Democrats Drop Plan to Expand Medicare

Senate Democrats on Monday evening dropped a plan to expand Medicare, winning the support of moderates and the reluctant acquiescence of liberals, in another major step toward building enough support to pass a health-care overhaul.

GOP Woos Health Bill Moderates

Convinced for the first time that they can bring down Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) health care reform package, Republicans are trying to get votes on more amendments as part of a strategy to divide the Democratic Conference and turn a few wayward moderates again …

Obama Presses Biggest Banks to Lend More

President Obama pressured the heads of the nation's biggest banks on Monday to take "extraordinary" steps to revive lending for small businesses and homeowners, prompting assurances from some financial institutions that they would do more even as they continued to shed thei …

House Democrats discard larger debt limit

House Democratic leaders, bowing to their party's deficit hawks, will move the year's final must-pass piece of legislation without a long-term increase to the national debt and without a large boost in infrastructure funding that was aimed at creating jobs.

After bailouts and recession, the deluge of red ink?

Having bailed out the banks ($700 billion but declining) and beaten back the recession ($787 billion and rising), President Obama's next big fiscal task has even more zeroes: $12,118,000,000,000.

House heads for Saturday defense vote

House leaders warned members there could be a rare Saturday session as the end-of-year maneuvering between the two chambers grows increasingly complex.

House budget splits defense, jobs

A year-end budget bill taking shape in the House on Monday night would meld $626 billion in new defense spending with a set of pared-back tax- and unemployment related provisions designed to get through the Senate without a prolonged fight.

Poor nations stall talks on global warming

Global warming talks were suspended for hours Monday because of a walkout by developing countries, as rich and poor nations struggled to reconcile the divisions that have dominated international climate policy for decades.

U.S. Said to Pick Illinois Prison to House Detainees

The Obama administration is expected to announce on Tuesday that it has selected a prison in northwestern Illinois to house terrorism suspects now being held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, in a major step toward shutting down that military detention facility.

A savings mirage on health care

We are witnessing a determined counterattack by the Obama administration and its political allies on the matter of health-care costs.

High hurdles ahead for health plan

Senate Democrats scrambling to pass a sweeping health care reform bill before Christmas begin this critical week facing a host of nettlesome problems that threaten to derail the Democrats' fast-track timetable.

Joe Lieberman says no to Medicare buy-in

Sen. Joe Lieberman told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Sunday that he couldn't support a new Medicare proposal floated as a compromise to the public option, a development that complicates the bill's path towards passage before the end of the year.

Democrats' 'Big Tent' Faces Challenges from Conservative Members

House Democrats fought their way back to power in 2006 and expanded their majority in 2008 by recruiting candidates who could win in conservative districts – a strategy that's coming back to bite them as they try to move a sweeping legislative agenda.

Congress Faces Holiday Rush

House members are packing their bags this week but given the crush of Congressional business, it is uncertain they will make it to the airport.

Senate passes $1.1 trillion spending bill

The Senate passed a huge end-of-the-year $1.1 trillion omnibus spending measure Sunday afternoon by a vote of 57-35.

Defense appropriations bill comes as calendar crowded by healthcare debate

The House is likely to vote on the final 2010 defense appropriations bill by midweek, putting the ball in the Senate's court, where scheduling a vote could be more complicated because of the healthcare debate.

Russia, U.S. to extend talks on nuclear arms pact

President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, agreed by telephone to continue work on finding a successor to the Cold War-era START-1 treaty after "intensive and purposeful" talks between their delegations in Geneva.

Medical groups balk at Medicare 'buy-in'

Hospital and doctor groups that have generally supported the effort to revamp the nation's health care system pushed back Wednesday against a new idea proposed by Democratic leaders to let younger Americans buy into Medicare.

Confusion Over 'Deal' Continues

Though Reid announced late Tuesday that negotiations among a group of 10 liberal and moderate Democratic Senators had largely resolved the intraparty standoff over the public insurance option, participants in the group said their "agreement" had been mischaracterized and that …

GOP tries again to end TARP

Senate Republicans plan to revive an amendment that would end the Troubled Asset Relief Program by the end of the year

U.S. Extends TARP Until October 2010

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the Obama administration would extend the $700 billion financial-sector bailout but limit new spending to such areas as housing and small business.

Obama to call on bank chiefs to boost lending

President Obama is summoning the chiefs of a dozen big banks to a White House meeting Monday to press them to do more for the economy, even as many of the firms are striving to get out from under the government's thumb.

Dems to lift debt ceiling by $1.8 trillion, fear 2010 backlash

In a bold but risky year-end strategy, Democrats are preparing to raise the federal debt ceiling by as much as $1.8 trillion before New Year's rather than have to face the issue again prior to the 2010 elections.

For conservatives, a political surge

The energized "tea party" movement, which upended this year's political debate with noisy anti-government protests, is preparing to shake up the 2010 elections by channeling money and supporters to conservative candidates set to challenge both Democrats and Republicans.

House Dems reach deal on regulatory reform after threats by party centrists

House Democrats reached a deal on a thorny provision in financial overhaul legislation that held up debate on Wednesday, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said.

About Congressman Bill Cassidy

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Member Since: 6/2009Last Seen: 12/15/2009

Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D. represents Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District.

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