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O’Malley to sponsor gay marriage legislation
ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O’Malley says he will sponsor gay marriage legislation. The Democrat made the announcement Friday at a news conference to discuss how he will support legislation in the next regular session of the General Assembly in January. The governor has said he has been looking at how New York approved legislation that […]
Senate rejects House GOP budget-cutting plan
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Friday blocked a House Republican bill to require Congress to slash spending and pass a balanced-budget amendment before raising the nation’s borrowing powers. The vote left unresolved, with just days to go, the urgent issue of how to lift the debt limit to avoid a U.S. government default. The 51-46 […]
Senate panel holds hearing on DOMA repeal
WASHINGTON — Proponents of same-sex marriage are likening their cause to the civil rights battles, calling once more for repeal of a 1996 law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The new pleas came Wednesday at a hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee held on legislation that would repeal the Defense of […]
Debt showdown: Obama presses for ‘something big’
WASHINGTON — Struggling to avert an unprecedented national default, congressional leaders jettisoned negotiations on a sweeping deficit-reduction package Friday despite a plea from President Barack Obama to “do something big” to stabilize America’s finances. Instead, lawmakers embarked on rival fallback plans as a critical Aug. 2 deadline neared, a House version given little ch[...]
Debt talks: Dire warnings, a possible compromise?
WASHINGTON — With time growing short and warnings more dire, the first, fragile signs emerged Thursday of a possible compromise to raise the nation’s debt limit and avert a potentially catastrophic default on Aug. 2. Under a plan discussed by the Senate’s top two leaders, President Barack Obama would receive enhanced authority to raise the […]
Maryland conservation voters league releases scorecard
ANNAPOLIS — State lawmakers from the Washington area ranked highest in the latest scorecard from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. House lawmakers from the D.C. suburbs scored 83 out of a possible 100 points on the scorecard released Tuesday in Annapolis. Senate lawmakers from Washington area, meanwhile, scored 78 points. House and Senate lawmakers […]
Financial disclosure summaries for key U.S. lawmakers
Here are summaries of the 2010 financial disclosure reports released Wednesday for House and Senate leaders, new Republican House committee chairman, new Democratic Senate committee chairmen, and presidential candidates. ___ House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio Earned income: $193,400. Boehner was House minority leader in 2010 Honoraria, all donated to charity: None Major assets: Franklin Templeton [...]
Senate sidetracks move to repeal ethanol credit
WASHINGTON — The Senate refused to kill a $5 billion annual subsidy for ethanol on Tuesday, backing continued government aid for a Farm Belt-based industry over deficit reduction in an era of record red ink. The 40-59 vote, far short of the 60 needed to advance the measure, reflected regional as well as partisan differences, […]
Budget deficit moves closer to $1 trillion mark
WASHINGTON — The federal budget deficit is on pace to break the $1 trillion mark for a third straight year, putting pressure on Congress and the Obama administration to come up with a plan to rein in government spending. The deficit through the first eight months of this budget year totaled $927.4 billion, the Treasury […]
Senate showdown over limiting debit card fees
WASHINGTON — Consumers are caught in the middle of a fight between financial institutions and merchants as the Senate approaches a showdown vote over whether to block the Federal Reserve from capping fees that stores pay banks every time a shopper swipes a debit card. The vote, scheduled for Wednesday, is the climax of a […]
Sony, Epsilon execs support data breach bill
WASHINGTON — Top executives from Sony and online marketing firm Epsilon are telling lawmakers that they support federal legislation that would require companies to promptly notify consumers if their personal information is stolen or exposed by a data breach. Tim Schaaff, president of Sony Network Entertainment International, and Jeanette Fitzgerald, general counsel of Epsilon Data […]
California Senate restricts funeral protests
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Kansas-based group that has used inflammatory language to protest military funerals nationwide prompted California senators to approve a bill Wednesday restricting how close such protesters can get to funeral services and religious observances. The bill by Sen. Ted Lieu would require that such groups stay 1,000 feet from a burial site, […]
