Bush Budget Cuts Target EPA Libraries

President Bush's proposed budget for 2007 includes deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Library Network, which EPA staff and the public rely on for research, policy making and advocacy efforts. According to internal EPA documents, the proposed cuts would force the EPA to close its headquarters library, discontinue its Online Library System electronic catalogue, and shut the doors of many of the libraries operating in EPA's 10 regions.

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Patriot Act Deal Compromises Civil Liberties

After two short-term extensions of the USA PATRIOT Act, Congress and the White House appear to have reached a deal on the controversial legislation. Unfortunately, the deal fails to make real progress toward protecting civil liberties.

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White House Pushes for Sunsets, Reorganization Power

The White House used its annual budget submission yet again as a platform to call for policies that would distort the management of government programs. Both the budget submission that was released Feb. 6 and the follow-up document detailing programs slated for elimination or deep cuts reiterated the White House's call for sunset and reorganization authority legislation.

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More Dishonest War Budgeting from White House

President George Bush is continuing his piecemeal approach to funding U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite rebukes by Congress including last year's stinging one by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV). On Feb. 17, Bush sent another supplemental request of $72.4 billion for war funding for the remainder of this fiscal year, leading critics to note that it is impossible to know how much the war efforts are really costing.

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Frist Vows Estate Tax Vote This Spring

In a Feb. 10 speech, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) told a national gathering of conservatives in Washington, D.C. he would "do everything in [his] power to bury the death tax once and for all," and said he plans to bring estate tax repeal legislation to the floor in May. These remarks, which were delivered at a three-day Conservative Political Action Conference, highlight Frist's desire to gain favor with his base by pushing for estate tax repeal. While full repeal is favored by a number of conservative groups, Frist lacks the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass such a measure.

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Tough Negotiations Ahead for Tax Bill

House and Senate leadership have appointed conferees for long-awaited negotiations on the 2005 tax reconciliation bill. The conference, which will convene following the President's Day recess during the week of Feb. 27, will address differences between the versions of the bill passed by the House and Senate. An important issue of contention is the extension in the House version of tax cuts on capital gains and dividends, a move that would not only prove extremely costly but also disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans.

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Lobby Reform Continues to Overlook Budget Process

As Congress toils through the process of establishing self-regulation of lobbying and ethics issues, most proposals continue to overlook budget process reform that is critically needed to address corruption and open the process in Washington. Despite new legislation recently introduced that to some extent addresses the role of the budget process in the larger reform picture, no proposal gets all the parts right, nor does any go far enough to truly have a significant impact.

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CBO Again Finds Fiscal Policies Unsustainable

The recently updated Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Budget and Economic Outlook shows no significant improvement in the long-term fiscal health of the nation. In fact, the nonpartisan agency that provides Congress with budget and economic analysis found the situation worsening and reiterated that the current structure of taxation and spending is simply unsustainable.

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Latest Watcher

Be sure to check out the latest issue of our biweekly newsletter, The Watcher. Reg policy articles this time: Foxes in the Henhouse: OSHA, MSHA Nominees Appear Pro-Industry, Anti-Worker

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Watcher: February 8, 2006

Initial Analysis of the President's 2007 Budget CBO Again Finds Fiscal Policies Unsustainable Congress to Have Short Year; Appropriations Work Likely to Suffer Final Budget Bill Passed; Tax Bill Sent to Conference

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