5 down, 1 to go on Dems' House agenda
Five down, one more on tap as House Democrats sprint through their list of promises, not even in sight of the 100 hours set aside for that goal.
About seven more hours ticked away Wednesday on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour clock for passing each item on an agenda that Democrats told voters they would enact after sweeping to victory in November.
The final piece was on deck for a vote Thursday: energy legislation that imposes billions in fees, taxes and royalties on oil and gas companies and uses the money to promote renewable fuels.
According to Pelosi's count, it has taken just over 34 hours to pass the first five bills, including a measure approved Wednesday to lower interest rates on some student loans.
The House actually has been in session for more than 72 hours since the 110th Congress was sworn in on Jan. 4. But the clock on Pelosi's Web site suggested that 34 hours, 5 minutes had elapsed by the close of House business Wednesday.
The San Francisco Democrat's clock only tracks hours spent on legislation.
The items passed so far would:
-make the government negotiate for lower Medicare prescription drug prices. It passed last Friday.
-expand federally funded stem cell research. It passed Jan. 11.
-raise the federal minimum wage. It passed Jan. 10.
-seek to bolster terrorism-fighting efforts. It passed Jan. 9.
-change rules governing ethics, lobbying and the budget. These changes were passed on Jan. 4-5.
They ran on it, and they're doing
what they said they would.
