Congressional Issues
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Congressman Alan Lowenthal issued the following statement regarding the impending automatic federal budget cuts, known as the sequester. Congress is set to adjourn for recess today, just days before the sequester is set to take effect, and with no further debate scheduled:
On February 13th, 2013, Congressman Lowenthal delivered a speech on the House Floor for a Special Order on Gun Violence.
Congressman Alan Lowenthal issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013:
“I believe that we have reached a watershed moment when we can either look forward and do what is right or look back and repeat the mistakes of our past. I, like the President, choose to move forward with a plan that spurs sustainable economic growth, creates high-paying jobs, promotes equality for all, and responsibly reduces our deficit, while protecting the middle class.
Congressman Alan Lowenthal on Tuesday called for the House GOP leadership to quickly bring up and pass a house version of the Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed S. 47, a VAWA Reauthorization bill by a bipartisan vote of 78 to 22. This Senate-passed bill is almost identical to the bipartisan bill that passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 31 in April 2012.
Rep. Lowenthal issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama's executive actions regarding firearms and proposed firearms legislation in the House and Senate:
"I feel that the Framers of the Constitution, through the 2nd Amendment, guaranteed Americans a right to gun ownership. However, I believe—and the Supreme Court has concurred—that this guarantee does not include the right to purchase military-style assault weapons or high-capacity magazines," Congressman Lowenthal said.
When a Member of Congress is given time to formally express an opinion or make a statement on an issue before the House, they are said to have the 'floor' of the House, and their views are referred to as a 'Floor Speech'.
How House Members are allotted time to speak, or sometimes observe silence, are adapted from rules of order originally written by Thomas Jefferson. The speeches and other proceedings of the House are published daily in the Congressional Record.
Editorials historically came about as a means to let the average person know the opinions of the editors and publishers of newspapers and magazines.
Eventually editors realized that added interest in their newspapers and magazines could be sparked by allowing readers to express their opinions on the page opposite the editorial, and the modern op-ed was invented. Today 'editorial' and 'op-ed' are often used interchangeably to refer to any written piece expressing an opinion on the issues of the day, whether in a magazine, a newspaper, or a website.
The First Session of the 113th Congress commences January 3rd, 2013.