House of Representatives

Balanced Budget Amendment

House Dems Kill GOP Balanced Budget Amendment

Brian Beutler | November 18, 2011, 1:58PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

A Constitutional amendment that would forbid Congress from running deficits failed in the House Friday, thanks to broad opposition by Democrats, who recognized it as a GOP messaging vehicle, and a tool they'd use to roll back safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security.

The final vote, was 261 - 165. Two-thirds of both chambers must agree to adopt any amendment to the Constitution. Both the House and the Senate are required under the terms of the debt limit law to hold a vote on a version of the BBA.

Eric Holder

Holder: GOP Cuts To COPS Program 'Place This Nation At Risk'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 8, 2011, 12:26PM

House Republican's plan to kill the Justice Department's Community Orienting Policing Services (COPS) program is "unacceptable" and would "place this nation at risk," Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday.

"Though we are enjoying historically low crime rates, we have 30,000 vacant law enforcement positions in this county, we have lost 12,000 officers over the course of the last year, and we put at risk the possibility that these historically low rates will not remain there forever," Holder said in response to a question from Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

White House

Obama Leans On Senators to Vote For Jobs Bill

Susan Crabtree | October 6, 2011, 10:52AM

President Obama ramped up the pressure on senators to vote for his jobs bill when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote next week, aggressively arguing in his first press conference in two months that Congress needs to pass the bill or produce an alternative.

"As we look to next week, every senator out there that is looking to vote against this jobs bill, needs to explain why they would vote against something ... at such a crucial time for our economy," he said during a briefing with reporters Thursday.

Government Shutdown

Battle Over Disaster Relief Foils Stopgap Spending Bill

Brian Beutler | September 21, 2011, 5:54PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

GOP legislation to continue funding the federal government failed in the House Wednesday by a vote of 195-230, after Democrats rejected a controversial measure to nix a popular manufacturing program to offset federal disaster aid.

A successful Democratic whip effort left Republicans without enough support in their caucus to pass the bill along party lines. Over 40 Republicans, demanding steeper cuts to federal programs, rebelled against GOP leadership.

Darrell Issa

Issa: NLRB Has Until Friday To Hand Over Docs In Boeing Case

Susan Crabtree | August 8, 2011, 12:04PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the GOP's No. 1 Obama administration attack dog, has bitten down hard on the dispute between the National Labor Relations Board and Boeing and doesn't appear to be letting go anytime soon.

Issa issued a subpoena to the NLRB's Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon August 7 as part of its investigation into the merits of the NLRB action against the Boeing Company. The subpoena compels the NLRB to comply with earlier document requests submitted in May with a deadline of noon Aug. 12.

Medicare/Medicaid

Debt Deal Could Spare Middle and Upper Class Seniors, But Slam The Poor

Benjy Sarlin | June 20, 2011, 5:45AM

Medicaid recipients receive treatment

Democrats' rallying cry on deficit talks couldn't be clearer: It's the elderly, stupid.

That means Medicare benefits are off-limits, a message that Democrats plan to reinforce at every opportunity through November 2012. With Republicans demanding trillions in cuts to raise the debt limit, however, savings are going to have to come from somewhere. The most logical option left is Medicaid, a favorite conservative target whose low-income recipients carry little clout in Washington compared to Medicare's elderly and middle-class base.

But there is one politically tricky obstacle to cutting Medicaid: Millions of seniors -- including those who consider themselves middle class -- rely on Medicaid cover their nursing home care, meaning any raid on its funding could complicate Democrats' image a the tireless champion of retirees across the land.

Mindful of the problem, aides and lawmakers are floating a way forward: shielding the elderly from Medicaid cuts while slashing aid to poor and uninsured Americans.

Labor

Top Union Presses Senators To Ditch Union-Busting Push By House GOP

Brian Beutler | April 20, 2011, 12:43PM

A powerful union is lobbying Democratic and Republican congressional negotiators to make sure they don't curtail worker rights when they finalize new FAA legislation.

A conference committee composed of a bipartisan group of senators and congressmen will soon sort out differences between two different versions of the bill. But the House bill contains a provision that would make it much more difficult for airline and rail workers to form unions. More on that provision here -- it would reinstate old rules that count abstentions as "no" votes in union elections, thus stacking the deck against pro-union workers.

Lindsey Graham

Graham Vows To 'Tie Senate In Knots' Over $50K Left Out Of Budget Deal

Susan Crabtree | April 13, 2011, 9:08AM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Update: Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) office issued a detailed defense of his threats to "tie the Senate in knots" and block all of Obama nominations over $50,000 left out of last week's 11th-hour budget deal for a study on deepening the Port of Charleston.

For critics who said the state should come up with its own funds for the Army Corp of Engineers' study to deepen the port, Graham spokesman Kevin Bishop said such an easy solution is actually impossible under federal law.

The South Carolina State Ports Authority, which is responsible for operations of the Charleston Port, is ready to write the check for the state's share of the the study, but federal law requires Congress to cough up funds to enable the Army Corp of Engineers to move forward with the study. It would be the second step in the process; a first study already determined a federal interest in deepening the harbor.

"The Corps requires virtually all ports around the country to shoulder some of the costs of feasibility studies, engineering, and design on harbor deepening," Bishop said. "South Carolina is ready to go. Now we're waiting on the feds to kick in their share. Without that green light, our state is stuck in neutral and cannot proceed."

Not all Republicans were celebrating Tuesday about the fine print of the $38.5 billion in cuts House Republicans managed to wrangle in last week's 11th-hour budget showdown. Tea Party loyalists who wanted tens of billions more cut from this year's spending were shaking their heads, and at least one senator was lamenting a budget omission he said would hit his state's economy hard.

In fact, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was down right incensed over the decision not to include a mere $50,000 for an Army Corps of Engineers study on deepening the Port of Charleston in his home state and vowed to "tie the Senate in knots" by holding up Obama administration nominations.

House Republicans

Poll: Plurality Of Voters Displeased With GOP House Majority, View Party As 'Extremist'

Jon Terbush | April 12, 2011, 12:22PM

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Only a few months removed from a landslide election that threw control of the House of Representatives back to Republicans, a plurality of registered voters now say the new GOP majority is doing a worse job than Democrats did when they controlled the lower chamber of Congress.

In a PPP poll released Tuesday, 43% of voters said Republicans are doing a worse job running the House than Democrats did before being ousted in last year's midterms. Meanwhile, 36% said Republicans were doing a better job than their counterparts, and an additional 19% said things are about the same.

The poll also found that a plurality of voters (48%) now say the Republican party is "extremist," while 40% say the party is mainstream. The numbers were almost flipped on the Democratic side, with 46% viewing the party as mainstream, and 39% viewing it as extremist.

Budget

Majority Of Republicans Favor Government Shutdown Over Budget Compromise

Jon Terbush | April 7, 2011, 1:56PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

As the country braces for a possible government shutdown at week's end, two new polls show that a majority of Republicans would rather see the government temporarily shuttered than have Congress pass a compromise spending bill. At the same time, Democrats and independents overwhelmingly support a compromise over a shutdown, according to the polls.

Those findings underscore the bind Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) finds himself in as he tries to avert a government shutdown. To prevent a shutdown -- and avert a possible backlash from voters -- Boehner would likely need to compromise with Democrats. But in doing so, he would risk angering his party's base.

TPM SLIDESHOW: Shut It Down: The Federal Government Shutdown of 1995

Census

Report: Census Policy Cost North Carolina A Congressional Seat

Melissa Jeltsen | March 30, 2011, 11:26AM

North Carolina narrowly missed out on snagging an additional congressional seat because of the way the U.S. Census counts military personnel, according to a review by the Associated Press.

The Census doesn't count troops who are deployed overseas in the state where they live and work. Instead, they are counted in their "home state," often the state they grew up in.

John Boehner

Boehner To Obama: Please Provide Clear Answers on Libya

Susan Crabtree | March 23, 2011, 7:22PM

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is demanding detailed answers from President Obama on the scope and objective of U.S. military action in Libya and his plans for removing Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi from power if he does not voluntarily step down in the next few days.

In a letter (read it here) to the White House sent Wednesday afternoon, Boehner asks Obama to outline the "scope, objective and purpose of the mission in Libya and how it will be achieved."

Vincent Gray

Issa Launches Probe of D.C. Mayor's Spending

Susan Crabtree | March 17, 2011, 5:40PM

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray

Mayor Vincent Gray and Council Chairman Kwame Brown spilled blood in the water when they started spending taxpayers' money on apparently nepotistic hiring, extravagant travel and luxury SUVs.

Incoming House Republicans are dead set on cutting spending anywhere they can, including vulnerable D.C. city services, and now Gray and company will have a tougher time defending them while fending off investigators from Rep. Darrell Issa's (R-CA) Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Ethics

Watchdogs: Ethics Committee In Turmoil Over Partisan Staff

Susan Crabtree | March 15, 2011, 6:00AM

Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)

Government watchdogs are condemning a decision to allow a Republican office to become a safe haven for supposedly nonpartisan Ethics Committee staff, saying it's one of the leading reasons why the panel is so dysfunctional.

The House Ethics Committee, led by Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL), has virtually shut down amid partisan recriminations and staff sniping over last year's handling of the case against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). Last week TPM reported that at least one of the panel's attorneys who had been suspended for allegedly mishandling the case had soft-landed on the GOP side of the House Natural Resources Committee, run by Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA).

Ethics

One Mystery Solved: Suspended Ethics Attorney Finds Home With GOP

Susan Crabtree | March 11, 2011, 9:30AM

Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)

UPDATE: Rep. Doc Hastings, chairman of the Natural Resources Committee issued a release saying Kim is the first hire for the newly created Office of Oversight and Investigations, which will scrutinize the activities of the Department of Interior and "other agencies under the committee's purview."

One of the suspended attorneys at the center of the standoff between Republicans and Democrats on the House Ethics Committee has found a new gig on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Morgan Kim, who served as deputy chief of staff of the Ethics Committee in the last Congress and lead attorney on the case against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), was recently hired by Republicans on the Natural Resources panel and is now working full-time there, two House aides confirmed for TPM Thursday.

Islam

Only Majority Of Conservatives And Tea Partiers Think Muslims More Prone To Violence

Jon Terbush | March 10, 2011, 11:45AM

As Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) hearings on the radicalization of American muslims get underway, a new Pew poll of American adults finds that conservatives and Tea Party sympathizers are the only two political demographics of which a majority believe Islam, more so than any other religion, encourages violence.

Overall, Americans are split fairly evenly on the question. Yet the stark ideological divide reveals how sharply the issue breaks down along party lines, with far more people on the right -- and particularly to the far right -- viewing Islam as a violent religion.

Betty McCollum

Dem Rep Continues Fight To Strip Pentagon NASCAR Sponsoring (VIDEO)

Andrew Jones | March 3, 2011, 4:01PM

Rep. Betty McCollum

The checkered flag apparently has not waved yet on Rep. Betty McCollum's (D-MN) fight to strip away Pentagon funding from NASCAR.

On MSNBC this afternoon, the St. Paul, Minn., congresswoman showed no signs of backing down on her staunch criticism of the Defense Department spending $7 million sponsoring the #39 Sprint Cup U.S. Army Chevy Impala, driven by Ryan Newman.

Darrell Issa

Issa Defends Subpoenas, Provides Timeline of Negotiations with DHS

Susan Crabtree | February 24, 2011, 5:39PM

Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is jabbing back at criticism from Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, that the first three subpoenas Issa sent out this Congress were "rushed" and "unilateral" and show a scatter-shot approach to investigating aimed at making headlines rather than improving government.

Cummings sent Issa a letter Wednesday accusing him of misusing the committee and failing to adequately consult Democrats before sending out three subpoenas in the last week, one to Bank of America looking for documents related to Countrywide's infamous VIP mortgage program, and two to Department of Homeland Security officials seeking depositions for the committee's investigation into whether DHS politicized FOIA requests.

Issa spokesman Kurt Bardella sent a lengthy response to Cummings' complaints and a detailed timeline, beginning with this quote: "Another day, another complaint and more righteous indignation. What else is new?"

Libya

K Street Firm Explains Why It Lobbied for Libya Then Abruptly Cut Ties

Susan Crabtree | February 23, 2011, 5:44PM

Fmr. Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA)

Former Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA) severed his firm's lobbying contract with the Qaddafi-controlled government of Libya in the fall of 2009, after Qaddafi's son welcomed the individual convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 back to his home country as a conquering hero.

"Saif Qaddafi gave him a really public greeting broadcast around the world to welcome him home as a hero of the state -- that was just too much," Livingston told TPM in a telephone interview.

MoveOn

MoveOn Calls on Activists to Take Wisconsin Message to Congress

Susan Crabtree | February 22, 2011, 6:32PM

United States Capitol

MoveOn.org would like to tap into the fervor on display in Wisconsin to push back against House Republican spending cuts and replicate at least a taste of the Madison unrest on the national level.

In an e-mail to members, MoveOn leaders encouraged activists to show up at the offices of their member of Congress on Thursday at noon to rally against GOP spending cuts and any burgeoning national attempts to put the squeeze on unions and worker's collective bargaining rights.

Bob McDonnell

VA Governor: It's Time For The House GOP To Lead On Entitlement Reform (VIDEO)

Andrew Jones | February 16, 2011, 5:50PM

In the mind of Governor Bob McDonnell (R-VA), if the President doesn't take the first step on entitlement reform, than it's time for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to take up the mantle.

On Fox's Your World this afternoon, McDonnell talked to fill-in host Stuart Varney, saying that he hoped that the national party's majority in the House would bring the "tough message to the American people" on entitlement reform.

Al Qaeda

King Taps Journo As Senior Committee Investigator

Susan Crabtree | February 16, 2011, 12:40PM

Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Rep. Peter King (R-NY), the fiery Irishman who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, may have attracted a rash of criticism for holding one of his first hearings on the radicalization of U.S. Muslims and homegrown terrorism, but his decision to hire a respected New York scribe as a top staffer is a sign he is serious about truly digging into holes in the nation's counter-terrorism programs and policies.

King has tapped James Gordon Meek, an eight-year veteran of the New York Daily News and a respected reporter on the terrorism beat, to join the committee staff as a senior investigator.

Government Shutdown

Back Channel Negotiations Could Forestall A Government Shutdown

Brian Beutler | February 16, 2011, 12:00PM

President Barack Obama meets with Republican and Democratic leaders

Now that President Obama has threatened to veto the House's spending legislation, things will really heat up.

As House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D_MD) reminded reporters yesterday, President Clinton drew some bright lines himself during the budget fight in late 1995 -- and we all know how that one ended. And House Republicans are set to add a bunch of riders to the spending package, which will make it even more toxic to Democrats.

One way out of this for House Republicans would be to set up back-channel negotiations with Senate leadership and the White House and basically take the ball out of the hands of rank-and-file conservatives who want to undermine the administration in unacceptable ways.

Barack Obama

Obama Threatens To Veto House GOP's Spending Bill

Susan Crabtree | February 15, 2011, 5:03PM

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama isn't waiting for Senate Democrats to reject House Republicans' proposed $61 billion in spending cuts for this year's government operations.

Even before the bill passed the House, as expected later this week, Obama fired a shot across Congress' bow and threatened to veto the spending bill that would keep the government running after March 4.

John Boehner

Boehner Willing To Increase Media Access In The House

David Taintor | February 4, 2011, 11:09AM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

In a letter to the Radio-Television Correspondents Association, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said he is willing to expand media access in the House of Representatives.

"I agree that enhancing opportunities for media coverage can make the House more open and transparent to the American people," Boehner wrote.

John Boehner

Quinnipiac Poll: What Do Boehner's Tears Say About Him?

Jon Terbush | January 20, 2011, 11:57AM

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) cried when Republicans took back the House. He sniffled in an interview with 60 Minutes. And he's teared up in several speeches on the House floor. Perhaps now he'll cry again, as a pollster has gone and asked his constituents whether the House leader was tarnishing his image with all that sobbing.

Yes, Quinnipiac University recently gauged Ohio voters' opinion of several lawmakers, tacking on a bonus question asking whether Boehner's wet-eyed sentimentality was a sign of strength or weakness.

House of Representatives

House Sergeant At Arms: 'No Indication' Shooting Was 'Part Of Any Larger Threat Against Congress'

Jillian Rayfield | January 8, 2011, 8:57PM

Bill Livingood House Sergeant-at-Arms

The House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood sent an e-mail to all House staff, informing them of safety measures being taken in the wake of the mass shootings that occurred today in Arizona that included Dem Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head.

"At this time, there is no indication that this incident is part of any larger threat against Congress or has a nexus to terrorism," he wrote.

Mike Fitzpatrick

Reps. Sessions And Fitzpatrick Pen Apology For Swearing-In Snafu

Jon Terbush | January 7, 2011, 5:33PM

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

Perhaps chastened by all the trouble they caused, Reps. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), who cast invalid votes on the first day of the 112th Congress because they missed the formal swearing in, are sending a written apology for their gaffe to every member of the House tonight.

In the letter, the Congressmen write:

[W]e are deeply committed to fulfilling our role in our constitutional democracy by maintaining the integrity of the People's House. Our absence on the House floor during the oath of office ceremony for the 112th Congress -- while not intentional -- fell short of this standard by creating uncertainty regarding our standing in this body.

Another excerpt reads:

While we immediately took steps to rectify the situation, we understand that our error allowed the integrity of this great legislative body's proceedings to be called into question," they write. "We regret that this incident adversely affected House proceedings and apologize for any individual inconvenience our actions may have caused.

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart Roasts The House's Reading Of The Constitution (VIDEO)

David Taintor | January 7, 2011, 10:29AM

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart was excited to hear that the Constitution would be read in its entirety on the House floor yesterday, but he ended up being less pleased with the results.

"Well, you've done it," Stewart said last night. "You've managed to make the reading of one of our nation's most treasured and sacred founding documents and combined it with the efficiency of the DMV and the dramatic chops of family members who demand to be called to the bima during your bat mitzvah."

House of Representatives

House Reading Amended Slavery-Free Constitution This Morning

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 6, 2011, 10:44AM

Members of the House of Representatives, led by their new Republican majority, will kick off the 112th Congress this morning with a reading of the U.S. Constitution. The reading is largely a political maneuver, so it's no real surprise that the Constitution you'll hear read on C-SPAN this morning will be the politically correct version.

It's fairly likely that no elected politician wants to stand up and read aloud the Founder's vision of African Americans as equaling three-fifths of a white person, so the GOP has decided to leave that part, and others, out when the Constitution is read today.

From The Daily Caller:

Instead of reading the Constitution in its entirety, House members will read an "amended version" that only includes the sections and amendments that were not changed at a later date. The decision in part will allow members to avoid reading less pleasant sections, like the clause in Article 1, Section 2, which counted black slaves as three-fifths of a person.

John Boehner

Boehner Sworn In As House Speaker: 'It's Still Just Me'

Jillian Rayfield | January 5, 2011, 2:24PM

Newly initiated House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) just spoke on the House floor and took the oath of office, saying that "the people voted to end business as usual and today we begin to carry out their instructions."

Congress

On The Floor: Ten Great Moments From Congress In 2010 (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 27, 2010, 8:33AM

As the year comes to a close, and we look ahead to all the wild and wacky things that are sure to happen in the new Republican-controlled House and only narrowly Democratic-controlled Senate, let's take a look back at the past year. A whole lot of amazing and memorable moments happened not only on the campaign trail, but on the two Congressional floors in the Capitol itself.

We've gathered together 10 unforgettable moments from the House and Senate in 2010. Some of them are great -- while others are just so bad that they're good.

But all of them give some perspective on the people who have been running our government, or who are about to have even more power next year. So sit back, relax, and laugh -- because it's better than crying.

Bush Tax Cuts

House Vote On Middle-Income Tax Cuts Likely This Week

Brian Beutler | November 29, 2010, 2:05PM

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

House Democrats are likely to hold a vote later this week on a tax plan that would allow the Bush tax cuts for high-income earners to expire at the end of the year, according to multiple aides.

Nothing's final, and the timing could change, as it often does. But Dem leaders will attempt to settle on a date at a private meeting on the Hill tonight.

Bush Tax Cuts

House And Senate Dems Out Of Sync On Tax Cut Strategy

Brian Beutler | November 22, 2010, 11:29AM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

After a flurry of meetings, phone calls, member-to-member discussions and public jousting with Republican leaders, Democrats left Washington on Friday aware of two key facts: Both the House and Senate will eventually vote to allow the Bush tax cuts on upper-income earners to expire; but party leaders in neither chamber have a clear path to winning that vote. And more importantly, with the White House still pressing for a bipartisan solution that can pass before the end of the year, the only thing that's certain is that nobody has any clue what the final tax cut compromise will look like.

Despite months of intra-party wrangling over how to proceed on tax cuts, House and Senate aides, speaking under the condition of anonymity, paint a picture of two chambers dramatically out of sync with one another. Senate Democrats and House Democrats alike continue to negotiate among themselves, with little understanding of what their counterparts are planning or can accomplish.

John Boehner

C-SPAN Asks Boehner For More Cameras In The House

David Taintor | November 15, 2010, 3:56PM

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)

As Congress prepares to transition into its 112th session, C-SPAN is again pressing the House to allow its own cameras to cover floor debates.

Currently, the cameras used to cover House floor debates are owned and operated by Congress. Under the House rules, wide shots and reactionary shots are prohibited. Media outlets must rely on the feed provided by Congress. But C-SPAN argues that allowing its own cameras to televise floor debates would result in a more open, transparent government.

House of Representatives

Colbert 'Giddy As A Schoolboy' Over GOP's Planned Investigations Into Obama Admin (VIDEO)

David Taintor | November 10, 2010, 10:43AM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert last night focused on expected chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Rep. Darrell Issa's (R-CA) plans to hold seven investigations a week for a 40-week period.

Mike Pence

Pence To Step Down From GOP Leadership -- Hints At Run For Governor

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2010, 10:47AM

Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) with GOP leaders

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) will step down from his position as the number three Republican in the House.

In a letter to colleagues this morning, Pence informed his colleagues that he won't seek re-election to his leadership post next Congress, hinting that he may soon be unable to fulfill his leadership duties as he prepares a run for Indiana governor.

"As we consider new opportunities to serve Indiana and our nation in the years ahead, I have come to realize that it may not be possible to complete an entire term as Conference Chairman," Pence wrote. "As such, I think it would be more appropriate for me to step aside now, especially since there are other talented men and women in our Conference who could do the job just as well or better."

Pence's ambitions outside of Congress are well known. He's believed to be considering a run for governor of Indiana, and possibly the presidency. As I reported last week, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) is a top candidate to replace Pence as conference chair. You can read the entire letter below the fold.

2010 elections

Boehner Cries, GOP Cheers: GOP Claims Victory In The House (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 3, 2010, 12:26AM

John Boehner

NRCC ELECTIONS HQ -- The next Speaker of the House is one emotional dude. As he celebrated the end of Democratic rule in the lower house of Congress with several hundred friends here in downtown Washington, John Boehner broke down and cried while the crowd chanted "USA! USA!"

"I've spent my life trying to chase the American dream," Boehner said, his voice cracking. He went on to espouse the virtues of capitalism and small business ownership in the way that you'd expect from the man who just led the Republican Party back from the political wilderness. Except with more tears.

Chris Van Hollen

Van Hollen: Dems Can Still Hold House

Brian Beutler | November 2, 2010, 9:24PM

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen paid a visit to DNC headquarters to tell reporters that despite early losses, he still thinks Democrats can keep the House.

"Those were the [seats] who were expected to be called," he said of the first returns.

When a reporter from a different outlet told him that her network had already called a GOP takeover of the House, a visibly flustered Van Hollen insisted repeatedly "I think that's a mistake."

Norm Ornstein

What's In A Wave? How A Big GOP Midterm Win Really Looks

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2010, 1:34PM

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

If there's an obsession afflicting Democrats and Republicans and pundits, it's a focus on the number 38. If the Democrats lose more than 38 net House seats, they lose the House. If they contain their losses to 38 or less, they keep it.

For almost everybody who covers or participates in politics, this is the number that will determine whether or not Democrats "win" or "lose" on Tuesday.

But the prevailing dynamics don't care about that benchmark, and, indeed, suggest that Democrats can lose the House and still do "well" given the speed of the wind in their face.

TPMDC House of Representatives

Brian Beutler | November 18, 2011, 1:58PM

Ryan J. Reilly | November 8, 2011, 12:26PM

Susan Crabtree | October 6, 2011, 10:52AM

Brian Beutler | September 21, 2011, 5:54PM

Susan Crabtree | August 8, 2011, 12:04PM

Benjy Sarlin | June 20, 2011, 5:45AM

Brian Beutler | April 20, 2011, 12:43PM

Susan Crabtree | April 13, 2011, 9:08AM

Jon Terbush | April 12, 2011, 12:22PM

Jon Terbush | April 7, 2011, 1:56PM

Melissa Jeltsen | March 30, 2011, 11:26AM

Susan Crabtree | March 23, 2011, 7:22PM

Susan Crabtree | March 17, 2011, 5:40PM

Susan Crabtree | March 15, 2011, 6:00AM

Susan Crabtree | March 11, 2011, 9:30AM

Jon Terbush | March 10, 2011, 11:45AM

Andrew Jones | March 3, 2011, 4:01PM

Susan Crabtree | February 24, 2011, 5:39PM

Susan Crabtree | February 23, 2011, 5:44PM

Susan Crabtree | February 22, 2011, 6:32PM

Andrew Jones | February 16, 2011, 5:50PM

Susan Crabtree | February 16, 2011, 12:40PM

Brian Beutler | February 16, 2011, 12:00PM

Susan Crabtree | February 15, 2011, 5:03PM

David Taintor | February 4, 2011, 11:09AM

Jon Terbush | January 20, 2011, 11:57AM

Jillian Rayfield | January 8, 2011, 8:57PM

Jon Terbush | January 7, 2011, 5:33PM

David Taintor | January 7, 2011, 10:29AM

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 6, 2011, 10:44AM

Jillian Rayfield | January 5, 2011, 2:24PM

Eric Kleefeld | December 27, 2010, 8:33AM

Brian Beutler | November 29, 2010, 2:05PM

Brian Beutler | November 22, 2010, 11:29AM

David Taintor | November 15, 2010, 3:56PM

David Taintor | November 10, 2010, 10:43AM

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2010, 10:47AM

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 3, 2010, 12:26AM

Brian Beutler | November 2, 2010, 9:24PM

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2010, 1:34PM

TPMDC
House of Representatives