Posts in "Capitol Hill Update"

Hill News Update

Bonnie Kristian
Jun 19, 2012 at 4:59 PM
By Bonnie Kristian

Here's the latest on liberty on the Hill:

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Update from Capitol Hill

Bonnie Kristian
Dec 12, 2011 at 4:03 PM
By Bonnie Kristian

Here's the latest from Capitol Hill:

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jul 18, 2011 at 11:17 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • Rep. Ron Paul had another infamous exchange with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, asking him if he thought gold was money.  Bernanke said "no," and when Rep. Paul asked him why, then, central banks hold gold as reserves, Bernanke stumbled, and then said "tradition."  Watch the full exchange here.
  • Bernanke also suggested the Fed was considering another round of stimulus if the economy continues to stagnate.
  • The debt limit negotiations took a bizarre turn when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed that the Congress give the authority to raise the debt limit to the President, just so that the GOP could vote against it (and fail to defeat it) and save face.
  • Sen. Jim DeMint quickly came out against the plan, pointing out that Republicans weren't elected in November to make it easier for the government to go more into debt and spend more money.
  • When President Obama said in an interview that he "couldn't guarantee" that social security checks would go out if the debt limit wasn't raised, Sen. Rand Paul called for him to apologize for using scare tactics to push more debt on the American people.
  • Judge Andrew Napolitano wrote an open letter to House Speaker John Boehner, urgining him not to give into pressure and vote to raise the debt limit.

Update from Capitol Hill

Bonnie Kristian
Jul 11, 2011 at 10:10 AM
By Bonnie Kristian

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jul 1, 2011 at 7:14 PM
By Andrew Sharp
  • Republicans on the Hill rallied around the passage of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
  • Sen. Jim DeMint shot down arguments made by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner that the US needs to raise the debt ceiling.
  • Sen. Mike Lee spoke on the Senate floor and responded to those who are urging that we must raise taxes to increase revenue for the government.
  • The Joint Economic Committee issued a report on just how badly the economic recession has become.
  • Senators Lee, Demint, and Paul introduced the Sound Money Promotion Act, which removes burdensome taxes on the gold and silver coins.

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jun 27, 2011 at 10:37 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • Rep. Ron Paul and Rep. Barney Frank introduced HR 2306, The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibtioin Act of 2011, the first-ever bill of its kind.
  • Rep. Paul appeared on Larry Kudlow to discuss the bill, arguing that the free market deals with the problem of drug abuse best.
  • Rep. Frank appeared on MSNBC to discuss the bill, refuting a number of counter-arguments that have been made against it.
  • Rep. Dennis Kucinich wrote an Op-Ed at the Huffington Post consisting of 10 reasons to oppose War in Libya.
  • Rep. Paul held another hearing of his House Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy, questioning witnesses about auditing the gold in Ft. Knox and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
  • Sen. Jim DeMint warned that members of the GOP who do not sign the "Cut, Cap, Balance" pledge might not get re-elected.
  • Sen. Paul questioned the head of the TSA, John Pistole, on their invasive procedures and argued that travel is a right.

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jun 20, 2011 at 10:03 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. Walter Jones sued the President for going to war in Libya without the consent of Congress.
  • Sen. Rand Paul offered his support by writing an Op-Ed in the Washington Times criticizing President Obama for violating the War Powers Act.
  • Sen. Paul and Rep. Kucinich appeared on CNN together to talk about the situation.
  • House Majority Leader John Boehner threatened to withdraw funding for the Libya operation if the White House does not satisfactorily explain its actions.
  • The White House issued a report claiming it had authority to start operations in Libya because it was not involved with "hostilities" that would classify it as war.

 

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jun 10, 2011 at 11:40 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • The House rejected Rep. Kucinich's bill to end intervention in Libya within 15 days, but passed a measure offered by Speaker Boehner that prohibits ground troops from being deployed and demands the White House turn over documents related to the mission.
  • Sen. Rand Paul issued a statement criticizing President Obama for not answering bipartisan calls for accountability and urgining his colleagues in the Senate to take action.
  • Sen. Richard Lugar wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post warning against the Obama Administration's dangerous course in Libya.
  • A meeting of the Senate Foreing Relations Committee to discuss Libya was set for Thursday but was postponed.

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
Jun 3, 2011 at 11:06 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • The House GOP postponed a vote on Rep. Dennis Kucinich's bill that would end US involvement in Libya over fears that it would pass.
  • 14 Republicans introduced a similar resolution in the House on the same day.
  • A bill that would raise the limit on the  public debt without any spending reform was voted down 318-97.
  • Rep. Justin Amash introduced a constitutional amendment in the house that caps spending at the average tax revenues of the previous three years.
  • Rep. Ron Paul held another hearing of the House Domestic Monetary Policy Subcommittee, which he chairs, and questioned two Fed officials on their disclosure practicies, gold assets, and more.
  • Sen. Rand Paul penned an op-ed in the Louisville Courier-Journal about his position on the USA PATRIOT Act.
  • Sen. Mark Kirk introduced legislation that would prevent the Federal government from bailing out state governments which have become insolvent.
  • Sen. Jack Reed introduced legislation creating Federal standards for sunscreen labels.

Update from Capitol Hill

Andrew Sharp
May 20, 2011 at 10:06 AM
By Andrew Sharp
  • The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the right of police officers to enter citizens' homes without a warrant if they believe evidence is being destroyed inside.  Justice Ginsburg was the only dissenting vote, asking "How ‘secure’ do our homes remain if police, armed with no warrant, can pound on doors at will and, on hearing sounds indicative of things moving, forcibly enter and search for evidence of unlawful activity?”
  • Rep. Ron Paul issued a statement decrying the recent FDA raid of an Amish farmer who was selling raw milk, and reiterating the need to pass his bill, HB 1830, authorizing the sale of raw milk.
  • Sen. Rand Paul via his Facebook and Twitter pages called on President Obama to address the nation on the debt limit.
  • Sen. Paul spoke on the Senate floor about his proposed plan to lower gas prices by eliminating the gas tax.
  • Sen. Mike Lee spoke with Lou Dobbs about the need to pass a balanced budget amendment, not just statutory limits on spending.
  • Sen. Jim DeMint's office released a study showing that states that have Right to Work laws do better economically than states that don't.
  • Senators Paul, Cornyn, Coburn, DeMint, Johnson, and Lee wrote a letter to President Obama asking if he intends to comply with the War Powers Act and ask for Congressional authority for continued operations in Libya.
  • Rep. Justin Amash wrote an editorial calling on Congress to reassert it's authority to declare war.