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Press Release
July 2, 2008
"The news that three Americans and their fellow captives held by Colombian rebels have been freed is the answer to the hopes and prayers of so many."
Press Release
June 30, 2008
“This morning, President Bush signed the emergency supplemental bill into law and with it a new GI Bill for our troops, veterans and military families and an extension of unemployment benefits for millions of jobless American workers."
Blog Post
June 30, 2008
Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after President Bush signed into law the emergency supplemental funding legislation, which includes the new GI Bill of Rights and an extension of unemployment benefits.
Many veterans groups strongly supported the legislation. Click here to read today's news release from the America Legion about the bill.
Blog Post
June 30, 2008
Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel issued the following statement after the New York Times reported on Al Qaeda's growing strength in Pakistan and the Army's internal criticism of post-war planning in Iraq:
Press Release
June 27, 2008
"As we approach the Fourth of July, we can be proud that we are thanking the heroes of our time--our troops and veterans--with a new GI Bill that provides a full, four-year college scholarship. With this new GI Bill, our troops and veterans will become the next ‘Greatest Generation' and help spur job creation for our economic recovery."
Blog Post
June 27, 2008
From the Oversight Committee:
Committee Chairs Introduce Bill to Strengthen GAOChairman Henry A. Waxman and 18 other committee chairs introduced legislation to strengthen the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and restore GAO's authority to pursue litigation if documents are improperly withheld from the agency.
"GAO needs unfettered access to federal agencies to help Congress identify waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs," said Chairman Waxman. "This bill says that federal agencies and the White House can't withhold records that GAO is entitled to review."
Blog Post
June 26, 2008
Today the House voted on several key energy-related measures. The first was the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, the "Use It or Lose It" bill. The legislation will compel the oil industry to start drilling on the 68 million acres which they are currently warehousing or be barred from obtaining any more federal drilling leases until they demonstrate that they are diligently developing those lands. The bill garnered a vote of 223-195, but fell short of the 2/3 margin necessary for passage under suspension of the rules -- the bill is expected to be brought up again under a rule where a simple majority will lead to passage.
The second was the Energy Markets Emergency Act which passed by a vote of 402-19.
Articles
June 26, 2008
"The House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved legislation that directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to use all its authority, including the agency's emergency powers, to 'curb immediately' the role of excessive speculation in energy futures markets."
Press Release
June 26, 2008
"We are putting oil speculators on notice."
Articles
June 26, 2008
"In the 109th Congress, the majority Republicans in the House regarded the Senate as the graveyard of their legislation. Many a bill passed in the lower chamber would go to the upper to die."