Hoyer Takes Issue With “Slurpee Summit” Snub

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) took issue with the Republican leadership’s request to postpone a White House meeting with Congressional leaders.

“I can never remember an instance where President Bush asked me or the Democratic leadership to come down and meet with them that we did not accommodate our schedule to that request,” Hoyer told reporters Thursday morning. “I think that is not only respectful of the President of the United States but it also furthers the ability to solve the problems confronting the country.”

The meeting, informally called “the Slurpee Summit” in a nod to President Obama’s midterm campaign rhetoric, was initially supposed to take place Thursday. It has now been rescheduled for November 30th after Republicans cited scheduling conflicts.

Hoyer suggested that the GOP’s apparent flippancy towards the White House goes further than the summit, noting that Democrats supported the Bush administration’s controversial TARP plan while Republicans balked at the Recovery Act.

Loose Federal Oversight Contributed To Oil Spill, Says Top House Democrat

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that the federal agency tasked with quality oversight of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded last month, spilling millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, could have done more to prevent the catastrophe.

When asked during his weekly news briefing whether the Minerals Management Service (MMS), an agency within the Department of Interior, should have been firmer with BP, the company in control of operating the site, about installing proper spill prevention mechanisms in recent years, Hoyer responded by saying, “I think that’s accurate, I think you’re right.”

"I think there was a sense that [MMS] wasn't on top of this," he added. "That's why [MMS Associate Director Chris Oynes] is retiring."

Hoyer also said he expects the House to hold a vote on imposing sanctions against Iran before the upcoming holiday recess.

"I think it's very important that we pass the Iran sanctions conference report prior to leaving on Memorial Day," he said. "I'm hopeful that...we will have it on the floor next week."

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced during a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the U.S. had reached an agreement with four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- including Russia and China -- on ordering sanctions.

House Democrats Heckled En Route To Health Care Vote

House Democrats came face to face with conservative protestors Sunday afternoon, mere hours before the House votes on sweeping health care reform legislation.

Approximately three tea party activists vocally interrupted a statement being delivered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) following a meeting with the Democratic caucus in the Cannon House Office Building. Capitol police then ushered members of Congress and the press to the building's entrance.

The short walk from the Cannon building to the Capitol left Democratic leaders surrounded by protestors who have been in Washington, D.C. since Saturday to stage a last-minute rally against reform legislation. The Democrats present, which included Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), were met with loud jeers such as "socialists," "See you in November," and "kill the bill."

A small group of health care supporters appeared as well, and received a thumbs up from Hoyer.

The heckles seemed to reach a crescendo as the members of Congress and their staff ascended the U.S. Capitol steps.

Health Care Reform Can Pass Despite Brown Victory, Says House Majority Leader

By Laurel Brishel Prichard-University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that it is possible for Senate Democrats to pass health care reform legislation even if Republican senatorial candidate Scott Brown wins the seat once held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.).

When presented with the notion during his weekly press briefing, the Majority Leader simply responded "yes" and declined to elaborate.

The election of Brown would deny Democrats the 60-vote majority needed for cloture, which if denied could effectively stall the bill indefinitely.

The Massachusetts state legislature could stall swearing in the new senator for up to 15 days, which would provide Democrats with a brief window to pass health care reform with interim Senator Paul Kirk (D-Mass.) still in office.

The polls close in Massachusetts at 8 pm Tuesday evening.

Hoyer also used his briefing to touch upon the crisis in Haiti.

“We are all struck by the extraordinary tragedy,”said Hoyer, who added that there will be legislation to provide additional assistance and resources to the Haitian people in the coming week.

House Majority Leader Wants Bipartisan Investigation Of Fort Hood Tragedy

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-M.D.) told reporters Tuesday that the investigation into Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s attack on the Fort Hood Army Base November 5th should be investigated in a bipartisan manner by Congress.

“I don’t think this is a partisan issue, all of us share extraordinary sorrow that this [tragedy] took the lives of our military,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer said that making this a partisan issue does not serve best interest of the American people or of the country.

He added, “what does serve those interests is to look at this matter and see if there are ways and means to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

The House Intelligence Committee was briefed on classified elements of the investigation Tuesday.

Hoyer also expressed his approval for the Department of Justice’s decision to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in U.S. Federal Court.

He referenced the support of Grover Norquist, David Keene and Bob Barr, all known conservatives, for the decision, saying that it proves there is bipartisan support for the issue.