In the Senate, they are currently dealing with a vote to set aside the Feingold amendment dealing with meals.
They called up a number of amendments - particulary one that nonprofits should be concerned with.
Today, the Senate brought up two amendments offered by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) that would severly chill nonprofit speech with the threat of jail time. These amendments most likely will be considered later today. The nonprofit community needs you to contact your Senator and tell him you OPPOSE the Inhofe amendments to the lobby reform bill!
How safe is your drinking water five years after 9/11? Apparently not so safe that a couple of high school kids can't break in and have the run of the place:
BLACKSTONE, Massachusetts (AP) -- Authorities charged two teenagers in connection with a break-in at a water facility and expected to charge a third as more than 9,000 area residents waited to hear Wednesday whether their drinking water had been contaminated.
In the House, the House Rules committee will hold the first markup of the House Lobbying Reform bill HR 4975 this Thursday to markup the provisions that fall under their jurisdiction. There has been a commitment by Republican leadership to go through the committee process with all provisions of the bill, which means as many as 5 different committee markups may occur. At the same time, the House calendar for next week has lobbying reform and 527 reform legislation on it for consideration.
The Senate voted 84-13 to adopt an amendment to the lobby reform bill (S 2349) that would require senators to submit objections to bringing up a bill or nomination in writing to the Senate leadership. The amendment would give senators three days to resolve their concerns privately before their hold is made public.
Seven months after the Gulf Coast experienced a series of devastating hurricanes, faith-based and
community organizations are beginning to receive federal help following delays in administrative
processing and paperwork.
For more, check out the The Roundtable's article
The Senate took up lobby reform again, as Sen. Schumer withdrew his second-degree amendment that caused the lobby reform train to derail weeks ago.
Today, Frist has reportedly been pleading with Senators to set aside their amendments so they could vote on lobby reform. Frist planned for discussion and voting on the McCain-Liberman-Collins-Obama Office of Public Integrity Amendment and then a vote on the Wyden-Grassley "no more secret holds" amendment.
White House chief of staff Andy Card has announced his resignation after serving for almost five-and-a-half years in the position. His last day will be April 14. Card is being replaced by current OMB head Josh Bolten, who served as deputy White House chief of staff in Bush's first term.
Washington Post: Andrew Card Resigns as White House Chief of Staff
Despite the security rhetoric pushed by the administration since 9/11, our rail systems, which transport 1,7 million shipments of hazardous materials each year, remain dangerously vulnerable to a terrorist attack, according to the New York Times.
Interesting article on the position of a conservative Republican House Member - Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) - supporting the earmarking process in Congress. Simpson even goes so far as to say outlawing earmarks may be unconstitutional.
The Senate will reconvene at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 27, following a weeklong recess. The chamber will then resume consideration of lobbying overhaul legislation (S 2349). A roll call vote is scheduled to occur at approximately 5:30 p.m. Senate leaders have not yet announced the subject of the vote, however, it is likely to be related to the lobbying bill.
