Staff Bios
Susan Ferrechio
Before becoming chief congressional correspondent for the Examiner, Susan Ferrechio was a reporter for Congressional Quarterly and prior to that, covered education for the Miami Herald. She also covered education and Congress for the Washington Times. Ferrechio is presently reporting on the House and Senate.
Why you like your job:This is a front-row seat to the most exciting legislative and political stories
Follow The Examiner
Republicans leery of Obama's bipartisan play
Published: Feb 09, 2010
President Obama's plan to revive his stalled health care initiatives through a bipartisan summit got a skeptical reception from Republicans, who say they will be "reluctant" to participate if the plan is only meant to tweak the massive Democratic proposal already in play.
In a letter sent Monday to Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., implored Obama to start over with a new health plan and abandon the Democratic proposal that would significantly expand Medicaid, mandate insurance coverage, and impose new taxes and a half-billion dollars in cuts to Medicare.
"If the starting point for this meeting is...
Continued...
Republicans 'Reluctant' to attend summit
Published: Feb 08, 2010
House Republican Leaders have sent a letter to the White House, imploring them to scrap their health care proposal and start from scratch at the upcoming health care summit that President Barack Obama proposed Sunday on 60 Minutes.
In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., asked for more details about the summit, warning that Republicans would "rightly be reluctant to participate," if the whole affair was merely intended to tweak the current Democratic proposals.
"Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward on health care in a bipartisan way, does that mean he...
Continued...
GOP cautions White House on health summit
Published: Feb 08, 2010
House Republican Leaders have sent a letter to the White House, imploring them to scrap their health care proposal and start from scratch at the upcoming health care summit that President Barack Obama proposed Sunday on 60 Minutes.
In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., asked for more details about the summit, warning that Republicans would "rightly be reluctant to participate," if the whole affair was merely intended to tweak the current Democratic proposals.
"Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward on health care in a bipartisan way, does that mean he will agree to...
Continued...
Embattled Rep. John Murtha dead at 77
Published: Feb 08, 2010
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., died this afternoon, media outlets are reporting.
Murtha died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., after suffering complications that followed gallbladder surgery. He was 77.
Murtha chaired the powerful defense appropriations subcommittee and was known for bringing millions of dollars in earmarks back to his district over the years. Murtha was one of the most powerful opponents of the war in Iraq and he once ran for House Majority Leader, losing to Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., despite an endorsement from longtime political ally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Watchdog groups have criticized Murtha's use of earmarks as well as his ties to a...
Continued...
Vote on controversial labor nominee slated for Tuesday
Published: Feb 08, 2010
Washington D.C. is still digging out of snowmageddon and another storm is expected to hit town tomorrow, but the Senate is planning critical votes nonetheless.
Senate Democratic leaders announced Monday afternoon that they plan to convene at 2 p.m. and then vote at 5 p.m. on the nomination of Joseph Greenaway to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. After that vote, Senate Democrats will move to invoke cloture on the nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Democrats need 60 votes to prevent Republicans from blocking Becker, but it may be difficult now that Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., has been sworn in. Brown has not indicated how he will vote on...
Continued...
New DNC ad tries to link Republicans to Wall Street
Published: Feb 08, 2010
The Democratic National Committee is out with a new ad today, this one linking the Republican party with an effort to shake down Wall Street in exchange for political favors.
The ad springs off of a New York Times story that claims Republicans are promising Wall Street to help curb financial reform in exchange for campaign cash.
"They are at it again," a voice in the ad says, "promising Wall Street we'll have your back and will block reforms to hold banks accountable and get our money back all in pursuit of campaign cash."
Republicans are responding to the ad.
"Democrats built and protected their majority by threatening and shaking down the same Wall Street institutions they now...
Continued...
DNC Ties GOP to Wall Street In Ad
Published: Feb 08, 2010
The Democratic National Committee is out with a new ad today, this one linking the Republican party with an effort to shake down Wall Street in exchange for political favors.
The ad springs from a New York Times story that claims Republicans are promising Wall Street to help curb financial reform in exchange for campaign cash.
"They are at it again," a voice in the ad says, "promising Wall Street we'll have your back and will block reforms to hold banks accountable and get our money back all in pursuit of campaign cash.”
Republicans are responding to the ad.
"Democrats built and protected their majority by threatening and shaking down the same Wall Street institutions they now...
Continued...
Senate Dems promise a jobs bill by Monday
Published: Feb 05, 2010
Senate Democrats are scrambling to put together a jobs package that can win enough bipartisan support to pass as early as next week.
Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid offered only a vague outline and no price tag on legislation that he said would help small businesses create more jobs, improve the nation's infrastructure and make homes and businesses more energy efficient.
"We will have a vote on a jobs bill this Monday," Reid said.
But Senate Democrats now lack control of the 60 votes needed to block a Republican filibuster, which means any proposal they put forward will require at least one GOP senator to go along.
Republicans have been noncommittal so far, but many already oppose...
Continued...
Brown takes office, but still a mystery on some issues
Published: Feb 05, 2010
Scott Brown of Massachusetts was sworn in to the U.S. Senate Thursday, becoming the 41st Republican senator and giving the GOP the power to filibuster Democratic legislation for the first time since former Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, of Pennsylvania, switched parties 10 months ago.
Vice President Biden administered the oath of office to Brown, who in a surprise move decided to show up a week early in order to cast his vote on a controversial nomination that many in the GOP oppose.
"I wanted to get to work," Brown said, when asked why he asked be seated sooner. "There are a lot of votes pending I'd like to participate in."
Brown campaigned on his plan to vote against the Democratic...
Continued...
Brown arriving in Senate a week early; Dems scramble
Published: Feb 04, 2010
With Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts headed to Washington to be sworn in Thursday -- a week earlier than expected -- Democrats were scrambling to push through union-friendly nominees for key posts in the Obama administration.
Brown asked Massachusetts election officials to certify his win immediately and now he is expected to be sworn in during an afternoon ceremony. He will become the chamber's 41st Republican, which will give the party enough votes to block controversial nominees like Craig Becker, President Obama's pick to fill one of three vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board -- someone who businesses fear will be able to implement pro-union changes that...
Continued...
House aims to repeal health insurance industry's antitrust exemption
Published: Feb 03, 2010
With major health care reform on hold, House Democrats are aiming for an easier target. On Friday they are introducing a bill that would strip the health care industry of its special anti-trust exemption.
Freshmen Reps. Tom Perriello, D-Va., and Betsy Markey, D-Colo., are sponsoring the bill, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said is needed to allow the federal government to stop collusion and price-fixing by the insurance companies.
The House plans to take up the bill next week, and while it may pass easily, the Senate is no sure thing.
Republicans and at least a few Democrats, including Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who is a former insurance commissioner, are wary of...
Continued...
House aims to repeal health insurance antitrust exemption
Published: Feb 03, 2010
With major health care reform on hold, House Democrats are aiming for an easier target. On Friday they are introducing a bill that would strip the health care industry of its special anti-trust exemption.
Freshmen Reps. Tom Perriello, D-Va., and Betsy Markey, D-Colo., are sponsoring the bill, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said is needed to allow the federal government to stop collusion and price-fixing by the insurance companies.
The House plans to take up the bill next week, and while it may pass easily, the Senate is no sure thing.
Republicans and at least a few Democrats, including Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who is a former insurance commissioner, are wary of...
Continued...
Brown will be sworn in Thursday
Published: Feb 03, 2010
Massachusetts Senator-elect Scott Brown will be sworn in Thursday, according to Jim Manley, the spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Brown's lawyer today asked that the election results in his state be immediately certified so that he can be sworn in right away.
Initially Brown was scheduled to take office next week, but has since decided he wants to vote on upcoming nominations for solicitor general, the General Services Administration and the National Labor Relations Board.
Vice President Joe Biden will deliver the oath of...
Continued...
Brown wants to be seated immediately
Published: Feb 03, 2010
Massachusetts Senator-elect Scott Brown, a Republican, is asking that the election results in his state be immediately certified.
Brown had initially planned on being sworn into office next week, but has decided he wants to speed things up and be sworn in tomorrow in order to be present for some some key senate votes.
"He wants certification to occur immediately," said his lawyer in a letter sent today to Gov. Deval Patrick and State Secretary William Galvin.
The letter points out that the election results from the state were officially transmitted today, making Brown eligible for immediate certification....
Continued...
Pentagon working to limit 'disruptions' from openly gay service members
Published: Feb 03, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced at a Senate hearing that he is putting in place a working group whose mission will be to find a path forward to repeal the U.S military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay men and women in the military.
But Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued a veiled warning as he sat by Gates' side.
"It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," but he added "There will be some disruption in the force, I cannot deny. We would all like to have a better handle on these types of concerns and that is what our review will offer."
Gates and Mullen, who appeared...
Continued...
Congress sacks White House claims of imminent touchdown on health bill
Published: Feb 03, 2010
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to discuss how to proceed with health care, and he said congressional and White House staff have already been collaborating on a new plan.
Continued...
Mullen warns of "disruption" from repealing "Don't ask. Don't tell"
Published: Feb 02, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Thursday he is putting in place a working group whose mission will be to put a plan in place to repeal the U.S military's "don't ask don't tell" policy regarding gay men and women in the military.
But Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued a veiled warning.
"It is my personal believe that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," but he added "There will be some disruption in the force, I cannot deny. We would all like to have a better handle on these types of concerns and that is what our review will offer."
Gates and Mullen appeared before a Senate hearing Tuesday morning,...
Continued...
'Stimulus' becomes a dirty word as Congress works on 'jobs'
Published: Feb 02, 2010
Senate Democratic leaders this week are expected to announce the details of a jobs package that will likely include a combination of tax breaks, unemployment benefits and spending.
But some analysts say the proposal lawmakers are hinting at will do little to create jobs and is just a smaller version of the $787 billion stimulus bill that critics say did nothing to improve the nation's bleak employment picture.
"I think it is totally fair to call this another stimulus," said Harvard University economics professor Jeffrey Miron. "That is exactly what it is."
Senate Democrats disagree, saying their plan to introduce both short-term and long-term jobs bills will actually boost...
Continued...
Poll: Opposition growing to domestic, civilian trials for terrorists
Published: Feb 01, 2010
The $200 million price tag is probably not the only thing encouraging the Obama administration to consider venues outside New York City for the trial of KSM. Public opinion is also likely playing a roll.
A new Rasmussen Report finds that 44 percent of voters say they believe the terrorist trials should be held at the prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, compared to 33 percent who oppose using Guantanamo.
And a growing number say they want a military tribunal, not the civilian courts, to litigate the cases of the accused terrorists. The poll found that 67 percent support tribunals, up from 54 percent in July 2008
"Regardless of where and how the trials take place, voters continue to...
Continued...
Republicans vow to keep fighting health care reform, U.S. terrorist trials
Published: Feb 01, 2010
President Obama's visit last week with House Republicans was aimed at starting a new era of bipartisanship in Congress, but Republicans said Sunday they plan to keep fighting Democrats on any effort to pass their health care reform proposal and put foreign terrorists on trial in the United States.
Neither senior White House adviser David Axelrod nor Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs on Sunday would rule out New York as the setting for the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused architect of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Axelrod said Obama has made "no decision," and when asked by NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press" what the chances are that the trial will be held in New York...
Continued...
Brown 'Still' Pro Choice
Published: Jan 31, 2010
Senator-elect Scott Brown, R-Mass., gave his first Sunday talk show interview with ABC's Barbara Walters and described himself as a "big tent person," when it comes to the Republican Party.
Brown said he opposes late term abortions, federal funding of abortion and is in favor of strong parental notification laws.
"But you're still pro-choice?" Walters asked him.
"Yes, because I feel this issue is best handled between a woman and her doctor and her family," Brown answered.
Brown refused to call identify himself as a moderate or a conservative Republican, instead calling himself a "Scott Brown Republican."
"What does that mean?" he said. "That means I'm going to go down there and...
Continued...
Pelosi fires back
Published: Jan 29, 2010
Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami has put out a statement in response to House Republican comments that followed the Q and A with Obama.
"Republican Leaders continue to complain about the absence of bipartisanship, but they are ignoring some of the facts: More than 100 Republican-sponsored bills passed the House (many with unanimous support) and many other major bills received Republican support," Elshami said. "However, all you hear from Republicans is their opposition to the Recovery Act (which included jobs and middle class tax cuts), health insurance reform and Wall Street Reform."
Pelosi and Boehner had already scheduled to meet next week....
Continued...
Boehner: Bipartisanship is up to Pelosi
Published: Jan 29, 2010
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, talked to reporters after the extraordinary public Q and A between the GOP and President Obama in Baltimore this afternoon.
Boehner said he believes Obama will honor his pledge to have regular meetings with the GOP, but that any further effort at bipartisanship could be hampered by House Democrats.
"It's really up to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer to carry through," Boehner said. "I think the president has always been willing to work a little more closely with us, but, really, it's never translated into real action on the Hill."
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., named off-shore drilling and...
Continued...
Pence goes for the jugular with Obama
Published: Jan 29, 2010
Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., fired the opening shot at President Barack Obama, who visited Republicans at their retreat in Baltimore and pledged to listen to their ideas.
Pence pointed out that the jobless rate has climbed from 6 percent to 10 percent since Obama took office, which prompted Obama to launch into lengthy answer that essentially pinned a good portion of the increase on Bush administration policies and said his administration did not realize how bad the job loss would get. He also defended provisions in the $787 stimulus bill.
Pence asked Obama if he would "consider across the board tax relief," like that proposed by President John F. Kennedy.
"I am...
Continued...
Obama defends closed door health care talks
Published: Jan 29, 2010
Obama answered a criticism from House Republicans, who he is meeting with in Baltimore, about not airing the health care reform talks on C-Span.
Obama told the GOP that most of the health care negotiations were televised during committee hearings, but he appears to be admitting the late-stage talks that took place in the closed offices of Senate and House Democratic leadership may have been a mistake.
"That was a messy process and I take responsibility," Obama said. "How do that logistically would not be as easy as it sounds," he added, referring to the request by C-Span to air the talks. "But I think it is a legitimate criticism, so on that one I take...
Continued...
Democrats quick to drop Obama's calls for party unity
Published: Jan 29, 2010
Despite the enthusiastic applause President Obama received from his party during his State of the Union speech, his influence over House and Senate Democrats has weakened considerably as lawmakers begin to panic over the midterm elections 10 months away.
While Congress is eager to pass the jobs legislation Obama called for in his speech, there is little appetite for a health care reform bill or climate change legislation he asked them not to give up on.
"The three top issues on our agenda this year are jobs, jobs and jobs," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he has not figured out a way to proceed on a health care bill and no...
Continued...
Sessions: Obama was wrong to assail Supreme Court
Published: Jan 28, 2010
The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday assailed President Obama for criticizing a Supreme Court ruling during his State of the Union speech.
Obama told the audience, which included most of the nine justices, that the court had reversed a century of law and opened the floodgates to special interests and foreign countries to spend without limits on election.
In response, Justice Samuel Alito, sitting just feet away from the president, mouthed the words "not true."
Sessions said Obama was wrong to take a shot at the nation's highest court.
"It was inappropriate and really erroneous the way he characterized it," Sessions said....
Continued...
Obama vows to repeal ban on openly gay soldiers
Published: Jan 28, 2010
President Obama called on Congress to move this year to repeal the law banning openly gay men and women from serving in the United States military.
Obama has signaled repeatedly that he intended to lift the ban on gays serving, but has never set a deadline. He took it a step further in Wednesday's speech, calling on Congress to change the law in its current session.
"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are," Obama told Congress in his State of the Union address.
Congressional leaders have for months been discussing ways to repeal the law. One plan calls...
Continued...
Boehner - President has a lot to prove tonight
Published: Jan 27, 2010
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver his first State of the Union address, Republicans are accusing the Democrats of ignoring the economy up until now, while Democrats are mounting a vigorous defense of their agenda.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Wednesday that Obama should tell people in his State of the Union speech that he plans to redirect his attention to fixing the economy and creating jobs.
"I think what the American people want to see is a commitment from the President that he really is going to pivot to stopping the job-killing agenda and to work with Republicans in a bipartisan way as he promised during the campaign to get our economy...
Continued...
Landrieu reacts to arrests
Published: Jan 26, 2010
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., has put out a statement in response to the arrest of four men who infiltrated one of her district offices disguised as repairmen and tried to tamper with the phone system.
"This is a very unusual situation and somewhat unsettling for me and my staff," Landrieu said. "The individuals responsible have been charged with entering federal property under false pretenses for the purposes of committing a felony. I am as interested as everyone else about their motives and purpose, which I hope will become clear as the investigation moves...
Continued...
