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Finance passes healthcare bill; Snowe the lone GOP supporter

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jeffrey Young - Oct. 13 (News Report) - Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) joined all of the panel’s Democrats in voting for the legislation. Every other Republican voted against the bill. The vote means the healthcare debate has officially moved to its final stages, as Finance was the last of five congressional committees to take action on President Barack Obama’s foremost domestic priority.

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Reid, Baucus ready to split on public option as vote nears

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - Oct. 05 (News Report) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), once in polite disagreement over the idea of a public option component in healthcare legislation, are approaching a breaking point over the issue. Reid and Baucus have staked out opposing positions on the central question of a government role in health reform — Reid has consistently stood in favor, but Baucus has consistently said the idea doesn’t have enough Senate support.

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Tide turns against public option on eve of President Obama's address

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Mike Soraghan, Alexander Bolton, Sam Youngman - Sep. 09 (News Report) - Political momentum appeared to swing sharply against the public health insurance option prized by liberals Tuesday, on the eve of President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate on Tuesday signaled they are increasingly willing to pass healthcare reform without a public insurance option, even while Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) again insisted it must be included in a House healthcare bill.

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Already, 23 Dems have said they will vote ‘no’ on healthcare reform

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Mike Soraghan, Michael M. Gleeson - Sep. 08 (News Report) - At least 23 House Democrats already have told constituents or hometown media that they oppose the massive healthcare overhaul touted by President Barack Obama.If Republicans offer the blanket opposition they’ve promised, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can afford to lose only 38 members of her 256-member caucus and still pass the bill.

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Senate confirms Sotomayor, first Hispanic justice

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - Aug. 06 (Breaking News) - The Senate on Thursday sent Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court with a modest display of bipartisan support, making her the first Hispanic justice and only the third woman to serve on the high court. The 68-31 vote held few surprises, as a small band of Republicans joined Democrats in confirming her 72 days after President Barack Obama nominated the former prosecutor and judge. Her confirmation paves the way for Sotomayor to begin assembling her staff and prepare for the court to convene in October.

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Pelosi: Congress should work through recess

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Mike Soraghan - Jul. 22 (News Report) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Wednesday said she's open to keeping the House in session through the August recess to... "I think 70 percent of the American people would want that," Pelosi said. "I want a bill."

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Schumer promises public option in healthcare bill

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jeffrey Young - Jul. 06 (News Report) - The major sticking point between Democrats and Republicans on the Finance Committee -- and throughout Congress -- has been the public option. Democrats maintain that a not-for-profit, nationwide alternative to private insurance must be made available to "keep the insurance companies honest," Schumer said. "We don't trust the private insurance companies left to their own devices and neither do the American people."

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Dems reel on healthcare

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jeffrey Young - Jun. 17 (News Report) - ... the unity that Democrats touted earlier this year has cracked. As conservatives lambaste Democrats, liberal healthcare groups are not rushing to their defense because so many questions about the legislation have not been answered.

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Senate GOP risks alienating Hispanics over court pick

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Sam Youngman - May. 26 (News Analysis) - Senate Republicans will be put in a tough spot with regard to the nation’s first Hispanic nominee to the Supreme Court. If they are tough in opposing President Obama’s first pick for the court, Federal Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, they risk alienating the growing Hispanic constituency that is already trending Democratic. But if they go too easy on her, the conservative base will rebel.

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Lobbyists adjust to stimulus rules that shut them out

Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jim Snyder - May. 03 (News Analysis) - Like a parent walking a child to school, Howard Marlowe could only take his client so far before he just had to trust that the meeting with the vice president’s office would go OK. The client, the mayor of Avalon, N.J., was seeking money from the $787 billion stimulus to repair the borough’s eroding beaches. As Avalon’s lobbyist, Marlowe would typically help sell government officials on why money would be a good investment. Afterward, he’d help interrupt the official’s responses, which are sometimes delivered in cryptic bureaucratic-ese.

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Top Dems rebel on Specter

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Alexander Bolton - Apr. 30 (News Report) - Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties.

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Some GOP critics of omnibus love their earmarks

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The Hill - By Alexander Bolton - Mar. 08 (News Analysis) - Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and other Republicans are drawing criticism for sponsoring hundreds of millions of earmarks in the $410 billion omnibus that they themselves have blasted as fiscally irresponsible. Vitter is the most obvious target because he holds himself a fiscal conservative, a position that often serves him well. In the midst of a heated debate over earmarks, however, Vitter finds himself ducking charges of hypocrisy. The criticisms undercut the GOP’s weekend effort to frame omnibus as a Democratic Christmas tree

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Rahm’s fingerprints all over package, tactics

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The Hill - By Mike Soraghan - Feb. 12 (News Report) - And if anyone’s fingerprints are on the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package being sorted out in Congress this week, they belong to Emanuel, the former Illinois House member who is now the White House chief of staff.

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McConnell warns Reid to give GOP input

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - Nov. 21 (News Report) - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday sent a message to Democrats that Republicans are not prepared to bend to a stronger majority. In letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), McConnell urged Reid to adopt a more conciliatory tone and warned him that Republicans will unite against Democrats if he does not. The letter was signed by all 40 GOP senators and two Republican incumbents who are awaiting the results of elections in Georgia and Minnesota.

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Cantor: GOP stands ready to work with Obama

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Hill - By Klaus Marre - Nov. 09 (News Report) - Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), who is poised to become minority whip, said Sunday that the House GOP wants to work with President-elect Barack Obama to fix the nation’s problems. “If you look at the roiling global financial situation, if you look at the fact that much of this country distrusts its government, if you look at the fact that we’re still fighting in two wars, I think that the Republicans in Congress will stand ready to work with this new president,” Cantor said on “Fox News Sunday.” The lawmaker, who will likely replace Rep. Roy Blunt (Mo.) as minority whip as part of a shakeup of House GOP leaders, argued that the election has shown the Republicans must do things differently to succeed. However, he stated that Sen. Obama’s (D-Ill.) victory, coupled with large Democratic gains in the House and Senate, was “not some kind of shift of the American people toward some style of European social big government type of philosophy.”

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McCain: Polls have ‘closed dramatically’

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Klaus Marre - Oct. 19 (News Report) - Republican presidential nominee John McCain on Sunday said “polling numbers have closed dramatically in the last few days” and that he senses “that things are headed our way.” “We’re very happy with the way the campaign is going,” the Arizona senator said on “Fox News Sunday.” McCain discussed the race as polls in battleground states appear to give Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) a strong edge. Obama on Sunday also received the endorsement of retired Gen. Colin Powell, who served as secretary of State in the first term of the current administration and is one of the most respected Republicans. In addition, the Democrat’s campaign announced that it raised an eye-popping $150 million in September, giving him a vast money lead over McCain.

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Palin gives more to charity than Biden

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Sam Youngman - Oct. 03 (News Report) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made considerably less money than rival Sen. Joe Biden, but the Palin family gave more to charity in the last two years than Biden has in the last eight combined, according to Palin's tax records released Friday afternoon. Palin, the running mate of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and her husband Todd reported meager earnings from 2006 and 2007, at least by presidential-politics standards.

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Medicare bill nearly law but lobbies stay focused

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jeffrey Young - Jul. 13 (Opinion) - Barring extraordinary turns by several Senate Republicans next week, the Medicare bill will end its nearly eight-month journey but some of the special interests working on the bill plan to keep up the pressure until the end. America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), which opposes the provision in the bill reducing spending on private Medicare Advantage plans, and the seniors' lobby AARP, which supports the fix to physician payment cuts that make up the centerpiece of the legislation, have made clear that they were not taking their eyes off the ball.

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Taking Aim at the Next Karl Rove

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Alexander Bolton - Jul. 08 (News Report) - Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who has primary jurisdiction over the executive branch, is considering legislation to eliminate Karl Rove-type advisers in future administrations.

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Webb splits with Obama over drilling

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - Jun. 21 (News Analysis) - Webb's divergence from his party also comes as his name is being mentioned on Obama's short list for a running mate. A key McCain ally, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, seized on the similarities between Webb and McCain on offshore drilling. "It shows Sen. Webb is right sometimes,"

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House Dems plan new energy push

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:08:32 -0700

The Hill - By Mike Soraghan - Jun. 15 (News Report) - With gasoline prices hovering over $4 a gallon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wants to make another energy push before Americans load their cars back up for the Independence Day holiday. Pelosi met with several committee chairs and members of the House Democratic leadership Thursday to begin work on a package of energy proposals. She asked the committee chairs to recommend proposals that have already passed committee with bipartisan support, or measures that were left out of last year's energy bill but are ripe for reconsideration.

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For lobbyists, high gas prices are good news

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Jim Snyder - Jun. 10 (News Analysis) - as gas reaches a national average of $4 a gallon...some see the makings of a consensus on Capital Hill: making it harder for investors to buy crude on the commodity futures markets....lobbyists representing Wall Street and other investors are waking up to the idea that...hedge funds and other oil speculators could end up paying the political price for high gas costs.

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McCain picks former Reagan official to head VP search

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:10:07 -0700

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - May. 23 (News Report) - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has tapped a former Reagan administration official to head his campaign's search for a vice presidential nominee. -- Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) told The Hill that Arthur Culvahouse ...

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Childers victory gives Dems a third straight takeover

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By Aaron Blake - May. 14 (News Report) - Democrat Travis Childers won Tuesday's Mississippi special election runoff for Sen. Roger Wicker's (R) former House seat, handing Democrats the biggest of their three special election takeovers this cycle and sending a listless GOP further into a state of disarray.

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Dems add to majority with Cazayoux win in La.

Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Hill - By J. Taylor Rushing - May. 04 (News Report) - House Democrats continued to expand their majority Saturday night after Louisiana state Rep. Don Cazayoux emerged victorious in a special election for retired Rep. Richard Baker's (R) district, which had been in Republican hands since 1975. Cazayoux narrowly beat former state Rep. Woody Jenkins for the 6th Congressional District seat. With all 512 precincts reporting, Cazayoux had 49.2 percent of the vote compared to 46.27 for Jenkins, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State.

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