Lawmaker News

Sen. Arlen Specter(R-Penn.) sits down with The Hill to talk about possibly running as an Independent in 2010, and his decision to vote in support of the Stimulus package that could cost him another term.

Given our pattern of bailouts and spending measures over the past several months, it comes as no surprise that our national debt has surpassed $11 trillion, the largest it has ever been in our nation's history.

Hopefully, this absolutely enormous number will temper President Obama's plans to continue his government spend-a-thon. But from what we've been hearing from the White House and among Democrat leaders here in Congress, it appears that we should just buckle in for more business as usual. Read more...

Last week I introduced H.R. 1414, the Multilingual Services Accounting Act, to open up some of the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy to the sunshine of taxpayer scrutiny.

The bill is actually quite simple.  It requires federal agencies to report how much they spend each year on services provided in languages other than English.

That’s it.  No burdensome mandates or quotas.  Just a straightforward accounting mechanism to give Congress and the taxpayers we represent an idea of how much the federal government is shelling out to provide non-English services. Read more...

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. When our economy has the flu -– as it does now -– small businesses get pneumonia. But when given a shot, small firms are essential tools to our nation’s economic recovery.

President Obama knows this. That is why earlier this week he set in motion a bold plan to get our economy back on track. The plan takes immediate steps to increase entrepreneurs’ access to capital, which has dried up because of a frozen secondary market that is discouraging banks from making new loans. Read more...

Everyday, firefighters across the country put their lives on the line for the safety of others.  I believe we have an obligation to provide firefighters the tools and resources they need to safely and successfully do their job.  I am proud to partner with Senator Sherrod Brown to introduce the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2009, which is similar to legislation I introduced in the 110th Congress.

This bill provides a framework for every fire department to be as efficient and safe as possible and to avoid any preventable fatalities in the line of duty. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, more than 100 firefighters die in the line of duty each year, while tens of thousands more suffer from work-related injuries. We need to determine if any of these tragedies can be prevented by encouraging compliance to safety standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.  Read more...

Last night, I introduced my first bill, S.605, bipartisan legislation supported by Senators Isakson (R-Ga.) and Tester (D-Mont.). S. 605 directs the SEC to stop abusive short selling practices that artificially manipulate stock prices.

I am deeply troubled by the fact that so many Americans have lost so much of their life savings in the stock market during the past year. Literally trillions of dollars that was meant for retirement expenses, college tuition or starting a new business has simply evaporated. We have to convince investors that the system is not stacked against them. Read more...

Despite his repeated pledges, first on the campaign trail last fall and then again in his address to the Congress last month, President Obama is once again talking about tax increases that will firmly impact America’s struggling middle class. For instance, his budget includes a cap on the mortgage interest deduction, a limit on charitable donation deductions, and a newly created tax on carbon emissions that could cost the average American family about $4,000 a year. Read more...

The Hill's Bob Cusack gives a preview of the week ahead on Capitol Hill.

Our nation is facing some of the toughest economic times in decades and this recession is hitting rural America just as severely as the rest of the country. A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in December 2008 alone, our nation’s rural counties lost 282,000 jobs. It is now more important than ever that Congress gives rural America a seat at the table and focuses on policies that will give our communities the economic boost they desperately need and deserve.

Since 2005, I have had the privilege to serve as Chair of Rural Outreach for the Senate Democratic Caucus. Through this leadership role, I help lend a rural perspective to the Senate agenda and promote policies beneficial to rural America. In an effort to further highlight rural issues, the Senate Democratic Caucus has unveiled its Rural Agenda for the 111th Congress. We recognize that rural America is very diverse, reaching across every state -- including Indian Country -- and have formed an agenda that will guide our caucus as we continue to fight for policies on behalf of our rural communities. Read more...

The Hill's Bob Cusack interviews New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin about recovery efforts in his city post-Katrina and what role Congress has played in rebuilding the Big Easy.