TWICJAN5

The 110th United States Congress convened on January 5th with a Democratic majority of 233 Members in the House and 202 Republicans. Democrats elected Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-8th) as the Speaker of the House over the Republican candidate John Boehner (R-OH-8th) who will continue as Minority Leader. The New Majority will be led by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5th). Speaker Pelosi is the first woman to be elected Speaker in the history of the U.S. Congress.

The House proceeded through various protocols and, after electing the Speaker, moved quickly to consider a rules package that includes a variety of measures aimed at strengthening rules that prohibit unethical actions by Members and staff.

The Resolution-HRES 6-adopts ethic and other rules passed by the 109th Congress but revises several issues that were necessarily partisan such as the process known as the K Street Project through which-it was reported-lobbyists and others who sought to influence Congress were threatened with retribution if they hired employees who were in opposition to the then majority party agenda. Another sticking point in the 109th was keeping the electronic vote open beyond the normal length of five or fifteen minutes for the purpose of influencing vote changes. That practice is now prohibited. Pelosi / Hoyer

Travel paid for by a lobbyist or other private or public representative or those who hire them, other than a one-day trip to a convention or meeting, is prohibited but it is left to the ethics committee to further define a one-day trip and may allow for another day based on scheduling and other considerations. Gift bans continue but allow for gifts under fifty dollars to a total of $100 annually.

Earmarks are not banned but Members submitting them will be identified. Earmarks would include tax and tariff breaks that would impact less than ten people with a tariff break and 1 person for a tax break. All bills must include a report on earmarks in the bill or the absence of any earmarks as opposed to the 109th Congress rule that did not require reporting earmarks in appropriation bills.

The Majority promise of 'no new deficit spending' would gain teeth by a reinstating some PAYGO provisions, a 1990 Budget Enforcement Act provision that, simplistically explained, requires a rise in revenue or spending cuts elsewhere when a spending increase is proposed. Boehner

The rule package also sets up some debate procedures for three upcoming bills: HR 1-Implementing the 911 Commission recommendations; HR2-raising the minimum wage, HR 3 - Stem cell research and HR4 - Negotiating prescription drug prices for Medicare.

The Resolution keeps in place the House Budget Resolution for 2007 that was agreed to in 2006. The Resolution contains spending targets that will continue in the absence of completion of most of the 13 appropriation bills. (Full Story Here...)

SENATE

TEN BILLS

"AT THE DESK'

Democrat Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) began his first speech as Senate Majority Leader with a 1940 quote from President Franklin D. Roosevelt: "“The future lies with those wise political leaders who realize that the great public is interested more in government than in politics.” Leader Reid expanded on the concept before introducing the first ten bills the Senate will address beginning Monday January 8, 2007.

He explained the impending bills individually.

S1- Ethics and Rules-"This legislation will include reforms to slow the revolving door between government jobs and lucrative employment with special interests," he said. "It will eliminate gifts paid for by lobbyists and interests that hire lobbyists. It will limit privately-funded travel like the notorious golf junkets to Scotland. It will increase disclosure requirements, so that the public will be better informed about the activities of lobbyists. And it will increase penalties for those who break the rules."

S2- "...raising the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour."

S3- "Reduce drug costs for seniors" through the Medicare prescription plan.

S4- "...fully implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 commission."

S5- “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.”

S6- "..will take an aggressive approach to reducing America’s dependence on oil, especially foreign oil, and putting more advanced technologies in the hands of consumers. It will boost production of electricity from solar, geothermal and other renewable sources that are abundant in states like Nevada, and grow the nation’s renewable energy technology jobs and manufacturing base."

S7- "...raising the maximum Pell Grant award. ... lowering interest rates for student loans, and expanding tax breaks for college costs."

S8-“Rebuilding America’s Military...because...the U.S. military is strained to levels not seen since Vietnam."

S9- a comprehensive approach to ... tough and smart (immigration) reforms,...secure our borders, crack down on enforcement, and lay out a path to earned legalization for undocumented immigrants already living here."

S10- "...reinstate “pay-as-you go rules” to the budget process." §