Archive for January, 2009

Stimulus Plan Would Provide Flood of Aid to Education
“The economic stimulus plan that Congress has scheduled for a vote on Wednesday would shower the nation’s school districts, child care centers and university campuses with $150 billion in new federal spending, a vast two-year investment that would more than double the Department of Education’s current budget.

The proposed emergency expenditures on nearly every realm of education, including school renovation, special education, Head Start and grants to needy college students, would amount to the largest increase in federal aid since Washington began to spend significantly on education after World War II.”

Senate committee approves Holder
“Senate Republicans, who acted like lions in challenging Eric Holder, turned into lambs Wednesday as they joined Democrats in recommending President Barack Obama’s choice for attorney general.

The Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 to endorse Holder, with two Republicans opposing the nomination — John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. The Senate could vote as early as Thursday to confirm Holder as the first African-American to lead the Justice Department.”

Gore urges ‘decisive action’ on global warming
“Arguing that recent climate signals are cause for greater alarm, former Vice President Al Gore testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday that lawmakers must “take decisive action this year” to curb carbon emissions.

Gore urged lawmakers not to be sidetracked by the current financial crisis, adding that a bill capping greenhouse gas emissions is needed this year if the United States is to play a leading role in negotiations for a new international climate treaty.”

Obama Pushes Stimulus Plan Ahead of House Vote
“President Barack Obama took the case for his economic recovery package to business leaders Wednesday, telling a group of 13 corporate chieftains that he’s positive the stimulus legislation will make it through Congress.”

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Obama Visits Capitol to Press Republicans on Stimulus Plan
“President Obama spent more than two hours in closed-door meetings with Congressional Republicans on Tuesday afternoon, outlining his economic stimulus plan and fielding an array of critical questions, before he urged legislators to “put politics aside and do the American people’s business right now.”

“The statistics every day underscore the urgency of the economic situation,” Mr. Obama said, speaking to reporters between separate meetings with House and Senate Republicans. “The American people expect action.””

Congress Sends Fair Pay Bill to Obama
“Congress sent the White House its first legislation of Barack Obama’s presidency Tuesday, a bill that makes it easier for women and others to sue for pay discrimination, even if the discrimination has prevailed for years, even decades.

The bill has long been a favorite of Democrats and groups representing labor and women’s rights, and could be the first major bill Obama signs into law.”

Obama reaches out to Muslim world on TV
“President Barack Obama gave his first formal television interview as president to an Arabic cable TV network, saying that when it comes to Middle East matters “all too often the United States starts by dictating.”

Obama taped the interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya network Monday as his envoy to the Middle East, former Sen. George J. Mitchell, set out for an eight-day trip to the region and elsewhere. The interview complemented the new administration’s first efforts to reach out to Arab leaders in the region, who have been wary at best of U.S. efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Gates: Afghanistan should be priority
“As the Pentagon plans to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday new forces could arrive in Afghanistan by summer.

Gates, who’s staying on in the new Obama administration, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the military may be able to deliver two combat brigades to Afghanistan by mid-spring and another by mid-summer.

Calling Afghanistan now the “biggest military challenge,” Gates said it should nation’s top priority abroad, but urged restraint more strongly than he has before.”

New York’s new senator takes oath
“Kirsten Gillibrand, a little-known, pro-gun Democrat from upstate New York, has been sworn into the U.S., Senate, succeeding Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

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