If you blinked, you missed it, but what was at stake was nothing less than the ability of the federal government to do anything for the environment: during the House consideration of the appropriations bill for Interior and EPA, Rep. Todd Tiahrt pushed an amendment "to provide that no funds may be used to promulgate regulations without outside auditing to determine the authenticity of the scientific methods used to develop such regulations." It was withdrawn. Note that just a day before, he also proposed an amendment to the Homeland Security appropriations bill to forbid DHS from "promulgat[ing] regulations without consideration of the effect of such regulations on the competitiveness of American businesses." In other words, to hold homeland security hostage to the bottom line of corporate special interests. Expect more of these sneak attacks, if not in appropriations then later in substantive law.