Heart of roses at Michael Jackson Memorial

Wall of signatures at Michael Jackson Memorial

Crowd at Michael Jackson Memorial

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) didn’t fly solo at her weekly press conference held Friday. She was joined by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) and U.S. Rep, Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.). Pelosi said they decided to combine her weekly press conference with “wrap-up” for the first five months. She said many times that this has been a “good week.”

“It was a good week on the energy policy. It’s also been a good week as week protect the environment; a good week as we protect the consumer, the tax payer and the American people, in general, in terms of their national security, ” said Pelosi.

Pelosi also said that legislation on issues such as housing, credit cards and saving the tax payers money were passed during the week that all “protect the consumer.”

Hoyer said the 111th Congress has made “tremendous strides to create jobs and get the economy back on track.” He closed by saying that he and Pelosi considered themselves to be a “close team” that is carrying out the promise of change that the “American people voted for.”

Although Pelosi and the other Democratic leaders wanted to discuss the new direction that the administration is taking with the main topics being energy and the economy, she was still asked a question involving the CIA issue. Hoyer attempted to pull Pelosi away from the podium as the question was being asked but she instead insisted on hearing the question.

Pelosi response was, “I have made the statement I’m going to make on this. I don’t have anything more to say about it. I stand by my comment.”

She said she would not let the issue distract her and would rather continue on the course of bipartisanship and bettering issues like jobs and health care instead.

Never let them walk alone was a theme throughout Friday’s 28th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the United States Capitol. The service held by the Fraternal Order of Police is the capstone event of National Police Week. It was in honor of one hundred and thirty three law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. More than 25,000 officers and the surviving family members and friends of fallen officers traveled to Washington to attend.

Keynote speaker, Attorney General Eric Holder said in regards to this year’s Police Week, “I have been reminded over the course of these events that while our nation’s law enforcement community consists of many different departments and agencies across all levels of government…we are really all one family, all one team, dedicated to the singular goal of making our streets safer and our country, more secure.”

According to introductory remarks by Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police President, Chuck Canterbury, National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day began in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation to make May 15th the official day of recognition for law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the performance of their duty.

Holder said, “These heroes will live on in the homes and neighborhoods of millions of law abiding citizens across this country whose streets are safer and whose freedoms more secure because of the sacrifice of these fallen officers. And most of all, they will live on in the hearts of their surviving loved ones, those who we honor today.”

The Talk Radio News Service Washington Bureau will be attending:
-A Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the National Research Council’s publication “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward.”
-A full committee hearing on the FY2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Defense Department.
-A full committee hearing on “AIG: Where is the Taxpayer’s Money Going?”
-A news conference to announce legislation design to make insurance more accessible and affordable.
-The annual NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Spring Luncheon and Conversations with remarks by Attorney General Eric Holder.
-An Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee hearing on “What Went Wrong: Torture and the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration.”
-An African Affairs Subcommittee hearing on “Confronting Rape and Other Forms of Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones Spotlight: DRC and Sudan.”
-A Senate Rules and Administration Committee on Military/Overseas Voting Problems

Our staffer who took the photo describes:

One of my favorite pictures from Saturday. Powell is an old friend of [my wife], and while we were chatting Albright just walked up and they went at it.

“Innovation, conservation and production,” were the key messages coming from the Republican Study Committee and the Western Caucus as Congressional Republicans unveiled their alternative energy proposal today.

Congressman Tom Price (R-Ga.) said, “Republican are wholly committed to finding positive solution to the challenges we face. Like with the stimulus, like with the budget and now in contrast to the Democrats national energy tax we are here to offer our vision.”

The American Energy and Innovation Act, as the proposal will be labeled, will create jobs and reduce debt according to Republicans. The main aims outlined in this bill are to, “encourage innovation” by creating renewable fuel options and environmental jobs. “Promote conservation” by “providing incentives for easing energy demand and creating a cleaner, more sustainable environment” and “increase production” by making use of all available technology and resources.

Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said there were now “two roads” Americans could chose to tackle energy needs. “The Democrat road is saying it can’t work we are not even going to it, our road is saying we have the ideas now is the time to do it, said Bishop.

Adding that “The Democrats have already given us an option on energy issues that will cost individuals up to $3000…the Republican road we want to go down is one that actually grows our energy supply so that no-one is harmed and in fact we have the chance to reduce the cost of energy.”

Bishop compared the two strategies to the movie ‘Back to the Future’ saying, “Remember those sequels to ‘Back to the Future’ where there were the two worlds? Our world is the one where the McFly family is happy, the Democrat version is the one where Biff runs everything.”

Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the bill would be a “common sense act that is going to use our natural resources and our advanced technology to meet our energy needs and most importantly help our economy grow.”

In closing, Congressman John Fleming (R-La.) added, our vision “creates a vision for jobs, more jobs, not the so called paper mache jobs the green jobs, but real jobs created by industry.”

By Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service. Vice President Joe Biden appears at the Carment Turner Facility Building where he announced a $300 million funding alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles program.

By Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service. On Wednesday in Washington D.C. protesters of all ages came together for the Tea Party event in Lafayette Square to advocate for their views and beliefs.

By Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service. President Barack Obama’s speech on Wednesday morning at Georgetown University regarding the current efforts of the new administration to confront the economic crisis.