Congressional Democrats are stepping up their oversight of the Bush administration. Several of the steps Congress has taken, or is likely to take soon, have implications for the federal government's regulatory policy. One recent oversight hearing reflected concerns over scientific integrity within the White House. The impetus for two other hearings, and one potential hearing, is concern over the Bush administration's failure to enforce laws passed by Congress.

The new Democratic leadership in Congress is urging transparency as a primary tool to reform the legislative process. According to statements from incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), the leadership is planning several new rules and pieces of legislation on tracking earmarks, requiring time to read proposed legislation, and media access to conference committee activities - all with a central theme of increased congressional transparency.

High on Congress' agenda this week is legislation to authorize the National Security Agency's (NSA) Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP). In the Senate, Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-PA) brokered a hollow compromise with moderate Republicans on the National Security Surveillance Act (S. 2453), increasing the likelihood of its passage. In the House, Rep. Heather Wilson's (R-NM) Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act (H.R. 5825) passed out of committee and is likely to see a floor vote this week. Both bills would legalize the warrantless surveillance program and provide exceptions to the judicial approval required by the Fourth Amendment and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

With November--and its many state, local and midterm Congressional elections--just around the corner, candidates are promising citizens a more open government in exchange for their vote. Access advocates believe that recent revelations about government secrecy (such the National Security Administration's covert warrantless spying program) and Washington corruption scandals have boosted public support for more democratic and less secretive government at the national, state and local levels, and campaigns are picking up on it.