The Senate Agenda Blog

The Senate Agenda Awards!!!

senateagenda — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:13:23 +0000

Now onto the Senate Agenda Awards!!! This blog post aims to honor the work of the 111th Senate and the many pieces of landmark legislation they helped enact including the health care reform bill, the financial reform bill, the economic stimulus bill, child nutrition bill, FDA food safety bill among many others. But there can be only one. We’ll find out …

in the first (and last) Senate Agenda Awards!!!

Welcome all. Now lets get down to business.

The winner for best 2010 Senate election win goes to …

Sen. Reid!!!

For defeating the dragon lady known as the Sharron Angle.

The winner for best Senate election ad goes to …

Sen. Barbara Boxer

For her brutally effective ad against former HP CEO and job outsourcer Carly Fiorina

The winner for best Senate Congressional delegation goes to:

Sen. Schumer and Gillibrand from the State of New York!!!

For their work (and the House delegation) in passing the 9/11 first responder health care legislation and the repeal of DADT.

The winner for best legislation goes to …

The Financial Regulatory Bill

Yay!!! Go Consumer Financial Protection Agency!!!

The winner for best Senate Leader goes to …

Sen. Reid!!!

This is Sen. Reid’s second award this blog post.

Now the moment we’ve all been waiting for …

The winner for best Senator goes to …

SEN. REID!!!

Congratulations to Sen. Reid!!! A Majority Leader for the ages!!!

So Long and Thanks for All the Legislation!!!

senateagenda — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:47:52 +0000

Goodbye 111th Congress and with that, I will close down this blog. Even with all the frustration and filibusters, the Democratic Congress and the President managed a legislative output we haven’t seen since the LBJ days. I’m sure there are other sites out there that catalog all the remarkable legislation passed and the session even ended with a bang with a lame duck session that was just amazing.

With Republican control of the House in the next session, that will make progressive legislation harder to pass but that doesn’t mean all progress has to stop. There are opportunities for bipartisan compromise as well as the President’s executive authority and the judicial appointments that can make the judiciary a fairer body that upholds the law while also accepting a compassionate view – that one strike doesn’t mean you’re out, it just means a chance for redemption.

Pat Toomey: Rhymes with Santorum

senateagenda — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:01:39 +0000

Pennsylvania deserves better than Santorum-clone Pat Toomey

Mark Kirk: Bought and Paid for

senateagenda — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:06:34 +0000

Illinois needs a Senator who will work for them, not shady foreign corporations.

Carly Fiorina: California Job-Outsourcer*

senateagenda — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:10:24 +0000

Who is Carly Fiorina?

* Due to the tragic shooting of Rep. Gifford and 19 other people in Tuscon, I have decided to retroactively edit this post to say “job-outsourcer” instead of “job-killer.” I regret the use of those words.

Sharron Angle: Pro-Nuclear Waste, Anti-Nevada

senateagenda — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:34:43 +0000

Does Sharron Angle want to sing Viva Las Nuclear Spill?

After Financial Reform, Energy Moves Up as Next Major Agenda Item

senateagenda — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:32:10 +0000

With the achievement of financial regulatory reform virtually finished in the Senate, the Senate will now move on to energy as the next big agenda item. Senate Majority Leader Reid said he wants committee work done on the energy bill before the July 4th recess with floor time for the bill soon after.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) alerted Senate committee chairmen Thursday that he plans to move comprehensive energy legislation in July.

Reid asked the chairmen to recommend legislation to deal with the Gulf oil spill before July 4 so that leaders can include those ideas in the comprehensive energy package.

The BP Gulf Oil Disaster should be seen as a “rock bottom” moment for a nation addicted to oil. Hopefully, this incident will provide the impetus to pass an energy bill that will move the US to a renewable energy future including a renewable energy supply, a reduction in America’s carbon emmisions, a major push for public transit in all metro areas, and incentives for cleaner cars. The energy bill will also provide much needed jobs as we transition from a fossil fuel to renewable energy based nation. Democrats and Republicans should work together to make this future happen.

BREAKING NEWS: John McCain Visits RNC Headquarters, Discusses Soon to be Operational Border Fence

senateagenda — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:45:24 +0000

Crist Confidant Sen. LeMieux Betrays Crist

senateagenda — Wed, 05 May 2010 01:18:40 +0000

You know what they say: If you want a friend in Washington … don’t befriend Sen. George LeMieux.

Talk about betrayal! Sen. George LeMieux says the he’ll support the Republican nominee over his old friend Charlie Crist: ”I will support our Republican nominee and will continue to do everything I can both in Florida and across the country to increase the number of Republicans in the United States Senate.”

A current Republican senator saying he’ll support the Republican nominee wouldn’t be notable, except for the fact that LeMieux was appointed to the seat by Crist and was Crist’s chief of staff and was one of his closest friends and political allies. In fact, when Crist appointed LeMieux every one knew it was because LeMieux would keep the seat warm for Charlie as he ran for it.

Some “Charlie Crist Republican” LeMieux is. He could have at least stayed neutral, but I guess LeMieux is not the loyal friend type.

Anyway, Go Kendrick Meek!

Financial Regulatory Reform to be Major Agenda Item for April-May Senate Work Period

senateagenda — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:48:06 +0000

Fresh off the health care victory, the Senate will now tackle Financial Regulatory Reform, a bill designed to foist tougher rules on Wall Street whose reckless malfeasance almost crashed the world economy last fall. Sen. Dodd on the Banking Committee already passed their bill, and we are awaiting Sen. Lincoln on the Agriculture Committee to clear derivatives regulation legislation.

Republicans will try to stall this initiative to kingdom come just like they tried to do with health care reform, but this debate promises to be much shorter due to the political danger that some Republicans find themselves in if they are seen as Wall Street flacks.

The Senate plans to finish the financial regulatory reform bill by Memorial Day Recess in late May. The House of Rep. already passed their version late last year.