PRO&CON® Extras
NASA Commercial Spaceflight Is Subject of House Hearings
Members of Congress expressed skepticism about the viability of the Obama Administration’s plan for a manned commercial space flight program at an October 26 hearing on the “Future Private Market for Human Spaceflight.” Spokespersons from NASA and aerospace companies testified before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on progress toward establishing a “purely commercial capability to fly humans to and from low-Earth orbit, with an emphasis on ferrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.” Current law authorizes $500 for development of the program, and many Members of Congress are reluctant to meet the Administration’s request for $850 million,…
Read more...Vote Nears on China Currency
Despite the Chinese Government’s warnings of a trade war, the Senate has moved toward approval of a bill designed to bring back jobs from China by targeting that nation’s currency. With 62 senators voting to end debate on the bill, it is all but certain to have the simple majority needed for passage. That vote is scheduled to occur this week. The legislation ― S. 1619, the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act, introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (OH-D) ― would direct the Obama Administration to take action against China’s alleged manipulation of the value of its currency. The U.S….
Read more...Interest High as Supreme Court Opens New Term
The U.S. Supreme Court opened what is likely to be a closely watched and potentially explosive new term on Monday. The dominant theme of this, the sixth year of the Roberts Court, is the power of the Federal government and attempts to define its limits. Although there are some cases already on the docket that are sure to generate a great deal of interest, it’s the cases that the Court has yet to grant certiorari to, but may very well decide to consider, that are generating white-hot attention. Two cases that very likely will be taken up by the Court…
Read more...Obama Administration Calls for Court Review of Health Care Law
On Wednesday, the Obama Administration announced that it would appeal an Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel’s decision to strike down part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Administration could have opted to request that the full circuit court rehear the case en banc, but the Administration declined to do so. This means the High Court will almost certainly consider the case in the upcoming 2011-12 term and could grant certiorari as early as next week, when the new session begins on Monday. “Today, the Obama Administration will ask the…
Read more...Obama Announces Major Changes in No Child Left Behind
Saying “Congress hasn’t been able to do it, so I will,” President Obama announced that he is waiving central provisions of the No Child Left Behind law, the signature education policy achievement of the George W. Bush Administration. Although the original bill passed Congress with bipartisan support, the law has since become controversial, with many charging that the program is too focused on standardized testing and that it intrudes too much on local control of education. The May 2008 Congressional Digest, titled “No Child Left Behind Revisited,” covered the Pro & Con debate on the question “Should Congress Make Fundamental…
Read more...NASA Announces Design for Deep-Space Rocket
NASA has just announced plans for the most powerful rocket since Saturn V flew the first astronauts to the Moon. The agency says that the new Space Launch System (SLS) will allow humans to travel farther into space than anyone has ever ventured before, including to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars a decade later ― goals set by President Obama. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said, “The launch system will create good-paying American jobs, ensure continued U.S. leadership in space, and inspire millions around the world. President Obama challenged us to be bold and dream big, and that’s exactly what…
Read more...EU Embargoes Syrian Oil
As the unrest in Syria continues unabated and the number of civilian deaths grows — now over 2,200, according to the United Nations — the international community has begun to increase pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. On Saturday, the European Union instituted a ban on petroleum imports from Syria (although a full ban won’t be instituted until November, as Italy lobbied to allow existing import contracts be fulfilled). The United States has already instituted its own oil ban, but the EU’s actions will likely have a more significant effect on Syria’s economy. While the United States does not directly…
Read more...Welcome to Our Newly Redesigned Website!
On this 90th anniversary of our founding, Congressional Digest continues to change with the times, while still bringing you our trademark impartial, timely coverage of key controversies before Congress, the Supreme Court, and international forums. Knowing that our readers depend on us for thorough research and a balanced presentation of the Pros & Cons of today’s important debates, we’ve rebuilt our site to make it much easier to find, read, and download our publications. These improvements include: Better navigation Easy-to-use search engine Expanded database of material Enhanced blog with links to primary sources And last but not least, a new…
Read more...Court Gives Minors Added Protection During Police Questioning
Last week, in the case of J.D.B. v. North Carolina, the Supreme Court issued a closely decided ruling that law enforcement and judges need to take the age of suspects into consideration when deciding whether they should be informed of their Miranda rights during police interrogation.
Read more...Court Rules for Ashcroft in Material-Witness Case
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled 8-to-0 that John Ashcroft cannot be held personally liable for alleged abuse of material-witness detention powers. (Justice Kagan recused herself because of her involvement in the case as U.S. Solicitor General.)
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