News Releases

Year

2017

Rising Tensions with North Korea: A Timeline
Sept. 5, 2017, 9:59 p.m.

<span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">From </span><a href="http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1183491/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&quot;fire and fury&quot;</span></a><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to </span><a href="http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1184274/" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&quot;locked and loaded&quot;</span></a><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and most recently </span><a href="http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1189510/" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&quot;All options are on the table&quot;</span></a><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the President has had some tough and controversial words for Kim Jong-Un and North Korea after several Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) tests and now a hydrogen bomb test. Some critics worry that these words have worsened the rising tensions with North Korea; other critics simply worry that Twitter may not be the best outlet to issue these statements. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who defend him feel that Trump’s words should reflect North Korea’s actions.</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="docs-internal-guid-db5b6f05-c02d-04d6-9c17-7a55f5ecc0c8" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"> <br> </span><span id="docs-internal-guid-9bf27c9b-53e5-da08-21e8-d8e65474c451" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8013px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"> <p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12.8013px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">While members of Congress have debated the President’s statements, sanctions on North Korea have been strongly supported in both the Capitol and the White House in 2017. Following nuclear tests, the death of Otto Warmbier, and sanctions on North Korea, we’ve seen that tensions between the US and North Korea have only continued to snowball. </span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> &nbsp;&nbsp;</span> </p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12.8013px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This snowball has been rolling for far longer than 2017, however--while Americans threw literal snowballs celebrating New Year’s Day, Kim Jong-un </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/01/world/asia/north-korea-intercontinental-ballistic-missile-test-kim-jong-un.html?mcubz=3" style="font-size: 12.8013px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">issued a statement</span></a><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about his nuclear plans--setting the tone for the rest of the year. Skip forward 6 months and several missile tests and we arrive at another holiday--the 4th of July. As Americans launched fireworks in their backyards, North Korea celebrated by testing its first ICBM.</span> </p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12.8013px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">To visualize the series of events that followed, we have compiled a timeline below outlining the rising tensions between the US and North Korea since the launch and the statements made and actions taken as a result. </span> </p> </span>

2016

What is an Omnibus Bill?
June 27, 2016, 2:31 p.m.

&nbsp;Have you seen a recent headline about Congress passing an omnibus bill? Curious about what this obscure sounding piece of legislation is? Below we provide a non-partisan explanation of omnibus bills.....

2013

Elections Aren't Just for Even Numbered Years
Nov. 6, 2013, 1:22 a.m.

<span style="font-size: 12.8012809753418px; line-height: 19.2019214630127px;">It's Election Day! Well, for many of you it is.</span>

"Sequestration"
March 1, 2013, 10:09 p.m.

The “Fiscal Cliff” and how it relates to our most recent financial conundrum, “The Sequester.”

Primary in Illinois' 2nd District Special Election
Feb. 26, 2013, 5:09 p.m.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> Six days after Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty to the misuse of campaign funds, voters in his long-held district go the polls to begin the process of finding a replacement. </p>

2012

Candidates Flunk 20-Year Study of Political Courage
Oct. 29, 2012, 8:07 p.m.

<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">A&nbsp; 20-year study of over 15,000 congressional candidates and their willingness to answer questions on the major issues</span></span>

June Common Ground E-Newsletter
June 12, 2012, 6:53 p.m.

&nbsp;<a href="http://votesmart.org/newsletter" target="_blank">Sign up now</a>&nbsp;to receive a copy of this monthly publication.

"Are you willing to tell citizens where you stand on the issues?"
April 6, 2012, 5:44 p.m.

It's that time again! We're trying&nbsp;&nbsp;to coax the truth out of politicians across the country with the Political Courage Test. Find out if your candidates are being tested now.&nbsp;

2011

Congressional Beginnings
Oct. 6, 2011, 10:36 p.m.

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2010

To all Congressional Candidates: Gotcha!
Oct. 15, 2010, 8:06 p.m.

Project Vote Smart is putting a BIG GUARD DOG onto the political playing field. Today VoteEasy will go national with the attached release. &nbsp;It has not been easy to create and we need your help to build on it. Even if you be a contributing member or volunteer, please use it to defend yourself from the political nonesense that frustrates and often disgusts us all.&nbsp;

2008

Precious Moments
April 23, 2008, 11:37 p.m.

Precious Moments
April 10, 2008, 3:57 a.m.

Precious Moments
Feb. 22, 2008, 4 a.m.

2007

US-Peru Trade Agreement Podcast HR 3688
Dec. 13, 2007, 5:56 a.m.

Navigating Thomas: Bill Texts
Dec. 13, 2007, 5:14 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Nov. 20, 2007, 12:43 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Nov. 13, 2007, 1:31 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Nov. 6, 2007, 12:16 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Oct. 20, 2007, 4:38 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Oct. 15, 2007, 10:13 p.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Oct. 9, 2007, 12:15 a.m.

Patent Law Changes Act Podcast
Sept. 18, 2007, 1:57 a.m.

Here's What's Happening in Congress:
Sept. 15, 2007, 4:32 a.m.

Congressional Snapshot Podcast
Aug. 20, 2007, 8:10 p.m.

A Breather for Congress
Aug. 11, 2007, 3:32 a.m.

Congressional Happenings
Aug. 2, 2007, 11:11 p.m.

It's the people
July 30, 2007, 8:13 p.m.

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