Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The 28th amendment...food for thought ...

2011-04-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Could we really do this?
If we all act on this it can become a reality

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below..

A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates WITH the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 10-1-11

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time..

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

Boehner has his hands full ...

2011-03-23T12:30:00.001-07:00

Boehner Has Trouble Appeasing Both Tea Party and Traditional Republicans
U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner is having a tough time appeasing both the Tea Party Representatives who'd like to like to shut down the federal government and his entrenched Republican colleagues who would just as soon stay at their jobs.
http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/featured-news/boehner-has-trouble-appeasing-both-tea-party-and-traditional-republicans-064535
Boehner, McConnell vow to repeal health law
The top Republicans in the House and Senate are “celebrating” the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s health care law by deriding his “broken promises” and vowing to push ahead with efforts to derail the law’s implementation.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/politico/RSS_POLITICO20110323_Boehner__McConnell_vow_to_repeal_health_law.html

House Speaker Speaks...

2011-03-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Speaker of the House John Boehner speaks to the Conservative ...

Mar 17, 2011 ... Speaker of the House John Boehner speaks to the ...
news.yahoo.com/.../Speaker...Boehner-speaks.../us_usa_congress_spending - Cached

What's the President's Response?

2011-03-23T12:27:00.001-07:00

Boehner says Obama must explain Libya mission - Yahoo! News

Mar 20, 2011 ... Speaker of the House John Boehner speaks to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Reuters – Speaker of the House John Boehner ...
news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110320/pl_nm/us_libya_usa_boehner - Cached

Boehner on ObamaCare

2011-03-23T12:20:00.002-07:00

News for Boehner on Obamacare

Progress Illinois

Boehner Vows to Euthanize Obamacare; Dem Life Support Unplugged

House Republicans will do their part to fight it, Boehner said. "In short, we will do whatever we can to ensure Obamacare is never fully implemented," he ...

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Bachmann Calls Boehner Soft on 'Obamacare.' Huh?
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Speaker Boehner on ObamaCare Slush Funds
1 min - Mar 14, 2011
Uploaded by JohnBoehner
youtube.com

Obamacare Begins to die

2011-03-23T12:13:00.001-07:00

Boehner Vows to Euthanize Obamacare as Democrats’ PR Effort Dies

On the one-year anniversary of the healthcare reform law, House Speaker John Boehner is renewing the GOP pledge to circumvent it, and a ballyhooed support group Democrats established for Obamacare has collapsed.

House Republicans will do their part to fight it, Boehner said. "In short, we will do whatever we can to ensure Obamacare is never fully implemented," he said in a video statement issued Wednesday, according to The Hill. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed that call in a video of his own.

Republicans in the House will hold hearings and more votes "to take this law apart, step by step," Boehner said. "A fundamental promise was broken when this government takeover of healthcare was pushed through. That day, that week, the people said one thing, and their government did another.”

Meanwhile, the Health Information Campaign, which Democrats began in June with high hopes, is dissolving, Politico reports. The group, meant to support Obamacare, was created by Wal-Mart Watch founder Andrew Grossman. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Ted Kennedy's widow, Vicki, were supposed to lead the charge. And Grossman sought $125 million in funding over five years.

But nine months later, the group is pretty much toast. Its website hasn't been updated since Dec. 31. Its executive director and communications director have flown the coop. It is bereft of funds, and neither Daschle nor Dunn returned Politico’s calls to discuss it. Grossman wouldn’t speak about the campaign on the record.

In addition, the White House Office of Health Reform shut down this month. The office was intended to coordinate communication between pro-Obamacare groups.

Editor's Note:

Exposed: Is Obama Terrified of the “Secret $200 Retirement Blueprint?”

Speaker on YouTube

2011-02-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

Speaker of the House John Boehner to Speak His Piece on YouTube

BayNewser - David Cohen - ‎

YouTube will welcome Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) for a special interview next week, during which he will answer users' questions on topics including the budget, spending, the economy, jobs, ...

Boehner to take questions on YouTube next week The Hill (blog)

The speaker speaks Washington Post

John Boehner to Answer Budget, Spending Questions on YouTube WebProNews

TPMDC - Cincinnati.com (blog)

all 20 news articles »

Video: Boehner Says It's Not His Job to Tell Folks Obama's Not a Muslim

2011-02-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

Video: Boehner Says It's Not His Job to Tell Folks Obama's Not a Muslim

The AtlanticWire (blog) - Elspeth Reeve - ‎

House Speaker John Boehner said it's not his job to correct misperceptions that President Obama is Muslim on ...

Weasel words from Speaker Boehner Washington Post

John Boehner: 'Not my job' to convince skeptics on Obama birth and religion Los Angeles Times

Boehner bows to Birthers The Hill (blog)

Boehner, GOP set to fight Obama over two budgets

2011-02-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

Boehner, GOP set to fight Obama over two budgets

USA Today - Catalina Camia -

House Speaker John Boehner discussed the GOP's plan to trim $61 billion from March through September during an appearance on NBC's Meet the Press. ...

Obama and Boehner: bi-partisan cowardice on the budget Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

Boehner Says Obama's Budget Cuts Don't Go Deep Enough Newsroom America

The Australian - TIME

Boehner, 150 Economists Ask Obama To Cut Spending

Talk Radio News Service - ‎

In a letter signed by 150 economists, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) asked President Obama Sunday to pursue deep spending cuts. ...

John Boehner had warned Lee ...

2011-02-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

The AtlanticWire (blog)

Does John Boehner Have a Zero Tolerance Policy for Congressional Sex Scandals?

The AtlanticWire (blog) - Elspeth Reeve - ‎

Republican leaders told Lee to go, perhaps because House Speaker John Boehner had warned Lee about partying with female lobbyists last year, telling him to ...

John Boehner Really Tried To

We're broke ...

2011-02-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Politico

Boehner: 'We're broke'

Politico - Darren Samuelsohn -

Let's be honest,' says Speaker John Boehner. | AP Photo Close By DARREN SAMUELSOHN | 2/10/11 12:04 PM EST House Speaker John Boehner isn't going to step in ...

'Job-killing' rhetoric is a

Republicans holds emergency huddle

2011-02-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

Republicans holds emergency huddle

Politico - Jake Sherman - ‎

House Republicans have scheduled an emergency conference meeting for Thursday night to discuss a compromise on a government funding bill.

House Republican leaders give in to conservatives on spending cuts CNN International

Georgia House passes midyear budget Atlanta Journal Constitution

BusinessWeek - Christian Science Monitor - Fox News - Wall Street Journal

all 1,828 news articles »

Former House Speaker praises the vote...

2011-01-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

MyFox Atlanta

Newsmaker: Health Care Debate

MyFox Atlanta -

ATLANTA - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited Atlanta Thursday, and praised the republican-led House of Representatives for voting to repeal the ...

Gingrich: Country in danger of health dictatorship Atlanta Journal Constitution

Gingrich Campaigns Against "Healthcare Dictatorship." WXIA-TV

Gingrich praises repeal vote on health-care bill Atlanta Business Chronicle

Boehner: Permanently Ban Federal Abortion Funding

2011-01-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

Washington Times

House GOP gets to work on health measures

Washington Times - Seth McLaughlin -

House Speaker John A. Boehner looks on. By Seth McLaughlin Wasting no time, House Republicans moved quickly ahead Thursday with their own overhaul of the ...

Republicans Introduce Bill to Ban Federal Funding for Abortion Procedures Fox News

Health Care Debate Turns to Abortion Funding CBS News

Boehner: Permanently Ban Federal Abortion Funding ABC News (blog)

Debate over Health Care Repeal

2011-01-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

Politico

Debate over health care repeal: five gauges of House civility

Christian Science Monitor - ‎

Speaker of House Boehner signs book of condolences and book of well wishes for victims of Tucson, Ariz. shooting before attending prayer service for them in ...

Boehner Talks Business Interests With Hu, Pelosi Addresses Human Rights Fox News (blog)

Boehner Says China Has `Responsibility to Do Better' Bloomberg

Quinnipiac Poll: What Do Boehner's Tears Say About Him? TPMDC

Rep. Gifford has a long road to recovery

2011-01-20T21:14:00.000-08:00

Mapping Rep. Giffords' long road to recovery

Click here
USA Today

By AP Despite early progress, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords faces a long road to recovery from the bullet wound in her brain. If all goes as planned, she will be transferred as early as today to TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston, ...

Video:> Gabrielle Giffords standing and using iPad ITN NEWS

Houston rehab giant set for Giffords' arrival on Friday Houston Chronicle

Reuters - CNN International - BusinessWeek - Tbo.com

all 2,248 news articles »

Poll: Boehner’s popularity spikes

2011-01-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

House Speaker John Boehner is enjoying a significant rise in popularity, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll. Boehner’s favorability rating currently stands at 42 percent, up 8 percentage points from Gallup’s November poll taken immediately after the 2010 midterm elections. Boehner’s unfavorable rating is down to only 22 percent, a 9-point improvement from November’s poll. The USA Today/Gallup numbers are in line with recent CNN/Opinion Research and ABC News/Washington Post polls. Read more:

Reuters Blogs (blog)

Boehner, McConnell, Reid skip state dinner with Chinese President

The State Column - ‎

House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid say they will skip a state dinner with Chinese ...

Reid skips state dinner with Chinese president Las Vegas Review-Journal (blog)

One Washington day is not like another for Mr. Hu Reuters Blogs (blog)

Congressional leaders reject invitation to China State Dinner The American Independent

Vanity Fair - CBS News

It's Difficult to Measure a Hero!

2011-01-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

TPMDC

Martin Luther King Jr., American Hero; Arizona No-Show John ...

Martin Luther King Jr.'s contribution to the human spirit -- beyond immense. It is simply immeasurable. All eyes are on Speaker of the House John Boehner, ...

Sunshine State News - 43 related articles

MLK speaker urges crowd to fight for King's dream of equality
The State Journal-Register - 2 related article

Speaker at MLK awards passes on wisdom from Gandhi

Jan 15, 2011 ... Speaker at MLK awards passes on wisdom from Gandhi ... Speaking at the 35th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. awards luncheon, ...

Metro Detroiters honor King, holiday's 25th anniversary

The Detroit News - Charles E. Ramirez -

Mount Clemens— On the 25th anniversary of the federal holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Metro Detroiters paused today to reflect on the progress made in civil rights over the past quarter century, and the work still to be done.

-Side Bar-

China starts US trade trip with $600 mln in deals

Reuters - Chris Baltimore, Peter Cooney -

HOUSTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The Chinese government kicked off a four-day US trade mission on Monday by signing six deals in Houston with undisclosed US companies worth $600 million, according to Chinese state media reports.

House Lawmakers To Push Obama To Express Impatience With China Wall Street Journal

Hu Visit Comes During 'Critical Juncture' for US-China Relations Voice of America

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RNC vote shows limits of John Boehner's reach

2011-01-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

RNC vote shows limits of John Boehner's reach

Politico - Jonathan Martin, Alexander Burns -

John Boehner worked hard to prop up the RNC chair candidacy of Maria Cino. | AP Photo Close By JONATHAN MARTIN & ALEXANDER BURNS | 1/15/11 7:04 AM EST Updated: 1/15/11 5:48 PM EST Members of the Republican National Committee sent a clear message Friday ...

Video: GOP Ousts Steele, Picks Priebus to Head Party The Associated Press

New chairman targets GOP team setting up 2012 national convention in Tampa Tampabay.com

Washington Post - BusinessWeek - The Associated Press - Detroit Free Press

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House Speaker Remains Behind ...

2011-01-13T12:24:00.001-08:00

Congress: Boehner's calming influence -- and cocktail party
msnbc.com -

Roll Call: “Republicans and Democrats alike said Boehner has had a calming influence in a time of crisis.” Behind closed doors at bipartisan prayer service, ...

John Boehner Isn't That Evil
Gawker -

Where was Speaker John Boehner last night? He wasn't at the president's memorial service in Tucson. And breathless reports are claiming he wanted to hobnob ...

Video: Remarks from Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi on Tucson Shootings

No, Boehner didn't “snub” memorial rally Hot Air

Boehner right to skip memorial service Daily Caller

Mediaite.com - Slate Magazine (blog)

New York Daily News

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi were in Rep. Gabrielle Gifford's hospital room when she opened her eyes. The entire Arizona delegation, including President Obama's 2008 rival Sen. John McCain and his wife Cindy, were in the stadium watching the President console 14,000 mourners. Michelle Obama held tightly onto Gifford's husband Mark Kelly's hand.

But where was Speaker John Boehner? Politico reported this morning that the newly elected leader of the House turned down an offer to ride on Air Force One with the President and other officials to the Arizona ceremony to honor the victims of Saturday's fatal shooting. Instead, he stayed in Washington to host a reception for Maria Cino's bid for RNC chair. Read more

House members, President were present when ...

2011-01-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

Obama ... Boehner Rise to the Occasion

2011-01-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

Obama towers above Palin; Boehner rises to the occasion

By Brent Budowsky -

What America has witnessed in the last 24 hours is a president of the United States who acted like a president of the United States, a Speaker of the House who acted like a Speaker of the House — Read more

Speaker John Boehner: statesman

By Jonathan Capehart

I'm going to write about all the speeches we'll hear today -- President Obama will speak at the memorial service in Tucson tonight at 8:00 p.m. -- later on. But after watching and writing about Sarah Palin's problematic eight-minute video from this morning, I have to applaud the floor speech delivered by Speaker John Boehner. His tone was right. His words were right. The man known for his bursts of tears didn't disappoint on that score. But the man new to being second in the line of succession to the presidency also didn't disappoint in delivering an address worthy of a statesman. Read source

Reuters

Obama to deliver State of the Union address on Jan. 2

An American Tragedy

2011-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

By SHANNON DOYNE

Chris Carlson/Associated Press Well wishers gather outside University Medical center at a make-shift memorial in Tucson, Ariz., Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was shot in the head Saturday during a speech at a local supermarket.
Go to related article »

Giffords' Husband asks us to pray...

2011-01-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

Rep. Giffords talks with constituent.

Congresswoman's husband: 'There is little we can do but pray'

CNN- Kevin Bohn, Drew Griffin - ‎

By the CNN Wire Staff Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- In his first public statement since the weekend shooting rampage outside an Arizona supermarket, the husband of a wounded US congresswoman thanked supporters and expressed condolences to families of other ...

Keep Focused and Move Forward

2011-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Shooting in Arizona Won't Deter Reps' Duties, Boehner Says

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) holds his first press conference as Speaker, on Capitol Hill in Washington on J... Read Moreanuary 6, 2011. ...

Video: John Boehner's Statement

cincinnatidotcom

House Speaker Boehner: Shootings won't deter duty ‎ - Washington Post
Speaker Boehner: Pray for Rep. Giffords and Victims of Tucson Shooting ‎ - ABC News (blog)
CRIENGLISH.com - Chicago Sun-Times
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This is An "Attack on ALL Who Serve"

2011-01-08T16:20:00.001-08:00

CBS News

Gabrielle Giffords Reaction: Boehner Sees "Attack on All Who Serve"

CBS News - Kevin Hechtkopf -

House Speaker John Boehner today said he was "horrified by the senseless attack" on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.

Pray for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her family and ALL Public Officials

2011-01-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was among the people critically wounded in the shooting at a public event in Tucson, and several people were killed, including a federal judge and a 9-year-old boy. Read more

Latest Update: 3:30 pm, Jan. 8, 2011

Watch: Rep. Giffords Survives Shooting

Congresswoman shot at Ariz. appearance

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others were at a grocery store when a gunman fired. Reportedly shot in head

Representative Giffords shot in Arizona, gunman held

TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) – Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona shot in the head while meeting constituents at a grocery store in Tucson, NPR reported on Saturday.

Giffords, a 40-year-old Democrat in her third term in Congress, was shot point blank by an unidentified gunman who fired indiscriminately into the crowd, NPR and other U.S. media said.

About a dozen others at the meeting were shot and the gunman was wrestled to the ground and taken into custody, Fox said, citing an eyewitness.

Giffords was airlifted to a hospital to a hospital after the shooting.

Re-elected in the November 2 election, Giffords focused on immigration reform, military issues, stem cell research and alternative energy while serving in Congress. She was married to U.S. astronaut Mark Kelly.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Paul Simao, editing by Bill Trott) Read Source

Gabrielle Giffords »

CBC.ca

Congresswoman Giffords Shot in Tucson

New York Times - David Goodman

A congresswoman from Arizona was shot on Saturday along with several others during at public event at a grocery store in Tuscon, according to her spokesman, CJ Karamargin.

Congressional Officials Say Congresswoman Shot ABC News

Arizona congresswoman dies in shooting Atlanta Journal Constitution

Wall Street Journal - Telegraph.co.uk - Reuters - Detroit Free Press

all 745 news articles »

Obama Reacts to Giffords Shooting 34 minutes ago
Obama: Giffords ‘Battling for Her Life’ 5:51 p.m.
Arizona Members in Disbelief Over Giffords Shooting 5:11 p.m.
Members React to Shooting With Twitter Posts 3:43 p.m.
Colleagues React to Giffords’ Shooting 3:13 p.m.
Giffords in Critical Condition, but Surgeon Is Optimistic About Recovery 1:53 p.m.
Members Seek to Curtail Their Own Paychecks

Photo of the Day |

January 6, 2011

Speaker John Boehner (right) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor arrive on Jan. 6 for their first joint news conference in the Capitol since Republicans took control of the House. They addressed issues such as the national debt and their plan to repeal the health care overhaul law that was passed last year.

Budget Cost Perspectives

2011-01-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

Repeal Would Cost $230B Over Next Decade, Congressional Budget Office Says

Becker's Hospital Review - Jaimie Oh - ‎

... more Americans uninsured, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office. In a 10-page letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio), ...

Video: Boehner takes over as US Speaker

Speaker Boehner: A Politician's Politician by Major Garrett The Atlantic (blog)

Budget Office Says Health Law Repeal Would Add $230B to Deficit, Boehner ... Fox News

Huffington Post (blog) - msnb
Speaker Boehnor can you bring the rest of the jobs from ...

WHITE HOUSE: Obama names former commerce secretary Daley chief of staff

Pelosi Plans to Get House Back

2011-01-07T10:46:00.001-08:00

Pelosi: No intention short of winning back the House

The Hill (blog) - Michael O'Brien - ‎5 hours ago‎

The top House Democrat and 70-year-old former Speaker of the House suggested that she has no goal shorter of winning back the Speaker's office. ...

Pelosi Plans to Regain Control of the House NewsMax.com

Heath Shuler Was ThisClose to Winning House Speaker Race FanHouse

Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have no regrets on debt over last 2 years Examiner.com

Fox News (blog) - San Franci

What the Speaker about Unemployment drop

2011-01-07T10:43:00.001-08:00

First Thoughts: Unemployment rate drops

msnbc.com - Chuck Todd, Mark Murray - ‎2 hours ago‎

Yes, the Unemployment Drops To 9.4% will the GOP TEA/ Party claim credit for their one day of power? Speaker Boehnor can you bring the rest of the jobs from ...

Boehner and Pelosi Spar ...

2011-01-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

Boehner v. Pelosi: House Leaders Spar Over Significance of Jobs Report

ABC News (blog) -

Boehner, R-Ohio, stated that despite the noteworthy improvement to the unemployment rate, the jobs report underscores the need to cut spending in order to ...

John Boehner Elected Speaker TIME (blog)

In speaker vote, 19 House Democrats withhold support from Pelosi Washington Post

all 243 news articles »

Health Care Overhaul Advances

2011-01-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

John Boehner »

msnbc.com

Repeal of health care overhaul advances in House

CNN International - Alan Silverleib - ‎50 minutes ago‎

Washington (CNN) -- Legislation repealing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul cleared a key procedural hurdle in the House of Representatives Friday, advancing a top priority of the new Republican congressional ...

Video: Boehner takes over as US Speaker Al Jazeera

Health care reform: House marches toward repeal vote Christian Science Monitor

Wall Street Journal - Politico - USA Today - Los Angeles Times

all 8,153 news articles »

House Budget Chief Ryan Says Republicans Won't Bail Out States in Default

2011-01-06T23:19:00.000-08:00

Play Video

Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, talks about U.S. government spending and the debt ceiling. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner says lawmakers must raise the federal borrowing limit in the first quarter of 2011 or risk a default on U.S. debt and a loss of access to global credit markets. Ryan talks with Peter Cook on Bloomberg Television's "Bottom Line." Bloomberg's Mark Crumpton also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg)

Congressman Paul Ryan, the Budget Committee chairman in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Republicans don’t intend to save states from debt defaults.

“We are not interested in a bailout,” the Republican from Wisconsin said yesterday in Washington. Ryan said some states are “already telling us” that, when asked how he would respond if he was told one was in danger of defaulting.

U.S. states face a combined $140 billion in deficits in the next fiscal year, the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said Dec. 16. State tax collections remain below pre-recession levels, according to the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, New York. No state has defaulted on its debt since Arkansas did in 1933. READ MORE

Boehner defends O-Care nix

2011-01-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

Jan. 6: House Speaker John Boehner, right, accompanied by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, speaks to the media on Capitol Hill.

By S.A. MILLER Post Correspondent

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner yesterday vowed to forge ahead with repeal of President Obama's health-care laws, brushing aside a government report showing repeal would increase the federal deficit by $230 billion over the next decade.

Boehner (R-Ohio) said the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is "entitled to their opinion."

"I do not believe that repealing the job-killing health-care law will increase the deficit," he said, citing faults in the accounting and contradictory reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

Democrats touted the CBO report -- which also estimated 32 million fewer people would have health insurance without the law -- as evidence Republicans were already breaking their promise to cut the $1.3 trillion deficit.

In a show of resolve to cut spending to 2008 levels, the Republican-led House yesterday cut its own budget by 5 percent, saving about $35 million.

Debate on the health-care repeal is set to start today, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday. It should easily pass the House, but isn't expected to pass the Senate.

Read Source

Republicans Take Charge of House, Fight Erupts Over Voting Rights for Delegates

2011-01-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

John Boehner sets humble tone as he claims House gavel

With the pomp and circumstance behind him, newly-minted House Speaker John Boehner wasted no time in rolling up his sleeves and getting down to the business of governing -- and the first order of business for the 112th Congress was setting the ground rules.

New House Majority Leader Eric Cantor introduced a rules package that covers scheduling (how many days worked, when votes can and cannot occur), the terms and conditions for debating bills (all bills will cite their constitutional authority and be posted online for 72 hours before a vote) and allows electronic devices, such as BlackBerries and iPads on the floor of the lower chamber.

Finally, and perhaps most controversially, Rep. Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, will have the authority to set the top line budget numbers for the year -- a change from the previous process, which went through the Budget Committee.

The package passed 240-191.

One of the first acts of the Republican-controlled House was to take away the floor voting rights of six delegates representing areas such as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa.

2011-01-05T19:48:00.000-08:00

A changing of the gavel as 112th Congress is sworn in

The 112th Congress convenes

The new Congress opens its first session, and representatives elect John Boehner as House speaker.

» LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

By Shailagh Murray and Paul Kane

Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, January 5, 2011; 9:49 PM

The House and Senate have a split personality by design, but Wednesday's debut of the 112th Congress revealed a stark contrast between the two chambers that could define the direction of every major debate over the next two years.

At one end of the Capitol, a House brimming with fresh faces and ambitious goals was sworn into office, its exuberant new Republican leaders pledging to derail President Obama's agenda and dramatically scale back the size of the federal government.

At the other end, a more somber Senate convened, its Democratic majority intact - albeit much smaller after the November elections. Whereas many of the House freshmen are new to politics, the 13 senators in the class of 2010 are a more seasoned lot. Their first order of business: a debate of filibuster rules. READ MORE

* News * World news * US politics Republican John Boehner replaces Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker

2011-01-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

US Congress shifts to the right as Republicans assume control of the House after slashing Democratic majority in Senate

Ewen MacAskill in Washington
guardian.co.uk
Article history

The outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hands the gavel of office to her successor John Boehner. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Republican John Boehner was elected the new Speaker of the House today, marking a shift to the right in Washington as he replaced the first woman in the post, the Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

The meeting of the 112th Congress, with the Republicans in control of the House and having slashed the Democratic majority in the Senate, is a long way from the heady days of 2007 when Pelosi was elected Speaker and the Democrats held both the House and the Senate.

With control of the House, the Republicans have a substantial platform from which to harry Barack Obama in the White House. The Republicans hold 242 of the 435 House seats and the Democrats 193 after the November elections, a gain of 63. There are 87 new Republicans and nine Democrats.

Boehner, in his first speech as Speaker, gave a nod towards the Tea Party movement that backed many of the new members. He promised the Republican objective would be to "give government back to the people", ending a lot of the House conventions that he said had made for bad legislation.

Otherwise, his speech was largely free of the antagonistic, partisan politics that can be expected in the months ahead. His relatively subdued tone was in keeping with a day in which members brought in their families to join them in the chamber.

Boehner has established a reputation in recent months for being emotional, given to frequent bouts of tears, and he was moist-eyed again as he wandered among colleagues, Democrats as well as Republicans, acknowledging their greetings. He eventually pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed his nose. Read more

The House of Representatives of the United States of America

2011-01-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Official seal
Incumbent John Boehner The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office was established in 1789 by Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which states in part, "The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers." The current speaker is John Boehner, a Republican who represents Ohio. Following the 2010 midterm elections, with the Republican Party becoming the majority party in the House of Representatives, John Boehner, who previously served as the House Minority Leader from 2007 until 2011, was elected Speaker of the House once the 112th Congress convened on January 5, 2011.^[1] The Constitution does not require that the Speaker be an elected Member of Congress. No non-member has ever been elected Speaker.^[2] The Speaker is second in the United States presidential line of succession, after the Vice President and before the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate.^[3] Unlike in some Westminster System parliaments, the Speaker is a leadership position in the majority party and actively works to set that party's legislative agenda, therefore endowing the office with considerable power. The Speaker does not usually personally preside over debates, instead delegating the duty to other members of Congress of the same political party.^[4] Aside from duties relating to heading the House and the majority political party, the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and represents his or her congressional district. Read More from Wikipedia

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