House of Representatives

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Ralph Hall, Oldest in US House, Hurt in Car Accident

91-year-old in serious condition: report

(Newser) - The oldest-ever serving member of the House of Representatives is in the hospital following a car accident. Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, 91, is being treated in Plano, WFAA reports. He was reportedly riding in a vehicle when another hit it; afterward, he was airlifted to the hospital, and KXII...

Congress Has Rarely Worked a Full Week in 37 Years

Both chambers in session together Monday through Friday just 14% of the time

(Newser) - When you crunch the numbers, Congress looks pretty lazy. The Washington Post finds that both chambers have been in session only about 40% of the time since 1978—the first year for which online records are available—and they've both worked full weeks simultaneously a measly 14% of the...

Ex-Con Former Congressman 'Critical' After Tractor Mishap

James Traficant Jr. was a longtime Ohio rep

(Newser) - Former US Rep. James Traficant Jr., who did time in prison on corruption and racketeering charges, has been critically injured in a tractor accident at his northeast Ohio home. Traficant's wife, Tish, told the Vindicator that the 73-year-old former congressman was in "very critical condition" today following last...

House OKs US Help for Syrian Rebels Fighting ISIS

Senate expected to pass it tomorrow

(Newser) - The House voted grudgingly today to give the US military the authority to train and arm Syrian rebels fighting ISIS. The 273-156 vote crossed party lines to an unusual degree in a Congress marked by near ceaseless partisanship. Top Republican and Democratic leaders backed the plan seven weeks before midterm...

2 Gay Candidates for Congress Hope to Make History

Republicans want to be first in their party to campaign and win seats

(Newser) - Two openly gay GOP candidates are still alive in the midterm congressional elections. One is Richard Tisei of Massachusetts, who ran unopposed in his primary last night and hopes to join the six current LGBT members of the House, all Democrats, reports Mother Jones . No openly gay GOP candidate has...

Iraq Vet Beats Incumbent in Democratic House Primary

Seth Moulton unseats John Tierney in Massachusetts

(Newser) - For the fourth time this primary season, a House incumbent has been defeated—and there were no Tea Partiers in sight this time. John Tierney, a nine-term Democrat in Massachusetts, was defeated by 35-year-old Iraq veteran Seth Moulton, reports the Wall Street Journal . The former Marine captain had the support...

Congress' Most Endangered Incumbents

Unpopular President Obama could hurt Democrats

(Newser) - The congressional midterm elections are coming, meaning it's time to mine the tea leaves for potential losers. So, who might be facing the music come November? Of the Senate's 10 most vulnerable, nine are Democrats, according to Roll Call . A sampling from its list:
  • Mary Landrieu—An oddball
...

House Ready to Drop $350K to Sue Obama

Lawyer David Rivkin is charging $500 an hour

(Newser) - The House of Representatives has lawyered up in its quest to sue President Obama , the National Journal reports, and it's not going to be cheap: David Rivkin was key to devising the House's case strategy in the first place. He'll be paid $500 an hour up to...

Cantor Quitting House Early
 Cantor Quitting House Early 
Aug 1, 2014 1:39 AM CDT

Cantor Quitting House Early

Departing majority leader makes 'generous gesture'

(Newser) - Eric Cantor is out as House majority leader, and he's going to be out of the House sooner than expected as well. The congressman—who lost his GOP primary to Tea Party rival Dave Brat in a stunning upset —says he is quitting Congress effective Aug. 18 and...

House GOP Delays Recess, Scrambles for Border Bill

Tea Party forced vote postponement today ahead of summer break

(Newser) - The House today abandoned a vote on $659 million legislation to address the immigration crisis after another Tea Party revolt. John Boehner pulled the measure from the floor at the last minute, knowing he didn't have enough votes. The speaker, however, then took the unusual step of delaying Congress'...

Boehner: I'm Suing Obama Over ObamaCare

He says he's sticking up for Constitution

(Newser) - John Boehner is pressing ahead with his plan to sue President Obama —and he says he has now chosen a line of attack. The House speaker says the suit will focus on the president's decision to delay imposing penalties on firms that don't offer health insurance to...

House Quietly Alters Rules on Reporting Free Trips

Freebie holidays don't have to be included on annual financial-disclosure forms

(Newser) - The things that happen behind closed doors: In the case of the House, a quiet move that removed the requirement that lawmakers spell out free trips they've taken on annual financial-disclosure forms. The House Ethics Committee made no public announcement of the change, which the National Journal discovered in...

Only One Candidate Left for Cantor's Job

Sessions drops out, race to replace Kevin McCarthy heats up

(Newser) - Unless a surprise challenger emerges at the last minute, the race to replace Eric Cantor as the House's second-ranking Republican is already over. House Rules Committee chief Pete Sessions says he has dropped his bid to become majority leader "after thoughtful consideration and discussion" with colleagues, leaving Majority...

House Passes Bill 421-0 to Let Veterans Ditch VA

Unanimous vote a rarity for Congress

(Newser) - Are you sitting down? Good. Because the House just passed a high-profile bill unanimously. The bill allows veterans to seek treatment outside the Veterans Affairs system using government funds, Politico reports. It closely resembles a bipartisan Senate deal struck between Bernie Sanders and John McCain. The final vote tally was...

Oldest-Ever Congressman Faces Tea Party Challenge

Ralph Hall, 91, would be last WWII vet in Congress

(Newser) - Ralph Hall, already the oldest person ever to serve in the House of Representatives, is seeking a final term but the 91-year-old faces a tough challenge today from a 48-year-old opponent. John Ratcliffe is backed by conservative groups with strong Tea Party ties in the Republican primary runoff and he...

GOP Wins 'Fall Preview' House Race

ObamaCare loomed large in Fla. special election

(Newser) - Republican David Jolly has narrowly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a Tampa-area House district where President Obama's health care overhaul got its first test ahead of November's midterm elections and both sides spent millions auditioning national strategies. With almost 100% of the vote counted, Jolly had 48.5%...

House Passes Bill Allowing Cell Phone Unlocking

But only after controversy over last-minute provision

(Newser) - The House yesterday passed a bill that would make it legal to unlock your phone, despite pushback from Democrats over a last-minute addition to the bill banning "bulk unlocking." You'd be forgiven for not realizing that unlocking a phone—meaning making it work on other carriers—was...

58 Years in, Dingell Retiring From 'Obnoxious' Congress

Rep is longest serving lawmaker in history

(Newser) - John Dingell, the longest-serving congressman in American history, today announced that he will retire at the end of his current term. "I'm not going to be carried out feet first," the 87-year-old Michigan rep said at a luncheon with the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press . Dingell...

Retiring Lawmaker's Record: 0 for 646

NJ's Rob Andrews didn't get a law passed in 23 years, though not for lack of trying

(Newser) - New Jersey Democrat Rob Andrews made a surprise announcement today that he'll be giving up his House seat as of Feb. 18 to join a Philadelphia law firm, reports Philly.com . And while it's big news in Jersey, Andrews isn't exactly a household name nationally. Still, the...

House Passes Long-Stalled Farm Bill

Senate expected to send it to president for signature

(Newser) - The House has passed an almost $100 billion-a-year, compromise farm bill that would make small cuts to food stamps and continue generous subsidies for the nation's farmers. The vote was 251-166. The five-year bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to send it to the president's...

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