Showing posts with label House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House. Show all posts

Friday, 26 July 2013

House Defeats Effort to Rein In N.S.A. Data Gathering

The 205-to-217 vote was far closer than expected and came after a brief but impassioned debate over citizens’ right to privacy and the steps the government must take to protect national security. It was a rare instance in which a classified intelligence program was openly discussed on the House floor, and disagreements over the  program led to some unusual coalitions.

Conservative Republicans leery of what they see as Obama administration abuses of power teamed up with liberal Democrats long opposed to intrusive intelligence programs. The Obama administration made common cause with the House Republican leadership to try to block it.

House members pressing to rein in the N.S.A. vowed afterward that the outrage unleashed by Mr. Snowden’s disclosures would eventually put a brake on the agency’s activities. Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and a longtime critic of post-Sept. 11 counterterrorism efforts, said lawmakers would keep coming back with legislation to curtail the dragnets for “metadata,” whether through phone records or Internet surveillance.

At the very least, the section of the Patriot Act in question will be allowed to expire in 2015, he said. “It’s going to end — now or later,” Mr. Nadler said. “The only question is when and on what terms.”

Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, promised lawmakers that he would draft legislation this fall to add more privacy protections to government surveillance programs even as he begged the House to oppose blanket restrictions.

The amendment to the annual Defense Department spending bill, written by Representatives Justin Amash, a libertarian Republican from Western Michigan, and John Conyers Jr., a veteran liberal Democrat from Detroit, turned Democrat against Democrat and Republican against Republican.

It would have limited N.S.A. phone surveillance to specific targets of law enforcement investigations, not broad dragnets. It was only one of a series of proposals — including restricting funds for Syrian rebels and adding Congressional oversight to foreign aid to Egypt — intended to check President Obama’s foreign and intelligence policies.

But in the phone surveillance program, the House’s right and left wings appeared to find a unifying cause. Representative Raúl R. Labrador, Republican of Idaho, called it “the wing nut coalition” and Mr. Amash “the chief wing nut.”

Mr. Amash framed his push as a defense of the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure, and he found a surprising ally, Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Republican of Wisconsin and one of the principal authors of the Patriot Act. Mr. Sensenbrenner said his handiwork was never meant to create a program that allows the government to demand the phone records of every American.

“The time has come to stop it,” Mr. Sensenbrenner said.

Opposing them were not only Mr. Obama and the House speaker, John A. Boehner of Ohio, but also the leaders of the nation’s defense and intelligence establishment.

On Tuesday, the director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Keith Alexander, spent hours providing classified briefings to lawmakers about the program, and the White House took the unusual step of issuing a statement urging lawmakers not to approve the measure. On Wednesday, James L. Jones, the retired Marine Corps general who was Mr. Obama’s national security adviser from 2009-10, added his name to an open letter in support of preserving the N.S.A. programs that more than half a dozen top national-security officials from the Bush administration had signed.

“Denying the N.S.A. such access to data will leave the nation at risk,” said the letter, which was circulated to undecided members.

Mr. Rogers took a personal swipe at Mr. Amash, a darling of social media, when he said the House was not in the business of racking up “likes” on Facebook. He said the calling log program was an important tool for protecting against terrorist attacks.

“This is not a game,” he fumed. “This is real. It will have real consequences.”

But many rank-and-file Republicans and Democrats appeared impervious to such overtures. Representative Jared Polis, Democrat of Colorado and a supporter of the amendment, said that if the Obama administration felt strongly about defending the program, Mr. Obama would have spoken out personally. Instead, the White House released a statement under the name of the press secretary, Jay Carney.

“The press secretary says hundreds of things every day,” Mr. Polis said.

The divisions in Congress seemed to reflect the ambivalence in the nation. In a CBS News poll released Wednesday, 67 percent of Americans said the government’s collection of phone records was a violation of privacy. At the same time, 52 percent called it a necessary tool to help find terrorists.

But the final tally in the House suggested the tide was shifting on the issue. In the weeks after the Snowden leaks, the united voices of Congressional leaders and administration officials in support of the N.S.A. programs seemed to squelch the outrage Mr. Snowden had hoped for. Anger seemed to be trained more on Mr. Snowden than on the programs he revealed.

As the news media and the government chronicled Mr. Snowden’s flight from law enforcement, a web of privacy activists, libertarian conservatives and liberal civil liberties proponents rallied support behind Congressional action. House members said they received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails before Wednesday’s vote, all in favor of curtailing the N.S.A.’s authority.

Ultimately, 94 House Republicans defied their leadership; 111 Democrats — a majority of the Democratic caucus — defied their president.

“This is only the beginning,” Mr. Conyers vowed after the vote. The fight will shift to the Senate, where two longtime Democratic critics of N.S.A. surveillance, Mark Udall of Colorado and Ron Wyden of Oregon, immediately took up the cause.

“National security is of paramount importance, yet the N.S.A.’s dragnet collection of Americans’ phone records violates innocent Americans’ privacy rights and should not continue as its exists today,” Mr. Udall said after the vote. “The U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan vote today proposal should be a wake-up call for the White House.” 

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

White House Honors For Frank Deford, Joan Didion & Others

"Herb Alpert for his varied contributions to music and the fine arts. The musician behind the Tijuana Brass phenomenon and co-founder of A&M Records, which launched several storied careers, Mr. Alpert is also a philanthropist who shares the power of arts education with young people across our country.

"Lin Arison for her contributions as a philanthropist and arts education advocate. Co-Founder of the National YoungArts Foundation and the New World Symphony, Ms. Arison's work celebrates, showcases, and supports the next generation of great American artists.

"Joan Myers Brown for her contributions as a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. Founder of the Philadelphia Dance Company, Ms. Brown carved out an artistic haven for African-American dancers and choreographers to innovate, create, and share their unique visions with the national and global dance communities.

"Renée Fleming for her contributions to American music. Known to many as 'the people's diva,' Ms. Fleming has captivated audiences around the world with an adventurous repertoire spanning opera and the classical tradition to jazz and contemporary pop.

"Ernest Gaines for his contributions as an author and teacher. Drawing deeply from his childhood in the rural South, his works have shed new light on the African-American experience and given voice to those who have endured injustice.

"Ellsworth Kelly for his contributions as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker. A careful observer of form, color, and the natural world, Mr. Kelly has shaped more than half a century of abstraction and remains a vital influence in American art.

"Tony Kushner for his contributions to American theater and film. Whether for the stage or the silver screen, his scripts have moved audiences worldwide, marrying humor to fury, history to fantasy, and the philosophical to the personal.

"George Lucas for his contributions to American cinema. By combining the art of storytelling with boundless imagination and cutting-edge techniques, Mr. Lucas has transported us to new worlds and created some of the most beloved and iconic films of all time.

"Elaine May for her contributions to American comedy. With groundbreaking wit and a keen understanding of how humor can illuminate our lives, Ms. May has evoked untold joy, challenged expectations, and elevated spirits across our Nation.

"Laurie Olin for his contributions as a preeminent landscape architect. Renowned for his acute sense of harmony and balance between nature and design, Mr. Olin has dedicated his energy to shaping many iconic spaces around the world and to educating new leaders in his art.

"Allen Toussaint for his contributions as a composer, producer, and performer. Born and raised in New Orleans, Mr. Toussaint has built a legendary career alongside America's finest musicians, sustaining his city's rich tradition of rhythm and blues and lifting it to the national stage.

"Washington Performing Arts Society for bringing world-class performances to our Nation's capital. From concert-hall premieres to in-school workshops, WPAS has drawn renowned artists to the Washington community and inspired generations of young performers to follow their passions."

Monday, 8 July 2013

Former Full House Stars Candace Cameron, Andrea Barber Meet NKOTB


Candace Cameron Bure reunites with Full House castmate Andrea Barber at NKOTB concert on July 5. Credit: Courtesy of Candace Bure
Flashback to the '80s! The magic of the late '80s and early '90s came together on Friday, July 5, when Full House stars Candace Cameron Bure, most known for her role as D.J. Tanner on the beloved family sitcom, attended the New Kids On The Block (NKOTB) concert at LA's Staples Center with Andrea Barber, who played Kimmy Gibbler on the show.

PHOTOS: Former '90s child stars -- where are they now

"This will be epic!" Cameron Bure, 37, wrote, posting a picture of herself alongside Barber, 37, to her Instagram page.

Epic it was, as the actress posted numerous photos of herself meeting NKOTB members, Jonathan Knight, Danny Wood, and Joey McIntyre, backstage. "Yes, we are Joey girls!" the mom of three wrote, along with a picture of herself, Barber, and a group of friends.

Credit: Courtesy of Candace Bure
Candace Cameron Bure meets Jonathan Knight.
"BEST NIGHT EVER," she captioned another pic.

Credit: Courtesy of Candace Bure
Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber meet Danny Wood.
PHOTOS: Reality TV's breakout stars

Since appearing on Full House, which aired from 1987 to 1995, Cameron Bure guest starred on a variety of shows, and had a main role in Make It Or Break It from 2009 to 2012. She got married to Russian NHL hockey player Valeri Bure in 1996 and the couple have three children -- daughter Natasha Valerievna Bure and sons, Lev Valerievich Bure and Maksim Valerievich Bure.

Barber married Jeremy Rytky in September 2002 and the pair have two children: son Tate James and daughter Felicity Ruth.

PHOTOS: Stars' favorite childhood toys

NKOTB are currently on their Package Tour with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men, which wraps up August 4.

Follow me on Twitter @sajilpl

Sunday, 7 July 2013

Free 'White House Down' July 4 Screening Draws 100,000 Military



On July 4, more than 100,000 active military servicemembers and veterans saw White House Down in theaters for free.

Sony Pictures offered free admission to service men and women on Independence Day as part of a special tribute to U.S. troops.

PHOTOS: Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum: Exclusive Portraits of the 'White House Down' Stars

Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Theatres, Cinemark and Carmike Cinemas participated in the offer, providing military personnel a free ticket, along with a ticket for a guest.

The Channing Tatum/Jamie Foxx actioner, which grossed a disappointing $24.8 million in its first weekend, took in $3.5 million on the Independence Day holiday. The film has grossed $36.9 million domestically to date.

Roland Emmerich's film follows a capitol police officer (Tatum) who is tasked with rescuing the president of the United States (Foxx) after terrorists infiltrate the White House.

Thursday, 4 July 2013

George Lucas, Joan Didion to Receive White House Honors


The White House announced Wednesday that President Barack Obama will present this year’s National Medals of Arts and Humanities to a glittering constellation of cultural and entertainment industry figures, including Joan Didion, George Lucas, Elaine May and Herb Alpert.

The list of those to be honored at the July 10 East Room ceremonies includes an unusually diverse roster of honorees with Arts Medals going to Lucas, May, Alpert, beloved African American writer Ernest Gaines, playwright Tony Kushner, philanthropist Lin Arison, dancer/choreographer Joan Myers Brown, opera diva Renée Fleming, painter Ellsworth Kelly, landscape architect Laurie Olin, composer Allen Toussaint and the Washington Performing Arts Society.

STORY: Obama Issues New Anti-Piracy Plan

Recipients of the Humanities Medal include, Didion, Robert Silvers -- founder and editor of the New York Review of Books -- historian Edward L. Ayers, economist William G. Bowen, historians Jill Ker Conway and Natalie Zemon Davis, sports writer Frank Deford, sociologist Robert Putnam¸ novelist Marilynne Robinson¸ poet Kay Ryan, performance artist Anna Deavere Smith and visual artist Camilo José Vergara.

Didion was singled out “for her mastery of style in writing. Exploring the culture around us and exposing the depths of sorrow, Ms. Didion has produced works of startling honesty and fierce intellect, rendered personal stories universal, and illuminated the seemingly peripheral details that are central to our lives.”

Lucas was cited “for is contributions to American cinema. By combining the art of storytelling with boundless imagination and cutting-edge techniques, Lucas has transported us to new worlds and created some of the most beloved and iconic films of all time.”

STORY:Obama Calls for Nuclear Reduction, Defends NSA's Prism Program in Berlin Speech

May’s honor comes for her “contributions to American comedy. With groundbreaking wit and a keen understanding of how humor can illuminate our lives, Ms. May has evoked untold joy, challenged expectations, and elevated spirits across our nation.”

Alpert, meanwhile, is being honored for his contributions to music and the fine arts. "The musician behind the Tijuana Brass phenomenon and co-founder of A&M Records, which launched several storied careers, Mr. Alpert is also a philanthropist who shares the power of arts education with young people across our country."

President Obama will amplify on the citations in his personal remarks during the ceremony Wednesday.

Saturday, 29 June 2013

House panel approves bill increasing H-1B limits

A U.S. House of Representatives committee has approved legislation that would more than double the current skilled immigration H-1B cap with the focus on science and technology workers.

 

The House Judiciary Committee approved the Supplying Knowledge Based Immigrants and Lifting Levels of STEM Visa Act, or the SKILLS Visa Act, by a vote of 20-14 late Thursday.

 

The bill would set aside 55,000 green cards each year for employers to hire foreign graduates of U.S. universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

 

The SKILLS Visa Act would also increase the annual H-1B visa cap to 155,000, from the current 65,000, and increase the additional H-1Bs set aside for foreign graduates of U.S. universities from 20,000 to 40,000.

 

The committee approval will help benefit the U.S. economy and aid the “creation of American jobs,” Representative Darrell Issa, a California Republican and main sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. The bill “allows immigrants who graduate from American universities with advanced degrees in STEM fields to remain here and use their talents to make this country a better place.”

 

The bill next moves to the floor of the full House of Representatives. The House action comes in the same day that the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill that includes high-skill immigration provisions. The Senate bill faces an uphill fight in the House.

 

Some tech workers groups have denounced proposals to raise the H-1B visa cap, saying there are plenty of U.S. tech workers still looking for jobs.

 

The Issa bill changes the calculation of prevailing wages that companies need to give foreign workers who receive visas. That provision is an effort to protection U.S. workers, Issa said in a press release.

 

The bill would also allocate up to 10,000 green cards a year for alien entrepreneurs who can attract investment from venture-capital firms to establish businesses creating at least five jobs.

 

Several tech trade groups praised the House bill. For years, several large tech companies have called on Congress to increase the H-1B visa cap, saying they can’t find enough skilled workers in the U.S. to fill thousands of jobs.

 

The Consumer Electronics Association, in a statement, called high-skilled immigration a “key priority for the nation.”

 

“For America to remain the world’s leading innovator, we must embrace immigration policy reforms that allow the United States to remain a magnet for the best and brightest to work and build their businesses, create new jobs and contribute to the overall success of our economy,” Gary Shapiro, CEA’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

 

 

Friday, 28 June 2013

Box Office Report: 'The Heat' Bringing Down the 'White House' in Early Friday Returns

The Heat Bullock McCarthy in Bar - H 2013

Melissa McCarthy can apparently do no wrong at the box office.

Based on early Friday ticket sales, Paul Feig's comedy The Heat -- starring McCarthy opposite Sandra Bullock -- could near $40 million in its debut, enough to easily beat Roland Emmerich's big-budget tentpole White House Down, headlined by another hot box-office star, Channing Tatum.

White House Down, also starring Jamie Foxx, may not cross $30 million in its North American opening, a blow for Emmerich and Sony, which spent $140 million to make the pic. In the film, the president of the United States (Foxx) and a wannabe Secret Service agent (Tatum) team up after the White House is invaded by terrorists and the U.S. Capitol destroyed.

PHOTOS: Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum: Exclusive Portraits of the 'White House Down' Stars

One problem -- White House Down comes out just three months after FilmDistrict's White House-under-siege film Olympus Has Fallen played in theaters. Another is a glut of male-skewing action films in the market.

20th Century Fox's The Heat, meanwhile, marks another coup for McCarthy and Feig, as well as for Bullock. To date, McCarthy's top opening at the domestic box office is Identity Thief, which debuted earlier this year to $34.6 million.

The Heat -- the first female offering of the summer, costing a modest $43 million to produce -- stars Bullock as a strict FBI agent who is forced to team up with McCarthy's rough-around-the-edges Boston street cop.

STORY: Box Office Report: 'White House Down' Earns $1.35 Mil, 'The Heat' Warms With $1 Mil Thursday

Feig's Bridesmaids grossed $26.2 million in its domestic debut in May 2011. The film, which starred McCarthy along with Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, became a female-friendly comedy hit and has gone on to gross $288.4 million to date worldwide.

At current pacing, White House Down could become one of Emmerich's lowest-grossing debuts to date for a broad tentpole. In summer 2004, The Day After Tomorrow debuted to $68.7 million. Independence Day -- which also featured the destruction of the White House -- opened to $50.2 million in July 1996.

Monsters University is likely to stay at No. 1 in its second weekend with a gross in the $45 million-plus range. The Disney/Pixar film, the prequel to 2001 hit Monsters, Inc., debuted in 4,004 theaters last weekend to earn $82.4 million, making it Pixar's second-highest opening ever behind 2010's Toy Story 3. Holdover World War Z continues to show strength as well and could be neck-and-neck with The Heat.

Follow me on Twitter @sajilpl

In Theaters This Weekend: Reviews of 'White House Down,' 'The Heat' and More

Sony's summer gamble on a non-superhero film, White House Down, hits the big screen Friday, June 28.


The action-thriller stars Channing Tatum as a Secret Service agent who must protect the U.S. president, played by Jamie Foxx, from being harmed by a paramilitary group attacking Washington, D.C. Helmed by Independence Day director Roland Emmerich, the movie also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Woods, Richard Jenkins and Jason Clarke.


For a more comical weekend, Paul Feig's The Heat sees Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock teaming up as an unlikely pair -- potty-mouthed detective Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) and uptight FBI agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) -- to catch a drug lord on the loose.


PHOTOS: Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum: Exclusive Portraits of the 'White House Down' Stars


Read what The Hollywood Reporter's film critics have to say about all the films opening this weekend and find out how they are expected to perform at the box office.


White House Down


Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx join forces as the presidential residence comes under attack by paramilitary thugs in Roland Emmerich's latest action-thriller. Read David Rooney's review here.


The Heat


Paul Feig's comedy stars Sandra Bullock as an uptight FBI agent and Melissa McCarthy as a crass Boston street cop. Read Todd McCarthy's review here.


Byzantium


Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan play 200-year-old vampires in director Neil Jordan's female twist on the bloodsucking genre. Read David Rooney's review here.


PHOTOS: Melissa McCarthy, Sandra Bullock Turn Up 'The Heat' At New York Premiere


A Band Called Death


A better-than-fiction doc resurrects a seminal African-American rock band. Read Justin Lowe's review here.


Copperhead


Gettysburg director Ron Maxwell looks at Northern opposition to the Civil War. Read John DeFore's review here.


Redemption


Steven Knight's thriller stars Jason Statham as a former Special Forces soldier dealing with the mean streets of London. Read Frank Scheck's review here.


Laurence Anyways


Montreal auteur Xavier Dolan's stylish, gender-bending epic stars Melvil Poupaud and Suzanne Clement as a couple that can never quite live either together or apart. Read Stephen Dalton's review here.


STORY: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx and 'White House Down's' Superhero-Free Summer Gamble


Magic Camp


Judd Ehrlich's documentary finds a slew of would-be David Copperfields in the Pennsylvania countryside as they attend Tannen's Magic Camp, held every summer. Read John DeFore's review here.


How to Make Money Selling Drugs


Matthew Cooke's directorial debut uses a tongue-in-cheek conceit to look at the War on Drugs. Read John DeFore's review here.


Detention of the Dead


Alex Craig Mann sends zombies to high school. Read John DeFore's review here.


100 Bloody Acres


Damon Herriman and Angus Sampson are backwoods brothers just trying to make a living in this off-the-wall Australian splatter-comedy. Read Megan Lehmann's review here.


Museum Hours


Engagingly offbeat docudrama draws links between Renaissance art and modern society. Read Stephen Dalton's review here.


Some Girl(s)


Adam Brody and Kristen Bell star in an adaption of the Neil LaBute play. Read John DeFore's review here.


Twitter: @sajilpl

Monday, 24 June 2013

How to Rent Leonardo DiCaprio's Malibu Beach House

Beach House Rental - H 2013The Residence, Willis’ luxury compound inside the Parrot Cay resort.

For $75,000 a month, Leonardo DiCaprio's Malibu pad can be your perfect summer getaway.

The actor's compound on a half-acre lot in Malibu Colony has a four-bedroom main house, two-bedroom detached guesthouse, a gym and a fire pit. The price is for a minimum six-month rental; less than that, and it's $150,000 a month (Sarah Kosasky of Arete Estates has the listing).

Also in Malibu is Steven Spielberg's compound (listed by Partners Trust's Ann Eysenring) on Broad Beach, which has an asking price of $125,000 a month for a 7,200-square-foot main house with an accompanying two-bedroom guesthouse. The one-acre spread includes 130 feet of beachfront access along with a massage room and screening room.

PHOTOS: Back to the Beach: Shorefront Real Estate Booms Once More

Bruce Willis' $20,873-a-night pad -- The Residence, inside the Parrot Cay resort -- is nestled within the Turks and Caicos Islands. The actor's six-acre oceanfront compound includes a five-bedroom main house with two detached guesthouses and two three-bedroom guest villas.

In Bermuda, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have put their 7,300-square-foot villa on the rental market for $28,000 a month (listed by Bermuda Realty). The three-acre property features main and guesthouses, a fruit grove, tennis court and garden complete with a hot tub.