OMB Watch Statement On Debt Ceiling Increase

Mar 17, 2006 by Matthew Madia

OMB Watch released a statement yesterday about the vote in the Senate to increase the nation's debt limit for the fourth time in the last five years. Read the statement

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Text of Dreier Lobby Reform Legislation

Mar 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The text of the Dreier lobby reform bill can be found here

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Dreier Introduces Lobby Reform Bill in House

Mar 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Rep. David Dreier introduced a lobby reform bill yesterday. Click here for a section by section summary. GOP leadership intends to take it up after recess, although it is reported that it will change as members go home for their in-district work days and examine the bill more throughly.

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Frist Says Lobby Reform Back on Schedule

Mar 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sen. Majority Leader Frist has put lobby reform back on the calendar! Monday, March 27 at 1 pm, the Senate will begin deliberations on the pending lobby reform bill. It is not clear how they intend to deal with the 70 some amendments still pending.

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Frist to Schedule Debate on Line-Item Veto

Mar 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

As part of their vote-a-rama yesterday, the Senate voted to increase the national debt limit by $781 billion, placing the debt limit at almost $9 trillion. The debt limit vote forced lawmakers to cast politically unpopular votes (because they essentially just added almost $1 trillion to U.S. debt), and a number of them showed their disapproval by threatening Majority Leader Frist that they would force votes on budget-reform amendments, including one on the line-item veto.

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Senate Passes Budget Bill 51-49

Mar 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Last night the Senate passed the budget resolution by a very close vote of 51-49. Vice President Dick Cheney was on hand in case he was needed to provide a tie-breaking vote. A series of amendments approved by a bipartisan majority added $16 billion in spending to the $2.77 trillion resolution for FY 2007 that came out of committee. The increased spending -- as well as deals made with Gulf Coast lawmakers for increased funding to their states -- helped ensure final passage.

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Specter-Harkin Amendment Passes

Mar 16, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The Harkin-Specter amendment restoring $7 billion to Labor-HHS passed the Senate today. It passed 73-27, with the following Republicans voting in favor of the amendment: Sens. Alexander, Bennett, Burns, Chafee, Cochran, Coleman, Collins, DeWine, Dole, Domenici, Frist, Grassley, Hagel, Hatch, Hutchison, Lott, Lugar, Murkowski, Roberts, Santorum, Smith, Snowe, Specter, Stevens, Talent, Thune, Voinovich, and Warner.

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Desperately Seeking a Name Change

Mar 16, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Public Citizen is reporting that Jack Abramoff's infamous watering hole for movers and shakers, Signatures, is looking for a name change. Public Citizen generously is offering up some suggestions...

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House GOP Leaders Distributing Drafts of Lobby Reform Proposal

Mar 16, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Reportedly, House GOP leadership is releasing a draft of their lobby reform bill to the rank and file for feedback. Although it was initially thought a bill would be dropped tomorrow before recess, early protests from yesterday's caucus meeting put a kink in the process. Now it seems Blunt is hoping Members take the draft home with them and return with suggestions or changes.

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Internet Regulation Out, 527 Regulation In

Mar 16, 2006 by Guest Blogger

While provisions regulating 527 organizations is being pushed in both the House and the Senate lobby reform discussions, HR 1606, the Online Freedom of Speech Act, has been taken off the House calendar. It was slated for vote today. For more on the twists and turns of the legislation, see Bob Bauer's blog.

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