Pelosi's 100-Hour Agenda Seen as 'Symbolic,' 'Timid'
By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
January 15, 2007

(CNSNews.com) - Assessing the first 100 hours of the Democrat-led Congress, two policy analysts said the seven-point agenda House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is in the process of pushing through is largely symbolic and even "timid."

In the first 100 legislative hours -- as defined by Pelosi's countdown clock -- the speaker promised to enact new ethics rules and to pass legislation to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendation, increase the minimum wage, expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, negotiate lower prescription drug prices, cut interest rates on student loans and end oil subsidies. Full Story

Senate Dems Rebuked Over Their Version of Earmark Reform

(CNSNews.com) - Democratic leaders in the Senate have agreed to accept the same version of earmark reform passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month, but the decision came only after they suffered what a taxpayer watchdog group called "a humiliating rebuke" initiated by a GOP senator. After failing to gain approval for a different version of earmark reform than the bill approved overwhelmingly by the House on Jan. 5, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid agreed on Friday to accept the same earmark disclosure requirements promoted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the 2006 midterm elections. Full Story