As 41 senators sign letter opposing Pence amendment, Tim Pawlenty among GOP candidates voicing support

Again stirring controversy on Capitol Hill is a measure in the U.S. House budget bill that would prevent federal funds from going to Planned Parenthood and cut Title X family planning funds. Potential presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty told anti-abortion rights group the Susan B. Anthony List that he supports defunding More…

Minnesotans in Congress weigh in on Libya

Rep. Betty McCollum and Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar have given measured support for the United States’ military operations in Libya as a part of an international coalition of force in the region. McCollum wants congressional oversight before more operations commence while Franken is concerned about the costs. The More…

With Renewables Standard in Doubt, Coalition Grudgingly Calls for Low Target

The renewable energy industry has largely abandoned efforts to push a stringent renewable energy standard in pending energy legislation, instead calling for a standard that many have said is not strong enough to bring about rapid wind and solar energy development.

[Environment1] On a conference call with reporters today, a More…

Iowa Caucus Season Gets Off to a Slow Start

Caucus night in Iowa is over 18 months away and no presidential candidates have officially declared, but it’s still something of a surprise to Iowa politicians how little attention from potential 2012 candidates the state has been getting.

National Republicans are slowly starting to trickle into the state for campaign More…

With Carbon Cap in Doubt, Enviros Scramble to Strengthen Renewable Energy Standard

With the fate of a scaled-back cap on greenhouse gas emissions uncertain, environmental groups are scrambling to find a way to maintain a bill that would still achieve substantial cuts in global warming pollution. Now they have refocused their attention on strengthening a renewable energy standard, which would require More…

Merkley, Klobuchar Amendment Banning Liar Loans Approved

This afternoon, an amendment protecting mortgage consumers from predatory lending practices made it into Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-Conn.) financial regulatory reform bill. The Senate approved the amendment by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) 63 to 36.

The new language prohibits mortgage lenders from receiving hidden payments More…

Key Democratic Senators Set Conditions for Supporting Climate Agreement

Nine Democratic senators sent a letter to President Obama this morning laying out ten conditions that will allow them to support domestic and international climate deals. The senators, who all hail from manufacturing of fossil fuel-dependent states, are mostly moderates, and their votes will be crucial to passing a More…

Protecting Coal, but at What Cost?

The push is on to dilute the climate change bills moving through Congress, and it’s not coming only from conservatives. Mother Jones’ Kate Sheppard reports today that 14 Senate Democrats are urging their leadership to amend the proposal to grant more free polluting permits to the coal-burning utilities More…

Stabenow on Unemployment Insurance: ‘We Could Have Done This Three Weeks Ago’

With 7,000 Americans exhausting their unemployment insurance (UI) each day, Senate Democrats are hoping this week to pass legislation extending those benefits nationwide — a bill that’s been held up for weeks while upper-chamber leaders haggle over a series of controversial Republican amendments. First, More…

The Perils of Regional Protectionism, Part CXXVII

The hospitals have pledged more than $150 billion over a decade. Drug makers have chipped in another $80 billion. And the medical device manufacturers’ voluntary contribution to health reform? $0.

Indeed, as The Washington Post reported over the weekend, that failure to lend a financial hand for the More…