As Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) marks his line of opposition to a public insurance plan in the Democrats’ health reform bill, it’s worth noting that no industry has given more to Nelson’s congressional career than the insurers. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign contributions, insurance More…
Over a complete Republican boycott, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed its climate bill last week by a vote of 11-1. The lone dissenter was Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) — a name you’ll be hearing a lot more if you’re keeping tabs on the climate debate. Baucus More…
The American Association for Justice — the trial lawyers’ lobby group — has just released an astounding statistic: medical malpractice insurance companies’ average profits are higher than those of 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
As the nation remains mired in a debate over health care reform and More…
Alexandra pointed out here last week that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), newly promoted to head the Senate Agriculture Committee, has been raking in the dollars from Big Ag this year, tallying at least $306,500 in the past eight months alone, according to the Center for Responsive More…
As I recount in this morning’s story, the first of three days of Tea Party events in D.C. consisted of a political rally followed by direct lobbying between Tea Party activists and members of Congress — more typically, their staffs. Here is some of the material Tea Party activists got More…
Since its inception, the health insurance industry has fought doctors over payments, dropped patients when they’ve gotten sick and denied coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. The tactics make perfect sense: Insurance companies aren’t designed to make people well, they’re designed to reap profits for shareholders.
Which, as Washington Post More…
When the talk of health care reform was generic — and therefore unthreatening — the insurance lobby joined a number of other powerful voices in the health care industry to announce its support. But with the Democrats pushing ever-harder to ensure the inclusion of a public More…
It’s not everyday that lawmakers with top ratings from the National Rifle Association go around criticizing the powerful gun lobby. But regarding the NRA’s bid to pressure senators to vote against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, some are losing their patience.
Here’s Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), quoted yesterday by More…
Nuclear power is courting some new friends as it pushes for government subsidies in the sweeping climate bill being debated in the Senate.
For the last decade, the biggest players in the nuclear industry lent most of their financial backing to Republican candidates and lawmakers, who have been the strongest More…
In January of 2007, just days after the Democrats took control of the House for the first time in over a decade, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) vowed “to close the revolving door between government officials and lobbying firms.”
Sike!
From CQ’s Jonathan Allen comes a heartwarming More…
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