Congress

Senate Votes Against Barring Funding For Federal Court Prosecutions Of 9/11 Cases | Press Release

WASHINGTON – The Senate voted to table, thus defeating, an amendment, S.A.2669, to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act today which would have prohibited the use of Justice Department funds for the prosecution of detainees charged in connection with the September 11 attacks in Article III courts, the federal courts that have been used for nearly 200 international terrorism trials and convictions since 9/11. The amendment, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), would have forced the government to use the fatally flawed Guantánamo military commissions for detainees’ trials. On October 30, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Senate leaders opposing the Graham amendment.

House Democrats pass health-care bill
One Republican votes for plan Senate will act next on legislation
By Lori Montgomery and Shailagh Murray | Washington Post

Hours after President Obama exhorted Democratic lawmakers to "answer the call of history," the House hit an unprecedented milestone on the path to health-care reform, approving a trillion-dollar package late Saturday that seeks to overhaul private insurance practices and guarantee comprehensive and affordable coverage to almost every American.

After months of acrimonious partisanship, Democrats closed ranks on a 220-215 vote that included 39 defections, mostly from the party's conservative ranks. But the bill attracted a surprise Republican convert: Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana, who represents the Democratic-leaning district of New Orleans and had been the target of a last-minute White House lobbying campaign. GOP House leaders had predicted their members would unanimously oppose the bill. Read more.

See how House Representatives voted by congressional district, campaign contributions received from the health industry, and the percent of people uninsured in their districts.

U.S.: Congress Out of Step with Public on Intl Law?
By Eli Clifton | IPS

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday condemning the Goldstone Report on Israeli and Hamas actions taking during the Gaza War as "irredeemably biased" against Israel and calling on U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to oppose any consideration of the report in multilateral fora, such as the United Nations.

But a poll released just the day before found that a large majority of U.S. citizens believe the U.S. should abide by international laws and view the international legal system favourably.

House Resolution (HR) 867 called on the White House and State Department to oppose any future examinations of the report, which members of Congress felt focused disproportionally on alleged Israeli war crimes while paying little attention to violations committed by Hamas during the Gaza War from Dec. 27, 2008 to Jan. 18, 2009.

"The 344 supporters have apparently not read the report," wrote Human Rights Watch senior researcher Fred Abrahams. "The 575-page document records violations of the laws of war by Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, and concludes that all sides committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity."

"Both Israelis and Palestinians need to carry out investigations that meet international standards or face international prosecution," he said. Read more.

Rep. Weiner withdraws single payer amendment | Submitted by Michael Munk | www.MichaelMunk.com

Representative Anthony Weiner | November 6, 2009

Rep. Weiner Withdraws Single Payer Amendment from Current Health Care Debate |Press Release

Today, Representative Anthony Weiner (D - Brooklyn and Queens), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on his decision to withdraw his single payer amendment to H.R. 3962, the House health care reform bill:

“I have decided not to offer a single payer alternative to the health reform bill at this time. Given how fluid the negotiations are on the final push to get comprehensive health care reform that covers millions of Americans and contains costs through a public option, I became concerned that my amendment might undermine that important goal.”

“I am going to continue to press the case for health care reform in every venue I can. And I also will continue to press for a smarter, less-expensive, more-comprehensive alternative to the employer-based health insurance system we have today.”

"I've discussed the issue with Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Waxman, and agree with them that the health reform bill is so close it deserves every chance to gain a majority."

And...

Kucinich: Why is it we have Finite Resources for Health Care but Unlimited Money for War? | Press Release

Following a statement on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement:

“Why is it we have finite resources for health care but unlimited money for war?

“The inequities in our economy are piling up: trillions for war, trillions for Wall Street and tens of billions for the insurance companies. Banks and other corporations are sitting on piles of cash of taxpayer’s money while firing workers, cutting pay and denying small businesses money to survive.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, says another supplemental spending vote for war money in the next few months will be in the range of $50 billion.

Will we be prepared to stop it?

Kucinich, Single Payer Co-author, Raises Questions about Stand Alone Vote on National Single Payer | Press Release

Washington D.C. (November 5, 2009) – Following a statement on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), co-author of HR 676 with Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), today made the following statement about the House health care plan:

“The Book of Ecclesiastes says ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven...a time to plant, a time to reap.’

Congressmen John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich, the two principal co-authors of the Conyers single-payer bill, wrote ADS about tomorrow's House vote. Here is what they are asking of you:

We are now asking you to join us in suggesting to congressional leaders that this is not the right time to call the roll on a stand-alone single payer bill.

Now, here's the rest of their letter.

Dear Friends,

We thank you for your continued devotion to the cause of health care for All Americans. We have worked together for many years to write, promote and campaign for HR676, a single payer, not for profit health care system. Your work, in communities across America, has been instrumental in helping at least ten states create single payer movements, with many more states to come.

Tomorrow, the House of Representatives is scheduled consider a single payer bill. As the two principal co-authors of the Conyers single payer bill, we want to offer a strong note of caution about tomorrow's vote.

The bill presented tomorrow will not be HR676. While we are happy to relinquish authorship of a single payer bill to any member who can do better, we do not want a weak bill brought forward in a hostile climate to unwittingly accomplish what would be interpreted as a defeat for single payer.

Kucinich: The Insurance Companies are the Problem not the Solution | Press Release

Following a statement on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement about the House health care plan:

“Before we celebrate the new health care legislation, keep in mind that the American people will be required by law to buy private insurance and that they will pay a penalty if they don’t.

“That insurance companies will be subsidized by the government.

“That insurance companies have had double digit increases in premiums in the past four years.

“That we are locking in a for profit structure.

Read the Goldstone Report - Human Rights In Palestine and Other
Occupied Arab Territories: Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict

Health Care Bill Linked Here With Majority Leader's and Speaker's Statements

Manager's amendment posted.

Boehner substitute amendment officially filed.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md) released the following statement on the filling of the Manager’s Amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

“With the completion of the Manager’s Amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act, we are now in the final stage of moving this critical bill through the House. We pledged we would make this amendment available for 72 hours before a vote. Now that the Amendment is posted, the clock has started.

Kucinich: Truth, Human Dignity and the Goldstone Report | Press Release

Washington D.C. (November 3, 2009) –Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement on the House Floor about H. Res 867, which condemns the ‘Goldstone Report’ or the Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict:

“Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist.

“Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian.

“The resolution before us today, which would reject all attempts of the Goldstone Report to fix responsibility of all parties to war crimes, including both Hamas and Israel, may as well be called the “Down is Up, Night is Day, Wrong is Right” resolution.

“Because if this Congress votes to condemn a report it has not read, concerning events it has totally ignored, about violations of law of which it is unaware, it will have brought shame to this great institution.

Bob Fertik is guest tonight with "Kicking Just Say No Joe" (Lieberman) to the curb at http://www.theurbanjournal.org

Congressman Brian Baird Challenges Congressional Leadership’s Blind Protection of Israeli Actions in Gaza
By Ann Wright

The massive, disproportionate force used on the people of Gaza by the Israeli military was done with the full knowledge that the United States government -- the President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and the Congress -- would protect its actions from international investigation and criminal prosecution, as U.S. governments have done for the past 60 years, since the founding of the state of Israel.

Today, November 3, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on House Resolution 867 which condemns the report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict , also known as the Goldstone Report, named for Judge Goldstone who headed the mission.

The report investigates the 22 day Israeli attack on Gaza that killed 1,440 Palestinians in Gaza, wounded 5,000 and left 50,000 homeless. During the 22 day Israeli military operation, 13 Israelis were killed, 3 civilians and 10 military, 5 of whom were killed by their own Israeli military forces. The Israelis said they were defending Israel from thousands of unguided rockets fired from Gaza by militant groups that have killed 19 Israelis. For the past three years, Israel also has blockaded the 1.5 million people who live in Gaza into what is now an “open-air prison.”

Kucinich Continues Fight to Restore State Single Payer Amendment | Press Release

Washington D.C. (November 3, 2009) –Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement about the House health care plan on the floor of the House of Representatives:

“Even though insurance companies make money not providing health care, the so-called reform bill gives so much power and money to the insurance companies that we are giving far too much for the few benefits which the bill may confer.

“The insurance companies get at least another 26 million customers.

“They will receive at least an extra $50 billion in new revenue.

“They will be able to raise premiums 25%, even though in each of the last four consecutive years the industry has raised premiums by double digits.

Bailout-deterrent bill scrutinized by both sides | Washington Times

Mr. Sherman said the bill calls for the "most unprecedented transfer of power to the executive branch to make decisions about both spending and taxes in history."

"All without congressional approval, and a sharp departure from our congressional - from our constitutional - values," he added.

Lawmakers from both parties are concerned that an Obama administration-backed bill intended to deter future taxpayer-funded Wall Street bailouts would have the opposite effect and give the White House too much power over the nation's financial sector.

Some House members are worried the measure would allow the federal government, under certain circumstances, to pump rescue money into failing Wall Street giants with little or no input from Congress - potentially leaving taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars. Read more.