congress
A handy guide to all Congress happenings on both sides of the aisle. Thank goodness for this political body that keeps Presidential power in check.
Bryan Watch: Feb 27
The House stuck around for a rare Saturday session to vote on President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, HR 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act. Not surprisingly, it passed on completely partisan lines, with not a single Republican (0 to 210) voting to provide Americans with relief from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic (RC 49, Feb 27)
By John Heckenlively5 years ago in The Swamp
Can Congress be considered to fulfil its legislative and oversight function well?
Woodrow Wilson stated in 1885 that “congress in its committee rooms is congress at work.” This statement is no more evident in today’s functions of Congress, where congressional committees set the legislative possibilities that each Congress can obtain. The question is, however, does Congress lack a good function in its legislative and oversight agenda, or does it fulfil its tasks well enough? The 116th Congress (2019 to 2021) is of no more than a prime example in assessing its lacking legislative function, with only one per cent of its laws enacted. Nonetheless, no matter its inexactitude over the function, it is Congress’s position which enshrines the United States’ separation of powers and therefore highlights Congress’s role to fulfil its legislative and oversight function well.
By Ewan Wilson5 years ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: Nov/Dec 2020
Just Before Thanksgiving: November 16-20 Congress returned to work after a two month break, and had a relatively slow week. There were only nine votes last week, five party line and four non-party line. Steil voted with the Republicans 80 percent of the time.
By John Heckenlively5 years ago in The Swamp
Third in Line
There has been talk of presidential succession, which brings up an issue I have with our line of succession. Even people in government can be confused about the line of succession after the Vice President. When there was an attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan early in his term and he was rushed to the hospital, Vice President George H. W. Bush happened to be in Texas. Secretary of State Alexander Haig famously took to a lectern in the White House press room to declare “I am in control.”
By Ted Prezelski5 years ago in The Swamp
Bryanwatch: Late Sep 2020
A relatively calm week in Congress, with only a dozen votes. Probably good considering the level of insanity the rest of American politics saw this week. There were 9 party line votes, and Rep. Steil sided with his Republican colleagues on every one of them.
By John Heckenlively5 years ago in The Swamp
What Congress Must Do In 2021
This week will be a very telling week. President Trump announced his Supreme Court nomination on Saturday, and the Senate has vowed to immediately take up her confirmation. Tuesday night sees the first debate between candidates Trump and Biden. Trump's tax returns appear to have been revealed, and many are in an uproar over the fact that he has paid fewer taxes than a restaurant server or grocery clerk. As colder weather is rolling for autumn, COVID-19 numbers have again begun to rise. The election is just over a month away. This next week could be a turning point in campaigns for the many Senate and House seats up for grabs. The hope is that the Democrats can keep control of the House, and turn control of the Senate.
By Chantal Spurgeon5 years ago in The Swamp
Could Congress Choose the President?
There have been some suggestions that because Donald Trump is likely to lose the popular vote by an even larger margin than he did in 2016, and may lose the electoral college as well, that his attorneys may play out the clock and deliberately postpone things in enough states so that no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes and the election is thrown into the House of Representatives.
By John Heckenlively5 years ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: Late July 2020
Congress had a relatively busy week last week (July 21-24), with 28 votes, including multiple votes on the State Department Appropriations bill. There were 24 party-line votes last week, and Congressman Steil voted with the Republicans on 21 of them.
By John Heckenlively6 years ago in The Swamp
Bryanwatch: Late June 2020
A slow but important week for Congress, as the House addresses the issue of police brutality and DC statehood. On Thursday, June 25, the House passed HR 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It marked the one month anniversary of the death of George Floyd, who was choked to death by a Minneapolis police officer May 25. Only three Republicans supported the bill: Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Will Hurd (TX) and Fred Upton (MI). Every other Republican, including Steil, voted against holding police officers accountable (RC 119).
By John Heckenlively6 years ago in The Swamp
