Blog - Congress Links

The Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of Elena Kagan, Michelle Obama seeks to have more nutritious school lunches, earmark spending has declined by 40% thanks to Republican efforts, and Rep. Maxine Waters is set to face ethics trials. All this and more in today’s Congress Links.

• Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA] could face an ethics trial later this year. (CBS News)
• The Senate is expected to vote on confirming Elena Kagan this week. (The Caucus Blog)
• Rep. Anthony Weiner [D-NY] stands his ground after his “now famous tirade” on the floor, regarding Republicans voting against a health care bill for 9/11 workers. (Politico)
• Rep. Debbie Halvorson [D-IL] has introduced a bill to to set new rules for soldiers’ life insurance, to be enforced by the Veteran Affairs Department. (Bloomberg)
• First Lady Michelle Obama urges Congress to work on legislation that highers nutrition standards for school lunches. (AP)
• Senate Democrats and Republicans could vote on Small Business Bill before the long summer recess. (The Hill)
• Senate Democrats seek to pass an energy bill before the recess. (NPR)
• Speaker Pelosi [D-CA] wants a vote on tax cuts before the November elections. (Reuters)
• Republicans say that, lacking the ability to repeal the Democrats’ health care law, they will try to cut off funding for it if they win the necessary majorities in this year’s elections. (Politico)
• Earmarks are down about 40% in House appropriations bills this year, largely thanks to the House Republicans’ one-year moratorium on earmarks, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense. (The Hill)

Today’s Congress Links compiled by Jason Rhee and Hilary Worden. Photo courtsey of Daylife.