Legislative Update VII

Congress passed an omnibus spending bill to keep the government running, after Republicans delayed it in the Senate to make hay over "earmarks." But according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, six of the ten largest earmark requests in the bill were from Republicans. Provisions in the spending bill include price breaks for contraceptives and a ban on exports of most cluster bombs.

The House passed a bill containing billions for state's water and water infrastructure funds, but Republicans derailed legislation that would set aside million of acres of public wilderness and create more than 1,000 miles of scenic river designations. Democrats had brought up the bill under rules requiring a two-thirds majority, so it will likely pass when it comes under normal procedures.

The Senate Finance Committee voted to back the nomination of former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk for U.S. Trade Representative.

Capitol Hill Update III

The House of Representatives passed the Jubilee Act, 285-132, which expands by some 25 countries the list of those poorest states eligible for debt relief, allowing them to divert scarce resources from loan repayment to health and education programs. The White House opposes the bill, but has not issues a veto threat. The House also overwhelmingly approved, 383-27, a bill calling for federal intervention to stabilize the student loan market amid turmoil brought on by the mortgage crisis. A bill similar to the House's is pending in the Senate, and the White House has voiced support for many of the provisions.

The Senate, meanwhile, voted 63-29 to direct the Justice Department to probe how a Florida road project made its way into a 2005 highway spending bill after the House and Senate voted on what lawmakers thought was the final version of the bill.