Publications

House Battle over Earmarks Procedure Resolved

A fiercely partisan impasse in the House was resolved on June 14 when Appropriations Chair David Obey (D-WI) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) reached a comprehensive procedural agreement following months of confusion and vituperation over the chamber's earmarks disclosure and approval process. The agreement outlines rules for consideration of earmarks for the House to follow for each of the 12 FY 2008 appropriations bills and appears to be operating smoothly thus far: on June 21, the House Appropriations Committee approved the lists of earmarks for two spending bills by voice votes.

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BULLETIN: OMB Director Portman Resigns

Jun 19, 2007 by Dana Chasin

OMB Director Rob Portman has resigned "for personal reasons," to be replaced by former House Budget Committee chair James Nussle (R-IA). See this wire service story. Details as they become available.

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Watcher: June 12, 2007

Jun 13, 2007 by Matt Lewis

Appropriations Season Kicks Off Congress shifted into full appropriations mode the week of June 4 as both the House and Senate began subcommittee markups of the twelve individual appropriations bills. Congress Still Struggling to Settle Earmark Disclosure Procedures Five months after the House adopted institutional earmark reform rules (H. Res. 6) and the Senate passed statutory requirements governing earmark disclosure (S. 1), confusion reigns in both chambers on how earmark disclosure rules will work and who will administer them.

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NASA Inspector General Faces Tough Questioning from Congress

On June 7, the Senate and House held a joint hearing to investigate the conduct of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Inspector General, Robert Cobb. The hearing was conducted by the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Matters.

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Charities Respond to Treasury's Overbroad Allegations of Terrorist Ties

On June 8, charities wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Treasury, Henry Paulson, to express their concern about continuing statements from Treasury that allege charities are a significant source of terrorist financing.

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New Complaints to the IRS about Political Intervention

In late May, news surfaced of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) inquiry into a Wichita, KS, church, Spirit One Christian Center. Another new complaint, against Bill Keller Ministries, also was made public. Both cases involve statements about candidates that are alleged to indicate opposition to their election.

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Senate Committee Considers Bill to Criminalize Deceptive Election Practices

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing June 7 on a bill that would criminalize deceptive election practices. The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Act of 2007 (S. 453) is cosponsored by Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Charles Schumer (D-NY). It would make it illegal to purposefully misinform or confuse voters about an upcoming election. The House Judiciary Committee already approved a companion bill (H.R. 1281) in March. The bill, should it become law, would give nonprofit organizations that monitor elections new tools to combat voter suppression and intimidation.

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IRS Reports on 2006 Political Activities Enforcement Program, Releases Guidance

On June 8, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a report on the initial results of its 2006 program enforcing the ban on partisan electioneering by charities and religious organizations. The same day, it also released Revenue Ruling 2007-41, which provides guidance nonprofits can rely on in planning permissible voter education and mobilization activity. The results of the enforcement program to date show a continued low level of violations.

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Restored EPA Budget Holds Hope for Libraries and Labs

On June 7, the House Appropriations Committee approved a $27.6 billion Interior-Environment spending bill that increases the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) FY 2008 budget to $8.1 billion, a $361 million increase over current spending. It is also $887 million more than President Bush's budget request, which will likely trigger a veto threat.

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Congress Still Struggling to Settle Earmark Disclosure Procedures

Five months after the House adopted institutional earmark reform rules (H. Res. 6) and the Senate passed statutory requirements governing earmark disclosure (S. 1), confusion reigns in both chambers on how earmark disclosure rules will work and who will administer them. Key members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees have unilaterally altered the rules in the intervening months, and even with appropriations season upon us, it appears the disclosure rules and their application remain in flux.

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