(VOVworld) – After staging a historic sit-in protest in the US House of Representatives, House Democratic lawmakers are planning a "day of action" nationwide next week to keep pushing for gun control. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), left, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), center, and Charles Rangel, (D-NY), right, speak with supporters outside the U.S. Capitol building June 23, 2016 (Photo: Getty Images/ AFP) In a letter sent to all Democratic colleagues in the House on Friday, six Democratic Representatives called for holding a "day of action" on June 29. The letter came after House Democrats staged a chaotic sit-in protest on Wednesday to take over the House floor, in an attempt to push for a vote on curbing gun violence. It said that Democratic lawmakers can use any tactics on the day to keep fighting for gun control, including holding a press conference or roundtable meeting. The Democrats also called on survivors of gun attacks and law enforcement officials to join the … [Read more...] about US House Democrats plans “day of action” to keep pushing for gun control
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US House Democrats stage sit-in to demand action on guns
This video grab courtesy of C-SPAN shows a sit-in at the US House of Representatives on Wednesday in Washington, DC. — AFP Photo Viet Nam News WASHINGTON - In one of the most extraordinary scenes in years on the US House floor, Democrats staged a dramatic sit-in on Wednesday, demanding that the Republican-led Congress address gun violence following the Orlando nightclub massacre. The lawmakers’ action, which earned praise from President Barack Obama, signaled what is likely to be a protracted election-year battle over firearms -- perennially a hot-button campaign issue in the United States. "We have to occupy the floor of the House until there is action," said Democratic Congressman John Lewis -- a civil rights icon who marched with Reverend Martin Luther King Jr in the 1960s -- just before he and dozens of colleagues sat down on the carpeted floor in the well of the chamber. The interruption came just as the House presiding officer moved to declare the body in … [Read more...] about US House Democrats stage sit-in to demand action on guns
US: Democrats relish chance to attack Republicans over austere budget
Democrats in the U.S. Congress can hardly contain their glee over the latest Republican budget plan, even though they loathe the details of the blueprint that would cut programs for the poor and funding of medical research. Democrats view the document as a potent weapon in the November congressional elections and are betting that its emphasis on austerity and cuts to popular programs such as Medicare will provoke a backlash against Republicans. Crafted by Representative Paul Ryan, the leading Republican voice on fiscal policy, the budget proposes to eliminate annual deficits within 10 years. It won approval on Thursday in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives. Republicans overwhelmingly supported the document, which got no Democratic votes. Democrats see in the budget a rich vein of material they can use in attack ads against Republicans in this year's congressional elections. Republicans have been focusing on the troubled rollout of President Barack Obama's healthcare … [Read more...] about US: Democrats relish chance to attack Republicans over austere budget
US House passes 3.5-trillion-dollar budget plan
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2009 (AFP) - The US House of Representatives passed a 3.5-trillion-dollar budget blueprint on Thursday that signals broad support for President Barack Obama's climate change and health care overhaul ambitions. Obama's Democratic majority slightly streamlined his spending proposals for the fiscal year that starts October 1 amid Republican warnings about bloated spending and the exploding national debt. The Senate was expected to pass its own version later in what would be a victory for the president -- even though he does not sign the framework and bitter legislative battles on his main priorities are yet to come. The House voted 233-196 to approve the budget plan, without a single vote from Republicans, who offered an alternate approach that would slash taxes and restrict spending that Democrats say is critical to reviving the US economy. "This budget is a key part of our return to prosperity; it provides the long-term investments that will make prosperity last," … [Read more...] about US House passes 3.5-trillion-dollar budget plan
House passes Iraq withdrawal timetable
Moving closer to a veto showdown with President Bush, the House of Representatives late Wednesday narrowly approved a bill funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that sets a goal of withdrawing US combat forces from Iraq next year. The final vote on the US$124 billion funding bill was 218-208, with two members voting present. The tally was largely along party lines, with just two Republicans voting for it and 13 Democrats voting against. The Senate will take up the bill on Thursday morning, setting up a likely confrontation with Bush, who has repeatedly vowed to veto any appropriations measure that contains a timetable for withdrawing troops. Reacting to the House vote, White House spokeswoman Dana Petrino said the bill was "disappointing legislation that insists on a surrender date, handcuffs our generals and contains billions of dollars in spending unrelated to the war." Before Wednesday's vote, the top US commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, came to Capitol Hill for a … [Read more...] about House passes Iraq withdrawal timetable