by Alex Campbell | Jan 11, 2011 | Politics
WASHINGTON — The House chamber was nearly empty. Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, led the floor in a prayer and a pledge of allegiance, and heard from two members of Congress with procedural questions. With that, the House adjourned – four minutes after the session...
by Roshan Nebhrajani | Jan 11, 2011 | Politics
While on Capitol Hill, layers of security protect members of Congress. Metal detectors and X-ray machines line building entrances. In-office panic buttons provide quick access to authority. Nearly 1,800 U.S. Capitol Police officers attentively guard the perimeter. But...
by Nina Lincoff | Jan 11, 2011 | Environment
WASHINGTON— The commission President Barack Obama set up in late May to look into the Deepwater Horizon accident issued its final report on the largest oil spill in U.S. history Tuesday, recommending that Congress, federal agencies and the oil industry undertake...
by Rebecca Cohen | Jan 11, 2011 | Education
By Rebecca Cohen and Allyson Byers | Medill News Service WASHINGTON — It doesn’t take a K-12 education to see how states could shrug off their budget deficits by adopting school vouchers, Patrick Byrne said Tuesday at an education forum hosted by the Cato Institute....
by Elisa Santana | Jan 11, 2011 | Business
Jobs are the top priority for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this year. “In 2011, the chamber’s top priority will be to turn an economic recovery into a jobs recovery so that we can put Americans back to work,” said Thomas J. Donohue, the president and CEO of the U.S....
by Peter Larson | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
WASHINGTON — Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio., was elected speaker of the House of Representatives as the 112th Congress convened for the first time Wednesday, returning divided government to the nation’s capital after a two year interlude. A cheer went up from...
by Nina Lincoff | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
WASHINGTON—Vice President Joe Biden, in his role as president of the Senate, has now sworn in 50 senators, 16 of them entering their freshmen term, at the official ceremony that started shortly after noon on Wednesday. But just down the hall in the Old Senate Chamber,...
by Lauren Schwartzberg | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
Story by Lauren Schwartzberg and Roshan Nebhrajani Business meetings, banquets and bedtime. The offices of some congressmen host all three. By 4 p.m. Wednesday, all new and re-elected members of the 112th Congress will be sworn in. Members of Congress are required to...
by Olivia Marcus & Tal Axelrod | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
WASHINGTON—Nancy Pelosi handed over the speaker’s gavel to John Boehner Wednesday and assumed her role as the top Democrat in the House, but not without competition inside her own party. While the 241 votes in favor of Boehner were expected due to the new...
by Alex Campbell | Jan 5, 2011 | Business, Politics
In setting the rules, the Republicans’ first act as the majority in the House was to set the tone. By a vote of 240-191, the House Wednesday passed a package of rules incoming Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said will “change how this institution operates.” “Legislation...
by Astrid Goh & Tara Longardner | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
Representative Robert Dold, R-Ill., arrived on Capitol Hill as part of the freshmen class of 94 Republicans along with 150 family, friends, and constituents from his Chicago area district. Although some observers tagged him as a Tea Party candidate, Dold gives little...
by Elisa Santana | Jan 5, 2011 | Politics
Among the dozens of newly elected officials sworn in Wednesday on Capitol Hill, five are making history. They are Hispanic and Republican, and for the first time in Congress’ history, no new Hispanic Democrats were sworn in alongside them. The addition of these...
