Say what you will about the Transportation Security Administration, at least they’re being thorough this time. CNN says TSA is requiring some colonial reenactors at an Easton, Pa., historical park to undergo background checks and apply for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential card. These mule skinners regularly guide two mules named Hank and George as they pull a boat down a two-mile canal at the Hugh Moore Historical Park. Usually only transportation workers such as longshoremen or truck drives are required to apply for TWIC cards, but since the mule skinners hold Coast Guard credentials to operate the canal boat, TSA…
Browsing: Congress
The Senate passed a long-awaited bill giving District of Columbia residents a voting representative in the House. The bill, S 160, passed Thursday 61-37 with six Republicans voting in favor of the bill. The bill also creates an at-large House seat for Utah, which barely missed gaining a seat in the 2000 Census. That measure was expected to garner more Republican support for the legislation, which would create a Republican seat to balance out the overwhelmingly Democratic District of Columbia. That doesn’t mean representation for the district is a sure thing; groups opposed to the legislation are sure to quickly…
The House of Representatives voted 245-178 to pass a $410 billion appropriations omnibus to fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year. The federal government — except for the Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs departments — have been operating under a continuing resolution since the beginning of the fiscal year. The CR is set to expire March 6, but it could be extended should the Senate not vote in time. The Senate may take up debate on the bill, HR 1105, this week, but it has not yet scheduled a vote.
Days before he presents his first budget, President Barack Obama Tuesday night pledged to restore accountability to the budgeting process and cut outdated programs. “This budget looks ahead ten years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules — and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price,” Obama told a joint session of Congress. He added that his proposed 2010 budget will would end no-bid contracts in Iraq, as well as…
After weeks of delays, the Senate voted Tuesday afternoon 80-17 to confirm Hilda Solis as the secretary of Labor. Republicans were concerned about Solis’ public advocacy of the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as card-check legislation, a bill labor unions are pushing as a way for employees to more easily unionize. The bill is unpopular with Republicans and critics who say the bill takes away the secret ballot for unions. Solis, a Democratic representative from California, had also faced scruitiny after tax discrepancies showed up in her husband’s tax returns.
In case you haven’t heard the White House held a fiscal responsibility summit today. One of the sessions was on procurement. White House pool reporter Jon Ward of the Washington Times braved what he called a “wonky session†to bring us the following nuggets: Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., will introduce a bill to require the Defense Department to reexamine contracts when costs exceed 25 percent of original estimates. Levin said the military must stop trying to add the latest technology and accept what they have to prevent cost hikes and delays. Deputy Secretary of State for Management, Jack Lew, said government…
The House of Representatives may soon send a message to the United States Postal Service — you’d better deliver the mail six days a week. Facing falling revenues, the USPS has suggested a series of cutbacks, including eliminating Saturday mail service. That didn’t set well with four representatives, who introduced HRes 173 Friday: “A resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its 6-day mail delivery service.” The resolution, sent to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is sponsored by Reps. Samuel…
The division of labor in Washington is interesting. Staffers on Capitol Hill must be relieved that the economic stimulus bill has passed through Congress; at federal agencies, though, the work is just beginning. (Today is a well-timed federal holiday — a bit of calm before the storm!) There’s an interesting article in the New York Times about state and local governments scrambling to compete for stimulus cash. This is, after all, the largest infrastructure investment in generations. Several states said they have dozens of projects ready to start within six months — including at least 5,000 transportation projects. All of this…
The Senate is expected to vote later Friday on the conference report on the $787 billion economic stimulus package, sending the bill to President Barack Obama in the next few days. Earlier Friday, the House voted 246-183 to approve the conference report for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which merged the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. No Republicans voted for the report, while seven Democrats voted against. When the House voted on the bill last week, 11 Democrats voted against it. The Senate is discussing the stimulus package now on the floor, though a…
Update: Judd Gregg spoke to congressional reporters a few minutes ago and denied he offered his name as commerce secretary, saying a “third party” brought his name to the White House’s attention. “I didn’t campaign for this job,” he said, adding that he did call the White House after hearing he was a candidate to check on the status of the nomination. Gregg said the reorganization of the Census Bureau was only a “slight issue” in his decision to pull his name from consideration. He said President Barack Obama is a “strong, effective and good president” and that his nomination…