Government Shutdown

House Dems Whip Against GOP Government Funding Bill Over Disaster Relief

Brian Beutler | September 21, 2011, 2:21PM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

House Dem leadership is urging all caucus members to oppose the Republican legislation to continue funding the government past September 30 on the grounds that it cuts a popular manufacturing program to pay for federal disaster aid.

"Democratic Members are urged to vote NO on the previous question and the bill -- as disasters are an emergency and we should not have to cut good-paying American jobs to provide essential disaster relief for families, small businesses, and communities," reads a memo from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's office.

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Government Shutdown

Senate Dems Eye 10 Republicans Who May Flip-Flop On Disaster Aid

Brian Beutler | September 21, 2011, 9:28AM

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Democrats want all eyes on the 10 Republicans, from disaster-affected states, who voted last week for a nearly $7 billion emergency bill to re-up FEMA's relief account. They hold the key to whether or how not just FEMA, but the entire United States government will be funded after its current appropriations lapse at the end of the month.

As noted extensively Tuesday, the questions of how and by what amount to provide disaster relief are the only obstacles to passing legislation to keep the federal lights on into the fall. Senate Democrats (and presumably these 10 Republicans) want to significantly bolster FEMA's account, and do so without arguing over budget cuts to offset the cost.

House Republicans are offering up about half as much, and only on the condition that the funds be matched by nixing a $1.5 billion hybrid vehicle manufacturing incentive. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) says he's not backing down. When the House sends the Senate its government funding bill Reid's going to force a vote on an amendment to swap out the House's FEMA provision with his own.

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Super Committee

Senators Push For More Transparency For Super Committee

Susan Crabtree | September 8, 2011, 12:46PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Republican Sens. Dean Heller (NV) and David Vitter (LA) are trying to shed some sunlight on all of the deficit super committee's activities -- including fundraising.

Even before the first super committee's Thursday morning meeting began, which was open to the public and aired on C-SPAN, Heller introduced legislation to make all of the panel's meetings, even the most informal, open to the public. Vitter introduced a companion bill that would require super committee members to disclose all campaign contributions within 48 hours of receiving them.

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