U.S. House

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn., returns to Washington this week for freshman orientation sessions. Nolan will arrive with some instant seniority after serving three consecutive terms in the U.S. House from 1975 to 1981. However, Jessica Taylor, who follows Congress for the Rothenberg Political Report, told MPR "He's going to be dealing with a more polarized Congress."

Congressman Keith Ellison’s Republican opponent calls the 5th District Representative ‘militantly anti-American. Minnesota Public Report reports Chris Fields claims Ellison "attacked the Pledge of Allegiance, voted countless times to throw our troops serving in harm's way to the wolves and teamed up with Barney Frank to destroy the banking industry." Ellison's campaign calls Fields’ email ‘divisive’ and ‘toxic’.

The U.S. House is expected to vote Thursday on legislation to eliminate a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices, included in President Obama's health-reform law. The bill is proposed by Minnesota Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen. The Business Journal notes the tax, set to go into effect next year, would impact large companies like Fridley-based Medtronic Inc. and Little Canada-based St. Jude Medical Inc.

Fifteen Senate Republicans helped pass legislation reauthorizing assistance to victims of domestic violence. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the bill was a "great victory for women." Bloomberg reports she's "very hopeful" the U.S. House will also renew the legislation.

Allen Quist and Mike Parry are both seeking the GOP endorsement to run against Rep. Walz in November. Republicans will gather for their 1st District Convention in Mankato Saturday. Walz is seeking his fourth term in Washington.

The FEMA Common Sense and Cost Effectiveness Act passed the U.S. Senate and is being considered in the U.S. House. The bill is designed to give cities flexibility to build permanent levees on land bought with grant money.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Michele Bachmann will be among the people in Stillwater this weekend for the event. The U.S. House and Senate sent legislation to President Obama exempting the $700 million dollar project from the the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Lawmakers voted 339 to 80 Thursday in favor of exempting the $700 million project from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The bill now goes to President Obama. Senators passed the legislation in January.

The House of Representatives voted 417-2 in favor of Tim Walz's STOCK Act. It prevents lawmakers and staffers from trading stock based on nonpublic information. U.S. Senators passed its version last week by a vote of 96 to 3.

A federal tax hike has hurt the industry with nearly 14 percent of state salons closing since 2009. Big Government says a proposed bill to reverse the ten percent excise tax awaits a vote from the U.S. House.

Lawmakers, including DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum, voted down a GOP proposal Friday to make federal deficits unconstitutional. It was the first House vote of its kind in 16 years and was a central issue of the Republican fiscal agenda.