TALON Database Report

Jan 17, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The ACLU has released the report, No Real Threat: The Pentagon’s Secret Database on Peaceful Protest, covering the Pentagon's Threat and Local Observation Notices (TALON) database found to have recorded information about the activities of peaceful, anti-war organizations. The report reviews the documents the ACLU obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit last year. The ACLU is calling for Congress to hold oversight hearings to investigate the material obtained in the database.

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Senate Finance Adopts $8.3bn. Baucus Tax Measure

Jan 17, 2007 by Dana Chasin

This afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee approved by voice vote the $8.3 billion "Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007," co-sponsored by Committee chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking member Charles Grassley (R-IA). The bill provides an array of tax breaks, mostly geared toward small business, and is basically offset with provisions that are principally aimed at corporations and wealthy individuals. (See JCT scoring for details).

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S. 1 UPDATE: A Byrd Rule for Earmarks?

Jan 16, 2007 by Adam Hughes*

Debate on S. 1 has resumed on the Senate floor, with votes today expected on:
  • a technical correction, to be offered by Sen. Durbin, to last week's DeMint amendment
  • the DeMint amendment itself, as corrected
  • a Reid amendment to require senators to pay charter rates to fly on private jets (Reid is said to be trying to address the issues of senators who have their own planes and those who live in rural states with limited air service)
All three items are expected to pass with overwhelming majorities.

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Myth v. Fact: The Impact of Federal Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure in S. 1

In a Dec. 30, 2006 letter to Public Citizen, American Target Advertising, Inc. explains its opposition to legislation that would require disclosure of big money grassroots lobbying campaigns on federal legislation (S.1 ). The letter gives some examples that misstate what the bill would do and are contrary to the stated intentions of the bill's sponsors. To reduce the confusion we have provided alternative answers to the hypothetical questions American Target Advertising (ATA) poses in its letter. Updated Jan. 18, 2007: More Myths and Facts

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Whitey on the Moon, Iraq

Jan 16, 2007 by Matt Lewis

Via TAPPED, the Washington Post reports today on budget choices at NASA. Money is being shifted out of programs that monitor climate change and hurricanes and into space exploration. The government's ability to understand and predict hurricanes, drought and climate changes of all kinds is in danger because of deep cuts facing many Earth satellite programs and major delays in launching some of its most important new instruments, a panel of experts has concluded.

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Ethics Editorial

Jan 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Today's Washington Post has this editorial, "Ethical Progress" which commends the efforts in the Senate on the ethics and lobbying form bill so far. Yet, this piece notes that important amendments and provisions would strengthen the legislation.

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Wisconsin Right to Life Case Update

Jan 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

On Friday January 12, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and four members of Congress asked the Supreme Court to uphold the ban on the specific broadcast advertisements that Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) prepared to air. Yesterday, in response WRTL appealed to the Supreme Court to consider the case and rule this Term. It will not be determined until this Friday if the Supreme Court will hear the case during this Term. Bob Bauer has a blog today relating this case with the Washington Education Association case.

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CREW Cannot Sue FEC Over Enforcement Complaint

Jan 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

BNA Money and Politics (subscription required) reported that on January 12 a federal appeals court ruled that the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) did not have the needed legal standing to sue the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC found that Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) improperly provided a contact list to the President Bush's re-election campaign. CREW then filed an enforcement complaint against the FEC, arguing that the list was worth more than the FEC considered.

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Bush's Balanced Balance Bid: Heavy Lifting or Laughing?

Jan 16, 2007 by Dana Chasin

While we await his State of the Union speech and the Bush budget for FY2008, the media focus remains fixed, oddly, on the President's pledge last week that, despite his profligate past, he will balance the federal budget by 2012. As we and others have suggested, this pledge shouldn't be taken seriously. A Washington Post article today on the topic asserts that "the politically perilous work of making that happen -- cutting spending or raising taxes -- falls to the Democratic-run Congress."

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New Research Backs Claim of Mercury Hot Spots

Jan 15, 2007 by Matthew Madia

A new http://www.aibs.org/bioscience-press-releases/070103_hotspots_of_mercury_contamination_identified_in_eastern_north_america.html ">study by the American Institute for Biological Sciences has found further evidence that the cap-and-trade approach to limiting mercury emissions backed by EPA could create mercury "hot spots," areas with dangerously higher concentrations of mercury. A US and Canadian research team identified five hot spots in New England, New York and Nova Scotia.

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