The immigration debate heated up last week when some Republican senators suggested revisiting the 14th amendment, which guarantees U.S. citizenship to any person born in territory of the United States. Todd asks Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) if Congress should hold hearings on the contentious issue. Every week, our own Todd Zwillich walks the halls of power in Washington D.C. and brings back an interview for our podcast, "Power Players."
Todd speaks with congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill) about immigration reform immigration policy at the state and federal level. Gutierrez says it's time for President Obama to turn attention on the issue into creating comprehensive reform.
Todd talks with Sen. Robert Menendez about the possible involvement of BP when Scotland released of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, last year.
Senator Robert Byrd lay in repose today in the Senate Chamber. It was a rare occurrence for Congress, but one that many colleagues felt the longest-serving Senator who hailed from West Virginia deserved. Takeaway Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke with Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va) and Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) about Sen. Byrd's time in the U.S. Senate, and got another rememberance from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Todd talks with Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif) about the DISCLOSE Act - a campaign finance bill just passed by the House ... and why Lungren feels it should go no further.
Todd interviews Frank Maisano, an energy media relations specialist who works for Bracewell & Giuliani, while standing outside the Congressional hearing room in which BP CEO Tony Hayward had just faced a grilling.
As the House and Senate consider efforts to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Todd speaks with Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn,) primary sponsor of the House amendment to repeal; Rep. Bobby Bright (D-Alabama), who says the law's repeal is coming too soon; and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) who supports it, calling allowing openly gay service members "a common sense proposal."
Todd interviews newly-minted Rep. Mark Critz (D-Penn), who just won a special election to fill the late Rep. Jack Murtha's seat.
Todd brings tape of Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) in the week when Solicitor General Elena Kagan became the next nominee for the Supreme Court.
Todd interviews Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, who considers whether the Deepwater Horizon oil gusher betters or worsens chances for Congress to pass a climate bill this year.
Black Farmers are on Capitol Hill this week lobbying for payment of a $1.2 Billion settlement ordered to them by a federal judge. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are on their side, so why is it so hard for them to get their check? Todd Zwillich speaks with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) about some of the bureaucratic snags facing groups who don't have the money for lobbyists.
Every week, our own Todd Zwillich walks the halls of power in Washington D.C. and brings back an interview for our podcast, "Power Players." This week, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) talks about the chances for bipartisan financial reform.
Every week, Todd Zwillich roams the halls of power in Washington D.C. and brings back his best interviews for Power Players. Today, on Tax Day, Todd brings two: the first, an interview with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) about potential nominees for Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' seat, and second, an interview with Fair Tax Advocate Jim Tomasik, the permit holder for the tax reform rally held at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. today.
In the course of reporting last week's massive health care overhaul, Todd Zwillich came across a strange detail in the $25 billion legislation. He asks Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham about "black liquor" — a mysterious substance that affects many people in Graham's home state (even though he'd never heard of it).
Every week, Todd Zwillich roams the halls of power in Washington D.C. and brings back his best interviews for Power Players. This week: AFL/CIO President Richard Trumka on the benefits he sees from health care reform, and the political power unions still wield.
Takeaway correspondent Todd Zwillich spends most of his days chasing down movers and shakers in the halls of the House and Senate. This week, Democrats are furiously lobbying House members to pass a bill on health care reform. Todd finds out how the White House won the vote of one: Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois (hint: comprehensive immigration reform helped).
Takeaway correspondent Todd Zwillich spends most of his days chasing down lawmakers in the halls of the House and Senate. Each week we bring you some of his conversations. Today, Arizona Republican Jon Kyl, who is responsible for keeping his party members in line as the Senate's Minority Whip. Todd asks Sen. Kyl why his party is continuing to rebuff President Obama's attempts at bipartisan outreach.