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Tag: Ben Nelson

Anti-abortion rights group targets ‘pro-life’ senators who voted to continue funding...

As it turned out, Planned Parenthood did not lose federal funding for family planning and reproductive services in the federal budget for fiscal year 2011 passed Thursday by Congress — and in retaliation, the Susan B. Anthony List announced Friday that it is launching a campaign to target senators who voted for the budget bill.

As window closes on DREAM Act, Colo. Democratic Party Chair rallies...

Although the DREAM Act began its life a decade ago as a Republican proposal and has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, Republicans and key conservative...

Senate likely to approve unemployment benefits extension today

Today, Congress plans to vote to extend unemployment benefits, which have been held up in the Senate for an unprecedented two months. Lawmakers will reconsider H.R. 4213, also known as the jobs bill or the extenders package, as the vehicle for a $34 billion extension of benefits — retroactive to June 2, when they lapsed, and continuing through the end of November.

Gulf update: Gusher well likely blown out, another well steadily leaking

In case you missed the latest from the Gulf, from which no good news comes these days, Florida Sen. Ben Nelson told MSNBC that...

LGBT groups gear up for today’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal...

The Senate Armed Services Committee goes into room 222 of the Russell building today at 2:30 p.m. to mark up the fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill. Until members emerge at 9 p.m., it’s a black box of information for determining the contours of the half-trillion-dollar-plus piece of legislation, including the fate of Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-Conn.) amendment to repeal the military’s ban on open gay service, an amendment strongly supported by Colorado's Mark Udall. The coalition of LGBT-rights organizations pushing to secure passage in the committee and then later this week on the House floor are trying as hard as they can to lock down votes by mid-afternoon before the Senators gather behind closed doors.

Lunchtime links: Colorado anti-Obamacare initiative struggling

Independence Institute President Jon Caldara's "anti-Obamacare " initiative, which aims to exempt Coloradans from the paying into the plan, is limping along, with only...

Bennet dismisses Romanoff campaign finance challenge

DENVER-- U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and his Democratic primary rival Andrew Romanoff met for a debate in Denver last night. There wasn't much debate. The main area of disagreement came when Romanoff challenged Bennet to decline to accept Political Action Committee, or special interest, campaign money. The challenge was expected. Romanoff, who has lagged seriously behind Bennet in fundraising for half a year, announced in January that he was eschewing PAC money. The campaign had returned PAC money it received in the fall. Bennet dismissed the challenge on stage and he dismissed it more fully in comments he made to the Colorado Independent after the debate ended. He characterized the challenge as not fully considered and opportunistic. He also said it was unrealistic, given the price tag of a political race where Republican rivals were unlikely to voluntarily limit their fundraising abilities.

The hard bargains and steep costs of passing health reform

Unveiling a modified health reform bill on Saturday, Senate Democratic leaders appear to have cobbled together the 60 votes they’ll need to pass the most expansive overhaul to the nation’s health care system in generations. But winning that support comes at a steep cost.

Udall, Bennet summoned with other conservative Dems to the White House

ABC is reporting that President Obama has asked to meet with select Democratic senators, including Colorado Sens Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, as well...