This Week in Congress

Subject: Census: Eight Winners, 11 Losers

January 18, 2010


Who the Census Helps and Hurts

The U.S. Census does more than just count people, it also determines which states gain or lose a Congressional seat.

The more seats a state has, the more political power it gains, not only in the number of Members of Congress it has but also the Electoral College votes.

According to an analysis by Election Data Services Inc., the nonpartisan consulting firm specializing in political demographics, eight states are poised to gain seats and 11 states are likely to lose them.

Read more about the eight states the Census will help: Texas, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Georgia and South Carolina.

Read more about the 11 states the Census will hurt: Louisiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

Five Ways to Create Jobs

With the unemployment rate at more than 15 percent, job creation will be a top issue in Congress in 2010.

Still, not everyone agrees on how best to create jobs.

Many liberals think government programs to build roads or weatherize homes will get workers such as laborers and contractors back on the job. On the other side, conservatives think tax cuts are the answer.

The only idea that seems to have been definitively ruled out is a massive new public employment program such as the Works Progress Administration, started during the Great Depression.

Even smaller government programs have conservative critics.

Read more about five ideas for job creation.

Delay Imperils Clean Energy Plans

President Obama's green energy initiatives could suffer a severe blow if the Senate doesn't pass a climate bill this year.

The president has long planned on using money from cap-and-trade legislation to modernize the electric grid; develop solar, wind, and geothermal energy projects; and find new energy sources to reduce dependence on foreign oil.

By selling pollution credits to companies , the federal government would earn $646 billion over the next decade from cap and trade. Most of the money would go back to taxpayers, but $15 billion would fund the renewable energy initiatives.

The bill has cleared the House, but it's looking increasingly unlikely that the Senate will get to it before mid-term elections.

Read more about clean-energy proposals.

Fighting Over the Cadillac Plans

Cadillacs
Democrats are butting heads on how to fund the near $900-billion health care overhaul.

A 40 percent tax on high-premium, or Cadillac, insurance plans that was included in the Senate version of the bill is ruffling feathers.

It's no surprise that this particular levy has emerged as a major sticking point, considering the amount of money on the line.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the tax can generate $149 billion in revenue over the next decade, money that can offset the cost of the overhaul. On the other side, insurance companies risk losing a $200-billion subsidy that stemmed from health plans being offered as a pre-tax benefit.

Take a closer look at who's fighting over the tax on Cadillac plans.

Get on Your Online Soapbox

SoapboxCongress.org has made it easier to get on your Soapbox.

Registered users of our Web site are allowed to create up to four Soapbox messages a month for free to share their views on politics and the federal government.

Each message comes with a direct link to our letter-writing tool and ZIP code directory. That means anyone reading your message can easily go straight from your words to writing their own letter to Congress!

To get on your Soapbox, first register as a member of Congress.org at congress.org/register. Then follow our simple step-by-step guide to get your message out.

Or go to congress.org/soapbox/splash to read what other users are thinking.

Bills of the Week

H.R. 2646 would enhance the oversight authority of the Government Accountability Office.

Click here to tell your Members of Congress what you think of this bill.

H.R. 3237 would affect laws relating to national and commercial space programs.

Click here to tell your Members of Congress what you think of this bill.

A New Look

Visit the redesigned Congress.org! We have more news throughout the week. Our reliable tools for advocacy remain unchanged and we'll be adding more in the weeks ahead.
Get on Your Soapbox

Want to make your voice heard concerning issues important to you? Get on your soapbox and make it happen! Our Soapbox feature allows you to give exposure to your issue and lets other Congress.org users take action on the alerts you create. Registered users are now allowed four free soapbox alerts per month!
Track Your Lawmakers

Want to track votes cast by your Members of Congress? Sign up for our regular MegaVote newsletter.
Signed, Sealed, Hand-Delivered!

Did you know that you can have your message hand-delivered to the door of your Members of Congress? For a small fee, we can give your letter "Extra Impact" to help make your voice heard. Select that option when filling out your message on any topic.

Congress.org
50 F St. NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20001

Congress.org is a publication of the CQ-Roll Call Group. Scott Montgomery, Managing Editor.