This is certainly good news. I don't know if it has a snowball's chance in hell of passing, but you never know:

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Russ Feingold (D-WI), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced today that they will introduce the Retroactive Immunity Repeal Act, which eliminates retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that allegedly participated in President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program.

“I believe we best defend America when we also defend its founding principles,” said Dodd. “We make our nation safer when we eliminate the false choice between liberty and security. But by granting retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies who may have participated in warrantless wiretapping of American citizens, the Congress violated the protection of our citizen’s privacy and due process right and we must not allow that to stand.”

Senator Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said, “Last year, I opposed legislation that stripped Americans of their right to seek accountability for the Bush administration’s decision to illegally wiretap American citizens without a warrant. Today, I am pleased to join Senator Dodd to introduce the Retroactive Immunity Repeal Act. We can strengthen national security while protecting Americans’ privacy and civil liberties. Restoring Americans’ access to the courts is the first step toward bringing some measure of accountability for the Bush-Cheney administration’s decision to conduct warrantless surveillance in violation of our laws.”

“Granting retroactive immunity to companies that went along with the illegal warrantless wiretapping program was unjustified and undermined the rule of law,” Feingold said. “Congress should not have short-circuited the courts’ constitutional role in assessing the legality of the program. This bill is about ensuring that the law is followed and providing accountability for the American people.”

(h/t Down with Tyranny for the graphic.)

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I've been asking members of Congress if they would forego their August recess to make sure health care won't get left behind. Why shouldn't republicans and democrats work instead of taking a holiday? Since I asked President Obama if he should demand that Congress stay in DC to work on health care in August the media has picked it up too and now we're getting statements from Congress saying they would work instead of taking a holiday.

I asked Blue America's Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) if he would give up the August recess to make sure legislation gets done. Here's his reply:

"I'm committed to passing health care reform and I'm extremely concerned that the window of opportunity is starting to close. Anything that can speed up Senate deliberation is valuable. And if keeping the Senate in session in August can move the bill forward, I'm absolutely committed to being here."

Sen. Merkley is committed to reforming health care and he now joins the list of members who have said they will work in August. Thanks so much Senator.

Senator Wyden
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Rep. James Clyburn
Sen. Jeff Merkley

h/t Jeff Merkley:

Opponents of health care reform are recycling stale talking points designed to kill any plans for reform. Senator Merkley takes aim at these irresponsible tactics and makes the case for quality, affordable care for all Americans.

UPDATE: John Amato

Sen. Merkley, a Blue America candidate attacks the republican party for using Luntz' talking points to KILL the health care debate. He's not being used to come up with alternative legislation. It's all about the language of destruction. People like Luntz exist to muddy up the waters and confuse Americans with his word about the issues that are so essential to their lives.
The soulless Republicans are like leeches sucking on the blood of Luntz because he nourishes their anti-American family values. You go Sen. Merkley.

More than with many candidates Blue America supported for the U.S. Senate, it always seemed to us that with Jeff Merkley (D-OR) we were electing one of us -- not some private-school millionaire, but a guy from a working family who still sees his goals as helping out other ordinary Americans from working families. His victory over multimillionaire reactionary Gordon Smith in November was one of the sweetest of the cycle. And as soon as he got to the Senate he got busy working with the Obama Administration and his colleagues on creating jobs and turning around the mortgage crisis. His voting record is the most progressive of any new senator Blue America helped elect.

Today John and I asked Senator Merkley to spend some time with us blogging about his efforts to get the country back on the right path by rebuilding and strengthening the middle class. “If we are going to put America back to work and turn this economy around," he explained, "we need to take on the mortgage crisis. Millions of Americans have lost their homes and millions more are teetering on the edge. Each foreclosure not only devastates the family involved, but drives down neighbors’ property values, deepens the banking crisis, and worsens the recession.”

In just a few weeks, Congress will be taking up legislation that addresses this foreclosure crisis. We need to support aggressive efforts to enable families entrapped in high-cost mortgages to negotiate modifications to their loans.

And if mortgage modifications fail, we need to support the ability of bankruptcy judges to adjust the terms of the loan. Bankruptcy judges currently have the power to adjust the terms for loans for yachts and vacation homes-- it’s time to allow the same option for family homes.

This economic crisis started in the broken housing market, and it's not going to end until we fix the housing market.

While Harry Reid has signaled to Republicans and to reactionary Democrats that if they don't budge, he'll jettison the "cram down" legislation the House has already passed. Before joining us in the comments section, please take a look at this clip of Senator Merkley on the floor of the Senate explaining why this legislation, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, is so critical:

The Oregonian is now projecting Jeff Merkley will defeat Republican Gordon Smith for the U.S. Senate seat. No Oregon Senator has lost as an incumbent in 40 years.

Democrat Jeff Merkley has leapt from Oregon's statehouse to the U.S. Senate, ousting two-term Republican Gordon Smith after an expensive, high-stakes contest that will help shift the balance of power in Washington.

The Oregonian projects that Merkley will squeak by Smith by the time all votes are counted.

Merkley, a five-term state lawmaker and former Habitat for Humanity director, took advantage of a surge of Democratic support to win the bitterly fought battle with Smith, a Pendleton frozen food magnate who also rose from the Oregon Legislature.

Jeff Merkley was backed by some fine people, including his wife Mary Sorteberg and the man pictured with them below.

Major h/t also to Jeff Merkley's tireless netroots director Sarah Lane. And the folks over at Blue Oregon for their fabulous work.

It was looking grim early last night for Jeff Merkley in his race to unseat Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon, but that was mostly because the Multnomah and Lane counties hadn't been counted much yet.

Those counties started coming in this afternoon and evening, and the trend is so strong in his favor (at last check, Merkley had about a 10,000-vote lead, and growing) that the Oregonian has called it for him.

Congratulations, Senator Merkley. Thanks to you and your awesome staff for all your hard work. And Democrats have just inched a tad closer to a filibuster-proof majority.

Two of the most beloved political figures in Oregon, former Governor Barbara Roberts and progressive icon Earl Blumenauer each wrote to Blue America this week asking us to pass along their messages of support for Jeff Merkley in our Blue America Pick-A-Senator Competition, in which you vote and we donate $5,000 to the winner. Gov. Roberts' and Rep. Blumenauer's enthusiasm for Jeff seems to be borne out by our community since Jeff is way out front, at leats for now. Rep. Blumenauer:

"I'm Congressman Earl Blumenauer from Oregon and I wanted to take a moment to tell you about our race for U.S. Senate. Jeff Merkley might not be as funny as Al Franken or a member of the Udall family, but he's been a real progressive leader in Oregon and has the record to show he will be in the U.S. Senate. I've known Jeff for over two decades and watching him in the subsequent years, I know what kind of leader he will be. As Oregon's Speaker of the House, Jeff led one of the most effective, efficient and progressive legislative sessions in Oregon's history. He will continue the fight to end the war, pass universal health care and combat climate change in the U.S. Senate. Even more pressing is that Jeff has a real chance to defeat a Senator who supports the same people and policies that have gotten our country so far off course. Gordon Smith has done everything he can to hide and confuse the public about his record and recently has taken part in one of the most despicable attack ads I have ever seen in my 35 years in public service. Please help us put an end to failed policies and the politics of obfuscation and help send Jeff Merkley, a real progressive, to the U.S. Senate by casting your vote today!”

Governor Roberts:

Hello Blue America! My name is Barbara Roberts and I’m the former Governor of the great state of Oregon. I’m here today to ask you to join me and show your support for Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley. House Speaker Jeff Merkley has always fought for Oregon families and has never backed down to the powerful special interests. I’ve seen him take on the drug companies and the insurance companies and win. That’s the kind of leader he’s been in Oregon and that’s the kind of leader he’ll be in Washington. Here in Oregon, we’ve been lucky to have a great Senator in Ron Wyden, but we have a problem. That problem is Republican Gordon Smith! Gordon Smith has supported every failed, disastrous policy of the Bush Administration. Smith supports the Iraq War, tax breaks for big oil, warrantless wiretapping, and voted to confirm extreme rightwing judges. It’s time for Bush rubberstamp Republican Gordon Smith to be sent packing and you can help make that happen by casting your vote for Jeff Merkley today!

Here's Jeff explaining the bailout/corporate giveaway to Oregon voters:

As a follow-up to the very successful Blue America House contest two weeks ago, we're starting a week long Senate competition today. You can vote for the candidate of your choice on our dedicated Blue America contest page and whether you give $1 or $10 or a thousand dollars, it counts as a vote for the candidate (or candidates) or your choice.

Crooks & Liars asked each campaign to submit an ad that could be used with the donations we collect this week. Texas, and especially the Houston area, was struck very hard by Hurricane Ike and the Noriega campaign has essentially diverted all its energy and resources towards the recovery efforts and Rick himself is on Army National Guard duty where he is a Lieutenant Colonel. We had to excuse them from creating an ad in the midst of all the chaos and turmoil there. How about taking a look at each one of the other ads and visualizing helping to put them on TV? And while you're at it, visualize a U.S. Senate without John Cornyn, Susan Collins, James Inhofe, Gordon Smith, and Ted Stevens.

Andrew Rice:

Mark Begich:

Jeff Merkley:

Tom Allen:

  Last week I invited Southern California DWT readers to come meet Oregon's Senate candidate Jeff Merkley in Los Angeles and promised John and Digby would be there too. Digby couldn't come herself but D-Day joined John, the incredible Hopelettes, and an enthusiastic bevy of wonderful progressive friends and neighbors (and me) in welcoming Jeff to town. Next time I promise to post the invitation here at C&L too. (Hint: keep your September 9 lunch hour open.) Meanwhile, we had a great time with Jeff, who showed us exactly why everyone is saying he'll be the closest thing to Paul Wellstone the Senate has seen after he ousts Bush rubber stamp Gordon Smith in November.

Anyway, Smith has taken immense amounts of special interest money from every corporation looking for an easy mark. While gas prices have been going through the roof, he scarfed up $293,325, and voted for every initiative Big Oil has ever wanted-- everything that has led to out of control gas prices. While the real estate market was plummeting, Smith took in $733,462 from the real estate industry, $317,071 from lobbyists and another $518,630 from investment companies-- that's over a million and a half reasons for him to join the GOP deregulation jihad that has made sure the federal government would have neither the will nor the means to protect consumers and workers from the excesses of out-of-control predatory capitalism. Please give us a hand in raising some funds for Jeff to fight this attempt by corporations to continue to buy our democracy. Here's Jeff talking about how he'd like to handle the Iraq problem; it'll give you an idea about why we're so excited about him replacing Smith: