On a break from the Senate Finance Committee's high-stakes healthcare bill markup, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) found time to say hello to a reality television star from the Sunshine State.
Nelson tweeted that he met with Barbara Kadzis of Tallahassee, who appeared on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition:"
On a break from the cmte health care debate to meet Barbara Kadzis, you may remember her from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Tally.
The show provides home renovations to deserving families.
Rep. Bob Inglis' campaign (R-S.C.) used one of the internet's newest forms of communication to announce they are still accepting contributions the old-school way.
The sixth-term congresssman's staff tweetedWednesday that Inglis for Congress takes donations via check:
Working hard to get momentum-making, 3rd quarter contributions in before the end of today. Contribute on-line at www.inglisforcongress.com
Of course, we'll happily receive checks as well! Inglis for Congress Committee, P. O. Box 210, Travelers Rest, SC 29690
The second tweet begs the question: what kind of cutting-edge Twitter users are still writing checks?
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) lived to see another day on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" after earning an extremely low score for his last performance.
The Texan earned 18 points, tied for the lowest score with former model Kathy Ireland, but it was Ireland who got the ax.
A liberal member of Congress on Wednesday dubbed the most recent complaints about ACORN as "more blah, blah, blah."
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) took aim at comments made last week by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) suggesting that the Census Bureau should sever ties with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) because it is too close with ACORN.
The Congressional Progressive Caucus member tweeted:
More blah, blah, blah re ACORN. Member drills rep of SEIU re association w/ ACORN. Are you now or have you evern been associated w/ ACORN?
The Senate previously voted to cut off federal funding for ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) after several staff members were caught on video giving tax advice to two individuals posing as a pimp and prostitute.
The SEIU previously backed one of Kirk's main Senate opponents Alexi Giannoulis (D).
Ellison also fired back at conservative attacks of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which is designed to open credit to individuals in low and middle income communities. Some on the right have blamed it for playing a role in last year's mortgage in credit crisis.
The House Financial Service Committee member rebuked comments by a Heritage Foundation fellow speaking at a hearing before the panel on Wednesday.
More blah, blah, blah re CRA. Heritage Foundation speaker, David C. John, denies CRA role in financial crisis. What's wrong w/ these guys?
Mr. John: NO CFPA [the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency], but coordinating council for existing agencies. Same ones who failed consumer over last 8 years. Sorry, no good.
A Republican congressman on Thursday urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to organize a vote to reprimand Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) similar to action taken against Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)
Grayson caused controversy on the House floor yesterday afternoon when he said "the Republican healthcare plan is this: die quickly."
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) took to Twitter to call on Pelosi to officially rebuke Grayson:
Will Pelosi hold vote to reprimand #Grayson? http://bit.ly/4pGUWN Or was JWilson reprimand just partisan politics after all? #tcot
A couple of weeks ago, the House voted to condemn Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) after he shouted "you lie!" at President Barack Obama during his speech to a joint session of Congress on September 9.
Several House Republicans chastised Grayson on the House floor after his comment.
After reports yesterday that military members will be allowed to access social media sites, a Pentagon official on Wednesday insisted that the Defense Department has not made a "final decision."
Nextgov reported on Tuesday that it had obtained a draft memo that said the military would allow members and their families to
Price Floyd, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, tweeted this morning:
Several media stoires (sic) out today on DoD access to social media sites. Just to be clear - no final decision has been made.
Military policy regarding social media sites has been in flux for some time.
The U.S. Strategic Command had issued a warning order in August suggesting that the Defense Department ban use of the sites such as Twitter and Facebook amongst military members to due security concerns.
The Marines later unilaterally barred its service members from the sites.
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) signaled Tuesday he was not deterred by the Senate Finance Committee's votes to defeat two amendments in support of the public option.
Soon after learning that both proposals -- pitched earlier Tuesday afternoon by Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- failed to win sufficient support from the committee's members, Specter tweeted:
I am disappointed
by today’s vote in the Finance Committee preventing the inclusion of a
public option in the health care reform bill.
A robust public
option will create competition in the marketplace and will help to
provide affordable choices for American families.
Specter then concluded his string of tweets with a promise to champion his colleagues' cause once the Senate Finance Committee finishes its markup process:
I will continue to work with my colleagues for a public option once the legislation arrives at the Senate floor.
Despite Tuesday's setbacks, Specter and his fellow Democrats still have a number of avenues available to advance the public option.
Once the Senate Finance Committee finishes drafting its proposal, lawmakers will have to combine that with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee's bill, which already boasts a government plan.
They will have another opportunity to append their proposal once the full Senate considers the committees' final health bill. And if the House approves a reform package with a public option intact -- which many lawmakers expect the chamber to do -- and the Senate approves any bill at all, a conference committee will provide proponents one last chance to defend their government plan.
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was his own biggest critic the day after he turned in a sub-par performance on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."
The ex-lawmaker, whose nickname is "The Hammer," was drilled by the judges; partner Cheryl Burke and he only received 18 points for their tango. That score placed them last among the four pairings on Monday night's episode.
Despite its failure to pass the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, a liberal member of the panel said the public option has "momentum" because of public support.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) took to Twitter to express confidence that the public option will pass after the Finance Committee voted down amendmentsby Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that would have included a public health insurance option in the bill.
http://twitpic.com/jmvle Speaking to press after public option votes in Finance. Two-thirds of Americans support it, there is momentum.
Menendez pointed to a recently released New York Times/CBS Newspoll that showed two-thirds of respondents support a government-run health insurance plan.
Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who did not included the public option in his original proposal, praised the the public plan but voted against both amendments.
Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), and Baucus were the three Democrats who voted against Schumer's proposal. The trio plus Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Nelson (D-Neb.) voted against Rockefeller's proposal.
Schumer's proposal differed from Rockefeller's plan in that it did not tie doctors' reimbursement rates to Medicare.
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