U.S. Congress

Congresspedia Review: This Week in Congress (Jan. 22 - 25, 2008)

Details of a proposed economic stimulus package were revealed this week. It includes rebate checks (of at least $300, with individuals set to receive $600 and couple's $1,600) for most Americans and a series of tax incentives for businesses. While the Senate hasn’t had a chance to really contribute to the conversation, most observers believe the proposal will quickly move forward following President Bush’s State of the Union speech on Monday.

Also on Monday, the Senate will debate a cloture motion on a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act overhaul bill. Known as the RESTORE Act, the legislation outlines oversight roles for the collection of electronic communications intelligence. Today, the Senate voted down a proposal to increase oversight, tighten restrictions in intelligence collection. A competing measure -- which includes legal immunity for phone companies that helped the federal government spy on Americans without a warrant – is to be debated on Monday. If the cloture motion succeeds, members will continue with a vote on the overall bill, without discussing a number of amendments introduced during debate.

War, What Is it Good For? Electing Democrats in '08

Submitted by John Stauber on

Ryan Grim reports that the biggest and best-funded organizations in the liberal peace movement, primarily MoveOn and the groups in its Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) coalition, are no longer advocating that Congress end the war.

No
Main Source: 
Politico.com, January 17, 2008
Topics: 
Left Wing
Iraq
U.S. Congress
Lobbying
War / Peace

Congresspedia Preview: This Week in Congress (Jan. 15 - 18, 2008)

By Avelino Maestas, Assistant Managing Editor, Congresspedia

Congress is back up to half-strength this week, following the winter recess. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) kept the Senate in a special “pro forma” session in a bid to prevent President Bush from making any recess appointments. That didn’t stop Bush from attempting a pocket veto on the Defense Appropriations Act, which funds the Defense Department and provides money for soldier and sailor enlistment bonuses.

Drug Ads Raise Legislators' Blood Pressure

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

The U.S. Congress is investigating "the pharmaceutical industry's use of celebrity endorsements in direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements." First up are ads for Pfizer's cholesterol drug Lipitor, which feature the inventor of the artificial heart, Dr. Robert Jarvik.

No
Main Source: 
PM (Pharmaceutical Marketing) Live, January 9, 2008
Topics: 
Third Party Technique
U.S. Congress
Health
Marketing
Pharmaceuticals
Science

"I Shop. Therefore I Give."

Submitted by Judith Siers-Poisson on

Tags on clothing for sale at J.C. Penney that promise a donation to WWF.'Tis the season of gift giving, and of retailers trying to grab as much of their market share as they can. While encouraging consumerism and excessive consumption, sellers also seek to tap into nobler urges toward benevolence and charity at this time of year.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, December 22, 2007
Topics: 
Corporate Social Responsibility
Cause-Related Marketing
Arts / Culture
U.S. Congress
Corporations
Marketing
Politics

Featured Participatory Project: Add to the Congresspedia Voting Record Resource Center

Submitted by Conor Kenny on

Wading through the thousands of votes that Congress performs each year can be an arduous task, but the CMD staff has created the Congresspedia Voting Record Resource Center to help you get to the bottom of what your senators and representative have been doing in Washington. There you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to add information on how they voted on topics like immigration, torture and children's healthcare to their "permanent record" - their Congresspedia profile.

Yes
Main Source: 
Congresspedia Voting Record Resource Center
Topics: 
Citizen Journalism
U.S. Congress
Democracy

Congresspedia Review: Last Week in Congress (Nov. 30 - Dec. 7, 2007)

As predicted, Congress' tackling of energy and climate change issues was cause for a contentious week on Capitol Hill, though they it did come several steps closer to passing a far-reaching bill. The federal budget took a back seat to other, controversial subjects - including more drama with House pages, congressional transparency and the farm bill - but that ensures it will return to the spotlight next week.

Featured Participatory Project: Recording Your Senators' Votes on Immigration Reform (U.S.)

Submitted by Conor Kenny on

On Congresspedia we are continuing to profile important votes this year in Congress as a way of building the same kind of "permanent records" for members of Congress that school kids used to get threatened with. You can help keep Congress accountable by taking five minutes to add information on how your senators or representative voted to their Congresspedia profiles, thus ensuring that the tens of thousands of people who come to the site every day get a chance to know what it is that their elected officials are doing in Washington.

Yes
Topics: 
Citizen Journalism
U.S. Congress
Labor

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