Promises Made: The Democratic Congressional Agenda
Guest blogger: Congresspedia intern Tim Malacarne
U.S. Government
Will the new Congress try to impeach President Bush? Could a state?
After decisive Democratic victories in the recent congressional elections, some speculated that the party may seek to impeach President Bush from office, as the Republican Congress did to Bill Clinton in 1998. After all, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a resolution late in 2005 (which now has 38 co-sponsors) authorizing a special House committee to investigate the administration on a number of matters and possibly make a recommendation for impeachment. Following the elections, however, Conyers echoed the sentiments of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), insisting that impeachment is now “off the table” in the 110th Congress. Conyers' office has separately confirmed to Congresspedia that he has no intention to reintroduce his bill in the new session of Congress.
Specifically, Conyers' resolution would have investigated the administration's:
Taxation Without Representation: Are Voting Rights Finally Coming to the Nation's Capital?
Earlier this month, voters from the 50 U.S. states shaped the composition of the 110th Congress at the polls. Unable to join them were the 388,000 registered voters who call the District of Columbia home.
Implant Flacks
Submitted by Bob Burton on
On November 17 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved silicone breast implants manufactured by Mentor Corporation and Allergan. PR Week reports that the PR firm MS&L "began working with Inamed Corp.
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U.S. Fake News Sales Slide
One indication that the controversy over the unattributed use of video news releases (VNRs) is beginning to bite is buried in the latest quarterly financial report of Medialink Worldwide, the $30 million a year behemoth of the fake news industry.
Robo-Calls and Other 2006 Election Irregularities
Congresspedia is tracking the reports of irregularities in the 2006 congressional elections, which include problems with electronic voting machines, voter suppression tactics and even voter registration fraud.
Congressional Leadership Contests Decided
The last of the votes for the leaders of the 110th Congress are finished and the old guard remains largely in place. In the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) moved up from Minority Leader to House Speaker, Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) moved up from Minority Whip to Majority Leader and Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) moved up from Democratic Caucus Chair to Majority Whip.
FCC Commissioners Pledge Expanded Inquiry Into Fake News
Submitted by Bob Burton on
Federal Communication Commissioners (FCC) Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein have promised an investigation into each of the 46 television stations revealed by the Center for Media and Democracy's report, Still Not the News to have used undisclose
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U.S. Lobbies Against U.K. Drug System
Submitted by Bob Burton on
US Deputy Health Secretary, Alex Azar, is lobbying the Britain's Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, to ease restrictions on the drug industry. In particular, the U.S. drug companies want the ban on direct-to-consumer advertising dropped and to increase the prices the government pays for drugs.
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Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 20-Oct. 17, 2006
- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) improperly paid Christmas bonuses to staff from his Ritz-Carlton condo from his campaign fund. (AP story)
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