Analyzing the Briefs

Mar 30, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Bob Bauer in his blog, moresoftmoneyhardlaw, plans on commenting on the amicus briefs filed in the Wisconsin Right to Life case. The first one analyzes the brief filed on behalf of Norm Ornstein, Thomas Mann, Anthony Corrado and the Committee on Economic Development. Be sure to check back for comments on the numerous other amicus briefs.

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Nonprofit Leaders Disappointed in Poor Oversight of Federal Grants

Mar 30, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

This article out of Fairbanks Alaska concerns a lack of federal oversight of money nonprofits obtain through earmarks. "Some [who work in nonprofits] add, though, that federal program officers don't, or can't, always watch closely. In addition, if the federal agency isn't involved in selecting the grantee, as occurs with earmarked funds, fundamental problems may escape the agency's notice, they say." A nonprofit in Fairbanks, LOVE Social Services, about $450,000 of a $2.9 million that Sen.

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Now 'ear This: Roundup of Earmark Action This Week

Mar 30, 2007 by Adam Hughes*

Action and commentary aplenty on the earmarks front, from CRS to OMB to Capitol Hill this week:
  • CRS' Earmark Policy: the Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service (CRS) "sudden" announcement that "it will no longer [perform research for] members of Congress on the size, number or background of earmarks" brought this WSJ denunciation on Monday, followed by this CQ-released ($) response by CRS the same day;

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House Committee Passes GSE Reform Bill

Mar 30, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Yesterday the House Financial Services Committee passed H.R. 1427, the Federal Housing Reform Act of 2007. The bill will provide additional funding for affordable housing and change the oversight of the government sponsored enterprises (GSE) of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Last year efforts were made to greatly restrict the affordable housing trust fund, limiting the groups that could apply based on lobbying and GOTV activities. Fortunately these same attempts were not made this year and the bill passed committee yesterday is absent language of the sort.

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Newsflash: Media Biased (Against Government Spending)

Mar 30, 2007 by Craig Jennings

The Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation ought to be happy. The coverage of the House budget resolution more or less includes their talking points about how "spending is the problem" with the federal budget. What's more, these ideas are not attributed; they're just presented as facts that the reporters decided, for an unnamed reason, to add to these stories. THe New York Times:

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Latest IRS Data Reveal Continued Inequality Trend

Mar 30, 2007 by Craig Jennings

David Cay Johnston, writing in the New York Times about the latest available data from the IRS, says things are going well for a few Americans, but not as well for many, many more: The new data also shows that the top 300,000 Americans collectively enjoyed almost as much income as the bottom 150 million Americans. Per person, the top group received 440 times as much as the average person in the bottom half earned, nearly doubling the gap from 1980. The Bush administration is not so troubled, however, claiming:

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EPA Gets Cozy with Industry Once Again

Mar 30, 2007 by Matthew Madia

EPA has finalized a new rule on soot that is a hand-out to the power industry. The rule will allow utilities to buy their way out of installing the latest and most effective technology for controlling soot emissions. Get the full scoop from Clean Air Watch's Blog for Clean Air.

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Senate's 51-47 Supplemental Vote a Challenge to Bush

Mar 29, 2007 by Dana Chasin

The Senate passed a $122 billion supplemental spending bill this afternoon by 51-47; it was a party-line vote, with all Democrats in favor and all GOP Senators opposed, except for Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Gordon Smith (R-OR), who supported the measure.

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"Donors, Nonprofit Employees Support Lobbying Disclosures"

Mar 29, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Nonprofit Times highlighted the OMB Watch survey on grassroots lobbying disclosure. The article discusses the survey results and responses in some detail. For example, many who took the survey commented that disclosure would help distinguish "between genuine grassroots activism, which tends to be money-poor but people-rich, and 'Astroturf' lobbying, which tends to be money-rich."

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States Improve Mine Safety while MSHA Delays

Mar 29, 2007 by Matthew Madia

The Charleston Gazette (WV) reports on a Congressional hearing that spotlighted state efforts to improve mine safety and proved the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is stuck in the dark. As OMB Watch has reported, there has been little progress in federal mine safety regulation since the tragedies of Sago and Darby in 2006. This hearing shows how states are forced to pick up the slack. West Virginia legislated tougher mine construction standards and Kentucky has beefed up mine inspections. Widows of killed mine workers urged the House Education and Labor Committee to ensure greater mine safety at the federal level. Congress attempted to do just that in the wake of Sago and Darby. The MINER Act, signed into law in June 2006, should have already improved working conditions for our nation's miners. Unfortunately, MSHA has been negligent in enforcing the law. During the testimony, United Mine Workers of America president Cecil Roberts said, "I am sorry to report that MSHA's effort over the past year would do little to change matters today if a mine were to experience an explosion."

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