The US House of Representatives passed its first piece of legislation for the 110th Congress late Tuesday, a bill to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission remaining after the enactment of the Intelligence Reform bill in 2004. The bill provides for additional intelligence oversight and sets out an ambitious screening program for shipping cargo coming into the US. HR 1 passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 299-128, though several Congressional Republicans assailed the bill's passage as a Democratic effort to appear tough on terrorism without considering the financial implications.

Tuesday's passage of HR 1 marks the first of several key votes scheduled by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to occur during the Democrats first 100 hours in office. Later this week the House will vote on legislation to raise the federal minimum wage and expand embryonic stem cell research.