TWICMAR23

Funding Also Provided for Homeland Security Projects, Disaster Recovery on the Gulf and a Slew of Farm Aid largely at the Request of Members to Secure their Votes

Permission to Attack Iran Not Required

The House completed a bill to fund the President's current troop surge into Iraq and other military options. The bill grants the President's spending request and then some but focuses efforts on Afghanistan as well.

While the bill insists on benchmarks for measuring Iraqi force cooperation and provides US troop withdrawal deadlines for noncompliance it also removes a requirement that the President get permission from Congress before attacking Iran.

Iraqi forces must be meeting benchmarks by July 1, 2007 or face US troop withdrawal by December 2007. An unmet October 1, 2007 deadline would bring a March 2008 withdrawal and if all goes well US troops could be home by August 2008. Permanent military bases in Iraq are prohibited.

The bill also provides funds for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in the Gulf Coast area, farm aid due to drought, freezes and other challenges, extends inspector general oversight in Iraq, beefs up screening at airports and radiation detection of cargo containers. (This bill has passed and is updated here.) (Report here...HR1591)

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MAY GET VOTE IN HOUSE

Change Raises Total in House, Including One Additional Member from an Unidentified State.

(Report here...HR 1433)

THREE BILLS IMPROVE VETERAN CARE

Suicide Concerns and Surveillance Raised

HR 327

Cost of Living Increase Increased

HR 1284

Easier to Qualify for Eye Care, Higher Benefits

HR 797

REOCCURRING BILL AIMS TO THWART TELEPHONE I.D. SPOOFING

Attempting to defraud without success equally punishable.

Fines Increased

HR 740

Photo: Jane M. Sawyer

HURRICANE KATRINA

AID CONTINUES

Regulations in the bill allow for more flexibility when using aid funds-Some block grants can be used as matching funds for other funding sources.

Residents are urged to return. Public housing must be replaced.

(Report HR1227)

Photo: NOAA

Photo: M Connors

SENATE COMPLETES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET MEASURE

Forty Two Hours of Debate Set Spending Measure

Focus on Limited Deficit Spending

The Senate took on the Congressional budget Resolution-SCR 21-looking to ease the spending deficit down to about $124 billion in five years.

The bill imposes pay as you go rules to Senators but allows for deficit spending to be weighed against one, five and ten year outlays as long as the overall totals do not show a deficit. The bill also imposes CBO oversight of bills watching for excessive deficits in individual bills.

The bill also seeks to return Social Security to 75 years solvency levels.

(Report here...SCR 21)

US Attorneys Given Clarity on Replacement Procedures

S 214

Photo: James Tourtelotte

Comedian Bob Hope's Name Given to Ellis Island Library, New York Harbor.

Entered Country There as a Youth. Report here...HR 759