Publications :  The Watcher :  OMB Watcher Vol. 8: 2007 :  May 15, 2007 Vol. 8, No. 10 : 

In This Issue

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House Lobby Reform Bill Expected to Move Soon (05/15/2007)
The leadership in the House has been working on its legislation to reform lobbying disclosure and ethics practices and is expected to unveil the plan today, May 15, or tomorrow, May 16, with a mark-up of the bill in the Judiciary Committee expected May 17. Despite repeated statements that a bill will be filed soon, controversy over grassroots lobbying disclosure, limits on bundling of campaign contributions by registered lobbyists and expansion of the cooling off period before ex-members of Congress can lobby have stalled progress. Rumors abound that the Democratic leadership bill will address the revolving door issue by doubling the cooling off period to two years. But the other two issues — grassroots lobbying disclosure and bundling of campaign contributions — are not likely to be addressed, although the leadership seems willing to have them offered as amendments or separate bills.

Muslim Charity Files Libel Suit over Allegations of Terrorist Ties (05/15/2007)
KinderUSA, a U.S. charity that provides humanitarian aid to children in war zones, including Palestine, filed suit April 26 against the author and publishers of a book that ties the group to terrorist organizations. The libel suit, which seeks $500,000 in damages and other relief, was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court after the publishers refused a request to discontinue distribution.

House Hearing Asks Interior: Entangled in Politics, or Enlightened by Science? (05/15/2007)
In a May 9 hearing, the House Committee on Natural Resources heard witnesses discuss the extent to which Interior Department officials have manipulated scientific assessments when implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The hearing came on the heels of the resignation of a top-ranking official and the release of a departmental investigation that found rules violations and intimidation of agency scientists.

Cost-Benefit Provision Latches onto Fuel Economy Standard (05/15/2007)
A Senate panel has approved a bill reforming the federal standard for passenger vehicle fuel economy. The bill aims to increase vehicle fuel efficiency over the next 25 years, but a proposal to mandate cost-benefit analysis could undermine meaningful regulation. The bill raises questions as to the limits of cost-benefit analysis in the federal regulatory process.

Senate Passes FDA Reform Bill, Expands User Fees (05/15/2007)
On May 9, the Senate ended weeks of debate and passed S. 1082, the Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act. The two primary aims of the bill are to renew the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and to generally strengthen the regulatory authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Social Programs Are Collateral Damage of the War Funding Debate (05/15/2007)
Congress and the president have yet to resolve their differences over an emergency spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Caught in the middle of this fight are high-priority proposals to raise the minimum wage, provide stopgap funding for a children's health insurance program, and restore some cuts for energy assistance. A drawn-out debate over war funding could end up causing unnecessary hardship for people who depend on the passage of these initiatives.

Budget Resolution Report and Vote Could Come Soon (05/15/2007)
During the week of May 7, House and Senate budget resolution conferees began meeting to settle differences between the House- and Senate-passed $2.9 trillion budget resolutions. Despite a pre-emptive veto threat by the Bush administration, conferees are expected to produce a more generous and more fiscally sound budget plan than the president has proposed.

Open House Project Calls for New Era of Access (05/15/2007)
At a briefing in the U.S. Capitol on May 8, the Open House Project, a collaborative effort by government information experts, congressional staff, nonprofit organizers and bloggers to develop attainable reforms to promote transparency in the House of Representatives, publicly launched its new report and recommendations. The project was initiated and is managed by the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to use the Internet and technology to ensure greater government transparency and accountability.

EPA Increases Information on Dioxin (05/15/2007)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule on May 10 to increase reporting of dioxin compounds, some of the most potent carcinogens, under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program.

DHS Doesn't Share Well with Others (05/15/2007)
The Homeland Security Act of 2002 granted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statutory authority to coordinate information-sharing networks with state and local governments. As the five-year anniversary of the creation of the Department approaches, along with the six-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that DHS is falling short of its responsibility to effectively share information within the federal government, or with state, local and tribal governments and the private sector.

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