The 109th-do-nothing Congress is behind us and now the new and much improved (and motivated) Democratic-controlled 110th Congress is making progress. Five bills have been passed and one more is on tap as House Democrats sprint through their list of promises, not even in sight of the 100 hours set aside for that goal. From the AP:
About seven more hours ticked away Wednesday on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour clock for passing each item on an agenda that Democrats told voters they would enact after sweeping to victory in November.
It has taken just over 34 hours to pass the first five bills (my emphasis), including a measure approved Wednesday to lower interest rates on some student loans.
The items passed so far would:* make the government negotiate for lower Medicare prescription drug prices. It passed last Friday.
* expand federally funded stem cell research. It passed Jan. 11.
* raise the federal minimum wage. It passed Jan. 10.
* seek to bolster terrorism-fighting efforts. It passed Jan. 9.
* change rules governing ethics, lobbying and the budget. These changes were passed on Jan. 4-5.
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