Hard Work Leads To Luck, Says Pelosi

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) shot back at Republicans who say the Obama administration is relying too much on luck to keep the country safe from terrorists.

"The harder we work, the luckier we get," said Pelosi to reporters on Thursday.

Pelosi said she is hesitant to support legislation introduced by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) that would allow the U.S. State Department to revoke the citizenship of Americans captured abroad who are found to be either supportive of foreign terror organizations or engaged in hostilities against the U.S.

"I like the spirit of it, but I'd like to know the trigger of it," she said. "I have to see the language and what the standard is and what the list is and who puts it together and what the criteria is for people to be on it."

The Speaker did say she would back Democratically-led efforts to raise the liability cap for oil companies who accidentally cause spills.

"In 1990, the Oil Pollution Act was passed. That law set a limit of $75 million on the liability of the responsible party," said Pelosi. "This legislation will increase that liability to $10 billion."

Pelosi added that the House will begin mark up of its jobs bill next week.

Miranda Rights Did Not Affect Times Square Interrogation Says Senator

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Ted Kaufman (D-Del.) said that the method the Obama administration is handling terrorist attacks is "exactly the same way as the prior administration regarding miranda rights."

Reed pointed out that when the shoe bomber, Richard Reid, was mirandized, there was no criticism on how that was handled.

"The fact is that Mr. Shahzad cooperated both before and after he was mirandized and there was no hint that those warnings hampered investigations in anyway," said Senator Kaufman.

Kaufman also said that the United States can not solely rely on the federal government to fight against terrorism, the key "is everybody has got to be in the program."

The Senator said that private citizens, along with federal and local law enforcement, played a crucial role in preventing the Times Square attack. He added that there is more the U.S. needs to do to disrupt attacks in the future.

"The key to success in the long run, to frustrate any of these massive attacks is we got to go to the enemy where they are and right now the enemy, as we know, is in the hills of Pakistan," said Kaufman. "This is not something that can be done in some office in Washington."

Obama Administration Must Re-Focus On Sudan Issues, Says Republican Wolf

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) said Wednesday that Obama administration officials along with "movie stars" and Congress are neglecting to focus on difficult issues taking place in Sudan.

"It's shocking and frightening that what this administration has allowed to take place [in Sudan], so it's time for this policy to be taken out of [U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott] Gration's hand, and put back to the secretary's office and put back to Ambassador Rice," Wolf told reporters.

The House Republican said that after witnessing tragedy during a visit to Sudan, he is extremely concerned about U.S. foreign policy with respect to that nation.

"I witnessed the nightmare with my own eyes. I heard heart-breaking stories of rape and slaughter. Over 300,000 Darfuries have died and nearly 3 million have been displaced," said Wolf. "Where is the Obama administration, and quite frankly where is Congress? Where are some of these movie stars that were so excited about getting their pictures taken...there?"

Wolf called on President Barack Obama to give oversight responsibilities of the U.S.'s relationship with the government of Sudan to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Susan Rice. In March 2009, Obama tapped one of his campaign advisers, retired Air Force Gen. J. Scott Gration, to become his envoy for Sudan.

"[Clinton and Rice] should oversee quarterly deputies' meetings to ensure options for consequences are on the table. In fact, I call on the President himself to exercise "personal and sustained leadership on Sudan" in the face of a "stalemated policy" and waning U.S. credibility as a mediator," said Wolf.

Pelosi Says Congress Must Focus On Energy Bill, Despite Massive Oil Spill

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday that the massive oil spill in the Gulf Coast must not deter Congress from passing new energy legislation.

"Certainly the risk that is presented by offshore drilling is something that has to be taken into consideration, but we must pass this [energy] bill," Pelosi told reporters.

Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), who accompanied Pelosi, said that the prevention of future offshore drilling disasters must be an important goal for lawmakers.

"[Congress must determine] whether or not we have a prevention system and a clean up system that is worthy of this century," said Miller.

Health Care Reform Not Responsible For Rising Cost Of Premiums, Say Democrats

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) told reporters Friday that the rising cost of health care premiums does not mean that health care reform is not working.

"The purpose of this is to slow the growth. Premium rates are going to continue to go up, they are just not going to go up at the unsustainable pace they were," Franken said.

"[A higher premium] doesn't mean that we didn't bring down the growth of the premium," Franken added.

Franken pointed out that a provision in the new law requiring insurance providers to put at least 80% of premiums toward actual health services, instead of marketing campaigns, salaries or administrative costs, is expected to help curb increases.

Schakowsky added that measures in the law to boost transparency will also play a role in stemming costs. According to the Illinois Congresswoman, insurance providers will be required to provide customers with the justifications for rate increases. Schakowsky noted that companies that fail to provide this service will be banned from participating in the insurance exchanges set up through the law.