The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged Sheldon Whitehouse

Senate Races to Watch for Immigration Policy

By | 11.02.10 | 3:22 pm

Today’s elections will almost certainly make it harder for Congress to push through progressive agenda items such as comprehensive immigration reform. Although a lot of the changes will be broad — more Republicans will mean more arguments for border security and enforcement and less support for paths to legalization — More…

Whitehouse Bill Clarifies Oil Spill Victims’ Right to Sue

By | 09.28.10 | 6:16 pm

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced a bill today that clarifies that victims of the Gulf oil spill can sue any party responsible for the disaster, not just BP.

The bill, the Oil Spill Victims Redress Act, would allow oil spill victims to sue other responsible parties including Transocean, which drilled More…

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With Loss of COBRA Subsidy, Newly Unemployed Face Tripling of Insurance Costs

By | 08.24.10 | 4:45 am

In the first week of July, Andie Davis’ husband, who worked in manufacturing, lost his job, as hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have since the onset of the recession. Soon after, he started collecting unemployment insurance benefits that might last the family of four as long as 99 weeks. Davis More…

In Kagan Opener, Democrats Rip Into Court’s Corporate Case Decisions

By | 06.28.10 | 3:37 pm

Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are two of the latest Senate Democrats to use their opening statements in Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearing today to criticize the Supreme Court over what they believe is a recent record of pro-corporation rulings.

Franken said the court under Chief Justice John More…

22 Days After Congress Cut Unemployment Insurance, Still No Movement

By | 06.23.10 | 1:53 pm

It has been 22 days since some unemployment insurance recipients stopped receiving benefits, as the extenders bill — also known as the jobs bill or H.R. 4213 — took considerable time and cuts to make it through the House, and has stalled in the Senate for nearly a month More…

A Last-Minute Push to End Insurers’ Anti-Trust Exemption

By | 01.14.10 | 1:42 pm

A group of powerful Senate Democrats is urging leadership today to repeal the federal anti-trust exemption that insurance companies have enjoyed for more than six decades. In a letter to President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the Democrats More…

Chafee to Announce Candidacy for Governor

By | 01.04.10 | 9:58 am

From CNN:

Lincoln Chafee Monday will formally announce his bid for Rhode Island governor Monday.

NYT Supports Nadler Legislation to Restore Court Access

By | 12.22.09 | 11:07 am

The New York Times’ editorial board weighs in today in favor of Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s (D-N.Y.) proposed legislation to effectively overturn two recent Supreme Court cases that significantly narrowed the ability of many victims to have their day in court.

Congress has held two More…

Dems Blast Higher Hurdles for Civil Rights Claims

By | 12.04.09 | 6:00 am

Last year, an Arizona housing developer known for building affordable homes for Hispanics filed a complaint against the City of Yuma, which denied his application to build homes for low to moderate income families in a predominately white high-income neighborhood. The developer sued for discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, More…

Holder Struggles to Defend 9/11 Trial Decisions

By | 11.19.09 | 6:00 am

Attorney General Eric Holder surely knew he’d be facing a tough audience when he prepared to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. That may be why instead of delivering the written testimony he’d prepared, he focused his opening remarks on

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