Congresspedia’s “Congress in the News” updates, Nov. 8-Nov. 30, 2006 [1]
Submitted by Conor Kenny [2] on
- Las Vegas police have recommended that no charges be filed against Rep. Jim Gibbons [3] (R-Nev.) in relation to an alleged assault. (News 3 [4] story)
- Washington D.C. Mayor-elect Adrian Fenty lobbied members of Congress [5] yesterday for passage of a bill, sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis [6] (R-Va.), which would provide the District with its first-ever full-voting member of Congress. (See Congresspedia page on DC voting rights [7])
- House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi [8] (D-Calif.) has chosen Rep. Silvestre Reyes [9] (D-Texas) to chair the House Intelligence Committee [10]. (AP [11] story)
- Rep. Alan Mollohan [12] (D-W.V.), currently the subject of an FBI investigation [13], is in line to take over a position that would give him control of the agency's budget when the 110th Congress [14] convenes in 2007. (TPMmuckraker [15] story)
- Incoming Senate Majority Leader [16] Harry Reid [17]'s (D-Nev.) chief of staff is leaving her position to become president and CEO of the ONE Campaign, a non-profit group. (The Hill [18] story)
- Rep. Robin Hayes [19] (R-N.C.) has officially won reelection, with the concession of his Democratic [20] opponent Larry Kissell [21] ending a recount. (AP [22] story)
- House [23] Democrats [20] will not place the reorganization of the Congress's oversight of U.S. intelligence agencies, a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission [24], on their agenda [25] for the beginning of the 110th Congress [14]. (Washington Post [26] story)
- Senate Majority Leader [16] Bill Frist [27] (R-Tenn.) announced that he will not run for president in 2008. (AP [28] story)
- Future Speaker-elect [29] Nancy Pelosi [8] (D-Calif.) has decided against naming either Rep. Jane Harman [30] (D-Calif.) or Rep. Alcee Hastings [31] (D-Fla.) to chair the House Intelligence Committee [32]. (Washington Post [33] story)
- Future Harry Reid [17] (D-Nev.) stated that increasing the minimum wage and funding for stem cell research would top the Democratic [20] agenda in 2007. (AP [34] story)
- Rep. John Dingell [35] (D-Mich.) pledged investigations into the Medicare prescription drug benefit, spending on government contractors in Iraq, and an energy task force overseen by Dick Cheney [36] when the 110th Congress [14] convenes in 2007. (AP [37] story)
- Republican [38] leaders have decided not to act on annual spending bills before Congress adjourns for 2006, thus leaving the legislation to be considered by the newly-Democratic [20] Congress [14] that will convene in 2007. (The Hill [39] story)
- Sen. Harry Reid [17]'s (D-Nev.) ascension to majority leader [16] will make him the highest-ranking Mormon elected to office in U.S. history. (AP [40] story)
- Rep. Charles Rangel [41] (D-N.Y.) renewed his call for the resumption of the military draft. (AP [42] story)
- Sen. John McCain [43] (R-Ariz.) stated that he would support a limited constitutional ban on abortion and, failing that, the repeal of Roe vs. Wade to allow individual states to determine their own abortion policy. (Think Progress [44] story)
- Rep. Chaka Fattah [45] (D-Pa.) announced that he will run for mayor of Philadelphia in 2007. (Philadelphia Inquirer [46] story)
- Citing voting machine malfunctions in Sarasota County, Fla., Democratic [20] House candidate Christine Jennings [47] officially contested election results showing her losing to Republican [48] Vern Buchanan [49] by 369 votes in Florida's Thirteenth Congressional District. (AP [50] story)
- House [23] Republicans [38] chose their leadership for the 110th Congress [14]. It will consist of Minority Leader John Boehner [51] (Ohio), Minority Whip Roy Blunt [52] (Mo.) and Conference Chair Adam Putnam [53] (Fla.). (Washington Post [54] story)
- Florida authorities have opened a criminal investigation into sexually explicit messages [55] sent to minors by ex-Rep. Mark Foley [56] (R-Fla.). (Washington Post [57] story)
- New York State Police reportedly released an altered version of a police report involving Rep. John Sweeney [58] so that the original could not be used against him in the November 7 elections. (Times Union [59] story)
- House [23] Democrats [60] chose their leadership for the 110th Congress [14]. It will consist of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi [8] (Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer [61] (Md.), Majority Whip James Clyburn [62] (S.C.), and Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel [63] (Ill.). (CNN [64] story)
- Lawyers for Rep. William Jefferson [65] (D-La.) were ordered to turn over any documents over which they do not claim constitutional “Speech or Debate” privileges to federal prosecutors investigating Jefferson for bribery. (Roll Call [66] story)
- Disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff [67] reported to prison to begin serving a nearly six year sentence for wire fraud. (AP [68] story)
- Former Senate Majority Leader [69] Trent Lott [70] (R-Miss.) defeated Sen. Lamar Alexander [71] (R-Tenn.) in Republican [38] caucus balloting to become Senate minority whip [72] during the 110th Congress [14]. Sen. Mitch McConnell [73] (R-Ky.) was unanimously chosen as Senate minority leader [74]. ( AP [75] story)
- Senate [76] Democrats [60] chose their leadership for the 110th Congress. It will consist of Majority Leader Harry Reid [17] (Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin [77] (Ill.), Vice-Chairman of the Caucus Charles Schumer [78] (N.Y), Conference Secretary Patty Murray [79] (Wash.), and Debbie Stabenow [80] (Mich.), who will head the steering committee. ( AP [81] story)
- Senate [76] Democrats [60] are creating a new leadership position, vice-chairman of the caucus, that will make Sen. Charles Schumer [82] (D-N.Y.) the number three Democrat in the body. (The Hill [83] story)
- Rep. Tim Murphy [84] (R-Pa.) fired a staffer named as a source in an article accusing him of ethics violations. (Post-Gazette [85] story)
- Senate Minority Leader [16] Harry Reid [86] (D-Nev.) earmarked money for a bridge which could raise the value of land that he holds in Arizona. (LA Times [87] story)
- Congress reconvened Monday to begin its post-election lame duck session. (Washington Post [88] story)
- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi [8] (D-Calif.) has endorsed Rep. John Murtha [89] for the office of Majority Leader in the upcoming congressional leadership elections. (Washington Post [90] story)
- The House of Representatives [23] accepted the resignation of former Rep. Bob Ney [91] (R-Ohio). (Office of the Clerk [92] story)
- Maryland Democrats are decrying the GOP-directed distribution of a sample ballot appearing to falsely claim that Senate candidate Michael Steele [93] and Governor Bob Ehrlich had received the backing of several prominent, black Democrats. (Washington Post [94] story)