The Minnesota Independent

Capitol Catchall - Latest Stories

Capitol Catchall: It’s not all about health care

By Andy Birkey | 07.24.09 | 8:25 am

Minnesota’s congressional delegation spent a lot of time discussing health care this week, but there were other issues to deal with. Railroads, grasslands, student loans and peace in the Middle East all garnered attention from Minnesota’s members of Congress.

Capitol Catchall: Beyond Sotomayor

By Andy Birkey | 07.17.09 | 9:23 am

Healthcare reform and the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor dominated headlines this week, but many of Minnesota’s congressional representatives have been busy working on a slew of issues from food-borne illness andhydrocephalus to highway funding and aid to Liberia.

Capitol Catchall: A busy week for Klobuchar, Bachmann

By Andy Birkey | 03.26.09 | 8:00 pm

Minnesota’s lone U.S. senator, Amy Klobuchar, continues to hold down the fort, while Rep. Michele Bachmann “metaphorically” wants to storm the gates. Rep. James Oberstar tackles Big Transportation, and Rep. Keith Ellison talks labor and racial wealth disparities.

Capitol Catchall: Ellison makes historic Gaza trip as Bachmann gets fact-checked — again

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.19.09 | 12:09 pm

As Rep. Keith Ellison makes the first trip by a U.S. legislator to Gaza in eight years, his congressional colleague Rep. Michele Bachmann continues to get fact-checked — this time for her claim that the economic recovery package is a Democratic conspiracy to “direct” funding to Democratic districts. This and more inside.

Capitol Catchall: Klobuchar is funny (and busy); Pelosi taps Peterson to fix credit mess

By Andy Birkey | 02.06.09 | 3:11 pm

Minnesota’s congressional delegation is keeping busy on Capitol Hill this week as most find ways to put their stamp on a historic economic recovery strategy working its way through Congress.

Capitol Catchall: Talking pay freezes, stimulus and Ellison’s mandate

By Paul Schmelzer | 01.30.09 | 3:27 pm

An array of odds and ends about Minnesota-centric action in the early days of the 111th Congress: How our delegates voted on the House stimulus package, prospects for a veto-proof majority for Democrats in the Senate, Rep. Keith Ellison’s “mandate,” and the two congressmen who signed on for pay freezes.

Capitol Catchall: Committee appointments, Peterson’s ‘puters, Klobuchar on DTV

By Paul Schmelzer | 01.22.09 | 2:02 pm

With the 111th Congress getting under way, here’s a catchall of news on Minnesota’s House and Senate delegations — from committee appointments to Collin Peterson’s new computers, Ellison on Islam to Norm Coleman’s bubblewrap.