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U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings’ Washington, D.C., office was shuttered in 2001 after anthrax spores were found, so he’s “very sensitive” to the investigation into the crime, he said. Now, Cummings said he supports a review of the investigation. U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., proposed legislation in September to create a congressional commission to investigate the attacks and the federal government’s response. “Whatever we have to do to get to the bottom of this anthrax issue, we need to do it,” Cummings said. Holt’s bipartisan commission would mirror the 9/11 commission and make recommendations on how to prevent such attacks and...

Six former members of Congress to hear space alien testimony By Justin Sink - 04/29/13 11:29 AM ET Six former members of Congress have signed up for a week of congressional-style testimony on the existence of space aliens. The hearing, which will occur this week at the National Press Club, will feature some 30 hours of testimony on the possible existence of extraterrestrials and be recorded for a documentary film. Around three dozen researchers and academics are expected to testify. Participants will include ex-Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska), and ex-Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.),...

Dems target vulnerable GOP lawmakers over health law repeal voteBy Meghashyam Mali - 07/02/12 06:00 AM ET The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is launching a new campaign Monday targeting vulnerable GOP lawmakers on healthcare ahead of the House vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. "Democrats are on offense as we expose these House Republicans for standing up for insurance companies and congressional perks instead of protecting consumers," said DCCC Chairman Steve Israel (N.Y.), in a statement announcing the drive. "For 18 months, Republicans have been on defense for protecting millionaires over Medicare and now they're planning another vote...

When Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., lost the GOP primary to challenger Richard Mourdock this month, Beltway types saw the voters' verdict as a victory for the Tea Party and a defeat for the kind of Republican who could work across the aisle. I think Lugar, 80, lost because he was out of touch with Indiana. He started the primary registered to vote at an Indiana home he had sold in 1977. The Lugars have resided in Virginia ever since. Lugar had been working in Washington for so long that he didn't realize he needed to keep up at least the...

Read Between The Lines: Hollywood Mogul Buys 2,600 Acres Of Farmland; Moving To New Zealand Mac Slavo February 1st, 2012 James Cameron, the Hollywood producer responsible for blockbuster films like Terminator, Titanic and Avatar, is reportedly preparing to exit stage left. While the move for the Canadian born Cameron may initially be perceived as a rejection or denouncement of American policies and ideals, Cameron, who has made campaign donations to the Democrat Party in the past, most notably during the 2004 Presidential election where he supported democrat John Kerry, may have ulterior motivations, as evidenced by where he’s planning on...

Gov. Martin O’Malley has signed legislation outlining Maryland’s congressional redistricting map The Democratic governor signed the measure on Thursday, shortly after the state Senate took a final vote to correct about 24 typographical errors in the bill. The House of Delegates passed the bill on Wednesday. Maryland has eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The districts were being redrawn for the next 10 years in response to the 2010 census. Democrats who control the General Assembly say the map reflects population growth in the suburbs of the nation’s capital and along the Interstate corridor northwest of Washington. But...

There's been plenty of evidence recently that the Smart Grid could become a serious security risk for IT and households. Now comes something potentially just as troubling: A U.S. Congressman warns that the grid can be taken down by an electromagnetic weapon. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (Rep.-Md.) issued that warning recently. He's not your typical "the-sky-is-falling" Congressman --- he's a former research scientist and engineer and has previously has worked on projects for NASA and the military. Bartlett issued his warning yesterday at a House Science subcommittee hearing about how to roll out the Smart Grid. At the hearing, he warned...

Report cites Frank's proposal to cut military 25% President-elect Barack Obama raised questions during an election campaign stop in Colorado Springs when he asserted the U.S. needs a "civilian national security force" that would be as powerful, strong and well-funded as the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force, but few of those questions have been answered. But now one report is proposing a possible solution for part of the equation: From where would the money for such an organization come? Democrats in Congress now are floating the idea of cutting U.S. military spending by 25 percent, or $150 billion a...

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett is ridiculing part of the FBI's explanation for the 2001 anthrax attacks. And the Maryland Republican says he's skeptical about the agency's conclusion that biodefense researcher Bruce Ivins grew the anthrax in his laboratory at Fort Detrick in Frederick and then mailed it to unsuspecting victims, five of whom died......

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett says high oil prices have prompted him to drop his longtime opposition to oil and natural gas drilling in a national wildlife refuge in Alaska. The Maryland Republican has co-sponsored a bill that would allow for oil and gas production on part of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Monday signed a bill that would bar condominium and homeowner associations from restricting how the American flag can be displayed. Sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the resolution would prohibit those groups from preventing residents from displaying an American flag on their own property. It was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate.

President Bush on Monday signed a bill that would bar condominium and homeowner associations from restricting how the American flag can be displayed. Sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the resolution would prohibit those groups from preventing residents from displaying an American flag on their own property. It was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate. "Americans have long flown our flag as an expression of their appreciation for our freedoms and their pride in our nation," Bush said in a statement. "As our brave men and women continue to fight to protect our country overseas, Congress has...

WASHINGTON — Not only is the abortion pill RU-486 killing babies, Maryland Rep. Roscoe Bartlett said Wednesday, it's now known to kill their mothers and should be banned immediately. Bartlett held a news conference Wednesday to boost passage of his legislation, commonly known as "Holly's Law," which calls for the Food and Drug Administration's suspension of RU-486. "I don't want it on the market," the pro-life Republican said. "We need to be responsible. We need to move on this. This is a very modest bill." The bill has 79 other co-sponsors, including Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio. "Too many girls have...

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, Maryland Republican, again has introduced legislation that would override rules prohibiting flag displays. His original bill died last year before reaching a committee vote. Mr. Bartlett is using patriotic holidays, including Flag Day and Independence Day, to promote his bill. "I think if you put this to a vote of the majority of the American people, it would pass easily," he told the Baltimore Sun. Hugh Warner, a flag vendor in Frederick for 30 years, learned last year about a Florida homeowners association that barred a resident from flying a flag. He...

The following is a partial transcript of Congressman Roscoe Bartlett's fourth Special Order speech to the US Congress regarding Peak Oil, introduced by Rep.Ehlers. See link for full text. US House of Representatives - May 11, 2005 Mr. EHLERS: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise tonight with several of my colleagues to discuss an issue of great importance to our Nation, and I know that everyone that gets up here starts the same way, but this is a particularly important issue, one that the three of us wish to discuss as scientists, or those who have a great interest...

WASHINGTON — It took George Washington (search) less time to win the Revolutionary War (search) than it has taken Rep. Roscoe Bartlett to win passage of a bill to make the government again call Presidents' Day by its legal name — Washington's Birthday. But the Maryland Republican is not giving up. Bartlett (search), who first tackled the issue in 1999, has reintroduced the Washington-Lincoln Recognition Act (search). It would require that all federal government officials and entities refer to the holiday exclusively as "Washington's Birthday," and require that the first president's name be used in any publication about the holiday...

Congressman pushes bill to honor Washington By I-Wei J. Chang, Capital News Service(KRT) WASHINGTON -- It took George Washington less time to win the Revolutionary War than it has taken Rep. Roscoe Bartlett to win passage of a bill to make the government again call Presidents' Day by its legal name -- Washington's Birthday. But the Maryland Republican is not giving up. Bartlett, who first tackled the issue in 1999, has reintroduced the Washington-Lincoln Recognition Act. It would require that all federal government officials and entities refer to the holiday exclusively as "Washington's Birthday," and require that the first president's...

Although the risk of your house catching fire and burning to the ground is remote, are you willing to risk not having fire insurance? That's a question that Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) poses, and the answer that I think you and I would give without hesitation is "no." Our country is unprepared to deal with a nuclear explosion at a high altitude. The danger would be more than merely life or limb. A nuclear explosion over Chicago, for example, could plunge a large portion of our country into darkness, with electricity lost for days, even months, perhaps in some places...

Bill Would Reduce Anti-Free Speech Effects of Campaign Finance Law Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Campaign reform legislation that prohibits organizations other than political action committees from mentioning candidates in advertising before primaries and elections has stifled pro-life groups. That's why pro-life Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) has introduced a bill that would restore the First Amendment Rights of the excluded organizations. Currently, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 includes a provision that prohibits non-PAC-funded issue advocacy and references to candidates in broadcast advertisements 30 days prior to primaries and 60 days prior to general elections. That means pro-life groups that...

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A group of conservative Republicans in Congress is pushing a bill that would safeguard the right of U.S. military academies to say grace before meals. The bill comes after a civil-liberties group warned that lunchtime grace at the Naval Academy may be unconstitutional. It's also the first legislative response to federal court rulings striking down mealtime prayer at the Virginia Military Institute as a violation of church-state separation. Annapolis is the only federal academy where a chaplain leads grace before a meal with mandatory attendance. West Point doesn't offer a mealtime prayer; the Air Force Academy pauses...