John Larson News

As a Supreme Court decision that could weaken campaign finance laws looms, Sen. Richard Durbin , D-Ill., said that a ruling giving an upper hand to corporations and labor unions could be the catalyst needed to pass election-reform legislation.

Might a decision by the Supreme Court to allow unlimited corporate expenditures during elections whet congressional appetite for public financing? On Friday, two high-ranking Democratic lawmakers predicted that yes, it might.

Online advertising campaign in Iowa and Washington, D.C. asks if health insurers are pulling the strings Public Campaign Action Fund, a national campaign finance watchdog group, named Sen.

By Alain Sherter The fight over a financial transaction tax is heating up. Rep. Peter DeFazio , D-Ore., on Thursday introduced legislation that would apply a "small" tax on trading in stocks, bonds and other securities.

House Democratic leaders are considering a two-part omnibus plan to wrap work on the remaining seven fiscal 2010 appropriations bills before the continuing resolution expires Dec.

Public Campaign Action Fund, a national campaign finance watchdog group, named Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell its first "Insurance Puppet" in an online advertising campaign targeting Kentucky and Washington, D.C. "Senator McConnell has taken $523,000 from health insurers, and given more than 50 floor speeches spouting their talking points," ...

By Ben Pershing The White House jobs summit opens today amid concerns on Capitol Hill that the administration has not done enough to boost unemployment and uncertainty over how and when Congress can deliver a jobs bill to the president's desk.

House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt on Tuesday criticized a "war tax" proposed by House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey in an unusual public spat between two top Democrats.

Connecticut's Congressional delegation reacted to President Obama's high-stakes speech on Afghanistan Tuesday night with a bracing dose of skepticism.

With many members of his own party balking at paying for more troops and the prospect of years of more war in Afghanistan, President Obama has launched a major effort to rally support on Capitol Hill for the war policies he will unveil in an address to the nation on Tuesday night.

They've gathered at the Capitol and trekked down to Washington. They've protested cap and trade, healthcare and Chris Dodd.

Not since the days of Gov. William A. O'Neill has a Democrat crushed the carpet of the governor's office in the state Capitol.

President Obama's agenda this year has involved a number of big-ticket items: the stimulus, some of the bailouts, healthcare and cap-and-trade. And though some -- or arguably, all -- of these will actually increase federal revenue in the long term, they clearly give the impression of the government handling a lot of money, which can sound an awful ...

Lawmakers could propose within weeks a US version of the tax on financial trades favoured by Gordon Brown to fund the global recovery from the financial crisis.

The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, wants 40,000 more troops.

Reporting from Washington - As President Obama is preparing to announce a troop increase and new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, several powerful House committee chairmen have proposed a surtax on Americans to pay the future military costs.

Amid reports that Obama will send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan , liberals are rallying around a plan to raise revenue for the surge.

Momentum building in Congress to change campaigns by empowering small dollar donors WASHINGTON, Nov.

Reps. Charles Rangel, John Larson and John Murtha are joining together to support a surtax on the Afghanistan war.

Rep. John Larson , D-Conn., is the lead sponsor of legislation to enact a public financing system at the congressional level.