The Leader Board
Senate Back To Work: FAA & Energy
The Stack Of Significant Legislation Passed By The Republican Senate Solving 'Big, Entrenched Problems' Continues To Grow FAA: 'Passenger-Friendly' & Will 'Ramp Up Airport Security' SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD), Commerce Committee Chairman: "Passage of this bipartisan legislation is a win for airline passenger rights, advancing responsible drone usage, boosting the competitiveness of the aerospace industry, and making our skies safe." (Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee… Continue Reading
04.18.16
Bypassing Congress ‘Not How Democracy Works’
USA Today: 'The Court Would Be Wise To Limit The President's Authority In This Area' SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "…now, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in this case … on core constitutional principles like the separation of powers and the duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. … the Administration's executive action 'stands in stark contravention to federal law and to the constitutional principle of the separation of powers.' It's also an 'explic… Continue Reading
04.15.16
Iran Deal Continues To Evolve
WASH. POST: 'Should The United States Take Steps Not Strictly Mandated By The Text Of The Nuclear Accord At A Time When Iran Is Testing Nuclear-Capable Missiles?' "[T]he U.S. has been thrust into a role of defending Iran on its nuclear deal compliance and condemning its other actions as it simultaneously promotes business with Iran in the context of the new leeway afforded by sanctions relief." ("Analysis: Iran Nuclear Deal Puts US In Bind Amid Criticism," The Associated Press, 4/11/2016) … Continue Reading
04.12.16
Bipartisan FAA Bill Will ‘Ramp Up Airport Security’
Sen. Thune: 'Keeping Americans Safe From Future Attacks Is A Top Priority In This Senate' SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): "Events around the world and security lapses at U.S. airports necessitate new protections for the traveling public… Keeping Americans safe from future attacks is a top priority in this Senate. … The security measures now included in the FAA bill are a strong step toward that goal." (Commerce Committee, Press Release, 4/7/16) 'Senate Takes Steps To Tighten Airpor… Continue Reading
04.07.16
The Infinite Wisdom Of The Founders
'It Is The Senate's Constitutional Right To Act As A Check On A President And Withhold Its Consent' SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): 'The Founding Fathers… wanted the Senate, in its infinite wisdom, to be a check-a real check, not a rubberstamp' "…the longer I am around, the more I respect the wisdom of our Founding Fathers. In their infinite wisdom, they wanted judges to interpret law, not make it; they wanted the Senate, in its infinite wisdom, to be a check-a real check, not a rub… Continue Reading
04.06.16
401-Pay
The Obama Administration's New Retirement Plan Regulations Will Cost Workers, Retirees Obama Plan 'Could More Than Double The Cost Of Investment Advice For Many Savers' Or Push Investors 'To Settle For Computer Generated Robo-Advice' "President Obama's plan to reform retirement savings could more than double the cost of investment advice for many savers. … A recent study by Cerulli Associates found that while the current commission model costs on average 0.5% of assets, the fee-based mo… Continue Reading
04.06.16
A Bipartisan ‘Passenger-Friendly’ FAA Bill
Unanimously Approved In Committee, FAA Bill 'Contains Numerous Pro-Consumer Provisions' SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD), Commerce Committee Chairman: "Passage of this bipartisan legislation is a win for airline passenger rights, advancing responsible drone usage, boosting the competitiveness of the aerospace industry, and making our skies safe." (Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, Press Release, 3/16/2016) SEN. BILL NELSON (D-FL), Commerce Committee Ranking Member: "It's really e… Continue Reading
04.04.16
Executive Actions ‘A Stark Contravention To Federal Law’ & ‘An Explicit Effort To Circumvent The Legislative Progress’ On Immigration
Even President Obama Admits His Scheme Is 'Very Difficult To Defend Legally' PRESIDENT OBAMA: "With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that's just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed… The executive branch's job is to enforce and implement those laws. And then the judiciary has to interpret the laws. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforc… Continue Reading
03.31.16
Gitmo Detainees: How Many More Will Rejoin Terror Groups?
'There Have Been Americans That Have Died Because Of Gitmo Detainees' "The Pentagon plans to transfer about a dozen inmates of the Guantanamo military prison to at least two countries that have agreed to take them, a U.S. official said on Wednesday…" ("Pentagon To Send About A Dozen Guantanamo Inmates To Other Countries Soon," Reuters, 3/30/16) "The first of the transfers are expected in the next few days and the others will take place in coming weeks, said the official, who spoke … Continue Reading
03.23.16
Obamacare: Six Years, Six Broken Promises
PRESIDENT OBAMA: "[T]here's been a lot of political noise surrounding [Obamacare], so people haven't always known what's true and what's not." (Pres. Obama, Remarks, 3/3/2016) BROKEN PROMISE #1 OBAMA PROMISE: "If you have health insurance and you like it, and you have a doctor that you like, then you can keep it. Period." (President Obama, Conference Call With Liberal Bloggers, 7/20/09) POLITIFACT's 2013 Lie of the Year: 'If you like your health care plan, you can keep it' (Politifact, 1… Continue Reading
03.16.16
Give The People A Voice
SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY), Senate Majority Leader: "The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country, so of course the American people should have a say in the Court's direction…The American people may well elect a President who decides to nominate Judge Garland for Senate consideration. The next President may also nominate someone very different. Either way, our view is this: Give the people a voice in the filling o… Continue Reading
03.11.16
Whistling Past The Obamacare Co-Op Graveyard
'For Every Dollar That HHS Sent Them Over This Period, The Failed CO-Ops Lost About $1.65' PRESIDENT OBAMA: "[T]here's been a lot of political noise surrounding the Affordable Care Act, so people haven't always known what's true and what's not. . . [T]he Affordable Care Act works. . . . And the Affordable Care Act is saving money." (Pres. Obama, Remarks by the President on the Healthy Communities Challenge, 3/03/2016) New Report: 'Alerted To Weaknesses,' HHS 'Continued To Disburse Loa… Continue Reading
03.11.16
Senate Responds to 'Urgent Drug Crisis'
'A Similar Bill Introduced In 2014 Never Made It To The Senate Floor' SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): "[T]he Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act . . . passed today with [an] overwhelming bipartisan vote. This legislation reflects the Senate at its finest, working in a bipartisan way, to address an awful epidemic that's gripping our country. . . Real lives will be saved because of the leadership of this bipartisan group." (Sen. Grassley, Congressional Record, S. 1417, 3/10/2016) SEN. ROB P… Continue Reading
03.08.16
‘Doubled’: Former Gitmo Prisoners ‘Suspected Of Rejoining Militants’
Obama Administration Bemoans: They're 'Not Supposed To Be Doing That' 'The Number Of Former Guantanamo Bay Prison Inmates Who Are Suspected Of Having Returned To Fighting For Militants Doubled' "The number of former Guantanamo Bay prison inmates who are suspected of having returned to fighting for militants doubled to 12 in the six months through January, the Obama administration said on Monday. . . According to figures released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI… Continue Reading
03.01.16
Democrats ‘Dangerously Politicizing’ Opioids
Substance Abuse Prevention Groups Urge Democrats 'To Move The Legislation In A '"Bipartisan Fashion"' 'Sen. Chuck Schumer … Dangerously Politicizing The Issue' "Senate Democrats and drug policy groups pushing for a strong response to the heroin epidemic are growing increasingly concerned that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is dangerously politicizing the issue, risking what has been steady, if slow, bipartisan progress." ("Junk Politics: Dems, Drug Policy Groups Worried Schumer Is Polit… Continue Reading
03.01.16
Five Supreme Court Myths Democrats Know To Be False
MYTH #1: 'In 1988 … President Reagan Put Forward The Nomination Of Anthony Kennedy To Be A Supreme Court Justice ' SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): "In 1988, in the last year of his Presidency, President Reagan put forward the nomination of Anthony Kennedy to be a Supreme Court Justice. That was in the last year of his term." (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.927, 2/23/16) FACT: Kennedy Was Nominated In 1987, After The Democrat-Led Senate Defeated Robert Bork's Nomination, To Fill A Vacancy Th… Continue Reading
02.29.16
Combating Opioid Addiction
'Bipartisan Legislation … Designed To Fight Prescription Opioid Abuse And Heroin Use' SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "[T]here are steps we can take today to help families impacted by drug abuse - and keep more families from ever going through it to begin with. . . [The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)] has garnered a great deal of support from both sides because of its provisions to expand prevention and educational efforts, strengthen prescription-drug monitoring progra… Continue Reading
02.24.16
The Senate: ‘A Real Check, Not A Rubberstamp’
SEN. SCHUMER: 'The Founding Fathers… Wanted The Senate, In Its Infinite Wisdom, To Be A Check-A Real Check, Not A Rubberstamp' SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): 'The Founding Fathers… wanted the Senate, in its infinite wisdom, to be a check-a real check, not a rubberstamp' "…the longer I am around, the more I respect the wisdom of our Founding Fathers. In their infinite wisdom, they wanted judges to interpret law, not make it; they wanted the Senate, in its infinite wisdom, to … Continue Reading
02.24.16
‘Last-Ditch Gitmo Plan Falls Flat’
'Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy', 'Virtually No One Is Impressed' Lacking In Specifics, 'The Plan Was A Nonstarter' "Virtually no one is impressed with President Barack Obama's latest plan to close Guantanamo Bay" ("Obama's Gitmo Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy," Politico, 2/23/16) "The administration struggled on Tuesday to explain why it had ignored Congress's demand for specifics . . ." ("Obama's Gitmo Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy," Politico, 2/23/16) "President Obama's plan to shutte… Continue Reading
02.23.16
‘There Are People In Gitmo Who Are So Dangerous That We Cannot Transfer Them’
SEC DEF: 'We're Not Going To Be Able To Close Gitmo By Magically Making Safe Everybody Who's In There' SEC DEF: 'There Are People In Gitmo Who Are So Dangerous That We Cannot Transfer Them' SEC. OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: "[T]here are people in Gitmo who are so dangerous that we cannot transfer them to the custody of another government no matter how much we trust that government. I can't assure the president that it would be safe to do that. ... We're not going to be able to close Gitmo by magi… Continue Reading
