The Fifth District Report

Ellison Votes Against Raising Debt Ceiling

The Congressman's vote was also echoed by other Minnesota members of Congress ... on both sides of the aisle.

After a heated and divided campaign season, Republicans and Democrats from Minnesota found some common ground last week. Reps. Michele Bachmann (R) and Keith Ellison (D) both voted against increasing the government's debt ceiling for four months Jan. 23. DFLer Betty McCollum, who represents Minnesota's fourth congressional district, also voted against the measure. "Giving the president four months of unlimited borrowing authority without a cap on spending is something I cannot support," Bachmann reportedly said. According to the Star Tribune, debt deal proposed by House Speaker John Boehner leaves the $16.4 trillion ceiling where it is, but allows continued borrowing to take place until a new May 18 deadline. Despite the bipartisan …

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The Fifth District Report

Ellison Praises Obama’s ‘Progressive’ Inaugural Address

The 5th District representative liked the speech’s comments on income equality, gay rights and other issues.

Fifth District Rep. Keith Ellison is praising the progressive values he heard in President Barack Obama’s second inaugural address.  “As the co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, it is my considered opinion that this was a progressive speech,” Ellison said Monday on The Ed Show. “It was a speech that any progressive could say, ‘That’s what I’m talking about.’ I found myself spontaneously cheering in the middle of the speech. It was the kind of speech that just made me feel really good because it combined our common humanity, combined our need for economic fairness, combined the idea that better days our coming if we will step up to meet them.” Ellison particularly noted the president’s focus on income inequality, programs like Social …

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The Fifth District Report

Ellison Named to House Leadership Position

The Minneapolis-area congressman also joined a bus tour calling for foreclosure fairness.

Friday, Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) kicked off the start of the 113th Congress by announcing Rep. Keith Ellison's (D-MN) appointment to a deputy leadership position in the Democratic caucus. As a newly minted Chief Deputy Whip, Ellison joins 9 other leading congressmembers in being the eyes, ears, and hands of Hoyer and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). “I am excited to work with Whip Hoyer and the rest of the Whip team to continue the fight for good jobs for working families," Ellison said in a written statement. "It is more important than ever that we work together to protect the benefits middle class families rely on.” Whips are typically charged with keeping party members onside and enforcing discipline during contentious …

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Ellison: Debt Ceiling Deal Was a 'Hostage Situation'

In his most recent newsletter, Rep. Keith Ellison said Republicans threatened to hold the economy captive if demands weren't met during debt ceiling debate.

In his most recent newsletter on Aug. 12 to his constituents, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) blamed Republicans for the United States nearly defaulting on its debt obligations prior to the decision to raise the debt ceiling.  Last week, Republicans almost forced a default on America’s debt payments. Since March [2011], I’ve called on Congress to act responsibly and avoid a self-inflicted crisis. But the Republican Party didn’t listen and threatened to hold the U.S. economy hostage if its demands weren’t met. He went on to say that the "Republican hostage situation," and the debt ceiling deal that resulted from it, doesn't do anything to address the largest problem facing the U.S. economy. We should be doing everything we can to jumpstart our …

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The Ellison Report: Coming Down Hard on Debt Deal

A new feature spotlighting coverage of Hopkins' congressional representative.

"The Ellison Report" is a new feature that offers a look every weekday at coverage of Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), who represents Golden Valley. Have you seen an interesting news story or blog post about Ellison that you think should be mentioned? E-mail a link to kevira.voegele@patch.com.   The country appears to have narrowly averted a crisis following a deal that raised the debt ceiling in exchange for spending cuts. But Ellison wasn’t happy with the deal and joined three other Minnesota legislators in voting against it, as predicted in a Minnesota Public Radio story prior to the vote: Ellison sat down Monday with National Public Radio to discuss why he voted against the debt deal. Ellison was one of 95 Democrats who didn't vote for the …

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