January 2009

We are working on Capitol Hill for a new direction for our country.

I'm excited about our opportunities in the next Congress and I'm fortunate to be in a unique position to help advance many of the goals we share.

First and foremost, with solid Democratic majorities in both houses, we will move boldly and quickly with President Barack Obama to protect homeowners and revitalize our nation's economy.

Lofgren and Bonner In Sync on Ethics

An excerpt from Roll Call, 6/1/09

Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) have gone off on a tangent.

The top lawmakers on the House ethics panel are in the midst of evaluating the chamber’s ethics rules — the value of restrictions added in recent years, and whether some changes cause too much confusion for staff and mean too little to constituents — but now they’re talking about ice cubes.

Inside the committee’s office suite in the basement of the Capitol, Lofgren and Bonner are recalling an earlier round of reforms, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) curtailed ice delivery to House offices in 1995 and then showcased the move as an effort to trim Congressional perks and operating costs. “I thought it was a great idea,” Lofgren said. “I could not make them stop delivering the ice.”

“And I thought it was a terrible idea because, as a young staffer, I used to go get the ice,” Bonner chimed in.

Read more

Lofgren Looks to Reduce Travel Paperwork

Jennifer Yachnin

Schwarzenegger determined to deliver federal money

Rob Hotakainen

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday wrapped up two days of meetings in Washington, determined and optimistic that he'll get $7 billion from the federal government to help balance California's faltering budget.

California Dreaming? Governor To Ask Feds For Funds

John Myers

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger travels to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to pass the hat and ask the feds for cash.