As the former 9/11 Commission issued failing grades on the government's preparedness for another terrorist attack, a new draft of chemical security legislation is being circulated by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill establishes authority for the Department of Homeland Security to regulate the security plans of U.S. chemical plants. Unfortunately, if its current language remains, the bill will fail to make communities safer from either terrorist attacks or chemical accidents.

When it came to tax and budget issues, 2005 was an overwhelmingly disappointing year in the nation's capital. Facing long-term challenges and numerous obstacles, both President Bush and the U.S. Congress seemed to suffer from a severe case of disconnectedness from the fiscal and economic realities that should have moved them toward more rational, healthy tax and budget policies.