House will throw out votes Sessions cast before taking oath

WASHINGTON – Amid boos and taunts, a divided U.S. House agreed today to untangle the problems caused when Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions ducked out of opening-day ceremonies to attend a reception with a Pennsylvania lawmaker and campaign donors.
Gillman: http://dallasne.ws/fM7gtp

Plano Rep. Sam Johnson pushes for Social Security changes at House hearing

Gillman reports from D.C.

WASHINGTON – Plano Republican Sam Johnson joined a growing number of prominent lawmakers today pushing for changes to Social Security in light of the nation's exploding financial problems.
Johnson made his case early in a House subpanel hearing to commemorate the upcoming 75th anniversary of Social Security. He didn't offer specific proposals in his opening statement – other than that taxes shouldn't be raised – but he said the entitlement program's teetering financial future demanded bipartisan action.

http://dallasne.ws/dDi8o0

Chet Edwards trails Bill Flores, according to new GOP poll

Tom Benning follows the Waco House race from D.C.:

A new Republican poll has Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, trailing his GOP opponent Bill Flores by double digits, although the Edwards campaign quickly dismissed the poll as "wishful thinking."


Flores, who defeated Rob Curnock in a runoff primary last month, leads Edwards 52-41, according to a survey of 400 likely voters by OnMessage Inc., a Republican political consulting firm. That's despite the poll finding high "favorable" ratings for Edwards, the longtime incumbent, and low name recognition for Flores, a retired oil and gas executive.
http://tinyurl.com/29tl23e

Chet Edwards watch: Obey's retirement unlikely to tip Texas dominoes on House Appropriations Committee

Gillman:

News out of Washington is that House Appropriations Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin is telling associates he'll retire rather than seek another term. That's a blow for Democrats. Chairmen of powerful committees don't typically give up the gavel mid-clout. So this will be taken as a lack of confidence in the party's prospects in November.
http://tinyurl.com/292cuwp

Two more Texas Democrats move closer to supporting health care bill

As the House moves toward a Sunday vote on health care, two more Texas Democrats told the Dallas Morning News late Thursday that they are likely to support the bill: Reps. Henry Cuellar and Ciro Rodriguez. Both members supported the original House legislation that passed in November. It needs 216 votes to pass, which means 37 Democrats can vote no if, as expected, all 178 Republicans vote against it. Michaels reports.

At last, something Pete Sessions and Martin Frost agree on: deeming

Deeming deemed unseemly. Gillman reports:

The talk in Washington this week is on arcane House procedure. The Democrats are talking about passing the Senate health care bill without taking a direct vote on it, by "deeming" it approved if the majority approves a related but less controversial measure.