Posted on 01/18/2007 10:21:40 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - House Democrats sprinting to finish six bills on terrorism, the minimum wage, drug prices and other issues are well ahead of the 100-hour deadline they gave themselves to do it.
By new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record)'s clock, they began Thursday morning with more than 60 hours remaining and only one measure left: an energy bill with $15 billion in new fees, royalties and taxes for the oil industry. A celebration was planned later Thursday once it's passed.
On Wednesday, seven hours ticked off the Democrats' 100-hour clock for passing an agenda the party had told voters they would enact after sweeping to victory in November.
According to Pelosi's count, it has taken just over 34 hours to pass the first five bills, including a measure Wednesday to lower interest rates on some student loans.
The House actually had been in session for about 79 hours from the time the 110th Congress was sworn in on Jan. 4 through close of House business Wednesday. But the clock on Pelosi's Web site, which racks only hours spent on legislation, showed that 34 hours, 5 minutes had elapsed.
The clock started again Thursday with the opening of debate on the oil revenues bill.
The others passed so far would:
_Make the government negotiate for lower Medicare prescription drug prices. It passed last Friday.
_Expand federally funded stem cell research. It passed Jan. 11.
_Raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over 26 months. It passed Jan. 10.
_Bolster terrorism-fighting efforts with more cargo inspections. It passed Jan. 9.
Democrats also won approval of internal House rule changes dealing with ethics, lobbying and budgeting. They were passed on Jan. 4-5, the first two days of the new Congress.
Not one of which will be signed into law.
Mr. President
Veto Veto Veto (/aRnold)
The Senate will have to do a bit of work yet before that can happen, but ..
I hope you're right.
Don't kid yourself. Bush will veto the stem cell legislation and sign everything else.
they can pass a 1,000 bills ... it still doesn't mean they will be made law
The media sure makes it seem like things are getting done for a change tho, huh?
Great news. So at this pace I can only expect about 25 bills or so?
What happened to the promise to make college cheaper? Not even mentioned.
Don't kid yourself. Bush will veto the stem cell legislation and sign everything else.
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You may be right on. Based on his history with pandering to the Dems and his blindness for the VETO pen.
I was gonna ask for predictions, Thanks!
Remember when the GOP controlled everything. Various Republican constituencies repeatedly urged the Congressional GOP to act quickly, while they had the majority, on this or that issue. Some of those proposals were broadly backed by all Republicans, and by most voters of every stripe. Other proposals were only backed by conservatives, or by just small government conservatives.
Regardless of the popularity or wisdom of the proposal, the response of the GOP leadership was to announce that the proposal needed to be studied and sent to committee for hearings and that they could not act promptly. Of course, CATO or Heritage or whomever had already studied the issue to death and there was nothing left to study.
In the experience of most people in the business world, sending something to committee means sending it to almost certain death.
Now, the question is this: Will the GOP leaders learn from history?
Besides, what happened to the "Conservative Democrats" who are now voting in lockstep with Dictator Pelosi?
An energy bill that imposes onerous taxes on energy producers. That's the sure way to encourage more energy exploration and production.
Realistically, he'll probably sign the minimum wage and cargo bills and veto the stem cell bill.
I very much doubt if the Energy bill will clear the Senate in anything resembling its current form and, even if it did, he'd certainly veto it.
I imagine that he'll sign the Medicare bill, then eviscerate it with a Presidential Signing Statement.
Gotta get past the Senate first...
The House actually had been in session for about 79 hours from the time the 110th Congress was sworn in on Jan. 4 through close of House business Wednesday. But the clock on Pelosi's Web site, which racks only hours spent on legislation, showed that 34 hours, 5 minutes had elapsed.
I need one of these Pelosi clocks! They'd be great for holidays and weekends! I only have to count the time I use actually weekending or holidaying! Entirely up to me!
Well there goes the price of gas back up to $3.00 a gallon, and it was almost down to $2.00 in this area?
Do the democrats seriously think that the oil industry is just going to absorb a $15 billion dollar hit. Nope, it's going to be passed straight to the consumers!
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