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Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) threatened yesterday to strip Democrats of the power to filibuster if they block the vote on Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. "It would be against the intent of the Founding Fathers and our Constitution to deny Sam Alito an up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate," he said on "Fox News Sunday." His willingness to consider a procedural maneuver called the "nuclear option" seemed somewhat premature. Last week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said that although he anticipates intense questioning of Alito during next month's hearings, he...

Knight Ridder Newspapers WASHINGTON — A severe bird-flu outbreak would cost the U.S. economy $625 billion — about 5 percent of the gross domestic product — as employers struggled with absenteeism, lost production and a sharp decline in consumer spending, a new government report has found. The economic impact, driven in part by fear and confusion, would be equivalent to a recession, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report. The estimates are based on a pandemic that would sicken 90 million people in the United States and kill about 2 million. The findings are the government's first attempt at...

South Dakota Senator John Thune hints that there might be a tinge of regret among the Senate GOP over yesterday's Warner-Frist vote. HH: I am now joined by Senator John Thune of South Dakota...We've got to throw hammers at your colleagues today, John Thune. What happened yesterday? You were on the right side of that vote, as were a lot of the freshmen. Richard Burr joined us yesterday, Tom Coburn joined us yesterday. You guys got it right. What happened to your colleagues? JT: You know, I really think, Hugh, there is so much concern about public opinion polls, and...

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Showing mounting discontent among Republicans over the Iraq war, the U.S. Senate resolved on Tuesday that Iraqis should start taking the lead in their own security next year to allow a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops. But the Republican-led Senate rejected Democrats' demand for Republican President George W. Bush to submit a plan and an estimated timetable to withdraw U.S. forces, a step Bush has vehemently opposed. The Senate's 79 to 19 vote came days after Bush, facing waning support for the war and the lowest job approval ratings of his presidency, launched an aggressive...

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) (L) smiles with Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitchell J. Landrieu on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. November 1, 2005. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) [Left] and Lt.Gov. Mitch Landrieu (D-LA) [Right]

Accusing Republicans of ignoring questions about pre-war intelligence, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session today, igniting anger from GOP leaders. Before calling for the rare motion, which was seconded by his assistant minority leader, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Reid said his colleagues across the aisle "have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why." Speaking to reporters in the hall outside the Senate chamber, Majority Leader Bill Frist shot back, charging the Senate "has been hijacked by the Democratic leadership." "They have...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amid record-high earnings from oil companies, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Thursday ordered a Senate hearing with testimony from major oil company executives on why energy prices are high. The unexpected announcement by the chamber's top Republican showed the growing political pressure as American consumers brace for higher winter heating costs at the same time energy companies are reporting fat profits. "If there are those who abuse the free enterprise system to advantage themselves and their businesses at the expense of all Americans, they ought to be exposed, and they ought to be ashamed," Frist said...

www.gunowners.orgOct 2005 While gun control passes in the House, GOA expresses a big THANK YOU to all of its members and activists who waged a lone battle of opposition -- And you can be encouraged that your calls made a HUGE difference in one area Gun Owners of America 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102 Springfield, VA 22151 (703)321-8585 Thursday, October 20, 2005 "The anti-gun provisions in S. 397 would probably be stripped out in the House if all the gun groups were working together with GOA." -- Rep. Ron Paul, Sept. 15, 2005 It's a shame really. Rep. Ron Paul is totally...

Next couple of days there will be a lot of gleeful liberals and Republicans claiming that this really does make it possible for Dems to take over the House and Senate in 2006. Here's how it will work. Comparisons, immediately, to the indictment of powerful Democrat Dan Rostenkowski in 1994 adding to the sense that Democrats were out of touch with ordinary Americans and helping bring about the GOP landslide in November 1994. Corrupt Dems in 1994 = corrupt Repubs in 2005. Add to the DeLay indictiment the talk about Bill Frist's stock sale and you have major-league talking points...

Robert Novak reports Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "has informed" Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) "that Federal Appeals Court Judge Priscilla Owen will be filibustered if President Bush names her to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. "Republican senators are divided on whether former Texas Supreme Court Justice Owen is vulnerable because she underwent a filibuster for the appellate seat and was confirmed under the compromise agreement. Frist is known to believe Owen can be confirmed in the face of a filibuster. "Republican Senate strategists believe Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is the only possible Bush nominee...

WASHINGTON - When Sen. Trent Lott decides which GOP presidential candidate to support in 2008, it apparently will not be Sen. Bill Frist, the Tennessee Republican who Lott says betrayed him at a low moment in his political career. Asked Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" whether Frist, who challenged and succeeded Lott as Senate majority leader in 2002, has the character to be president, Lott paused before answering. "I think I'd have to think about that," said Lott, R-Miss. Lott said "a lot of good people out there" are thinking about whether to run and that "I probably would...

Bird Flu : Sen. Frist Calls for New “Manhattan Project” An Influenza epidemic – spread by wild birds-has been building steadily in Asia ,and is beginning to follow bird migration routes into Russia and the “Stans” . At the moment, it is “just” an epidemic – but it involves a rapidly evolving Avian Influenza virus , that has succeeded in killing pigs, tigers , and a growing number of humans. There is growing evidence of human-to-human transmission : a factor that can turn a local epidemic into a world-wide pandemic. Should it succeed in becoming a human pandemic – something...

I have never been so personally affected by a politician as last Friday when Sen. Bill Frist announced his support of embryonic stem-cell research. In my view, there is no single person capable of greater influence on the subject than the Senate majority leader, who is also a physician. Unfortunately, because he maintains his decision is also consistent with his pro-life views, there s no single person who could have confused the issue more. So although I have written on this subject ad nauseam, a moral lapse as great as this on the part of the senator requires an attempt...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist spoke by video to the first "Justice Sunday" evangelical rally in April, but he wasn't invited to address "Justice Sunday II," even though it's in his home state of Tennessee. Since the first rally, the potential 2008 presidential candidate has angered the events' organizers by stating his support for expanded human embryonic stem cell research. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, was invited to speak at the Aug. 14 rally. Family Research Council president Tony Perkins said Tuesday on the group's Web site that Frist's recently announced stem cell stance "reflects an unwise...

Being pro-life used to mean, at a minimum, that you believe life begins at conception and that this life is worthy of protection at all stages of development. Sen. Bill Frist would like to "modify" that just a bit. First, a little background. On August 9, 2001, you'll recall, President Bush announced a compromise. He would allow federal funding of embryonic stem-cell (ESC) research. But he restricted this government support to the 78 or so ESC lines that had already been created as of that date, "where the life and death decision has already been made." Thus, Bush said that...

Since 2001 when stem cell research first captured our nation’s attention, I’ve said many times the issue will have to be reviewed on an ongoing basis -- and not just because the science holds tremendous promise, or because it’s developing with breathtaking speed. Indeed, stem cell research presents the first major moral and ethical challenge to biomedical research in the 21st century. In this age of unprecedented discovery, challenges that arise from the nexus of advancing science and ethical considerations will come with increasing frequency. How can they not? Every day we unlock more of the mysteries of human life...

Bill Frist has decided to support a bill to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, a move that could push it closer to passage and force a confrontation with the White House. Link should work without registration

Frustrated that a compromise has not been struck, conservative senators and their allies are threatening to schedule a vote that would repeal the estate tax permanently. Unless Democrats agree to a deal, Republicans are vowing to use the estate-tax vote as political ammunition in the 2006 cycle. There is a growing sense that achieving a reduction in the tax rate while indexing the value of the exemption to inflation has much broader appeal in the Senate. Lobbyists and aides said that a complete repeal would not garner 60 votes needed to break a filibuster. It remains unclear when a vote...

Welcome to www.SecureAmericasBorders.com . We built this website to gather the opinions of Americans who are concerned about the security of our borders and who believe our immigration policy should be reformed.   The Security and Immigration Survey focuses specifically on ideas and proposals to improve our border security and reform our immigration policy.   We hope you will complete the survey.   Thank you for your interest.

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