Congressman Sander Levin

The Congressional Connector

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Week of Oct 12 - 15, 2010
China’s Currency Manipulation Costs U.S. Jobs As nations around the world work to grow their economies, some have turned to unfair trade practices to give their country’s exports an unfair advantage.  China suppresses the value of its currency, making their exports cheaper than they would be if China allowed its currency to be set by the market.  Currency ...view more

Week of September 20 - 24, 2010
Largest Lithium-Ion Battery Plant in U.S. Opens in Michigan On September 13, Rep. Levin joined Governor Granholm, U.S. Energy Secretary Chu, Senators Levin and Stabenow, Congressman Dingell, and hundreds of workers as battery maker A123 Systems opened a large battery factory in Livonia, Michigan.  The new facility, which is the largest lithium-ion battery plant in North America, was ...view more

Week of August 16 - 20, 2010
Congress Votes to Preserve U.S. Jobs On August 10, the House voted 247 to 161 to pass the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act [H.R. 1586], and President Obama signed the measure into law later the same day.  The bill saves or creates an estimated 319,000 jobs by providing funding to states to prevent teacher layoffs and help ...view more

Week of August 9 - 13, 2010
Speaker Calls House Back into Session to Vote on State Aid Package The Speaker of the House of Representatives has called lawmakers back to Washington this week to vote on a $26 billion package of assistance for state and local governments.  The bill [H.R. 1586], which the Senate has already approved, provides $10 billion in federal support to ...view more

Week of July 19 - 23, 2010
Senate Showdown on Jobless Benefits This Week The U.S. Senate will take a vote on Tuesday afternoon on whether to end the Republican filibuster of H.R. 5618, the Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act.  The legislation would extend unemployment insurance benefits to more than 2.3 million American workers who have lost their benefits over the last 7 weeks.  ...view more

Week of July 12 - 16, 2010
Jobless Benefits Extension Needs Just One Vote to Clear Senate More than two million out-of-work Americans have lost their unemployment benefits since the end of May as opponents continue to block Congress from approving legislation to extend jobless benefits.  On July 1, the House of Representatives voted 270 to 153 to approve legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits ...view more

Week of July 5 - 9, 2010
House Approves Landmark Wall Street Reform Two years ago, the bottom fell out of the U.S. economy.  The financial crisis that began in 2008 has been the worst since the Great Depression and has directly led to millions of lost jobs, surging home foreclosures, depleted 401(k) retirement accounts, and the need for extraordinary and costly actions by the ...view more

Week of June 28 - July 2, 2010
Opponents Block Bill to Extend Unemployment Benefits On June 29, on a largely party-line vote, the House voted down a critical extension of unemployment insurance that would benefit millions of American families, including the estimated 1.7 million Americans whose benefits have expired, or will expire by the end of this week.  The bill [H.R. 5618], which was sponsored ...view more

Week of June 21 - 25, 2010
China Adjusts Currency Over the weekend China announced that they would increase the flexibility of its exchange rate.  China’s manipulation of its currency worsens the U.S.-China trade deficit, and harms U.S. workers, businesses and farmers, who are forced to compete against undervalued Chinese goods in the U.S. market and in global markets.  During a Ways and Means Hearing ...view more

Week of June 14 - 18, 2010
Levin Announces Hearing on China Trade Policies There are growing concerns that the Government of China is intervening more aggressively in its economy, in ways that distort trade flows and disadvantage U.S. businesses and workers.  On June 9, Rep. Levin announced that the House Ways and Means Committee will soon hold a hearing on the direction of China’s ...view more

Week of June 7 - 11, 2010
Rep. Levin Backs Bill to Boost Oil Spill Liability Cap The ongoing BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico is already the largest oil disaster in U.S. history.  BP is obligated under U.S. law to cover all cleanup costs, but the impact goes well beyond cleanup.  The spill is also causing huge economic damage to the region’s seafood ...view more

Week of June 1 - 4, 2010
House Approves Bill to Create Jobs, Cut Taxes, and Close Loopholes On May 28, the House of Representatives approved the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act [H.R. 4213].  The legislation would create jobs, close loopholes that give corporations a tax break to send American jobs overseas, and help Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of ...view more

Week of May 17 - 21, 2010
Medicare Anti-Fraud Efforts Recoup Billions Medicare is a vital government insurance program that serves 46 million Americans.  However, for many years, unscrupulous individuals have used fraud to steal billions of dollars from the program.  Those billions represent health care dollars that could be better spent on medicine, care for the elderly, or emergency room visits.  To combat this ...view more

Week of May 10 - 14, 2010
U.S. Economy Creates 290,000 Jobs in April On May 7, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. economy added 290,000 jobs last month, the largest monthly jobs increase in four years.  The Bureau also revised upwards its earlier estimate for jobs created in March from 162,000 to 230,000.  Following the release of the April jobs numbers, ...view more

Week of May 3 - 7, 2010
Under Fire from Congress, Insurance Companies Agree to End Abusive “Rescission” Practice Immediately On April 27, Rep. Levin and seven other senior Members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to insurance companies urging them to immediately end the practice of rescission – canceling an individual’s coverage once he or she becomes sick – except in cases ...view more

Week of April 26 - 30, 2010
GM Repays Taxpayer Loan Five Years Early On April 21, General Motors announced it had repaid with interest a $4.7 billion loan from the federal government five years ahead of schedule.  GM further announced that it is investing $257 million in its factories in Kansas City and Detroit-Hamtramck.  These developments underscore the dramatic progress GM and Chrysler have ...view more

Week of April 19 - 23, 2010
Rep. Levin Addresses U.S. Economic Agenda On April 19, Rep. Levin addressed the National Press Club to discuss the economic agenda before Congress.  Describing the unique economic and political circumstances confronting the nation as a once in a generation “Perfect Storm,” Rep. Levin called for further action by Congress to create jobs, protect unemployed workers, and ensure that ...view more

Week of April 12 - 16, 2010
Rep. Levin Chairs Hearing on Green Jobs Economy The Ways and Means Committee is holding a full day hearing on the Green Jobs Economy and what the federal government can do to increase production of these technologies in the U.S. “What is at stake is clear:  Good Jobs, Advanced Technology, Lower Energy Costs, national security and a cleaner ...view more

Week of April 5 - 9, 2010
Levin Calls for Immediate Senate Action on Jobs Bill and Unemployment Benefits Extension On April 2, the Department of Labor released its monthly report on U.S. employment data.  The report showed that 162,000 new jobs were created in March, the largest number of new jobs in three years.  Responding to the jobs report, Rep. Levin said the economic ...view more

Week of March 22 - 26, 2010
Health Care Reform to end insurance company abuses, lower costs and expand coverage approved by U.S. House On March 21, the House of Representatives approved comprehensive health care reform legislation by a vote of 219 to 212.  The legislation will protect Americans from the worst insurance industry practices, ensure that if you have health insurance you like you ...view more

Week of March 15 - 19, 2010
Rep. Levin Unveils Bill to Help Small Businesses On March 15, Rep. Levin released a discussion draft of legislation to provide tax relief to small businesses and extend effective financing measures to create jobs and improve America’s cities and towns.  The measure is called the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act.  The House Ways and Means Committee ...view more

Week of March 8 -12, 2010
House Approves Job Creating “HIRE” Act On March 4, the House of Representatives voted 217 to 201 to approve the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act.  The measure [H.R. 2847] includes a new payroll tax exemption and tax credit to provide employers with incentives to hire and retain new employees.  The bill also extends the Recovery Act ...view more

Special Edition March 3, 2010
Extension of Unemployment and Health Insurance Assistance Signed into Law After an unfortunate delay - caused by one Republican Senator from Kentucky - the Senate acted last night to extend the emergency UI program for 30 days.  The President has already signed this legislation into law. Despite the fact that eligibility for these supports had lapsed on February ...view more

Week of March 1 - 5, 2010
One Senator Blocks Unemployment Extension Last week, the House of Representatives approved a 30-day extension for emergency unemployment compensation and COBRA health care assistance on a bipartisan voice vote.  The measure also included short-term extensions of a number of other federal programs that were about to expire, including a non-controversial extension of a critical highway program.  When the ...view more

Week of February 22 - 26, 2010
White House to Hold Televised Summit on Health Care On Thursday, February 25, President Obama and Congressional Leaders from both political parties will meet to discuss health care reform.  The summit will be televised live on CSPAN.  In advance of Thursday’s meeting, the White House posted a proposed compromise for health insurance reform which includes elements of the ...view more

Week of February 15 - 19, 2010
House Lawmakers Urge Action on Unemployment Benefits On February 3, Rep. Levin and more than 40 other members of the House of Representatives wrote to the Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Reid of Nevada, to urge action to extend eligibility for unemployment insurance (UI) and COBRA health benefit assistance to hundreds of thousands of unemployed Americans.  The ...view more

Week of January 25 - 29, 2010
Michigan Lawmakers Demand Plan to Address Asian Carp Threat On January 22, the Michigan Congressional Delegation called on federal agencies to quickly finish and submit a comprehensive response plan to address the ecological and economic threats to the Great Lakes posed by the Asian carp.  The letter, which was written to the heads of the Army Corps of ...view more

Week of January 11 - 15, 2010
First U.S. Assembly Plant for Advanced Vehicle Batteries Opens in MichiganOn January 7, the first battery pack came off the assembly line at the new GM battery plant located in Brownstown, Michigan.  General Motors and the federal government have invested well over $100 million in the Brownstown plant, which assembles advanced lithium-ion battery packs for the Chevy Volt.  ...view more

Week of January 4 - 8, 2010
Congress Approves Extension of Critical Economic and Health Benefits On December 19, Congress gave final approval to legislation [H.R. 3326] to provide a two month extension (through February 28, 2010) of unemployment insurance benefits to prevent over one million workers from exhausting their unemployment benefits by the end of January.  The measure also included an extension of subsidies ...view more

Week of December 7 - 11, 2009
Rep. Levin Calls for Emergency Unemployment Compensation to be Available Next Year On December 2, Representative Levin and other lawmakers from the House Ways and Means Committee joined together to introduce legislation to extend eligibility for federal unemployment insurance programs so that those who exhaust regular benefits or lose their jobs next year will be eligible for the ...view more

Week of November 30 - December 4, 2009
Lawmakers Call for Probe of Alleged Drug Industry Price Gouging On November 17, the leaders of two key House committees sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to request an expedited analysis on recent trends in prescription drug pricing.  The GAO is Congress’ non-partisan watchdog agency.  The lawmakers’ letter was sent to GAO following news reports ...view more

Week of Nov 16 - 20, 2009
Congress Considers Further Steps to Boost Job Creation While job loss has slowed, there is still much work to do to recover the 8 million jobs lost during the Recession.  The Ways and Means committee is considering additional targeted steps that can be taken to boost job creation.  Some of these measures include a tax credit for businesses ...view more

Week of November 10 - 13, 2009
House Approves Health Care Reform On November 7, the House of Representatives approved health care reform legislation [H.R. 3962] on a vote of 220 to 215.  The bill maintains and strengthens the employer-based insurance system, while providing options and assistance for people who don’t get their insurance through their jobs.  H.R. 3962 prohibits plans from denying or charging ...view more

Week of November 2 - 6, 2009
House Prepares to Vote on Health Care Reform On October 29, the House Democratic Caucus released the text of the Affordable Health Care for America Act [H.R. 3926], legislation to lower health costs, expand access to care, and bring new competition and fairness to the insurance market.  The House could begin consideration of the bill on Friday. Rep. ...view more

Week of October 26 - 30, 2009
House Adopts Solar Energy Roadmap Bill On October 22, the House of Representatives passed the Solar Technology Roadmap Act [H.R. 3585] on a vote of 310 to 106.  H.R. 3585 directs the Department of Energy to assemble a group of experts from industry, academia, and government labs to create a roadmap of short-, medium- and long-term goals to ...view more

Week of Oct 19 - 23, 2009
Congress Approves Bill to Prevent Asia Carp from Invading the Great Lakes On October 15, Congress gave final approval to the annual funding bill for the Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy [H.R. 3183].  The measure includes additional funds for the two electronic barriers that prevent the invasive Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan.  The carp were ...view more

Week of Oct 12 - 16, 2009
House Approves Boost for Senior Nutrition On October 7, the House of Representatives voted 263 to 162 to adopt the annual funding bill for the Department of Agriculture.  The measure included an expansion of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a monthly service that helps provide nutritious food to low-income women, infants, children, and elderly citizens who struggle ...view more

Week of October 5 - 9, 2009
Health Care Reform Would Improve Medicare Benefits Throughout the health care reform debate, opponents have at times used misinformation to erode support for reform efforts, most recently about Medicare benefits.  As a New York Times Editorial, “Medicare Scare-Mongering,” explains, the reform legislation under consideration will actually improve benefits for seniors with Medicare.  The proposals being considered in the ...view more

Week of September 28 - October 2, 2009
House Passes Bill to Protect Medicare Beneficiaries On September 24, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act] to protect millions of senior citizens and people with disabilities from unfair increases in their 2010 Medicare Part B premiums.  The legislation, which was endorsed by a broad array of seniors advocacy groups, passed by ...view more

Week of September 21 - 25, 2009
House to Act on Unemployment Insurance Extension The House of Representatives will debate legislation this week to help unemployed workers in hard-hit states who have exhausted their unemployment benefits.  The legislation [H.R. 3548] would provide an additional 13 weeks of benefits to people in states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent.  Rep. Levin is a cosponsor of the legislation, which ...view more

Week of September 14 - 18, 2009
Trade Enforcement Action taken by Obama Administration At the urging of Rep. Levin and other House lawmakers, on September 11, the Obama Administration announced that the U.S. would take action to stem a flood of imports of tires from China.  The independent International Trade Commission (ITC) found that tire imports from China more than tripled from 2004 through ...view more

Week of September 7 -11, 2009
Rep. Levin Calls for Extension of Unemployment Benefits Lawmakers return to Washington from their districts this week.  One of the top priorities for the House and Senate will be to extend federal unemployment insurance benefits to hard-hit states like Michigan.  Rep. Levin and 22 other members of the House have introduced legislation to provide for another 13 weeks ...view more

Week of August 17 - 21, 2009
Michigan Awarded $1.3 billion for Advanced Battery TechnologyOn August 5, the Department of Energy awarded $2.4 billion in Recovery Act funds to support advanced batteries and electric vehicle manufacturing.  Michigan firms will receive $1.35 billion – the most awarded to any state.  The lion’s share of this funding will go to develop advanced battery cell and battery pack ...view more

Week of July 27 - 31, 2009
“Cash for Clunkers” Program Gets Underway On July 27, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Members of Congress, including Rep. Levin, officially kicked off the Consumer Allowance Rebate System (CARS), also known as “Cash for Clunkers.”  The program, which came online last Friday, provides consumers with rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for the purchase of a new car ...view more

Week of July 20 - 24, 2009
Health Care Reform Moves Forward with Endorsement of Doctors The effort to keep the best of our current health care system and fix what is broken took a step forward last week when two House committees completed work on the proposal and the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest doctor group, endorsed the legislation.  The Ways and Means ...view more

Week of July 13 - 17, 2009
Join Online Town Hall on Health Care Reform I have launched an online video town hall to take your questions and comments regarding health care legislation.  You may ask questions, and vote on the questions you would like me to answer.  Please click here to join in. House Approves Funding Boost for Nutrition Programs On July 9, the ...view more

Week of July 6 - 10, 2009
Job Loss Report Spotlights Need for State and Federal Action On July 2, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 467,000 jobs were lost in June, pushing the national unemployment rate up to 9.5 percent.  Responding to the new jobless report, Rep. Levin said, “The numbers behind the national unemployment rate point to a jobs crisis and deepening ...view more

Week of June 29 - July 3, 2009
Rep. Levin’s schedule in Michigan The Congress is not in session this week.  To view Rep. Levin’s schedule in Michigan, please click here. House Approves Landmark Clean Energy Bill On June 26, the House of Representatives voted 219 to 212 to approve the American Clean Energy and Security Act [H.R. 2454].  The House-passed bill will spur the development ...view more

Week of June 22 - 26, 2009
House Committees Unveil 1st Draft Health Care Reform Bill On June 19, the House Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Labor Committees released a discussion draft of the House of Representatives’ health care reform bill.  The proposal builds on the current employer-based insurance system, while reducing costs overall and providing additional options to people who ...view more

Week of June 15 - 19, 2009
House Approves Fleet Modernization Bill On June 9, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 2751] to provide consumers with up to $4,500 in cash rebates to recycle their older vehicles and replace them with new, cleaner, and more fuel efficient models.  The House passed the measure on a vote of 298 to 119.  Rep. Levin is an ...view more

Week of June 8 - 12, 2009
Bill Introduced to Crack Down on Gasoline Price Gouging Thirty-seven House members have introduced legislation [H.R. 2129] to create a federal law against price gouging for gasoline, natural gas, and other fuels.  During the summer of 2008, the average price of gasoline rose to more than $4 a gallon.  While gas prices are more than $1.00 below where ...view more

Week of June 1 - 5, 2009
Rep. Levin’s Statement on General Motors On June 1, Rep. Levin commented extensively on the bankruptcy filing by General Motors: “The accelerated downsizing of General Motors brings significant pain for families and communities even as we now have important assurance of the long-term viability of this restructured company....  After many months of countering the arguments of the opponents ...view more

Week of May 18 - 22, 2009
Lawmakers Back Bill to Eliminate Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions One of the barriers to obtaining health insurance is the ability of insurance companies to exclude subscribers or charge them more because of pre-existing condition exclusions.  Fifty House members, including Rep. Levin, have cosponsored legislation [H.R. 1558] to prohibit the denial of health insurance coverage based on pre-existing conditions and ...view more

Week of May 11 - 15, 2009
Social Security Recipients to Receive Economic Recovery Payments On May 7, the federal government began sending out $250 stimulus payments to Social Security recipients.  The payments were included as part of the Economic Recovery legislation approved earlier this year by Congress.  “In our state of Michigan, 1,649,485 Social Security recipients will receive this boost, and $468 million will ...view more

Week of May 4 - May 8, 2009
Rep. Levin Speaks Out on Chrysler Announcement Throughout last week, Rep. Levin led an effort among the Michigan delegation to press Chrysler’s bank creditors to reach a deal to settle their debt outside of bankruptcy.  Chrysler reached a deal on all other fronts including with Fiat and the workers.  Unfortunately, because a handful of mostly hedge funds and ...view more

Week of April 27 - May 1, 2009
Michigan Lawmakers Call on Chrysler Bank Creditors to Demonstrate Commitment to Main Street On April 27, the entire Michigan Congressional Delegation issued a statement on the announcement by the United Auto Workers that they had reached a tentative agreement on a Chrysler and Fiat Alliance.  The joint statement read, in part: “The Chrysler and Fiat Alliance holds much ...view more

Week of April 20 - 24, 2009
Michigan to Receive $236 Million for Water Infrastructure On April 14, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $236 million to the State of Michigan to help localities finance needed improvements to Michigan’s aging drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.  The funds were included in the American Recovery and Investment Act approved by Congress in February.  The lion’s share of the ...view more

Week of April 6 - 10, 2009
House Approves 2010 Budget On April 2, the House of Representatives adopted a budget resolution for fiscal year 2010 by a vote of 233 to 196.  The budget blueprint is the foundation of the policy agenda of President Obama and calls for an overhaul of the U.S. health care system, investments in clean energy, improves education, and tax ...view more

Week of March 30 - April 3, 2009
Rep. Levin on “New Path to Viability for GM & Chrysler” On March 30, Rep. Levin issued the following statement after President Obama’s address on the “New Path to Viability for GM & Chrysler”:  “The President expressed his commitment to the future of the domestic auto industry.  He stated that he is ‘absolutely committed to working with Congress ...view more

Week of March 23 - 27, 2009
House Approves Bill to Reclaim AIG Bonus PaymentsOn March 20, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 1586] to impose a 90 percent tax on the bonuses given to highly paid employees at AIG and other companies that have received federal financial assistance.  The House approved the measure on a vote of 328 to 93.  While the majority ...view more

Week of March 16 - 20, 2009
Rep. Levin Kicks Off Health Care Roundtable Series On March 13, Rep. Levin held the first in a series of Congressional Health Care Roundtables to talk with Michigan residents in small groups about their experiences and perspectives about health care reform.  Sixteen constituents joined this first conversation and shared their stories and insights.  Over the next several months, ...view more

Week of March 2 - 6, 2009
President Delivers Budget to Congress On February 26, the Obama Administration submitted a blueprint for the 2010 budget to Congress.  The budget plan focuses on economic recovery, strategic investments in critical areas – including health care, education and energy – and fiscal responsibility.  The budget acknowledges that the new Administration inherited a record deficit for the current fiscal ...view more

Week of February 23 - 27, 2009
President Obama Addresses Joint Session of CongressOn February 24, President Obama spoke to a special joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives to discuss the economy and the steps necessary to confront the challenges facing the country.  The President said: “I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is ...view more

Week of February 9 - 13, 2009
Bleak Jobs Report Underscores Need for Action on an Economic Recovery PlanOn February 6, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the U.S. economy lost 598,000 jobs in January.  The staggering job loss figures brought the number of unemployed Americans to 11.6 million and sent the national unemployment rate to 7.6 percent, its highest point in 16 years.  ...view more

February 2, 2009
House Clears Economic Recovery Package On January 29, the House of Representatives approved an $825 billion economic recovery bill [H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] to help jumpstart the U.S. economy as well as create and save millions of jobs.  The House approved the package on a vote of 244 to 188, largely along party lines.  ...view more

Week of January 19 - 23, 2009
Historic Inauguration Witnessed by 2 Million on the National Mall On January 20, nearly 2 million people packed the National Mall in Washington to witness Barack Obama take the oath of office as the nation’s 44th President.  Appealing for unity, President Obama framed the many difficult challenges confronting the nation: “That we are in the midst of crisis ...view more

Week of January 5 - 9, 2009
111th Congress Convenes, Pelosi Elected SpeakerOn January 6th, the 111th Congress was sworn in as the legislative branch geared up for early action on an economic recovery package.  By a vote of 255 to 174, Nancy Pelosi of California was re-elected as Speaker of the House.  In her remarks to the House, Speaker Pelosi called for bipartisan solutions ...view more

Nov 17 - 21, 2008
Rep. Levin Testifies on the Need for Bridge Loans for AutomakersOn November 19, Rep. Levin testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the urgent need to provide bridge loans to U.S. automakers to allow them to weather the global financial crisis, accelerate implementation of their restructuring plans, and protect millions of American jobs. The House and Senate ...view more

October 13 - 17, 2008
House Approves Unemployment Insurance Extension, but Hurdles RemainOn October 3, the House of Representatives passed legislation [H.R. 6867] to provide seven weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state; further, it would provide an additional 13 weeks in States – including Michigan – with high unemployment rates.  Unfortunately, the Senate was not able to overcome Republican opposition and ...view more

Week of Sept 22 - 26, 2008
House Approves Comprehensive Energy PackageOn September 16, the House of Representatives approved a major energy bill [H.R. 6899, the “Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act”] that includes responsible development of additional oil and gas resources, greater energy efficiency, tax incentives to spur alternative energy, investment in new technologies, and relief to American consumers.  The House passed ...view more

Week of August 11 - 15, 2008
House Approves Paycheck Fairness ActOn July 31, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 1338] to strengthen the Equal Pay Act and help bridge the wide disparity in wages between men and women working in similar jobs.  The House passed the bill on a vote of 247 to 178.  The measure seeks to strengthen the landmark Equal Pay ...view more

Week of July 28 - Aug 1, 2008
Mortgage Relief Package Would Help Up to 400,000 Avoid ForeclosureOn July 23, the House of Representatives approved major legislation [H.R. 3221, the “American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act”] to combat the unprecedented rise in foreclosures by helping struggling homeowners refinance their mortgages, encourage the purchase of homes to revive the housing market, and address the negative impact ...view more

Week of July 21 - 25, 2008
House Debates Bill to Spur U.S. Oil ProductionOn July 17, the House debated the Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands (DRILL) Act [H.R. 6515] to promote domestic production of oil and natural gas.  The goal of the bill is to spur oil production on the 68 million acres of federal land already leased by oil companies for energy production ...view more

Week of July 14 - 18, 2008
Bipartisan Majorities in House and Senate Break with Bush Administration on MedicareOn July 9, the Senate dramatically reversed course and approved critical legislation [H.R. 6331] to prevent a pending 10 percent reduction in payments doctors receive for treating Medicare patients.  The House had previously voted 355 to 59 to approve the measure, but an earlier attempt to pass ...view more

Week July 7 - 11, 2008
Millions Still Eligible to Receive Stimulus CheckThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced a new summer campaign to reach those retirees and disabled veterans and others who qualify for the economic stimulus payment but have not filed to claim it.  Congress approved the stimulus payments earlier this year and the Treasury Department has sent out over 100 million ...view more

Week of June 30 - July 3, 2008
13-Week Unemployment Extension Signed into LawOn June 30, President Bush signed a Supplemental funding bill for critical military and domestic needs that includes a 13-week extension of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.  Rep. Levin said, “Today the voices of over one million out of work Americans are finally being heard, with a much needed extension of unemployment benefits.  This ...view more

Week of June 23 -27, 2008
Legislation Introduced to Compel Oil Companies to Use Oil and Gas Leases Fifty House lawmakers, including Rep. Levin, have cosponsored a bill [H.R. 6251, the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act] to help lower gas prices by compelling energy companies to either demonstrate that they are producing oil and gas, or are diligently developing the leases they already ...view more

Week of June 9 - 13, 2008
Lawmakers Work to Advance Unemployment Insurance Extension Despite White House OppositionWith the nation’s economy sputtering and unemployment rising, House lawmakers are working to advance a critically-needed extension of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state (with an additional 13 weeks in high unemployment states like Michigan).  Last month, ...view more

Week of May 19 - 23, 2008
House Approves Extension of Unemployment BenefitsOn May 15, the full House of Representatives passed an extension of unemployment insurance benefits to help the growing number of jobless workers nationwide.  The extension, which was taken up as an amendment to the War and Domestic supplemental funding package, would extend unemployment benefits for 13 weeks across the country and 13 ...view more

Week of May 12 - 16, 2008
Lawmakers Urge President to Lower Gas Prices On May 7, ninety-four members of the House of Representatives wrote a letter to President Bush calling on him to take action to lower the price of gasoline by suspending the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).  Not only would this action put more oil on the market, it could ...view more

Week of May 5 - 9, 2008
12th District Residents Share Their Views During On-line Town Hall Meeting – Read the Questions and Answers!On May 6, Rep. Levin held a lively on-line town hall meeting with residents of Michigan’s 12th District.  Residents voiced their opinions on a wide variety of issues, including unemployment, gas prices, the war in Iraq, trade policy with China, among many ...view more

Week of April 28 - May 2, 2008
Economic Stimulus Rebates Start Going Out - More Action NeededMore than 4.5 million Michigan households are expected to receive rebates, injecting $3.8 billion into our state and national economies. The rebates come as a result of a bipartisan agreement reached in February in which Congress agreed to provide rebate checks of up to $600 per individual and $1200 ...view more

Week of April 21 - 25, 2008
Lawmakers Back Bill to Free Up 70,000 Barrels of Crude Oil a DayWith gas prices across the country at record highs, and the summer driving season approaching, 32 House lawmakers have sponsored legislation [H.R. 5473] to temporarily suspend further crude oil shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).  Rep. Levin is a cosponsor of this legislation.Currently, the SPR ...view more

Week of April 14 - 18, 2008
Lawmakers Back Bill to Extend Unemployment BenefitsOn April 9, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House to provide assistance to Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.  The bill [H.R. 5749] would immediately provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state; further, it would provide an additional 13 weeks ...view more

Week of April 7 - 11, 2008
80,000 Jobs Lost in MarchOn April 4, the Department of Labor reported that U.S. employers cut 80,000 jobs in March after having slashed 152,000 jobs in January and February.  Responding to the weak jobs report, Rep. Levin urged swift action to extend unemployment benefits: “In the past, extensions of unemployment benefits have come too late.  We simply cannot ...view more

Week of March 31 - April 4, 2008
Lawmakers Call for New China Trade Strategy On March 27, fifteen key members from the House Ways and Means Committee, including Chairman Charles B. Rangel and Rep. Levin, wrote to President Bush to urge him to adopt and implement a new strategy for dealing with China’s persistent currency manipulation and other trade issues.  The letter read, in part, ...view more

Week of March 3 - 7, 2008
Lawmakers Hold Hearing on China’s Human Rights Record in Advance of Olympic GamesOn February 27, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) held a high-profile hearing on the impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on human rights in China.  The CECC was created by Congress with the legislative mandate to monitor human rights and the development of the rule ...view more

Week of February 25 - 29, 2008
Rep. Levin Calls for Release of Report on Health Threats from Great Lakes Contamination On February 21, Rep. Levin wrote to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urging the public release of a long-delayed study on possible health threats from environmental hazards in certain areas adjacent to the Great Lakes.  The CDC shelved the study last ...view more

Week of February 11 - 15, 2008
Economic Stimulus Bill Clears CongressResponding to continued weakness in the U.S. economy, the House of Representatives gave final approval to bipartisan legislation [H.R. 5140] to help Americans who are struggling with the high costs of energy, health care and groceries, and jumpstart the slowing economy.  The broad-based stimulus package will provide tax relief of up to $600 per ...view more

Week of February 4 - 8, 2008
President Sends Budget to CongressOn Monday, February 4, President Bush submitted his 2009 budget to Congress.  Overall, the President’s budget looks much as it has in past years, calling for a half trillion dollar reduction in Medicare and funding cuts for other key domestic priorities, including health care, education, clean water, fire fighting and law enforcement, drug free ...view more

January 30, 2008
House Approves Economic Stimulus Package On January 29, the House voted 385 to 35 to approve a bipartisan stimulus package [H.R. 5140] to jumpstart the slowing economy.  The goal of the $146 billion measure is to provide working Americans who are struggling in these difficult economic times with timely, targeted and temporary relief and to give our economy ...view more

January 22, 2008
Congress Reconvenes, Lawmakers Focus on Kickstarting the Economy The House of Representatives reconvened on January 15 to begin the 2nd session of the 110th Congress as returning lawmakers made clear that shoring up the faltering U.S. economy would be the first order of business.  The Leadership of the House and Senate is working on a bipartisan basis with the ...view more

December 18, 2007
House Votes to Make Do-Not-Call Registry Permanent On December 11, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 3541, the “Do-Not-Call Improvement Act”] to permanently renew the Do-Not-Call program without requiring people to re-register their phone numbers in order to continue blocking calls from telemarketers.  The original Do-Not-Call Act required people to re-register their phone numbers with the Federal ...view more

December 11, 2007
House Approves Landmark Energy Security LegislationOn December 6, the House of Representatives approved comprehensive energy legislation [H.R. 6] to bolster U.S. energy security, lower energy costs, grow the economy, and begin to address global warming.  The House approved the measure on a vote of 235 to 181.  The House-passed bill increases the fuel efficiency of vehicles to 35 ...view more

November 19 - 23, 2007
House Votes to Overhaul Electronic Surveillance Law On November 15, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 3773, the RESTORE Act] to overhaul the rules governing when and how the federal government can listen in on Americans’ phone calls, e-mails, and other communications.  Under a stop-gap law that Congress approved back in August, there are few privacy safeguards ...view more

November 13 - 16, 2007
House Votes for Middle Class Tax Relief On November 9, the House of Representatives approved legislation [H.R. 3996] to protect more than 23 million families from being hit with a tax increase under the alternative minimum tax (AMT) when they file their 2007 taxes in a few months. The measure was adopted on a vote of 216 to ...view more

November 5 - 9, 2007
A Year After Historic Election, Lawmakers Highlight Accomplishments On November 1, Speaker Pelosi and other members of the New Congress joined together to highlight major accomplishments on the one year anniversary of the election which brought about change in both the U.S. House and Senate.  “Congress has accomplished much this year.  The challenges we face are immense and ...view more

October 29 - November 2, 2007
Ways & Means Chairman Introduces Comprehensive Tax Reform Last week, the Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, introduced the Tax Reform and Reduction Act of 2007 to provide tax relief to millions of American families and help American businesses compete internationally. The legislation would provide tax relief to more than 90 million families ...view more

October 22 - 26, 2007
Attempt to Override Veto of Children’s Health Bill Comes Up 13 Votes Short On October 18, the House failed to override President Bush’s veto of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization [H.R. 976] which sought to provide health care coverage to more than 10 million low-income children.  While a large majority of the House voted to override, ...view more

October 15 - 19, 2007
House Adopts Legislation to Crack Down on Iraq Contracting Fraud On October 9, the House of Representatives voted 375 to 3 to approve the War Profiteering Prevention Act [H.R. 400] to make war profiteering a felony, subject to up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million or twice the profits of the crime. ...view more

October 9 - 12, 2007
House Votes to Help Struggling Homeowners On October 4, the House voted 386 to 27 to adopt the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act [H.R. 3648].  The legislation ends the tax on phantom income when a lender forgives some part of a family’s mortgage in foreclosure.  Under current law, the tax code treats forgiveness of mortgage debt like income, ...view more

October 1 - 5, 2007
Congress Votes to Expand Kids’ Heath Care; President Bush Threatens Veto On September 25, a bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives voted to adopt legislation [H.R. 976, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization] to provide health care coverage for more than 10 million low-income children.  Specifically, H.R. 976 would preserve coverage for the 6.6 million children ...view more

Week of September 24 -28, 2007
House Passes Bill to Help Struggling Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure On September 18, the House of Representatives voted 348 to 72 to approve the Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007 [H.R. 1852].  The legislation seeks to revitalize the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which was established to provide a reliable source of affordable fixed rate mortgage loans.  Among its other ...view more

Week of September 17 - 21, 2007
Landmark Lobbying & Ethics Bill Signed into Law On September 14, President Bush signed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act [S. 1] into law.  The legislation, which was one of the top priorities of the incoming Democratic leadership of the House and Senate this year, has been described as the most far reaching overhaul of Congressional ethics ...view more

Week of September 10 - 14, 2007
Congress Approves Landmark Increase in College Financial Aid On September 7, the House and Senate gave final approval to legislation [H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act] that would make the single largest investment in college financial aid since the 1944 GI Bill.  The House of Representatives approved the bill on a vote of 292 to ...view more

Week of August 27 - 31, 2007
Levin Proposal to End Unfair Tax Break Gains Friends/Enemies Earlier this year, Rep. Levin introduced legislation [H.R. 2834] to correct an abuse in the tax code that allows some wealthy “private equity” investment fund managers to pay tax on a large portion of the compensation they receive for managing their investors’ money at the 15 percent capital gains ...view more

Week of July 30 - August 3, 2007
Congress Gives Final Approval to Implementation of  9/11 Commission RecommendationsOn July 27, the House of Representatives adopted legislation [H.R. 1] that would write into law many of the remaining recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.  In 2004, the 9/11 Commission submitted 41 recommendations to the Bush Administration and Congress on improving homeland security and preventing terrorism, but nearly ...view more

Week of July 16 - 20, 2007
House Votes to Require Redeployment from Iraq On July 12, the House of Representatives voted 223 to 201 to adopt legislation [H.R. 2956, the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act] to require the Secretary of Defense to begin the redeployment of U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 120 days of enactment, and complete the reduction in U.S. forces by ...view more

Week of July 9 -13, 2007
Veterans Struggle to Obtain Benefits On July 3, Rep. Levin facilitated a roundtable discussion at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Bruce Post in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan.  Veterans and their families, as well as veterans service representatives, gathered to discuss the problems that many veterans experience accessing the benefits that are available to them.  The Veterans Administration ...view more

Week of June 25 - 29, 2007
Rep. Levin Introduces Legislation to End Unfair Tax Break On June 22, Rep. Levin introduced legislation to end the tax advantage currently enjoyed by some investment fund managers that allows them preferential tax treatment on the compensation they receive for their services.  The legislation [H.R. 2834] would ensure that investment fund managers who take a share of the ...view more

Week of June 18 - 22, 2007
House Adopts Historic Increase in Veterans' Benefits On June 15, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008 [H.R. 2642].  The annual funding bill increases the Veterans Affairs budget by $6.7 billion – the largest single increase in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration. Speaking in ...view more

Week of June 11 - 15, 2007
Congress Approves Bill to Expand Stem Cell Research On June 7, the House of Representatives adopted legislation [S. 5] to significantly expand stem cell research in the United States.  The House approved the measure on a vote of 247  to 176.  The U.S. Senate had previously approved the bill on a vote of 63 to 34.  Embryonic stem ...view more

Week of May 21 - 25, 2007
House Votes to Crack Down on Gasoline Price Gouging On May 23, the House of Representatives voted 284 to 141 to approve legislation [H.R. 1252, the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act] to give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explicit authority to investigate and punish gasoline profiteers.  H.R. 1252 prohibits the wholesale and retail sale of gasoline at prices ...view more

Week of April 23rd-27th, 2007
Congress Approves Iraq Accountability Act / White House Threatens Veto This week the House of Representatives and Senate voted to give final approval to the Iraq Accountability Act [H.R. 1591].  The House approved H.R. 1591 on a vote of 218 to 208, while the Senate passed the measure on a vote of 51 to 46.  The White House ...view more

April 16th-April 20th, 2007
House Clears Water Resources Bill Benefitting Lake St. Clair On April 19, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation [H.R. 1495, the "Water Resources Development Act"] to upgrade and modernize our nation's water and environmental infrastructure.  The House approved the measure 394 to 25.  H.R. 1495 included a project requested by Rep. Levin to provide federal funds to ...view more

April 9th-April 13th, 2007
New House Bill Would Boost College Scholarships Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation [H.R. 1010, the "Student Aid Reward (STAR) Act"] to boost college scholarships at no cost to taxpayers.  Currently, there are two main student loan programs that provide essentially the same loans and interest rates to students, but one loan program costs ...view more

March 26th, 2007 - March 30th, 2007
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March 19 - March 27, 2007
House Votes to Approve Iraq Timetable On March 23, the House of Representatives narrowly approved a $124 billion Iraq Supplemental [H.R. 1591] that would end the President's open-ended commitment of U.S. military forces in Iraq and set a timeline for redeploying most U.S. troops out of Iraq.  The House adopted the legislation on a vote of 218 to ...view more

March 5 - March 9, 2007
Levin Faults White House for Polarizing Trade Debate On March 5, Rep. Levin delivered a trade speech entitled, "Using Trade as a Tool to Shape Globalization," at the Center for American Progress.  Rep. Levin is the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.  In his remarks, Rep. Levin said, "...the general public is not foolish.  ...view more

February 26, 2007 - March 2, 2007
House Tightens Rules on Foreign Takeovers of U.S. Firms On February 28, the House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation [H.R. 556] to reform the process by which the Federal government reviews proposed foreign investments in the United States.  The bill responds to the key failures identified in the aftermath of the Dubai Ports World scandal last year, in ...view more

February 5 - February 9, 2007
Bush Administration Sends 2008 Budget to Congress / President Seeks Billions More for Military Operations in Iraq On February 5, President Bush sent his 2008 budget request to Capitol Hill.  Overall, the President?s budget calls for large increases in defense spending (including an additional $245 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during 2007-2008); a $252 billion ...view more

January 29 - February 2, 2007
President's Iraq "Surge" Could Total 48,000 Troops On February 1, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that President Bush's proposed "surge" of 21,500 troops to Iraq will actually total as many as 48,000. The reason for the discrepancy is due to the fact that the President's number counted only combat troops, while CBO's number also includes the thousands ...view more

January 22 - January 26, 2007
President Defends Iraq Troop Surge in State of the Union Message On January 23, President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress to ask members of the House and Senate to give his Iraq policy a chance to work.  Defending his plan to send more than 21,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, President Bush said, "If American forces ...view more

The Democratic Majority Passes First 100 Hour Agenda
House Approves Sweeping Congressional Reform Bill On January 4th and 5th, the House approved a sweeping package of changes [H.Res. 6] to restore the integrity, civility and fiscal responsibility of the House of Representatives.  These reforms B many of which were adopted on broad, bipartisan votes B are the most significant ethics and lobbying revisions in decades.  Among ...view more

Week of January 1 - January 5
110th Congress Convenes, Pelosi Elected Speaker On January 4th, the 110th Congress was sworn in as Democrats took over leadership of the House of Representatives for the first time in 12 years.  As its first item of business, the House elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California as the first woman speaker of the House in U.S. history.  In ...view more

Week of December 4 - 8, 2006
Bipartisan Panel Calls for Major Course Change in Iraq  Baker/Hamilton Commission Calls Situation in Iraq "Grave and Deteriorating" On December 6, a bipartisan panel of prominent Americans released a sober assessment of the current situation in Iraq and called for sweeping changes in the U.S. strategy in that country.  In unusually blunt language, the Iraq Study Group report ...view more

Week of November 13 - 17, 2006
Congress Reconvenes On November 13, the House and Senate reconvened following the fall elections in a "lame-duck" session of Congress in order to finish the remaining business of the 109th Congress.  (It is called a "lame-duck" session because it includes lawmakers who lost their elections but who continue to serve until the new Congress is sworn in on ...view more

Week of September 4 - 8, 2006
House Leadership Schedules Debate on Horse Bill as Key Issues Go UnaddressedThe House of Representatives reconvened this week after a five-week summer recess.  With ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, high energy and health care costs, unmet homeland security needs, a federal minimum wage that hasn't been raised in 9 years, and a large backlog of legislation to ...view more

Week of July 17 - 21, 2006
President Vetoes Stem Cell Research Bill - House Veto Override Attempt Falls 51 Votes Short On July 19, President Bush issued the first veto of his presidency on a path-breaking medical research bill approved by strong majorities of both the House and Senate, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act [H.R. 810]. The legislation would have expanded federal funding for ...view more

Week of July 10 - 14, 2006
Lawmakers Urge Bush Administration to Fight for U.S. Auto IndustryOn July 6, a bipartisan group of 38 members of the House of Representatives wrote to the U.S. Trade Representative, Susan Schwab, to urge her to address persistent unfair trade practices by South Korea in ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries.  While South Korean automakers enjoy access into ...view more

Week of June 26 - 30, 2006
Offshore Drilling Bill: Good for Oil Companies, Good for Four States, Bad for Everyone ElseOn June 29, the House of Representatives voted 232 to 187 for a bill [H.R. 4761] favored by energy companies to remove the longstanding drilling moratorium on certain offshore areas of the United States.  The most controversial provision of the measure would dramatically boost ...view more

Week of June 19 - 23, 2006
House Approves $762 Billion Estate Tax Cut, But Few Americans Stand to BenefitWhile gas prices are rising, the cost of health care skyrockets and college tuition climbs, the House of Representatives debated an expensive tax cut bill that has absolutely no impact on 99.73 percent of Americans.  On June 22, the House voted 269 to 156 to pass ...view more

Week of June 12 - 16, 2006
House Debates War in Iraq On June 15 and 16, the House of Representatives debated a divisive resolution on Iraq [H. Res. 861] written by the House Republican Leadership.  Here is an excerpt from Rep. Levin's Floor remarks in opposition to the Iraq resolution:  "...The situation in Iraq is not getting better.  It's getting worse.  As of today, ...view more

Week of June 5 - 9, 2006
House Approves Major Overhaul of Telecommunications LawsOn June 8, the House of Representatives voted 321 to 101 to adopt legislation [H.R. 5522] making sweeping changes in U.S. telecommunications laws.  Consumers could ultimately benefit from the provisions in the bill that spur head-to-head competition in the home video market between the cable industry and phone companies.  In most communities ...view more

Week of May 29 - June 2, 2006
Finding Long-Term Energy Solutions - The Need to Take RisksWith persistently high energy prices taking their toll on consumer's pocketbooks and the national economy, there is a clear need to find long-term solutions to our nation's energy problems.  The U.S. currently imports 58 percent of the oil we use.  Especially considering that the U.S. accounts for 25 percent of ...view more

Week of May 22 - 26, 2006
House Narrowly Approves Oil Drilling in Arctic RefugeOn May 25, the House of Representatives voted 225 to 201 to approve legislation [H.R. 5429] opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.  Opponents of the bill underscored the fact that opening the Refuge to drilling would do nothing to bring down gasoline prices, since no Refuge oil would ...view more

Week of May 8 - 12, 2006
Congress Approves $42,000 Tax Cut for Millionaires - Middle Income Households to Receive an Average Cut of $20 On May 10, the House of Representatives approved a $70 billion tax cut bill on a vote of 244 to 185.  The next day, the Senate agreed to the measure on a party-line vote of 54 to 44, and President Bush has ...view more

Week of May 1 - 5, 2006
Rep. Levin Works to Extend May 15th Prescription Drug Deadline  With the May 15th deadline quickly approaching and millions of Americans still deciding whether to enroll in a drug plan, Rep. Levin went to bat for seniors at an oversight hearing this week on the new Medicare Prescription Drug program.  The hearing was held before the Ways and Means ...view more

Week of April 24 - 28, 2006
Levin Calls for Rollback of Tax Breaks for Big Oil as Gas Prices SoarOn April 25, as oil and gas prices soar in Michigan and throughout the United States, Rep. Levin cosponsored the "Energy Consumer Relief Act" [H.R. 4479], which would roll back billions of dollars in tax breaks, royalty holidays and subsidies to oil and gas companies.  ...view more

Week of April 17 - 21, 2006
House Democrats Issue Call for Action on China Trade PolicyRep. Levin joined a group of senior House Ways and Means Democrats in sending a letter to President Bush calling for immediate action on a number of longstanding unfair trade practices in advance of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington, D.C.. The letter highlighted China’s currency manipulation, flagrant ...view more

Week of April 3 - 7, 2006
GOP Budget Negotiations CollapseOn April 6, Republican Leaders of the House of Representatives were forced to pull their 2007 budget from the House Floor and send members home for a two-week recess.  Congress is required to approve a budget each year setting broad spending and revenue goals that the House and Senate must adhere to.  During more than ...view more

Week of March 27 - 31, 2006
Investigators Successfully Carry Radioactive Materials Past U.S. Border CheckpointsOn March 28, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported to Congress that undercover GAO investigators successfully purchased radioactive material and transported it through border checkpoints in Washington State and Texas.  The GAO is the non-partisan watchdog arm of the United States Congress.  Nearly five years after 9-11 and after billions ...view more

Week of March 13 - 17, 2006
House Votes 225 to 193 to Reward Iraq Contracting AbuseOn March 17, the House of Representatives approved a $92 billion emergency spending bill [H.R. 4939] to fund ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as hurricane recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region.  After debating dozens of amendments, the House approved the war and hurricane measure ...view more

Week of March 6 - 10, 2006
Free Press Corrects the Record: Rep. Levin Voted Against Renewing Patriot ActOn March 9, President Bush signed legislation [H.R. 3199] to renew the Patriot Act, just hours before 16 of the Act’s most controversial provisions were set to expire. One day earlier, an article in the Detroit Free Press incorrectly reported that Rep. Levin had voted in favor ...view more

Week of February 27 - March 3, 2006
Port Deal Receives Closer ScrutinyAs the House returned to session this week, the issue of port security was clearly on the minds of Members of Congress.  After several days of intensely negative reaction to the Bush Administration’s decision to approve a controversial deal to turn over management of 6 key U.S. ports to a company owned by the ...view more

Week of February 20 - 24, 2006
House and Senate Lawmakers Call for National Security Review of Ports SaleThe House and Senate were in recess this week; however, media reports that the Bush Administration had signed off on a $6.8 billion deal that would put a government-owned United Arab Emirates company in charge of six major U.S. ports resulted in bipartisan outcry from members of ...view more

Week of February 13-17, 2006
House Report Blasts Government’s Response to KatrinaOn February 15, the special bipartisan committee that was appointed last fall to investigate the preparation and response to Hurricane Katrina issued a blistering report on the ineffective response to one of the costliest and deadliest disasters in U.S. history.  The 520-page report, entitled “A Failure of Initiative” charged that the failure ...view more

Week of February 6-10, 2006
EPA to Provide $1.2 million to Continue Cleanup of PCB Contamination On February 7, Rep. Levin and Michigan’s two Senators announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to return to St. Clair Shores to continue the PCB cleanup in the City’s Ten Mile Drain system.  EPA completed a $7 million cleanup of the Drain and Lange ...view more

Week of January 30 - February 3, 2006
Congress Reconvenes to Hear President’s State of the Union Message On January 31, President Bush delivered his fifth State of the Union message to a joint session of Congress.  Among other things, the President called on Congress to renew the PATRIOT Act, increase the use of so-called “health savings accounts,” and reduce U.S. dependence on Middle East oil ...view more

Month of January 2006
More than 100 Lawmakers to Introduce Legislation to Reform the House of Representatives Rep. Levin and more than 100 other House Democrats plan to introduce a 14-point package to reform the operations of the House of Representatives.  The package is designed to weaken lobbyist influence, strengthen fiscal discipline, curb abuses of power, outlaw the use of earmarks to ...view more

Week of December 12-16, 2005
House Votes to Renew PATRIOT Act On December 14, the House of Representatives voted 251 to174 to approve legislation to renew and make permanent most of the PATRIOT Act's expiring provisions.  The House and Senate approved very different versions of this legislation last summer, and negotiators have been meeting for weeks to iron out the differences and write ...view more

Week of December 5-9, 2005
House Extends Tax Cuts for the Very Wealthy On December 8, the House of Representatives approved a $56 billion tax cut bill that overwhelmingly benefits the very wealthy.  The House approved the measure on a vote of 234 to 197.  The centerpiece of the bill is a $28 billion tax cut for capital gains and dividend income.  Those ...view more

Week of November 14-18, 2005
House Adopts Midnight Raid on Child Care, Student Aid and Health Care At 1:12 a.m. on November 18, the House of Representatives began a showdown vote on a controversial package of $49 billion in spending cuts, primarily targeting child support enforcement, student loan programs, food stamps, and health services for children, the elderly, and the disabled.  The budget ...view more

Week of November 7-11, 2005
Veterans Day 2005Every November 11th our nation honors its veterans and expresses its deep gratitude for their service.  Rep. Levin will mark this Veterans Day by joining VFW Post 1669 and the Royal Oak Memorial Society at a memorial service and groundbreaking ceremony for Royal Oak’s new veterans monument.  Following the Royal Oak ceremony, he will speak to ...view more

October 31 - November 4, 2005
Sweeping Budget Bill Advances to House FloorOn November 3, the House Budget Committee approved a controversial budget package, setting up a showdown vote next week on the House Floor.  T`he budget measure, which was approved by the Budget Committee on a party-line vote of 21 to 17, would reduce federal support for child support collection, student loans, nutrition ...view more

October 17 - 21, 2005
Congress Clears Bill to Shield Gun Manufacturers from Lawsuits On October 20, the House of Representatives voted 283 to 144 to approve legislation making it more difficult for victims of gun violence to sue gun manufacturers and gun dealers.  Supporters of the measure claimed it would block frivolous lawsuits designed to bankrupt a responsible industry.  Opponents of the ...view more

October 10 - 14, 2005
Refinery Bill Barely Passes as House Leaders Hold Vote Open for 46 Minutes On October 7, the Leadership of the House held open what was supposed to be a five-minute vote for over 45 minutes in order to pressure a handful of House members to change their votes on a controversial refinery bill As the scheduled five‑minute vote ...view more

October 3 - 7, 2005
House Energy Bill Would Do Nothing to Reduce High Gas PricesAs the Connector goes to press, the House is debating an energy bill that its sponsors call the Gasoline for America's Security Act,or GAS Act.  The stated goal of the bill is to provide relief to the American people from the sharp rise in gasoline prices following Hurricanes ...view more