The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the Mine Safety and Health Administration href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/oira/1219/meetings/434.html">have met with representatives from the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association over an MSHA proposed rule governing asbestos. According to MSHA's href="http://frwebgate4.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=758892 5993+1+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve">Regulatory Plan, released in December, the agency is planning on reducing the permissible exposure level for asbestos in an upcoming rulemaking.

Thursday, May 19, 2005 10:00 AM 1310 Longworth House Office Building Mark-up of H.R. 1316 The 527 Fairness Act of 2005 So House Admin has rescheduled the markup, but have decided to go with Pence-Wynn instead of the 527 Reform Bill. The Senate decided to markup the Reform Bill and stick provisions (which roll back parts of BCRA) from Pence-Wynn into the bill. Now of course, the sponsors are not happy and are considering introducing their original bill as a substitute on the floor!

If you're squinting to read this blog entry, you might be interested in knowing that you can read this blog and reg policy articles from the Watcher over on the Citizens for Sensible Safeguards website (which uses larger type and has a slightly cleaner layout). Visit www.sensiblesafeguards.org.

Congress recently approved a budget resolution, and now it is up to Senate and House appropriators to write spending bills funding discretionary programs (both defense and domestic). At the same time, other authorizing committees will be working to "find savings" from mandatory programs, as this budget resolution contains reconciliation instructions requiring severe reductions in mandatory spending. The Coalition on Human Needs has put together a good two-page memo outlining what is in the budget resolution and how it will affect specific mandatory programs. Also see a recent Watcher article for for more information on the budget resolution.