Pete Stark apology – Bigger, Badder Man than ANY Republican

First off – I would NOT have apologized.

Secondly – when will Bush apologize to the country for the lies he and his administration have blanketed the country with since 9/11 brought this “new world?” Nothing changed with 9/11 – the United States just ramped up the stakes. We lost our golden opportunity. It’s nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy on Bush’s part. What about Valerie Plame? Making light of looking for WMD’s at the Correspondent’s Dinner? Veteran care in this country?
Soooo, John Boehner (R-OH) filed a censure motion over Rep. Pete Stark’s (D-CA) remarks last week during the SCHIP debate. Boehner apparently forgot about Rep Steve King’s (R-IA) bald-faced lie and attack on a sitting member of Congress (although in the Senate) earlier that same day.

Boehner’s resolution, which he plans to introduce Tuesday, states that Stark “by his despicable conduct, has dishonored himself and brought discredit to the House and merits the censure of the House for the same

The censure failed, 196-173. Not ONE goddamned Republican voted against tabling the censure. But, ya know what? Five (5) Democrats voted with those Republicans and here they are. They need to be ‘slapped around a bit.’ No goddmaned backbone. As described in the article, these are ‘freshmen’ congressional members who are from “contentious districts.” You’ll be losing more Democratic support there, buckos.

Altmire (D-PA) / Carney (D-PA) / Donnelly (D-IN) / Ellsworth (D-IN) / Shuler (D-NC)

The censure resolution did not pass, however Pete Stark apologized.

“I want to apologize to my colleagues — many of whom I have offended — to the president and his family and to the troops,” Stark said. He added that he hoped the apology would allow him to “become as insignificant as I should be” as the House moves forward on critical, divisive issues.

According to ‘The Hill’ – Stark then left the podium, wiping away tears as Democratic colleagues surrounded him with supportive handshakes.

From Josh Marshall’s TPM troupe:
Photos:
– Congressman Stark and his son Fortney at an anti-Iraq war protest in Washington, DC

 

SLC – Oct 23 – Hearing for MSHA, new rules, mine-rescue teams

Per the Utah Mining organization newsletter:

Salt Lake City will be one of four locations nationally where the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will hold hearings this fall on new rules designed to increase the effectiveness of mine-rescue teams.

The Salt Lake hearing will take place Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Little America Hotel, 500 S. Main St. Other hearings have been scheduled for Lexington, Ky., Charleston, W.Va. and North Birmingham, Ala.

Requests to speak at the hearing must be made five days in advance by contacting MSHA’s Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances at:

* By telephone: 202-693-9440

* By fax: 202-693-9441

* By mail: 1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2350, Arlington, Va., 22209-3939

Proposed rules published in the Federal Register would require coal mine operators to have two certified mine-rescue teams. All members would have to be able to reach the mine within an hour of an emergency, would have to have “practical experience as an underground coal miner” and would have to have knowledge of their mine’s operations and ventilation systems.

In addition, training requirements for mine-rescue team members would increase from 40 to 64 hours annually and each would have to participate each year in two local mine-rescue contests.

A separate rule proposed by MSHA would require mine operators to provide team members with breathing apparatuses that contain two more hours of breathable air than is currently required and gas detectors to measure potentially dangerous gases during a rescue effort.

The rules were drafted in response to beefed-up mine rescue provisions in the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act. Congress passed the act after flaws in the mine-safety system were identified in the investigations of three fatal mine accidents early in 2006, most notably the Sago (West Virginia) disaster in which a dozen miners were killed.