House Begins 100 Hours "To Do" List

299-128 Vote OKs Bill Modeled On 9/11 Panel's Recommendations

(AP)  Anti-terror legislation sailed through the House on Tuesday, the first in a string of measures designed to fulfill campaign promises made by Democrats last fall.

Patterned on recommendations of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks, the far-reaching measure includes commitments for inspection of all cargo carried aboard passenger aircraft and on ships bound for the United States.

The vote was a bipartisan 299-128, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the rostrum to announce the passage of the first legislation to clear under the new Democratic majority.

"Our first and highest duty as members of this Congress is to protect the American people, to defend our homeland and to strengthen our national security," said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

Several Republicans criticized the legislation as little more than political posturing in the early hours of a new Democratic-controlled Congress. Democrats want to "look aggressive on homeland security. This bill will waste billions of dollars and possibly harm homeland security by gumming up progress already under way," said Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky.

In a written statement, the Bush administration listed several objections and said it could not support the measure as drafted but stopped short of a veto threat.

Democrats have pledged to make fiscal responsibility a priority in the new Congress, but they advanced the bill — their first of the year — without even a bare-bones accounting of the estimated cost. The funding will require follow-up legislation.

Legislation introduced in the Senate a year ago to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 commission had a price tag of more than $53 billion over five years.

The terrorism legislation is the first of six measures the House is expected to pass as Democrats work to get off to a quick start.

Next up is an increase in the minimum wage — set for passage on Wednesday — followed by relaxation of the limits on stem cell research conducted with federal funds and a measure directing the administration to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for Medicare recipients.

Next week, the Democrats intend to clear legislation to cut the interest rate on student loans and to curtail tax breaks for the energy industry.

Each of the six bills would go to the Senate, and it could be months — if then — before they reach the White House.

Already, President Bush has signaled he would veto the stem cell bill, which is opposed by abortion foes. House supporters of the measure conceded at a news conference during the day that they do not have the two-thirds support needed to override a veto.

Depending on the outcome of that struggle, said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., "400,000 embryos will either be wasted or utilized to cure a disease."

The House labored over the terrorism bill as the Senate began work on legislation enacting stricter ethics rules — and Democrats continued to gain from last fall's elections.

[frankly6]

swingindick

I am not an athiest. I just think you are nuts. Do you understand the subtle difference here?

I know that logic is not your strong suit but try.

[frankly6]

singinrick

I highly recomend you doing two things:

Go paint a sign that says "Jesus Loves You" on one side and "SINNERS BURN IN A FIRE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION!" on the other. Then stand on the street corner and preach to your hearts content. Maybe you could hand out pamphlets with all of your sermons on them. Perhaps you would develope a following and maybe even a congregation. Stranger things happen.

This is not your pulpit or your ministry. The people who post here are not a bunch of athiests.
They are of all stripes and all faiths.

This is a POLITICAL forum.

Get over yourself! Your faith is only surpased by your colossal ego.

[randalds]

So like I said on other message boards with you slamming God and Christianity, let's just leave it at that ok.

Fair enough?
Posted by singinrick at 04:34 PM : Jan 10, 2007

I have never slammed god, only the delusional people who believe in one. God does not exist so it would be foolish to waste time and effort hating it. It'd be no different then if I launched a tirade against Odin or Baal. Neither of them existed anymore then the fairytale you believe in.

What I have attacked and always will are the loonies who use this 2000 year old book and this belief in this myth as an excuse to slaughter millions of people. To torture others and to spread hate, prejudice and bigotry around the world. Deny it all you will, but you can't duck history. The pushers of the drug of your faith have gallons of blood on their hand's. You preachers of god are the most deadly and destructive people in human history. Your denial doesn't change the facts and if you bothered to read anything beyond your book of fairy tales you'd discover this truth.

[randalds]

Jesus Christ doesn't have a dark history.

Posted by singinrick at 03:53 PM : Jan 10, 2007

And if you believe that then you are beyond hope. Beyond any learning. You haven't discovered the truth, but rather closed your eyes to it. You are lost for good.

[randalds]

As for me (yes, part native, but Canadian), I'm going to bed for now. Rick stop preaching and educate yourself! That's not an insult!

[randalds]

While you're at it google "Trail of tears" and read about how good American christians took the natives lands and put them through a death march that made the Bataan death march look like a Sunday school picnic.

[randalds]

-Dude what on earth are you talking about?? Seriously.
Posted by singinrick at 03:36 PM : Jan 10, 2007

Google "Manifest Destiny" and learn something. It's the concept that drove the US westward and resulted in the murders of hundreds of thousands of native Americans.

[randalds]

RandalDS if you really want to know history you would realize that more Christians have been killed for their beliefs than any other religion in the history of time.

Exactly why Jesus says in the Bible "Remember, when they persecute you, that I was persecuted first".
Posted by singinrick at 03:35 PM : Jan 10, 2007

I know more of real human history then you ever will rick, because you deny and/or ignore any parts that don't conform to your Faith. You stay stupid on purpose when it comes to enlightenment that shows your book to be a fairy tale. That's true ignorance. Yes many Christians have died, but not nearly as many as they have killed. The toll is in the tens of millions, through crusade, disease, torture and just plain old fashioned murder.

[randalds]

No rick, around and around you go again. Preachers like you blow sunshine up other people's as*es by only showing them what you want them to see. You preach of love and peace and joy and ignore the dark history of your faith. Well that's fine. Go ahead and sheer the sheep. Most of them are too stupid to understand the con game your religion is. In fact that probably covers you too. You're the type to have swallowed it hook, line and sinker. That's why Christianity has always fought against education and advancement in mankind. They know that the more people think, the more they'll realize you're spinning a web of fairy tales. Quote me some scripture and drink more of the koolaid rick, you're the one who has lost his way.

[randalds]

Or perhaps we can look at the "Missions" as thousands of Christians spread out to "primitive" cultures all over the world, bringing their diseases with them too of course, to spread the word of god. Funny how it's rarely mentioned that these poor innocent people were literally beaten into converting. Of how there own faiths, beliefs and even the structure of their society was destroyed because it didn't fit the missionary's beliefs. Of how they were infected with guilt for daring to live their own lives outside of the lives the missionaries thought they should. Of how they were literally killed for wanting to continue to be free of this new god being forced upon them.

[randalds]

Go ahead, Go back to the crusade, go to ancient history, I've heard all the excuses. The Crusades were headed by the Roman Catholic Church, not Christians, before you mention it.
Posted by singinrick at 02:44 PM : Jan 10, 2007

And even if you want to skip the Catholics (though were the only Christian church for more then a millenia) let's turn our gaze upon the Protestants in America who came up with the concept of "Manifest Destiny". The idea that God had magically endowed white people with the right to own the nation from coast to coast (and idea Bush has expanded to worldwide) not withstanding that fact that MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALREADY LIVED HERE!

[randalds]

I think it is amusing that reporters still used inflammatory words such as "Anti Abortionist". Get real. It's pro life.
Posted by Citizen3513 at 01:36 PM : Jan 10, 2007

-Yeah, the media is good at making pro-lifers look like the evil ones...
Posted by singinrick at 02:51 PM : Jan 10, 2007

Oh and it's "pro-choice", not pro abortion. Get it right as*sholes.

[randalds]

Oh and even though you've denied it in the past, Hitler was a christian who slaughtered 6 million+ human beings because they were of a different religion. Yes you can say he wasn't a "real" christian because "real" Christians wouldn't have done that, but you can't change the facts. You can't change history. He was and he did.

[randalds]

The Crusades were headed by the Roman Catholic Church, not Christians, before you mention it.

Posted by singinrick at 02:44 PM : Jan 10, 2007

Catholics aren't Christian? That would be news to them considering the first pope was St Peter and the Catholic church WAS the christian church until reformation. Unless of course you're one of those "new" Christians who think they understand where Christianity has gone wrong for the past 2000+ years. No matter how you try to dodge it Christians have slaughtered more people then any other religion throughout history and what do you thin they're doing in Iraq right now? Bush himself has said that god told him he was elected to spread democracy throughout the world, starting with Iraq. Convert the heathens and murder the ones that won't! Sounds like the Inquisition to me.

[citizen3513]

I think it is amusing that reporters still used inflammatory words such as "Anti Abortionist". Get real. It's pro life.

[randalds]

I totally agree. I think God has a sense of humor as well!

Posted by singinrick at 12:45 PM : Jan 10, 2007

If there was a god this would be true, as you are the prime example of god's sense of humor.

[randalds]

I see rick is back to his preaching. How nice it would be if he found a church forum to preach in and left the adults alone. You're like a mosquito rick, very irritating. Christians have slaughtered millions of people in the name of their god, must they bug us to death too?

[random_radar]

The great thing about this 100 hour agenda is that congress can get their work over with in January and spend the rest of the year on vacation. I am in the wrong line of work!

[random_radar]

"Well then you are in the minority. Most of the Christians I know are openly disdainful of the poor and value only money and power."

Jesus called these people hypocrites and held them in very low esteem. Just because people do evil in the name of God doesn't make God a party to evil. And just because you hate God doesn't mean that God is going to make you suffer.

It's like God has a mind of his own. Imagine that--a god that isn't a slave to human machinations! Wow, maybe God has an agenda different than the hypocrites and false prophets.

The anti-religious make a thinly veiled assumption that believers are deluded and there is no God. But many believers delude themselves into thinking that God follows their own dictates. I think God has a sense of humor and laughs at humanity a great deal.

[frankly6]

singinrick

I highly recomend you doing two things:

Go paint a sign that says "Jesus Loves You" on one side and "SINNERS BURN IN A FIRE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION!" on the other. Then stand on the street corner and preach to your hearts content. Maybe you could hand out pamphlets with all of your sermons on them. Perhaps you would develope a following and maybe even a congregation. Stranger things happen.

This is not your pulpit or your ministry. The people who post here are not a bunch of athiests.
They are of all stripes and all faiths.

This is a POLITICAL forum.

Get over yourself! Your faith is only surpased by your colossal ego.