The Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service have concluded that rule changes imposed by the Bush administration on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007 violated federal law: BNA reports: In legal opinions released April 18, the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service said the SCHIP guidance is a rule for purposes of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and so violates statutory requirements for congressional notice and review.

Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Evan Bayh (D-IN) are calling for war spending language that would shift some reconstruction costs to Iraqis. Their proposal would convert U.S. reconstruction funds from grants to loans. Citing Iraq's budget surplus and the U.S.'s deficit, Nelson said that Iraq must take fiscal responsibility for its reconstruction.

The Washington Post reported this morning that U.S. nuclear weapons labs are losing staff and not undertaking necessary and valuable research because of budget cuts. From the Post article: The directors of the nation's three national nuclear weapons laboratories say that budget cuts by Congress and the Bush administration have reduced their ability to carry out scientific research needed to ensure the reliability of the nation's nuclear arsenal in future years.

A bill to delay seven regulations that would eliminate or severely cut Medicaid health care programs won unanimous approval yesterday in the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 46 - 0. The top Senate Republican on this topic - Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) - opposes the House bill despite overwhelming bipartisan support for it. Grassley prefers to amend the regulations rather than postpone for a year.