American Morning
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: We have to remember 'words matter'
While the motivation for Saturday's attack in Tucson, Arizona is still unclear, a concern in Washington and in the nation at large is whether or not the current political rhetoric has gotten out of control.
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D) Florida, and Representative Ted Poe, (R) Texas, are colleagues and friends of Gabrielle Giffords in Congress and join the program this morning. Representative Wasserman Schultz warns that while "we cannot allow incidences like this intimidate"..."words matter."
Changing the 14th amendment
Section 1 of the 14th amendment of the United States Constitution reads:
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
The amendment guarantees that if a person was born in the United States they are automatically granted "birthright citizenship." Although the amendment was adopted in 1868 it has become a hot button issue in recent years. In 2010 alone "anchor babies" has set off a political firestorm and it is carrying over into 2011.
House representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, wasted no time in Congress yesterday making this a political topic of the year introducing, "The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011" to the House floor that would repeal birthright citizenship. Representative Steve King explains his position on American Morning.
Rep. Cantor: Health care will "bankrupt the government"
Representative Eric Cantor, Republican of Virginia, took his new position yesterday as the majority leader in House of Representatives and he hasn't taken any time to make his party's position on President Obama's health care reform clear. Cantor tells Kiran Chetry that unless something is done the health care bill could potentially bankrupt the federal and state governments.
Freshman Reps. Womack and Cicilline on the change they'll bring to DC
We're taking a look this week at some of the newest members entering congress this year. Yesterday we talked to Representatives Karen Bass, D, California, and Paul Gosar, R, Arizona, about what they thought were the most pressing needs for the 112th congress.
Today we talk to Representative Steve Womack, R, Arkansas, who not only won his seat by the second largest margin in his state but was also the only Republican in Arkansas who had not been backed by the Tea Party. As well as talking to Representative David Cicilline, D, who will replace Rep. Patrick Kennedy as the representative from Rhode Island.
Representatives Womack and Cicilline explain to T.J. Holmes what message they are bringing to Capitol Hill and Washington DC from their constituents outside the beltway bubble.
Two freshmen Reps. call for changing of D.C. culture
As John Boehner was being sworn in today as the new Speaker of the House for the 112th Congress the former speaker, Nancy Pelosi, was addressing a new drastic change of her own...changing her Twitter username:
"I'm now @NancyPelosi – 2 characters shorter than @SpeakerPelosi. RTers rejoice!"
-@NancyPelosi
A new Congress means the changing of the guard in Washington and new class of congressional freshmen on Capitol Hill. But what do the freshmen members want to see? What do they want change?
Today on American Morning, two new freshmen representatives, Rep. Karen Bass, D, Calif., and Rep. Paul Gosar, R, Ariz., tell AM's Kiran Chetry and Jim Acosta what they hope to accomplish in the 112th Congress and how they plan to turn their campaign rhetoric into action.
Christine O'Donnell defends her financial disclosures
Washington (CNN) - Republican Christine O'Donnell, who lost her bid for U.S. Senate from Delaware, is lashing out at reports the Justice Department and FBI have launched a criminal investigation into possible misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses, calling any such probe "thug tactics."
Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents have started the investigation, a source with knowledge of the probe confirmed to CNN. The source could not speak on the record because of the investigation is deemed sensitive. The source would not provide any further details and the FBI and Justice Department had no comment.
Christine O'Donnell defends her record and tells Kiran Chetry and Joe Johns, “I am very confident that there have been no impermissible use of campaign funds.”
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