In the News
House members stream down the Capitol steps early on a Wednesday evening, just after the last votes of the week. Some lawmakers linger, planning to fly home the next morning, but Rep. Juan Vargas rushes down the steps in jeans and a windbreaker — his travel wear.
At the nearest intersection, an aide hails a taxi and hands his boss an overnight bag. Vargas is hoping to catch an evening flight out of Baltimore, an hour's drive away, and be home 2,700 miles across the country in San Diego before his daughter goes to bed.
A BILL that would help states make sure the mentally ill and people convicted of felonies can't possess firearms was introduced by U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta and another House Democrat this week.
Called the Armed Prohibited Persons Act of 2018, the legislation would provide states with funds to develop databases that cross-reference gun owners with criminal, mental health and restraining order records so they can identify those who are barred from having firearms — such as felons and those who have been deemed "dangerously" mentally ill.
148 Members Send Letter to Speaker Ryan Requesting Information on His Decision to Remove House Chaplain
Washington, D.C. – Today, 148 members sent a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan requesting information on his decision to remove the House chaplain. The letter was led by Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Walter Jones (R-NC), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH).
Reps. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel, and Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, introduced a bill Thursday aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and those with dangerous mental illnesses.
Called the Armed Prohibited Persons Act of 2018, the bill would set aside funding to assist states who create databases of those who are prohibited from owning firearms.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta and another California congressman, Mike Thompson, introduced legislation pushing to remove guns from convicted felons and dangerously mentally ill people through a grant program in the Department of Justice.
Panetta's office released the following on the matter:
GONZALES — Gonzales student Andrew Funk received the Congressional Award from Congressman Jimmy Panetta on April 2.
The Congressional Award is a public-private partnership that was created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative and service in America's youth ages 14 to 23.
A bipartisan quartet of congressmen is pushing their House colleagues to support their effort for a new war authorization to fight terrorism, framing theirs as a "more robust" version than was recently introduced in the Senate.
"Given the recent and ongoing military operations in which the U.S. is involved in the Middle East, we believe it is long past time for Congress to revisit this important issue," the lawmakers wrote in a "Dear Colleague" letter circulated Tuesday to gain support for their authorization of the use of military force (AUMF).
Letter promises more restrictive version than Senate
WASHINGTON
Four years ago, the Republican-dominated House okayed spending millions on experimental programs to aid low-income Americans in finding work and no longer depending on the nation's food aid program.
It promised to evaluate whether the experiment was a success in 2019, and so far, there are indicators the programs have had positive effects.
Yet House Republicans today are moving quickly to revamp the food aid program nationwide, less than a year before reports on the effectiveness of experimental programs are available.
WASHINGTON—One hundred and two U.S. Representatives – including the Chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committees—have called on President Donald Trump to reject Turkey's gag-rule by honestly and accurately commemorating the Armenian Genocide this April 24, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).