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Lame Duck Update I

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Congress, still completely controlled by Democrats until January, returned for its “lame duck” session this week. The Senate moved forward on a food safety bill that would give the FDA new powers while House Republicans blocked an extension of unemployment benefits (the vote required a two-thirds majority for passage), even as they fight for tax cuts for the rich. The Senate also confirmed Jacob Lew as the new White House budget chief and voted to delay a schedule Medicare pay cut for doctors. The House ethics committee voted to censure Rep. Charlie Rangel for various rule violations.

Congress will break again next week for Thanksgiving and when they return they will have four weeks to pass legislation until the Christmas break and end of the session. With that in mind, House Democrats are promising a vote on extending middle class tax cuts only and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pledging a vote on repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” as part of the defense authorization bill and bringing up the DREAM Act, which would give the children of illegal immigrants a chance at legal status, as a stand-alone bill. The White House is also strongly pushing for a vote on the New START nuclear arsenal treaty with Russia this year, but is, of course, facing Republican resistance.


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