Publications :  The Watcher :  OMB Watcher Vol. 7: 2006 :  April 4, 2006 Vol. 7, No. 7 : 

In This Issue

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House Budget Committee Approves Budget Resolution (04/04/2006)
Last Wednesday, the House Budget Committee approved a stark budget resolution that would increase deficits by $254 billion over the next five years, setting the stage for contentious debate this week on the House floor. The resolution sets discretionary spending at meager levels, includes a large increase in defense spending, and assumes continuation of some tax cuts. Its final approval will be the first major test of the new House GOP leadership team, especially of new House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).

2006 Tax Reconciliation Conference Remains Stalled (04/04/2006)
More than four months after it was initially approved, the FY 2006 tax reconciliation bill remains in seemingly deadlocked negotiations. With conferees continuing to postpone a compromise package due to uncertainty over its final approval in both chambers, the pending approval of the FY 2007 budget resolution - and an end to the tax bill's filibuster-proof status - looms large.

Harmful Budget Process Plans Could Become Reality (04/04/2006)
As Congress's work crafting the FY 2007 budget moves forward, Capitol Hill has been abuzz with talk of significantly changing the annual budget process. In the aftermath of the lobbying and ethics scandals of 2005, this year may prove an opportune moment for conservatives to enact damaging budget process changes that would entrench poor policy development mechanisms and alter the balance of power in the federal government.

Conservatives Use Budget Process Reform as Opportunity to Push Program Sunsets (04/04/2006)
Press reports indicate that House conservatives are pushing for budget process reform changes as a condition of securing their votes on the upcoming House budget resolution, and their demands include a controversial proposal for a program sunset commission.

IRS Political Audit Program Heats Up (04/04/2006)
The fall campaigns may seem far away, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) program to enforce the ban on partisan activity by charities and religious organizations has already kicked into overdrive, with big cases left over from 2004 and new complaints being filed. On March 22, a complaint filed against the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN) alleged a recent get-out-the-vote training improperly featured Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), without inviting his opponent for re-election. The following week an attorney for two groups with audits still pending from 2004, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena, CA, took action to force resolution of their cases. Law bars the IRS from commenting on individual cases.

FEC Opens Door To Rulemaking on Grassroots Lobbying (04/04/2006)
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has announced it will take comments until April 17 on whether it should start a rulemaking to consider whether or not to provide an exemption to existing law for nonprofits. The exemption would allow nonprofits to conduct issue advocacy through broadcast ads within 30 days of a primary and 60 days of a general election. Advocates for the action encourage the FEC to act quickly so that nonprofits understand what they can do prior to the November elections.

Groups Complain of FBI Intimidation (04/04/2006)
A Michigan forum on freedom of information and open government held during Sunshine Week last month provoked a call to the event's sponsor, the local League of Women Voters, from a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. The agent complained about one panelist’s statements that criticized the USA PATRIOT Act and suggested the League should have had someone from the federal government on the panel. Within days Common Cause and the League wrote to FBI Director Robert Mueller to protest.

Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Lobby Reform; House To Take Up 527s (04/04/2006)
Voting just hours after former lobbyist Jack Abramoff was sentenced, the Senate overwhelmingly passed what critics are calling a tepid effort at lobby and ethics reform. Now the pressure is on the House, where leaders have struggled to balance the need to pass reforms with a rebellious rank-and-file that wants business as usual.

Senate Calls for Investigation of TRI Changes (04/04/2006)
A bipartisan group of senators has called for an investigation into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposals to relax chemical reporting requirements for large industrial facilities. On March 27, Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting the office investigate whether EPA had adequately considered how reducing Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) information would impact communities and data users, including federal and state programs that rely on TRI data.

There's a New Chemical Security Bill in Town (04/04/2006)
On March 30, Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced a new bill on chemical plant security, The Chemical Security and Safety Act, with a major improvement over current chemical security proposals: it includes a requirement that chemical plants consider inherently safer technologies. The bill also establishes a more active role for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the implementation of chemical security requirements.

Congress Pulls Chair Up to NSA Spying Table (04/04/2006)
The Senate has continued its efforts to establish some level of oversight of the National Security Administration (NSA) warrantless spying program. The Senate Judiciary Committee held another hearing on the program, while three Senate bills have been introduced to establish congressional control over the program.

NASA Launches New Disclosure Policy (04/04/2006)
The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) released a new policy statement governing public dissemination of information from the agency. Released on March 30, the policy is an apparent response to allegations that the agency attempted to suppress scientific research on climate change that contradicted Bush administration policy on the issue. While the new policy does begin to clarify and establish official guidelines for release of information, it remains too vague and contains too many loopholes to fully function as a vehicle for public disclosure.

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