By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Sen. Kent Conrad, North Dakota Democrat, said Tuesday he will not run for re-election in 2012, saying he will concentrate instead on reducing the national debt and dependence on foreign oil.
As if voters don't have enough to be angry about this election year, the government is expected to announce this week that more than 58 million Social Security recipients will go through another year without an increase in their monthly benefits.
With their ranks infused with antiwar sentiment, Democrats controlling the House were struggling Thursday for a way to finance President Obama's Afghanistan troop surge and also salvage their dwindling jobs agenda.
Acting on a tip, a congressional ethics office wants lobbyists to turn over fundraising information on eight House members, six of them on the Financial Services Committee that worked to overhaul the nation's financial regulations.
"Costs of living are inevitably going up, regardless of what that formula says," Mr. Pomeroy said. "Seniors in particular have items such as uncovered drug costs, medical costs, utility increases, and they're on fixed incomes."
Maybe, he said, there will be more of an appetite in Congress to pass it after lawmakers hear from voters in November.
