Politics

The Week In Review

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

The hits just keep coming. On top of financial reform, climate change, unemployment benefits and the ratification of a nuclear arms treaty, lawmakers now have the nomination of a replacement for the retiring John Paul Stevens waiting for them when they get back. If the acrimony over the nomination of Justice Sotomayor is any indication, expect this to be another brutal slog. But even though Congess is in recess, OpenCongress has been plenty busy. Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

• One of the first things lawmakers will have to tackle are the unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of Americans that expired on Monday.
• Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA] wants to extend some of those benefits to same-sex partners and other unmarried opposite-sex partners.
• Here’s all you need to know about the individual mandate – one of the most controversial aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
• Here are a few provisions in the Affordable Care Act that flew under the radar.
• Also missed by many was the fact that the Affordable Care act renewed and modernized a landmark Native American health care law.
• Donny explains how money from the financial, insurance and real estate industry is influencing the debate on financial regulation.

Thanks again for the great participation on the site this week and for all your great comments. Remember to become a fan of OpenCongress on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter at @OpenCongress and on Google Buzz.

Full post as published by Open Congress on April 10, 2010 (boomark / email).