Posts Tagged ‘Senate’
Our Morning Roundup: New Neighbors Edition
Good Morning, City Desk Readers! It's the first day of July and the forecast doesn't call for 90 degree temperatures so it's already looking like a good one. On the news front, the nation's capital is expecting some new residents that are already getting attention before moving in.
- Minnesota has finally come to its senses and decided that Al Franken will be its second senator. It only took the ballot counters and lawyers eight months to figure that out. The former Saturday Night Live writer will take his seat following the July 4th recess. Franken will be the 60th Democrat in the Senate, making it possible for the party to break a Republican filibuster but he wants everyone to know that he's not looking to block legislation on a regular basis.
The House Just Passed “Historic” Climate Legislation
The House of Representatives just passed cap and trade legislation to combat global warming.
The final tally - webcast live on C-SPAN - was 219 to 212, largely along party lines, though more than three-dozen Democrats defected to vote against the legislation.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 comes three years after the world scientific community warned the planet was on the brink of dire climate changes. The bill has been flogged in the press as a “historic” first step by the United States to show leadership in combating global warming.
But it is not without serious critics. House Republicans spent hours today railing against the legislation. They say it'll cost the country jobs and destroy the economy. That's a big contrast with the picture presented by President Barack Obama and the Democratic leadership, who say the legislation will create jobs and spark a whole new "green" economy. At the same time, many environmentalists charge that the bill has been watered down with so many concessions to corporate polluters that it will do little to stave off the worst impacts of climate change.
Anyway, it goes to the Senate next, where it's expected to face even more opposition.
It’s All About The Guns
So yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that would give us a vote in the House. Real Representation. But there's a catch---a gun amendment that would strip the District of its gun laws. The Post writes:
"Some D.C. officials said it was ironic that the Senate bill granted the city full representation in the House while also overruling the District's decisions on a key local issue."
With that in mind, the D.C. Police did something unusual yesterday evening. The department started reporting on weapons officers recovered.
Our Historic Roundup: Senate Passes D.C. Voting Rights Bill
Today D.C. found it has 61 friends in the U.S. Senate, more than ever before. The approval of the D.C. House Voting Rights Act cleared its biggest hurdle and, barring some conceivable glitches regarding the pro-gun amendment attached to it today, this baby's going to Obama. Here's the roundup:
* DCist, which has been liveblogging, gets some knowledgeable commenters who outline what's next. One of them kindly includes the full text of the amendment "the NRA gave DC residents."
* WaPo's coverage includes a photo of proud-as-punch Eleanor Holmes Norton. You've still got to run, EHN!
* AP includes a timeline of the push for the vote, delineating that the Organic Act of 1801 can now suck it.
* The Economist breaks with its nature and leads with funnies: Stephen Colbert's takedown of EHN.
* Time.com goes big, leading with the idea that without the vote, D.C.ers don't even exist. Whoa! Somebody sure loves his license plate...
