John Dingell

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Trump Implied Her Late Husband Is in Hell. She Reacts

Rep. Debbie Dingell says she 'really felt awful' after president's insinuation about John Dingell

(Newser) - As the vote on his impeachment was carried out in the House Wednesday evening, President Trump was at a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Mich., where he gave the second-longest speech of his presidency—and threw out a barb against the late Congressman John Dingell that has his widow pushing...

Lawmaker Who Served 59 Years in House Dies
Longest-Serving Lawmaker
in US History Dies
OBITUARY

Longest-Serving Lawmaker in US History Dies

John Dingell served with presidents from Eisenhower to Obama

(Newser) - Former US Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, has died. The Michigan Democrat, who mastered legislative deal-making and was fiercely protective of Detroit's auto industry, was 92. Dingell, who served in the US House for 59 years before retiring in 2014, died Thursday at...

58 Years in, Dingell Retiring From 'Obnoxious' Congress

Rep is longest serving lawmaker in history

(Newser) - John Dingell, the longest-serving congressman in American history, today announced that he will retire at the end of his current term. "I'm not going to be carried out feet first," the 87-year-old Michigan rep said at a luncheon with the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press . Dingell...

Pelosi: 'That Was Easy'


 Pelosi: 'That 
 Was Easy' 

Pelosi: 'That Was Easy'

It's speaker's moment in the sun as House passes health care bill

(Newser) - "This victory belongs to her," said a 10-term rep as Nancy Pelosi doggedly pushed health reform through the House last night. “As far as I know she never sleeps nor eats.” And though the speaker herself joked, "That was easy" last night, Politico notes that...

Dingell Becomes Longest-Serving House Member

82-year-old Michigan Dem has been eased out of leadership roles

(Newser) - Michigan Democrat John Dingell today becomes the longest-serving member of Congress, passing the 53-years-and-2-months mark set by Mississippi Democrat Jamie Whitten. But the milestone is bittersweet for Dingell, who for the first time in a quarter century is no longer the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, reports...

Waxman's Coup Promises New Agenda
 Waxman's Coup 
 Promises New Agenda 
ANALYSIS

Waxman's Coup Promises New Agenda

Committee likely to get more aggressive on environment; Dingell's old allies displaced

(Newser) - Henry Waxman ascension to the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee could pit him against both Republicans and fellow Democrats, Politico reports. Moderate former chair John Dingell, ousted by the liberal Waxman, left many subcommittee heads who could clash with their new boss. And the GOP is up...

Waxman Unseats Dingell to Chair Key House Committee

Energy and Commerce Committee will see much legislation from Obama

(Newser) - House Democrats elected Californian Henry Waxman to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee today, the Hill reports. Waxman’s new post will hold considerable influence over how the next administration will effect its legislative agenda; his selection over Michigan’s John Dingell, who has served on the committee for...

For Dems, Dingell Showdown Is Agony

Representatives dread choice between veteran lawmakers to chair key committee

(Newser) - House Democrats have been dreading this day: the unavoidable vote between Henry Waxman and John Dingell to chair the Energy and Commerce Committee. Though Waxman is a savvy lawmaker and closer to much of the caucus on the key issue of climate change, the 82-year-old Dingell, Detroit's staunchest congressional booster,...

Waxman Counts on Freshmen to Win Energy Post

But Dingell thinks history, fear, money will allow him to keep chair

(Newser) - John Dingell has spent a lot more money than Henry Waxman in his quest to keep his chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, lavishing gifts on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. But Waxman has a strategy, Politico reports. The California rep gave generously to 19 promising Democratic candidates....

House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts
House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts

House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts

Waxman aims to bump Dingell out of key chairmanship

(Newser) - Tuesday's votes were still being counted when House Democrats started wrangling over leadership positions, Politico reports. Henry Waxman has launched a challenge for chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, aiming to take out John Dingell of Michigan, whose support is eroding. Says a lobbyist: "He has done...

Small Cadre of Speculators Control Oil

81% of NYMEX contracts held by a few firms, one holds 11%

(Newser) - A surprisingly small group of investors and oil traders control the vast majority of the world’s oil contracts, and they are exerting tremendous influence over the market, reports the Washington Post. Regulators have found that a few financial firms speculating for themselves or their clients hold 81% of the...

Congress Looks Into FBI's Telecom Spying

Pipeline for intercepted data raises red flags

(Newser) - Congressional Democrats are questioning the cozy relationship between the FBI and telecom companies, the Washington Post reports. Thanks to a 1994 law, all telecom firms have “Quantico circuits”—little-known electronic lines straight to the FBI technology office in Virginia. Telecom technicians can instantly send data over those lines,...

FDA Approved Wrong China Firm
FDA Approved Wrong China Firm

FDA Approved Wrong China Firm

Hundreds ill, 4 dead after using heparin from factory never inspected

(Newser) - The Chinese facility that supplied the active ingredient of the blood-thinner heparin, linked to hundreds of adverse reactions and four US deaths, was never inspected by the FDA because the agency confused it with another plant of the same name, the Washington Post reports. The company was given approval based...

New Fed Gun Law Inspired by Virginia Tech Massacre

Congress makes it harder for mentally ill to buy guns

(Newser) - New gun control legislation designed to keep weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill was passed by the Senate yesterday. The rare event of congressional action on gun control—and even rarer bipartisan agreement—was triggered by the Virginia Tech massacre last April. The bill, which strengthens background...

Cheney: Iraq Self-Governing in 1 Year

Veep talks war, blasts Democrats in rare interview

(Newser) - Politico sits down for a rare interview with Dick Cheney, where the vice president once again predicts that Iraq will be fully self-governing—this time, he says, by January 2009. Cheney also cautions against an early withdrawal of American forces from Iraq, which for him sends the message that "...

Congress Opens Investigation Into FCC Chair

Martin faces bipartisan rancor over media ownership laws

(Newser) - The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Kevin J. Martin, is facing a Congressional probe over abuses of power, Variety reports. The head of the House Commerce Committee sent the FCC head a letter alleging "a larger breakdown in the agency." Members of both parties in Congress have...

Feds Pursue Fewer Polluters
Feds Pursue Fewer Polluters

Feds Pursue Fewer Polluters

EPA cuts down on criminal cases, says focus is on biggest offenders

(Newser) - The EPA has taken a decidedly less aggressive tack in criminal cases, the Washington Post reports, a trend advocates fear will embolden polluters. The number of prosecutions, new investigations, and total convictions have all dropped by more than a third. One ex-official, who resigned in protest, blamed the Bush administration,...

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