Afghanistan

GOP Rep: Republicans Are Turning On The War In Afghanistan

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 9, 2011, 4:09PM

Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)

A bipartisan group of House members are pushing a new plan to end the war in Afghanistan. Many of the lawmakers who spoke at event on Wednesday announcing the new effort have been outspoken on ending what has become America's longest military conflict for years, but one Republican, Rep. Walter Jones (NC), says the names on the list of legislators opposing the Afghanistan conflict are expanding on his side of the aisle.

"The number of Republicans is slowly growing," Jones told reporters. "There were 12 tea party-types who won election that we checked to see what their position was on Afghanistan and 12 said for either policy reasons or financial reasons we need to get out."

Jones said some veteran Republicans are also signing on to an end to the war, which has has been met with growing public discontent according to public opinion polls. "In time, they're beginning to say, 'I don't know what we're trying to accomplish, there seems to be no end point,'"Jones said. "It is slowly on the Republican side changing to [support for] getting our troops out."

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Title X

Women's Health Advocates Unfazed By GOP's War On Planned Parenthood

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 15, 2011, 4:10PM

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)

A coalition of pro-choice groups and members of Congress gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and effectively told Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) where he can put his plan to eliminate all federal funding of Planned Parenthood.

Still, given the Republican majority in the House, the best chance for opponents to derail the GOP proposal will be in the Senate, or if worse comes to worse, with the help of a presidential veto.

Pence has long called for an end to federal spending on the family planning organization, which receives about $360 million a year in taxpayer money from federal, state and local governments. Federal funds cannot be used for abortion, and are earmarked for family planning, cancer screenings and other women's health services.

A portion of that care falls under the so-called "Title X" provisions of the Public Health Service Act, a law that provides federal funding for family planning -- but not abortion, which cannot be paid for with federal money except in very strict circumstances, such as pregnancies resulting from rape. In their zeal to trim federal spending -- and, according to women's rights advocates on the Hill and elsewhere, as part of a plan to eliminate funding for contraception all together -- Republicans have eliminated Title X funding from their budget proposal.

When Pence's anti-Planned Parenthood bill and the Republican Title X plan are put together, it spells bad news for the family planning clinics who rely on government cash to provide services to low-income couples looking to have -- or not have -- children on their own schedule.

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James Clyburn

Clyburn: Don't Count Me Out!

Brian Beutler | November 9, 2010, 9:39AM

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC)

After watching Majority Leader Steny Hoyer conduct an overt campaign to become House minority whip next year, current Whip Jim Clyburn is starting to make a more public play for the leadership office.

Last night, the Democratic Conference's Vice Chair Xavier Becerra became the first member of leadership to endorse in the contest -- and picked Clyburn.

"James Clyburn deserves to be reelected Democratic Whip in the 112th Congress," Becerra said in a statement. "Through some of the toughest legislative efforts in recent history--from health care to Wall Street reform--Mr. Clyburn found us the votes when they counted most. He fought to pass legislation that is putting America back to work and laying the foundation for a future where America leads the world in the new energy economy. He is a stalwart supporter of fixing our broken immigration system and providing every American a decent education and an equal shot at the American Dream. James Clyburn has my vote to continue as our Whip in the 112th Congress."

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House Democratic Whip Race

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Backs Clyburn's Leadership Bid

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 8, 2010, 12:41PM

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)

Rep. Jim Clyburn's (D-SC) colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus have chosen to back his bid for a spot in the Democratic leadership, according to CBC chair Barbara Lee (D-CA).

The AP reports that Lee has sent a letter of support for Clyburn's run for Minority Whip, which will be the second highest position in the House Democratic leadership when the Republicans take over in January. Lee's letter said "that Democrats need Clyburn's expertise 'bridg(ing) what divides us' during the next two years," the AP reports.

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Dixiecrats

Jackson-Lee: Graham On Immigration Reminds Me Of The Dixiecrats

Evan McMorris-Santoro | April 28, 2010, 11:50AM

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)

Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee (D-TX) said today that the Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) promise to block immigration reform reminded her of rhetoric from old-guard southern segregationists in the 1960s.

Speaking at a presser criticizing the Arizona immigration bill, Lee said Graham's decision to call for his energy bill to be debated before immigration reform reminded her of southern senators who attempted to block civil rights legislation decades ago.

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Health Care

Obama to Progressives: 31 Million People--And My Presidency--Are On The Line If Health Care Fails

Brian Beutler | March 4, 2010, 4:26PM

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)

President Obama's message to progressives who are dissatisfied with the Senate health care bill is two fold: First: Don't forget about the uninsured. Second: Don't forget what failure to pass this bill would do to the party and my presidency.

In a meeting with House progressives today, Obama made the pitch.

Speaking to reporters in the Speaker's lobby off the House floor, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) said the President reminded them that "If this opportunity passes, much of our agenda, on the progressive side...it would be difficult, if not impossible for a generation to get back to this issue."

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