Tagged: Congressman John Yarmuth

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation Friday that funds transportation programs and averts an increase in interest rates on loans for college students.

The packaged measure passed by a 373-to-52 vote and avoids a looming deadline that would have doubled Stafford loan rates to 6.8 percent on July 1. The bill also pays for construction of highways, bridges and other projects over the next two years. 

Speaking on the House floor Friday, U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., suggested Republican lawmakers have not read the Affordable Care Act and accused them of misleading Americans about President Obama's health care overhaul.

Check it out (h/t FatLip):

The Democratic lawmakers in Kentucky's congressional delegation handled the contempt vote of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in the House very differently Thursday.

The House of Representatives voted 255-to-67 to hold Holder in contempt for failing to turnover key documents tied to the controversial "Fast and Furious" gun-running operation. But the Obama administration has said the Justice Department has turned over 7,000 pages to Congress and called the vote a "witch hunt."

Over a dozen Democrats joined the Republican majority, including Sixth District Congressman Ben Chandler of Lexington. He said holding Holder in contempt was more about oversight than politics.

From Chandler's office:

“Throughout my time in Congress and as Attorney General of Kentucky, I have always supported the principle of public disclosure and been an advocate for open records regardless of which party is in power. I voted to hold Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolten in contempt while President Bush was in office, and even though some Republicans have turned this into a political circus, it is imperative that Congress is able to exercise its duties of oversight.”

Third District Congressman John Yarmuth released this statement following today's Supreme Court Ruling upholding President Obama's health care overhaul:

“Today, the Supreme Court made a decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act that is in step with the Constitution and the majority of Americans.

Congressman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., believes the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the Affordable Care Act.

The justices are expected to rule on President Obama’s chief legislative accomplishment on Thursday to determine whether the law is constitutional. According to polling, at least 37 percent of Americans want the law struck down while other surveys show 35 percent want it upheld.

The Supreme Court strengthened its Citizens United case Monday when it struck down a 100-year-old Montana ban on corporate spending in state and local elections.

In a summary reversal that had no oral arguments, justices ruled 5-to-4 against the state along the same lines it did for the controversial 2010 decision that allows for unlimited spending by companies and unions in federal campaigns.

Locally, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Congressman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., have sat on opposite sides of this debate.

McConnell issued a statement praising the high court's ruling as a victory for the First Amendment and exaggerated claims of corporate control.

In another important victory for freedom of speech, the Supreme Court has reversed the Montana Supreme Court, upholding First Amendment free speech rights that were set out in Citizens United. As I pointed out in an amicus brief that I filed in the Montana case, a review of Federal Election Commission records of independent spending supporting the eight Republican presidential candidates earlier this year showed only minimal corporate involvement in the 2012 election cycle.