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Archive: Agenda
How the Rescue Bill Politics Did (and Didn't) Change
By Ben Pershing The second time was the charm for the House of Representatives, which began the week by sending the stock market into the tank with its defeat of the financial rescue bill, and has ended the week by approving a modified version of the measure by a comfortable...
By Ben Pershing | October 3, 2008; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (96)
Explainer: How the Senate Rescue Bill Is Different
By Ben Pershing Two days after the House failed to pass a financial rescue bill, sending the stock market into free fall, the Senate will take its own shot tonight by voting on a measure with extra sweeteners designed to attract additional votes. The Senate bill encompasses the entire House...
By Ben Pershing | October 1, 2008; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (176)
The Morning After, Plenty of Blame to Go Around
We're now less than 24 hours removed from one of the most colossal legislative failures in recent memory, and the first rough draft of history has not been kind to any of the key players. A recent poll says that more than twice as many of those surveyed blamed the...
By Ben Pershing | September 30, 2008; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (20)
Why the Bailout Bill Failed
So how could a major bill described by the president and both parties' leaders as critical to the well-being of the nation's -- and the world's -- economy go down to defeat? There are no easy answers here, as the House's stunning defeat moments ago of the financial bailout legislation...
By Ben Pershing | September 29, 2008; 03:05 PM ET | Comments (1035)
Why House Republicans Balked
The political and economic worlds were updended Thursday by what would normally be the least-powerful constituency in Washington -- the House minority. For all the happy talk early in the day that a deal on Wall Street bailout legislation was at hand, House Republicans were never on board with the...
By Ben Pershing | September 26, 2008; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (102)
Obama, McCain at the Negotiating Table?
The news that John McCain plans to suspend his campaign and return to Washington to work on economic bailout legislation is only a few minutes old, but it's already raised the specter of a highly unusual election-year negotiating session on Capitol Hill. "I'm calling on the president to convene a...
By Ben Pershing | September 24, 2008; 03:38 PM ET | Comments (134)
For GOP, a Quiet Win on Energy
Congressional Democrats bowed to political reality Tuesday and agreed not to include an extention of the offshore oil drilling ban in the upcoming continuing resolution to fund the government, meaning that the ban will be lifted as of Oct. 1 and there won't be a big showdown -- or a...
By Ben Pershing | September 24, 2008; 10:10 AM ET | Comments (8)
On the Hill, Parties Trade Blame for Financial Crisis
The smoke hasn't cleared yet from this weekend's massive shakeup of the nation's financial landscape, but that hasn't stopped key members of Congress from doing what they do so well -- blame each other. Since the sound of the opening bell on Wall Street this morning, Democrats have been rushing...
By Ben Pershing | September 15, 2008; 03:34 PM ET | Comments (27)
McCain, Palin and Hill GOP Unite on Earmarks Issue
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- When John McCain and Sarah Palin gather here this week with congressional Republicans, there will be one topic above all on which they will try to speak with one voice: spending and earmarks. As has been much-chronicled this year, McCain and his fellow GOP lawmakers haven't...
By Ben Pershing | August 31, 2008; 03:25 PM ET | Comments (9)
Political Terrain Shifts on Drilling Issue
Republicans begin their third week of unseen and unheard House floor protests today on the energy issue, and the political terrain appears to have shifted significantly since they began Aug. 1. When the GOP started using the floor of the House, which is in recess, to demand votes on opening...
By Ben Pershing | August 18, 2008; 12:35 PM ET | Comments (19)
Bush Won't Call for Special Session
From the Department of Unsurprising News comes this dispatch: President Bush will not call Congress back into session in August to hold a vote on opening more land to oil drilling. As they have been giving speeches on the House floor during The Phantom Session (come on, wouldn't you buy...
By Ben Pershing | August 4, 2008; 03:25 PM ET | Comments (22)
Is a Government Shutdown Ahead?
Will there be a government shutdown on Oct. 1? Yes, it's a ways off, but it's a date you should keep in mind as the debate over oil drilling continues on Capitol Hill. Current law includes a ban on opening more offshore territory to oil and gas exploration, and that...
By Ben Pershing | July 31, 2008; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (23)
The Politics of Adjournment
Need more evidence that the oil drilling issue is giving Democratic leaders headaches? Look no further than the vote that occurred a few hours ago in the House on a resolution adjourning the chamber for the August recess. The resolution, which passed 213-212, calls for the chamber to adjourn later...
By Ben Pershing | July 30, 2008; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Slavery Measure Could Figure in Tenn. Primary
Tucked away in today's House schedule among bills naming post offices and congratulating last year's winner of the Heisman Trophy is a measure that just might play a key role in a heated and divisive Democratic primary that's playing out right now in Tennessee. The House is expected to vote...
By Ben Pershing | July 29, 2008; 11:59 AM ET | Comments (22)
The Week Ahead: Top Hill Aides Weigh In
Energy is only one of several issues on tap for Congress' last week in town before August recess, but it's still issue No. 1. Republicans will continue to call for more oil drilling and criticize Democrats for not allowing a vote on the issue, while Democrats will push a variety...
By Ben Pershing | July 28, 2008; 03:36 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Week Ahead: Sprint to Summer Break
With the housing relief bill having passed the Senate Saturday and the heavy lifting mostly done for now, Congress will try to dispense with a handful more big-ticket measures before leaving town at the end of this week for the August recess. On tap in the Senate is a massive...
By Ben Pershing | July 28, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Bush and GOP At Odds...Again
UPDATE 5:50 PM: Capitol Briefing was a bit off in his earlier prediction. The House passed the housing bill today on a 272-152 vote, a margin just small enough that the House could have sustained a veto if Bush had stuck to his guns. But of course, he didn't. UPDATE...
By Ben Pershing | July 23, 2008; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (24)
Blunt Bullish on GOP Electoral Prospects
House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) expressed confidence today that the GOP was on the right political side on a host of hot-button policy issues, and predicted that his party's prospects for November were far less dire than they've been portrayed in the media. In a meeting with The Washington...
By Ben Pershing | July 22, 2008; 06:28 PM ET | Comments (22)
Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend
Capitol Briefing would like to apologize at the outset for naming this post after a particular arena-rock song (hey, at least it wasn't "Takin' Care of Business.") But it seemed appropriate given what happened in the Senate yesterday. Specifically, senators and aides burned up the phones changing airline tickets, rescheduling...
By Ben Pershing | July 22, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Comments (144)
The Week Ahead: Endgame on Housing Bill
A housing rescue package that began to take life last month and gained new momentum last weekend with fresh concerns over the health of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is headed for final consideration on the Hill this week, with the House expected to take up the bicameral compromise measure...
By Ben Pershing | July 21, 2008; 09:04 AM ET | Comments (2)
Paulson to Address GOP Concerns on Housing Bill
With GOP concerns over the proposed Fannie Mae-Freddie Mac bailout bill continuing to percolate, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will meet privately this afternoon with House Republicans to try to allay their fears. Paulson will meet with the House Republican Conference behind closed doors in the Capitol at 4 p.m., as...
By Ben Pershing | July 16, 2008; 02:58 PM ET | Comments (5)
More Republicans Defect on Medicare Veto Override
UPDATE 7:05 PM: The Senate has now also voted to override the veto, 70-26. Four Republicans switched from voting against the measure previously to voting in favor of the override today: Kit Bond (Mo.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Roger Wicker (Miss.) and Richard Lugar (Ind.). ORIGINAL POST: The House just voted...
By Ben Pershing | July 15, 2008; 05:25 PM ET | Comments (14)
The Week Ahead: Top Hill Aides Weigh In
Since Capitol Briefing first started asking House and Senate leadership aides last month to contribute their thoughts on each week's agenda, their responses have focused almost exclusively on two pressing issues: housing and energy. This week is no different, as the two parties continue squabbling over oil drilling and both...
By Ben Pershing | July 14, 2008; 07:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Conservatives: Slow Down on Housing Bailout
Momentum appears to be building behind quick congressional action this week on a plan to help Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac weather their current financial storm. But not everyone on Capitol Hill is on board. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) -- chairman of the Republican Study Committee, an influential group of...
By Ben Pershing | July 14, 2008; 05:44 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Week Ahead: Housing Talks and Possible Action on Fannie and Freddie
With the Senate having finally passed a major housing package on Friday, the pressure is now on for the two chambers to begin work on a compromise measure that can get to the president's desk quickly. The House appears unlikely to simply accept the legislation passed by the Senate, but...
By Ben Pershing | July 14, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
The Week Ahead: Top Hill Aides Weigh In
Appropriately enough for a week that will be dominated by legislative items left over from before the July 4th break, aides to the top four congressional leaders foresee a continuation of debates over housing and high gas prices. Democrats plan to resume blaming the GOP for obstructing their agenda, while...
By Ben Pershing | July 7, 2008; 05:05 PM ET | Comments (3)
The Week Ahead: Leftovers on the Menu
Congress returns from it's week-long recess today with five weeks until the next break and a to-do list of items left over from before July 4th. The Senate will immediately return to the housing bill that stalled before the break, mostly due to an effort by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.)...
By Ben Pershing | July 7, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Jobs Report Keeps Congress Busy During Break
The Department of Labor announced today that the U.S. economy lost 62,000 jobs in June, and the fact that the House and Senate are in recess this week hasn't stopped lawmakers from both parties from weighing in on what Congress should do about it. An employment report like today's is...
By Ben Pershing | July 3, 2008; 12:35 PM ET | Comments (26)
Support Grows for More Oil Drilling
Capitol Briefing seems to have oil drilling on the brain today, perhaps because he filled up his car this morning (no, he doesn't drive a hybrid, but it's not an SUV either). Members of Congress, of course, have been focused on the topic of high gas prices for weeks now,...
By Ben Pershing | July 2, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (27)
The Myth That Keeps Giving
Amid the heated debate over whether to open more U.S. territory for energy exploration, a handful of congressional Republicans continue to repeat a "fact" that has been thoroughly disproven -- that China is drilling for oil just off the coast of Florida. The survival of the China drilling factoid is...
By Ben Pershing | July 2, 2008; 11:39 AM ET | Comments (20)
On Energy, Democrats' Tank Is Only Half Full
House Democrats began this week determined to pass several measures to address the spiraling costs of gasoline. While Republicans claimed none of the majority's bills would really do much to bring prices down, Democrats hoped they would be able to go home for the July 4 recess able to point...
By Ben Pershing | June 27, 2008; 12:32 PM ET | Comments (3)
Democrats Avoiding Votes on Drilling
House Republicans sometimes lament that the minority has few "tools" in its "toolbox" to steer debate in the chamber. That may be the case, but in recent days the GOP has been using what few tools it does have -- and public anger over rising gas prices -- to put...
By Ben Pershing | June 25, 2008; 03:43 PM ET | Comments (5)
The Week Ahead: Pre-Recess Message War
Last week was the time for making deals. This week is the time for getting those deals passed and sent to President Bush's desk. After agreements last week on the supplemental spending bill, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act update and a housing rescue measure, all three bills will be on...
By Ben Pershing | June 23, 2008; 05:22 PM ET | Comments (2)
Let's Make a Deal
After 18 months of mostly partisan fighting and gridlock in Congress, this week has seen bipartisan deals on three high-profile, hot-button issues. On Tuesday, Senate Democrats and Republicans announced a compromise on a big housing rescue bill that had stymied the chamber for weeks. Yesterday, House leaders from both sides...
By Ben Pershing | June 19, 2008; 11:45 AM ET | Comments (29)
McCain Echoes Hill GOP Message
Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters he wanted to end the federal ban on offshore oil drilling, and he will reiterate that point in a speech today in Houston. Tomorrow morning, the House Appropriations Committee will vote on an amendment to the energy and water spending bill that would...
By Ben Pershing | June 17, 2008; 11:24 AM ET | Comments (0)
The Week Ahead: Taxing (and Spending) Debates
Another week, another round of fights on tap over energy, taxes, unemployment benefits and funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate this week will continue work on a $120 billion "tax extenders" bill that includes energy provisions as well as the tightening of certain controversial tax loopholes....
By Ben Pershing | June 16, 2008; 04:50 PM ET | Comments (27)
The Week Ahead: Energy Bills on Tap
With gas prices again at record levels and air conditioners working overtime, energy is Topic A on Capitol Hill this week. The Senate plans to tackle a Democratic package of bills that includes measures to repeal tax incentives for oil and gas companies and crack down on alleged price gouging...
By Ben Pershing | June 9, 2008; 04:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
On Climate Bill, Wait 'Till Next Year
A sweeping climate change bill that has roiled the Senate for three days died on the chamber floor this morning, after Republicans refused to cut off debate and proceed to final passage on the measure. The bill, which would have mandated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, was felled on a...
By Ben Pershing | June 6, 2008; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (6)
With Budget Votes, Democrats Clear Key Hurdle
When Democrats took control of the House and Senate in January 2007, there was one major question they faced after 12 years in the minority: Could they govern? The jury is still out on that one, but Democrats did clear a key hurdle today with the House's passage of a...
By Ben Pershing | June 5, 2008; 04:22 PM ET | Comments (1)
The Week Ahead: Top Hill Aides Weigh In
With climate change legislation, the budget and the Iraq supplemental all on tap (not to mention several key congressional primaries across the country), it will be a busy first week back from the Memorial Day recess on Capitol Hill. Beginning today, Capitol Briefing is starting a new feature: Each week...
By Ben Pershing | June 2, 2008; 05:45 PM ET | Comments (0)
Friendly Skies for Clinton
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) may be trailing Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) in pledged delegates, states won and overall momentum, but she does appear to be winning in two categories -- legislating and courting the flight attendant vote. As Clinton the candidate spent today wooing seniors at a Florida retirement...
By Ben Pershing | May 21, 2008; 05:08 PM ET | Comments (30)
The Week Ahead: Scramble Before the Break
With plane tickets at the ready to jet home for the Memorial Day recess, members of Congress will spend this week speeding through a number of high-profile issues, with funding for the military leading the agenda and the partisan debate. The Senate will begin floor debate tomorrow on a multi-part...
By Ben Pershing | May 19, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Comments (4)
Cole Still in Charge at NRCC; GOP Agenda Emerging
The dust is still clearing after House Republicans' humiliating loss in a Mississippi special election, but for now it appears that Tom Cole (Okla.) is still standing and that the GOP caucus-members are already moving to try to remedy their broader message and agenda problems. Cole, chairman of the National...
By Ben Pershing | May 15, 2008; 03:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Week Ahead: War and Politics
Both parties have plenty to gain and lose this week, as congressional Democrats face a tall order on the legislative agenda -- particularly on Iraq -- while Republicans grapple with multiple crises on the political front. Tomorrow, voters in Mississippi's 1st district will go to the polls to elect a...
By Ben Pershing | May 12, 2008; 12:46 PM ET | Comments (0)
A Tree Grows on Capitol Hill
Earlier this afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) helped plant a tree on the East Front of the Capitol to commemorate Earth Day. Before amazed onlookers, the tree immediately grew to a towering height and gobbled up tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, lowering the Earth's temperature and saving untold...
By Ben Pershing | April 22, 2008; 05:17 PM ET | Comments (0)
Week Ahead: Fights Over Farm, Iraq Cash
Another week, another congressional schedule light on floor activity but heavy on backroom dealing. The existing Farm Bill is set to expire Friday, with President Bush having signed a one-week extension of the law after House and Senate negotiators were unable to agree on a new version of the measure...
By Ben Pershing | April 21, 2008; 11:22 AM ET | Comments (0)
Tax Day on the Hill
Just as Tax Day reminds millions of Americans how much they dislike paying taxes, members of Congress are engaged in their annual ritual of self-flagellation for spending all that tax payer money. Of course, without taxes members of Congress wouldn't exist, nor would they be able to pay themselves $169,300...
By Ben Pershing | April 15, 2008; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Week Ahead: FEC Filings, Few Bills
This week will be a relatively quiet one on Capitol Hill (or did Capitol Briefing just jinx it?), as most of the action will be off the House and Senate floors and at the downtown headquarters of the Federal Election Commission. Negotiators from the two chambers are working to complete...
By Ben Pershing | April 14, 2008; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (1)
Keeping Score on the Colombia Trade Pact
The House voted today to "stop the clock" on the Colombia free trade agreement, passing a rule change allowing the chamber to ignore the traditional 90-day timeframe under which Congress must vote on trade bills. The 224-195 vote in favor of the rule change broke down mostly along party lines,...
By Ben Pershing | April 10, 2008; 03:48 PM ET | Comments (23)
Pelosi to Stop Clock on Colombia Deal
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threw a counter-punch at President Bush on the Colombia free trade agreement today, announcing that the House would vote on a rules change to stop a legally mandated 90-day clock for Congress to take up the measure. Bush sent Congress the Colombia measure on Tuesday,...
By Ben Pershing | April 9, 2008; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (0)
Week Ahead: Iraq Hearings and Housing Bill
Who said Congress is out of touch? The House and Senate will focus this week on the two issues consistently identified by voters as their primary concerns -- the housing and economic crises, and the Iraq war. This week's agenda will be headlined by four hearings Tuesday and Wednesday on...
By Ben Pershing | April 7, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
Immigration Bills Show (Some) Signs of Life
The issue that was left for dead on Capitol Hill last year -- comprehensive immigration reform -- is showing some signs of life. Members of both parties are still all over the map on the immigration issue, and passing a major package in an election year remains a tall order....
By Ben Pershing | April 3, 2008; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (18)
Housing Bill Still Has a Ways to Go
The announcement today that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have reached a basic agreement on the outline of a housing stimulus bill is certainly news. The two leaders don't agree often, and Republicans and Democrats have been attacking each other on this issue...
By Ben Pershing | April 2, 2008; 06:05 PM ET | Comments (3)
Congress Will Battle Over Iraq, Economy
The House and Senate return to session today prepared to do battle simultaneously on two separate legislative fronts: the economy and Iraq. The Senate will reconsider this week a Democrat-backed housing stimulus measure that bogged down in February. Both chambers are also working to reach agreement on a bill retooling...
By Ben Pershing | March 31, 2008; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (0)
Economy Tops Congressional To-Do List
If Congress didn't already have an urgent to-do list awaiting its return from this two-week recess, it certainly does now. The volatility of U.S. and global financial markets, headlined by the Federal Reserve's bailout of Bear Stearns and an expected interest rate cut today, should be all the impetus Congress...
By Ben Pershing | March 18, 2008; 11:43 AM ET | Comments (2)
Final Week Yields Plenty of Campaign Fodder
After two months of moving fitfully on the legislative agenda, Congress spent last week speeding through high-profile bills that will serve as ammunition for heated campaign fights from now through November. In the days before breaking for the current two-week recess, the House passed a controversial ethics reform bill and...
By Ben Pershing | March 17, 2008; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (4)
House Holds Rare 'Closed Session'
UPDATE 4:12 PM ET: House Democratic leaders have agreed to the GOP's request that the chamber go into secret session today to discuss terrorist surveillance legislation. The session will last one hour, with the time equally divided between the majority and the minority. ORIGINAL POST: House Republicans plan to call...
By Ben Pershing | March 13, 2008; 02:23 PM ET | Comments (22)
On FISA, No Endgame in Sight
The House is slated to vote later today on Democrats' latest version of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act bill, and the measure should pass, despite the solid opposition of the GOP and even some Democrats. But the bill, which does not contain immunity for telecommunications companies, differs significantly from what...
By Ben Pershing | March 13, 2008; 11:35 AM ET | Comments (3)
FISA, Budget Headline Busy Week
Deadlines are usually the best medicine for congressional lethargy, and it's standard practice for House and Senate leaders to load up the last week before a break with must-pass items. So with a recess looming and several key pieces of legislation awaiting action, this week in Congress is shaping up...
By Ben Pershing | March 11, 2008; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (0)
FISA Fight Focuses on Trial Lawyers
Recess week has generally been quiet so far on Capitol Hill, except for the sound of press releases still whizzing back and forth on this past weekend's expiration of the terrorist surveillance law. While the releases have been hitting familiar notes -- Republicans say Democrats are putting our security in...
By Ben Pershing | February 20, 2008; 03:24 PM ET | Comments (21)
The Other FISA Debate
Amid the titanic fight last week over the expiration of the terrorist surveillance law, there was another, less intense debate brewing below the surface. This wasn't your standard Republican vs. Democrat debate. It cut across all lines, pitting executive branch agencies against each other, prompting disagreements among lawmakers of the...
By Ben Pershing | February 17, 2008; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (40)
No Plan B in the House for Surveillance Bill?
In a surprise twist, a 21-day extension of the terrorist surveillance law failed decisively on the House floor this afternoon, making it increasingly likely that the law will be allowed to expire on Friday. Thirty-four Democrats, mostly liberals who want to take a tougher line against the Bush administration on...
By Ben Pershing | February 13, 2008; 05:58 PM ET | Comments (0)
Democrats Mulling Strategic Shift on Iraq
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - As Capitol Briefing has noted, the primary theme of this year's House Democratic retreat was the economy, not Iraq. That focus continued this morning, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke addressed lawmakers and party leaders pounced on a disappointing new jobs report. But there has been some...
By Ben Pershing | February 1, 2008; 02:40 PM ET | Comments (47)
House Democrats Trim Agenda
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Capitol Briefing wrote a story in this morning's Post about the scaled-down agenda House Democrats are crafting here at their annual retreat. What issues do you think the party should tackle this year? Weigh in with your comments below....
By Ben Pershing | February 1, 2008; 08:59 AM ET | Comments (4)
Economy Takes Center Stage at Democratic Retreat
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - While important work on the economic stimulus package is going on in the Senate, House Democrats have decamped here, 150 miles south of the Capitol, to begin crafting a legislative agenda and a majority-protecting message for this election year. Just as in the Senate, the focus here...
By Ben Pershing | January 31, 2008; 10:56 AM ET | Comments (0)
Despite Obstacles, Stimulus Will Get Done
Reading the coverage today of the Senate's plans to tinker with the economic stimulus package, it's easy to get caught up in the idea that divisions on a host of issues could end up stalling the entire bill. With the House having approved the plan by an overwhelming margin yesterday,...
By Ben Pershing | January 30, 2008; 11:08 AM ET | Comments (0)
In Packed Statuary Hall, As Many Opinions As People
From amidst the crush of reporters, cameramen, photographers, cops, lawmakers, aides, clowns and circus elephants inhabiting Statuary Hall following President Bush's State of the Union speech tonight came two basic reactions -- pleasant surprise and abject disappointment. President Bush made a leisurely exit after Monday night's State of the Union...
By Ben Pershing | January 28, 2008; 11:45 PM ET | Comments (26)
Bush Hits on Stimulus, Earmark Reform
Early in his speech tonight, President Bush hit the brief portions of his speech targeted at two hot-button issues on the Hill -- the economic stimulus package and earmark reform. "The temptation will be to load up the bill," Bush said of the stimulus plan. "That would delay it or...
By Ben Pershing | January 28, 2008; 09:23 PM ET | Comments (0)
SOTU Expectations Low on the Hill
Leading up to President Bush's final State of the Union speech tonight, expectations on Capitol Hill are low, though for reasons that are split along party lines. Democrats don't expect to hear much from Bush that they'll like tonight, for the simple reason that they've never expected much from him...
By Ben Pershing | January 28, 2008; 06:35 PM ET | Comments (40)
Bush Presses for Action on Stimulus, Surveillance
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - President Bush today gave House Republicans a brief preview of Monday's State of the Union speech by stressing the importance of the administration's two biggest congressional priorities: an economic stimulus package and passage of an electronic surveillance law. Speaking to members assembled here at the...
By Ben Pershing | January 25, 2008; 04:05 PM ET | Comments (0)
Events Move Forward as GOP 'Retreats'
LEWISBURG, W.Va. -- Greetings from snowy Lewisburg, one town over from where House Republicans are gathering at the Greenbrier resort for their annual retreat. While members (and reporters) were traveling here today, two important things happened back in D.C. that will affect the retreat agenda -- a stimulus deal and...
By Ben Pershing | January 24, 2008; 04:51 PM ET | Comments (1)
Getaway Day for the GOP
Today is a travel day for Capitol Briefing as he journeys to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., to cover the House GOP's annual retreat at the lovely Greenbrier resort. The event will run from today through Saturday. These gatherings allow members to relax a bit -- many bring their families along...
By Ben Pershing | January 24, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
Will Bush Have to Buck His Own Party on the Stimulus?
As Capitol Briefing wrote yesterday, some conservatives weren't thrilled with all the happy talk about a bi-partisan stimulus package. Today the conservative Republican Study Committee unveiled its own stimulus package in hopes of influencing the current debate in a direction more amenable to the right. The plan, dubbed the Economic...
By Ben Pershing | January 23, 2008; 01:44 PM ET | Comments (7)
Will Stimulus Train Leave Conservatives Behind?
Listening to the continued bipartisan rhetoric coming from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, it would be easy to think that Congress and President Bush are on the glide path toward agreeing on an economic stimulus package that will pass both chambers with nary a dissenting voice. But listen a little...
By Ben Pershing | January 22, 2008; 05:45 PM ET | Comments (21)
Congress on the Clock for Stimulus
The Federal Reserve can apparently turn on a dime, cutting a key interest rate as stock markets around the world go into the tank. Don't expect such quick action from Congress. House and Senate leaders are holding a meeting-fest this week, scheduling all manner of discussions, briefings, and sit-downs with...
By Ben Pershing | January 22, 2008; 01:45 PM ET | Comments (0)
Reid (Briefly) Off-Key on Stimulus
For the past week, cynical Congressional reporters and observers have been treated to the highly unusual sight of Democratic leaders, GOP leaders and President Bush singing a rousing chorus of Kumbaya on the forthcoming economic stimulus package. Heartwarming as all the bipartisan photo-ops and talk of unity have been, one...
By Ben Pershing | January 18, 2008; 05:51 PM ET | Comments (9)
The Year Ahead: Can Democrats Govern?
At noon on Tuesday, Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), serving as the Speaker Pro Tempore, called the House to order. The chamber's chaplain, Rev. Daniel Coughlin, offered a brief prayer. "As this 110th Congress resumes in this Second Session for debate and passage of new bills, we pray to You, the...
By Ben Pershing | January 17, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (90)
Congress Ready to Stimulate
With the stock market shaky and economic worries rising to the top of the campaign issue pyramid, you can expect members of Congress to return to town in the next two weeks with money on their minds. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is no Ben Bernanke - Congress can't just wave...
By Ben Pershing | January 11, 2008; 12:20 PM ET | Comments (0)
McCain's Back, But Immigration Reform Isn't
Remember when Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign was supposedly dead because of his vocal support for comprehensive immigration reform? And remember when the knives came out for Mike Huckabee because he wasn't tough enough on illegal immigration either? McCain, of course, just scored a huge political comeback in New...
By Ben Pershing | January 9, 2008; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (317)
