Conyers: Continuing Demise of the Rep. Party, Patriot Act Vote Imminent

[MelissaB]

http://www.johnconyers.com/vertical/Sites/{EF00C507-612C-4BA3-84C0-446C97F7E413}/uploads/{783D5269-5DF5-4A99-B14D-401ED14EF0A3}_WEB.jpg

Continuing Demise of the Republican Party, Patriot Act Vote Imminent

Patriot Act Update
The House is scheduled to vote on the renewal of the Patriot Act tomorrow, the final text of which has yet to be shared with House Members. Unfortunately, Republicans gave very little attention to Democratic views on this bill and have created a final draft that actually makes the Act worse. Six senators, including 3 Republicans, have pledged to oppose this bill in the Senate. Whether that means a filibuster is uncertain, but it is surely encouraging to those of us who want to bring an end to the intrusive surveillance abuses the Patriot Act has wrought. There is still time to make a difference. Take action now by visiting both:

The ACLU Reform the Patriot Act page
and my Patriot Act Action Center

Republican Defeat
Republican leadership suffered a devastating defeat on the floor of the House today as their attempt to underfund Medicare, Medicaid, and the Departments of Labor and Education was soundly defeated. The Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2006 was defeated for failing to provide sufficient funds for No Child Left Behind education programs, rural health care, Pell grants for higher education and heating assistance for low-income families. The sinking popularity of the president, the indictment of Tom DeLay, and the emerging ethics investigation involving DeLay's replacement and protege Roy Blunt, all contributed to a defeat that reveals the widening fissures in the Republican party. Defeats like these are very rare for a majority party in the House. This vote represents a stunning victory for Democrats and those who value affordable health care, educational opportunity, and care for our seniors more than additional tax cuts for the wealthy, <$56.6 billion in new tax cuts will be brought to a vote by the Republicans this week>.

Democrats Rally Against the War
My House colleague and a leading Democratic supporter of the armed forces, Rep. Jack Murtha has joined the chorus calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Declaring that the war in Iraq represented a "flawed policy wrapped in an illusion" and further stating that "the future of our country is at risk," Congressman Murtha stood tall with the many veterans calling for an end to this unjust war. Following the 79-19 vote in the Senate yesterday in favor of troop withdrawals and administration accountability, I believe we are really starting to make headway toward ending this conflict and bringing our troops home.


Blogged by JC on 11.17.05 @ 07:13 PM ET


Link: http://www.conyersblog.us/

Follow the link to Conyer's website for clickable links. :)

[roguevalley]

1. now here's a great American. :)