by WarmingLaw [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

(Cross-posted from Warming Law)  

It's a shame that Roll Call operates behind a subscription wall, because Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), who chairs the House's special committee on global warming, has a great op-ed there today summarizing where things stand moving forward from the solid energy bill framework that congressional Democrats hope to pass, "Global Warming At the Starting Gate." One key highlight:

Seventeen states (representing over 46 percent of Americans) have adopted or will soon adopt global warming emissions standards for vehicles. The federal district court in Vermont recently held that federal law does not prohibit such measures. What remains to be seen this year is whether the Bush EPA will grant these states the waiver they need to enforce these tailpipe standards, or spurn their ambitious action.

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[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Congressman Augustus Hawkins,the first African-American from California to serve in Congress, hasdied at the age of 100. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) laudedHawkins as "the author of some of the most significant legislation everpassed in the House ... particularly in the areas of education andlabor. He cared about poor and working people."

Governor Schwarzenegger is taking flack for undermining the state agencyin charge of oil spill response. A 2005 state audit shows that theOffice of Spill Prevention and Response was understaffed despite havinga funding surplus. "The tragedy we're seeing in the San Francisco Bayright now is the price we pay when the governor lets critical jobsstand empty – and lets polluters off the hook," said Senate Presidentpro tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).

A study by congressional Democrats estimates that the total cost for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistanhas totaled $1.5 trillion. The report, titled "The Hidden Costs of theIraq War," includes higher oil prices, care for wounded veterans, andinterest payments on money borrowed in its analysis.

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

DFA stands up for progressive principles in any district, in every state. That's why primaries matter.

Donna Edwards in MD-04 is a lifelong progressive taking on Rep. Al Wynn -- a Bush Democrat occupying a bright blue seat.  And DFA is behind Donna 100%.

Give $15 right now and help DFA find the next key primary battle in the fight to make Congress progressive:

https://contribute.democracyfor
america.com/primariesmatter

Democracy for America is reforming the country from the ground up. You're organizing locally, mobilizing and winning elections in all 50 states.

Beating entrenched Republican incumbents is a top priority, but it's not enough. We need a progressive Congress and that includes reforming our own party.

There are congressional Democrats who vote the Bush party line to keep lobbyists and corporate donors happy. These Bush Democrats are not representing their constituents. And they are not representing America's progressive values.

DFA fights for the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

There's good news and bad news ahead for Congressional Democrats: immigration will cause a major power shift of as many as 30-odd Congressional seats by the 2030 Census. The good news: most of those voters are likely to be Democrats. The bad news: many of the shifts will be to Red States, giving Republicans a 68-vote advantage in the Electoral College compared to a 34-vote advanage in 2004.
 
That's according to a fascinating article in Monday's Wall Street Journal [behind a subscription wall], that examines data from the Brookings Institution and the Population Reference Bureau, two respected Washington think tanks. The article suggests that after the 2030 Census, California will add two Congressional seats, Florida will add seven,Texas eight, and Arizona five seats. Other states -- largely in the West and southern Atlantic seaboard -- will pick up between 1 and 2 seats, largely due to an infux of immigrants.