The number of new jobs created in May declined to a steady 248,000, according to the Department of Labor. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6 percent. This data reinforces the past two months' data and shows that the labor market continues to tread water - much higher jobs numbers will be necessary to bring the unemployment rate down.

Beware of Bad Economic Policy - The Balanced Budget Amendment Set to Return (06/14/2004)

The long-ago defeated proposal for a balanced budget amendment is rearing its ugly head once again. Unable to pass a budget this year and desperate to create the appearance of being fiscally responsible, the Republican leaders in the House of Representatives are promising a vote on the measure.

No Budget - But Appropriations Are Moving Forward (06/14/2004)
In spite of the lack of a budget resolution, Congress is moving forward with the appropriations process.

Bush Administration Refuses Congress Again, Hides Memos (06/14/2004)
Last week, Attorney General John Ashcroft testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and repeatedly refused several Senators' requests to produce a copy of the recently leaked Justice Department memo that explored the legal justifications for torture.

Politics, Not Science, Alters Air Quality Models (06/14/2004)
Government air quality modeling experts from around the country are opposing a new Bush administration policy, which they contend threatens air quality and public health. They are among a growing number of scientists and other critics, who charge the Bush administration with manipulating science to support predetermined political outcomes. Most significantly, this may be the first time such criticism has been leveled from scientists inside a federal agency.

Nonprofit News Briefs (06/14/2004)
* June 22 hearing on nonprofits at the Senate Finance Committee
* House Bill on IRS Rollovers
* Emily's List asks the Federal Election Commission to reconsider
its controversial Advisory Opinion 2003-37



Global Health Council Condemns HHS Funding Cut (06/14/2004)
Global Health Council president and CEO, Dr. Nils Daulaire, used his keynote address at the organization's conference June 2 to sharply condemn the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) April decision to cut funding for the event. Daulaire said that HHS "bowed to election-year political pressure." The Traditional Values coalition and other conservative groups had objected to the participation of two family-planning groups set to take part in the event. HHS claimed the funds were withdrawn because the Council was using them to lobby. However, the Council's conference followed the same practice commonly accepted to segregate federal funds from lobbying activity, holding an advocacy day separate from the rest of the agenda.

Is Advocacy Charity or Not? Groups Denied Access to Annual Giving Drive (06/14/2004)
Minnesota's state employee relations commissioner has made a decision not to allow any advocacy oriented organizations to participate in the annual state employee deduction charity drive.

Judge Strikes Down Law Censoring Marijuana Ads (06/14/2004)
A U.S. District Court Judge issued a permanent injunction against Rep. Ernest Istook's (R-OK) amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, saying that, "there is a clear public interest in preventing the chilling of speech on the basis of viewpoint." The permanent injunction prohibits the enforcement of the law.

Senate May Soon Consider Anti-regulatory, Anti-worker Bill (06/14/2004)
Rumors are circulating on Capitol Hill that H.R. 2728, a bill that threatens protections of public health, safety and environment across the board and specifically weakens protections of workplace health and safety, may soon be taken up in the Senate.

Mexican Trucks Allowed to Run Over Environmental Law (06/14/2004)
A unanimous Supreme Court has held that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) did not violate U.S. environmental law by failing to conduct an environmental impact statement (EIS) of increased pollution from allowing Mexican trucks to operate in the United States beyond limited border zones.

OMB Role in Fuel Economy Change Exposed (06/14/2004)
White House staff prompted the development of a controversial proposed overhaul of the entire structure of automobile fuel economy regulation aimed at diminishing standards. Foremost among the architects of the change was John Graham, administrator of OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

Kentucky Reconsiders Homeland Security Exemption for Open Records Law (06/14/2004)
After unsuccessfully pushing a bill to create a homeland security exemption to Kentucky's Open Records Act, Democratic Representative Mike Weaver intends to re-propose the bill after the state's homeland security director requested such a provision.