legislation

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Kennedy Crafts Proposal for Paid National Service 'Army'

Bill would recruit 175,000 workers

(Newser) - Sen. Ted Kennedy has crafted a sweeping national service bill, to be introduced today, that would recruit 175,000 citizens of all ages to work in health, education, environmental protection and anti-poverty programs—with their pay partially subsidized by the government. The plan would provide $5 billion over five years...

Wal-Mart Tells Managers to Fear Democratic Win

The retailer warns employees of disastrous labor legislation if left wins

(Newser) - Wal-Mart is warning store managers and department supervisors nationwide that a Democratic victory in November would likely lead to passage of a federal law making unionization easier, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a series of mandatory meetings, the company says it's not telling hourly employees how to vote, which...

Dems Fail to Override GOP's Bill-Blocker

Reid's bundled bill designed to trump Coburn falls short

(Newser) - A bill aimed at trumping one senator’s efforts to block dozens of pieces of legislation was itself halted yesterday, the Washington Post reports. Sen. Tom Coburn has held up some 80 bills to prevent spending he considers unnecessary; Democrat Harry Reid's legislative omnibus, which contained 35 bills in one,...

Democrats Out to Thwart Senate's 'Dr. No'

Big bill combines measures all blocked by prickly Coburn

(Newser) - While the Senate has long been in the business of passing catchall “omnibus” legislation, now Democrats are trying out the Tomnibus, a bill loaded with measures that have all been blocked by one man: Tom Coburn, alias Dr. No. The Oklahoma Republican wields Senate procedure like a deathray—he...

Russia Goes After Emo
 Russia Goes After Emo   
Jul 24, 2008 3:55 PM CDT

Russia Goes After Emo

Fearing for teens, Duma debates legislation to outlaw fashion, monitor websites

(Newser) - Fearing a threat to the wellbeing of its youth, the Russian Duma is going after what it sees as Public Enemy No. 1—emo.  Lawmakers are debating legislation to ban all signs of emo culture—an offshoot of punk music—from schools and government buildings, the Guardian reports. Lawmakers...

Congress: No More Scribbled Scrips, Doc

Legislation will nudge MDs toward electronic prescription system

(Newser) - Senators from both sides of the aisle are pushing doctors away from their prescription pads and towards electronic prescribing, the Chicago Tribune reports. Politicians and lobbyists hope the new system will cut down on mis-filled prescriptions and harmful, but avoidable, drug interactions.

'Lion' Kennedy King of the Senate

Mystery seizure sparks reflection on Hill icon

(Newser) - Ted Kennedy’s seizure yesterday forced Washington lawmakers to imagine a world without the legendary 76-year-old senator—and how difficult it would be to fill his shoes,Time notes. Willing to work across the aisle to push key legislation, the Democratic kingpin's name has been on nearly all the bipartisan...

House Says No To Genetic Discrimination

Bush has pledged to sign bill; hoorays from docs and scientists

(Newser) - A long-suffering bill outlawing genetic discrimination by health insurers and in the workplace sailed through the House today, and President Bush has pledged to sign it into law, Reuters reports. The bill, forms of which have kicked around Washington for 13 years, forbids insurers from denying coverage based on genetic...

France Moves to Outlaw 'Inciting' Thinness

Anti-eating disorder bill cites 'death messages,' could affect fashion

(Newser) - France’s lower legislative body today approved a law banning the promotion of anorexic behavior, the Guardian reports. Applicable to magazines, advertising and the web, the law can impose up to a $47,000 fine and two years in prison for “excessively inciting others to deprive themselves of food....

Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill
 Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill 
Apr 10, 2008 3:02 PM CDT

Senate Passes Housing Aid Bill

Wins approval by wide margin, but House, Bush opposition leave fate uncertain

(Newser) - The Senate approved a $15 billion measure to address the housing slump today, including $6 billion in total tax breaks to homebuilding firms and a $7,000 tax credit for buyers of foreclosed homes. Though it passed by an 84-12 margin, opposition from President Bush and the House could yet...

In the Works: Wireless Bill of Rights

States fight feds over who will regulate

(Newser) - Wireless carriers seem to have angered a few too many consumers with hidden fees and surprise charges. Politicians in 22 states are considering various versions of a wireless consumers’ bill of rights, reports BusinessWeek. But the wireless industry, daunted at facing different regulations in every state, is throwing its weight...

States Weigh Allowing Guns on Campuses

Bills pending in 12 legislatures; advocates want ability to protect selves

(Newser) - Twelve states are considering bills that would allow people to carry guns at public universities, USA Today reports, a response to last year's Virginia Tech massacre. "The only way to stop a person with a gun is another person with a gun," says a University of Cincinnati sophomore...

Airlines Move to Ground Flyer 'Bill of Rights'

Industry takes action in New York court against first law in nation

(Newser) - The airline industry is in court trying to block a New York "bill of rights" for airline passengers, which could have a big impact on similar measures nationwide. The Air Transport Association of America is arguing that New York has no jurisdiction to require the industry to provide food,...

A Buck on Lobbying Rakes in $28
A Buck on Lobbying Rakes in $28
Sep 11, 2007 6:55 PM CDT

A Buck on Lobbying Rakes in $28

Critics say that spending 'earmarks' only 'about politics'

(Newser) - Mystery solved: companies rake in about $28 for every dollar spent lobbying Capitol Hill, BusinessWeek reports. According to the numbers, it's military contractors that get the most spending "earmarks" slipped into bills by lawmakers. But recent scandals over the system have prompted Bush and Pelosi to call for cuts...

Bush to Congress: Not So Fast
Bush to Congress:
Not So Fast
Aug 3, 2007 3:40 PM CDT

Bush to Congress: Not So Fast

Prez calls on vacation-bound lawmakers to pass reform of eavesdropping law

(Newser) - Congress shouldn't go on vacation until it approves reforms to the current laws on government eavesdropping, President Bush said today. Lawmakers are working on a bill that would update the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act so that the US could spy on terror suspects overseas more effectively without impinging on...

Energy Bill Boosts Nuclear Expansion
Energy Bill Boosts Nuclear Expansion
Jul 31, 2007 10:48 AM CDT

Energy Bill Boosts Nuclear Expansion

Single sentence, never debated, offers billions in loan guarantees

(Newser) - The newly passed Senate energy bill contains one sentence that 's worth tens of billions of dollars to the nuclear industry. Never debated, the provision offers builders of new nuclear plants as much as $50 billion in loan guarantees over two years. That, the New York Times reports, can be...

Schumer Bucks Party on Wall St. Tax Hikes

Leading Dem torn between monied base, middle class

(Newser) - Rejecting populist piety, Chuck Schumer is opposing legislation that would double tax rates for private equity and hedge fund executives, arguing that he’s torn over the measures but contending that they unfairly target an industry critical to his constituency. The New York Times reports the senator, the only Democrat...

Democrats Lose Withdrawal Vote
Democrats Lose Withdrawal Vote
Jul 18, 2007 1:04 PM CDT

Democrats Lose Withdrawal Vote

Republicans hold out against Iraq exit measure

(Newser) - Senate Democrats failed to collect enough votes this morning to pass a bill that would force President Bush to begin pulling troops out of Iraq within 120 days. After a spirited all-night debate, 52 voted in favor of the measure and 47 against, but rules require 60 "yes" votes...

Senate Kills Immigration Bill
Senate Kills Immigration Bill
Jun 28, 2007 1:55 PM CDT

Senate Kills Immigration Bill

Vote to move forward falls 14 votes short

(Newser) - In a serious setback for the Bush administration's second-term agenda, the Senate effectively killed the immigration-reform bill today, voting 53-46 to keep the legislation from going forward. The president had actively promoted the bipartisan measure, going so far as to lobby senators by phone this morning, but with his influence...

Immigration Bill Brings Out 'Best,' 'Worst' of America

New Republic warns 'draconian' measures will follow if compromise fails

(Newser) - Calling the immigration bill currently fighting its way through the Senate "the best that liberals are likely to get," the New Republic's editors tepidly endorsed the legislation that would bring 12M laborers closer to US citizenship even as they condemned the implications of the bill's proposed guest-worker program.

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