Video)

​Terror Babies. Yes, "Terror Babies." Anderson Cooper recently had Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) on his show to discuss Terror Babies. And Gohmert freaked out on Cooper and started yelling at him. What are Terror Babies, you ask?

How to Have a Green Cookout; Tomatoes Make a Comeback This Year

​Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco sell items like recycled aluminum foil, additive-free charcoal briquets, and compostable cutlery for the ultimate green cookout. [Wall Street Journal] Since the launch of Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go in Southern California in November 2008, dozens of food vendors across ... More >>

Senate Passes Health Care Bill; Democrats Doomed, Say Rightbloggers

​The Senate passed its version of the health care bill this morning on a straight party vote. The bill now has to be reviewed by the House of Representatives and reconciled with its own bill, which will probably take some time, especially as President Obama is now also pushing for a new jobs b ... More >>

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 >>

Yet Another Special Election: Tedisco-Murphy, 20th CD

You may be forgiven for failing to keep all the upcoming special elections straight. Along with the city council races, there's an upstate election coming to replace new senator Kirsten Gillibrand in the House of Representatives. The official combatants are Democrat Scott Murphy and Republican Jim ... More >>

Kucinich Introduces Bush Impeachment Resolution

Clip Job: Joe Papp Stands Up to HUAC

The Queer Agenda 2007

An incremental approach to making gay life a little bit more fabulous

Best and Worst of Sex 2006

From creepy sexin' to tofu-bashing to liquid pussy, Tristan gives her 12-month roundup

What's the Deal With John Murtha?

The veteran congressman who wants troops out of Iraq

Hammer Slammer Ding-Dong

Merry Christmas! There is a G-D! And other reactions to the Tom DeLay criminal indictment

Morning Report 6/21/05
America's Mullahs and Their Moolah

Time for Plan B

New tactics for the same pressing issues

Export Freedom? How About Importing It?

House Rules: Shut Up!

The Ideology Police

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

Chicken Run

Scared Congress Seeks Shelter in Nuclear Henhouse

The Hammer Strikes

Tom DeLay’s Republican Congress Prepares to Smash the State