Capitol Idea: House Republicans And Their 'Boob' Vote

By Scott Nance

The House Republicans stood arm-in-arm on Wednesday and unanimously cast what can only be described as the most boneheaded vote conceivable. And, no, actually, I'm not referring to their unanimous vote to reject the economic stimulus bill. Rather, they all voted to turn off American televisions nationwide.

I'll let the Republicans off on the stimulus vote for the time being, as time will tell if that vote also will come back to haunt them. But make no mistake that voting, as they did, not to extend the deadline for mandatory switch-over to digital television not only will haunt them -- it likely will hurt them sooner rather than later.

Where, during the last half-century, did the House GOP not get the memo that Americans not only like -- not only love, actually -- but are passionate about TV. That statement is not only what should be an obvious truism. Heck, I'm sure that by now Americans have decided that access to good TV reception is a God-given right enshrined somewhere in the Constitution.

And the House Republicans all voted to overturn that right -- just as new seasons of Dancing With The Stars, Survivor, and all the rest are getting ready to flood the airwaves. You can argue whether our near-total preoccupation with the boob tube is healthy or not. But it shouldn't be the role of House Republicans to bring the heavy hand of government down on our remote controls. (Hey, I thought it was Republicans who were for less government intervention in our lives -- clearly they missed the mark on this one.)

But that's exactly what they have done. Yes, yes, the House Republicans talked about "public safety" and "consumer confusion" to justify their vote, but they just don't get it that the "third rail of American politics" isn't really Social Security or entitlements or whatever -- it's television.

I think Americans are smart enough to make up their minds on the economic stimulus vote. But I will give the House Republicans the benefit of the doubt on that one. But people understand television: either it's on, or it's off. It's as simple as that. If they can't get their TVs to work, Americans will start looking around for someone to blame. That's another of those American rights we all have.

I say, "House Republicans" because after some initial complaining and whining about issuing a delay, even the Senate Republicans got onboard and decided they didn't want to be the ones blamed for the end of American civilization, which is surely what would result if Americans weren't able to sink into their easy chairs next month and switch on their TVs to watch Grey's Anatomy, Exteme Home Makeover, or whatever.

With more than 6 million Americans -- read voters -- potentially affected, Senate Republicans swallowed all of their high minded rhetoric and voted unanimously -- in the other direction. All of the Senate Republicans voted to delay the DTV switchover.

There is, and never has been, anything inviolate about the Feb. 17 date to switch to digital television. It was simply a man-made timetable, and if we as a country aren't ready, smart lawmakers of both parties decided they weren't going to be the ones getting in the way between millions of Americans and the idiot boxes upon which they rely.

Meanwhile, reportedly the House will come back next week and vote once more to try to delay the DTV deadline. House Democrats will change the rules for the vote so that Republicans won't be able to stand in the way.

But the damage is done. All of those House Republican incumbents running for re-election next year are now open to charges of being "anti-television," which regardless of Red state or Blue, is about tantamount to being "anti-American."

I can just see the campaign commercials now, opening on a hand clutching a remote control in front of a TV set that goes inexplicably dark. Then comes the voiceover, "Congressman So-And-So voted to have the government turn off your television. Challenger Whomever won't stand for that. Send Challenger Whomever to Washington to fight for your right to TV."

Or something like that. I can see some smart political consultant reusing the same ad in districts across the country, changing the voiceover to fit any Republican who may be vulnerable.

And even if the Republicans change their tune next week, smarten up and vote for the delay in the end, then that'll be even worse. Then they be will be made out as nothing more than flip-floppers. Those ads will simply say, "Congressman So-And-So voted against your TV before he was for it. But can you trust him?"

The House Republicans took two big votes this week. Let's see which one becomes political suicide.

The publisher of On The Hill and its sister sites, Life, The Universe ... and Politics Live, Scott Nance has covered government and Washington for more than a decade. Capitol Idea is his regular column from Washington.

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Republicans Opposed Stimulus Based On 'Process, Personalities,' Pelosi Says; Speaker Promises Family Planning To Return

The House GOP stood united in opposition to a massive $825 billion economic stimulus package not on policy ground, but rather reasons of "process" and "personalities," according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The California Democrat also vowed that a family planning provision stripped from the stimulus in an effort to please Republicans would return in later legislation.

The House-approved stimulus, aimed at rescuing the foundering U.S. economy, consists of $275 billion in tax cuts and $550 billion in federal spending on infrastructure and other projects. The Senate will now take up a somewhat larger, different version of the stimulus program. President Obama and congressional Democrats want a final version sent to the White House for signature into law in a matter of weeks.

The House passed its stimulus solely on Democratic votes. All House Republicans voted yesterday against the stimulus program despite heavy lobbying by Obama for their support.

"Now, each Member has to make his or her own decision about what they believe in. And I believe that this was a good bill for education, for renewable energy, for making us energy independent, for investments in innovation to keep us competitive in the world economy, for cutting taxes, for creating good paying jobs in the near term and with the time release to stabilize the economy over the longer term. They disagreed. They didn't vote for it," Pelosi says.

"But you know what, when you can't win on policy, then you turn to process, and then you turn to personalities," Pelosi adds, in an apparent reference to complaints of House Republicans about the way Democratic leaders handled the stimulus bill and to the fact conservative commentators such as Rush Limbaugh spoke out loudly against it.
"The fact is, we have a very important job to do. And again, the process is secondary to this. They had, again, they told me they thought the rule was fine. They had their opportunities for a substitute, for a motion to recommit, for amendments. This is very inside. Republicans in the country support this legislation, support this legislation. Whatever the tactics of the Republicans in Washington is another thing. But this isn't about partisan or bipartisan. It is about being nonpartisan and acting in the best interest of the American people."

The tax cuts were put into the stimulus bill in an effort to win Republican support, Pelosi says. Also, a provision on family planning stripped from the final House stimulus bill will return to the House floor in some other form, she adds.

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio had complained that the family planning provisions would support abortion and contraception, and argued they had nothing to do with economic stimulus. Supporters of the provisions say they would save the federal government at least $700 million. Boehner alleged the family planning provisions, known as the Medicaid Family Planning State Option, would actually cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The tax cuts were, especially the net operating loss carry back, were at the suggestion of the Republicans. They asked for it. We put it in the original bill at their suggestion, and it had its role to play. I think everyone will admit, more jobs are created by more on the investment side than on that side. But we shall see," Pelosi says. "And as far as the contraception is concerned, we will have to have that in some legislation. It saves $700 million. But it was a distraction. It was a distraction, and therefore, we want to say, 'Look, our economy is experiencing great difficulties. The American people, therefore, are, too. We need to act, and we need to act now.'"

Supporters of the family planning provisions which had been in the bill say the Medicaid Family Planning State Option would expand basic health care to millions of women.

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More Trouble For Rangel? Watchdog Wants TARP Trip Probe

An organization with a history of going after officials, mostly Democrats, over ethics issues, is pressing for a probe of Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and other lawmakers over a junket related to the federal Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) is asking Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for TARP, for a formal review of the sponsorship by Citigroup of a junket to the Caribbean by Rangel and five other members of Congress, a trip that the organization says violated House rules.

Rangel, the powerful chairman of the House Ways And Means Committee, is under ethics investigation for other, unrelated charges of corruption. TARP is the official name of the federal program that administers the $700 billion approved by Congress last fall as a rescue for the foundering U.S. financial sector.

The trip at issue in the NLPC complaint is the Caribbean Multi-Cultural Business Conference, which took place in November at the Sonesta Maho Bay Resort & Casino, on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

In addition to Rangel, the other members of Congress who attended were Reps. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), according to NLPC.

Congress approved the massive bailout program shortly before the Caribbean conference.

"The 'lead sponsor' was Citigroup which contributed $100,000. Citigroup was certainly aware that it would be a major recipient of bailout funds," NLPC says in a statement. "It was also aware that its fortunes had become increasingly reliant on Congressional actions. Citigroup should have also been aware that corporate sponsorship of such an event was banned by House Rules adopted on March 1, 2007, in response to the Abramoff scandal and the infamous golf trip to Scotland."

NLPC notes that its request for a formal probe comes in the wake of Citigroup's decision to scrap the purchase of a $50 million executive jet. "Taxpayers are now Citigroup's largest shareholder after infusions of $45 billion," NLPC says in its statement.

NLPC says that its president, Peter Flaherty, attended the St. Maarten's event so as to document potential violations of law and House rules.

"The sessions were lightly attended. The primary purpose of attending for most participants appeared to be to take a vacation," the NLPC statement says.

In its statement, NLPC released part of its complaint: "When the TARP was presented to Congress, it was argued that the situation was dire, and that the failure of major financial institutions posed a systemic risk to our economy. The stated goal was to unfreeze credit so that banks can make loans to businesses and individuals. It was never contemplated that banks use their capital to buy influence on Capitol Hill by funding vacations for members of Congress."

Founded in 1991, the NLPC has sought ethics investigations of officials of both parties, but goes after Democrats more often, according to information on its website.

Among past investigations that NLPC has pushed for is a 1993 suit against then-First Lady Hillary Clinton over the closed-door nature of the meetings of her healthcare reform task force. The group also takes credit for more recent ethics flaps involving one-time Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. NLPC also lists filing a series of complaints against former Rep. Jon Fox (R-Pa.) for failing to disclose a personal loan from a developer. Fox was defeated for re-election that year, the organization adds.

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Pelosi, Others Celebrate Stimulus As The 'Bold And Swift' Action Obama Wants

No Republicans supported the measure, but House Democrats celebrated passage of a massive $820 billion economic stimulus plan as the "bold and swift" response President Obama called for last week in his inaugural address.

The House today approved H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by a largely party-line vote of 244 to 188. No Republicans voted for the stimulus package and 11 Democrats -- largely from conservative districts -- also voted "no."

That didn't stop House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats from marking the occasion. House Democratic leaders have worked closely with Obama to shape the stimulus plan, which has been Obama's top priority.

"Today's vote is a victory for the American people. As the President urged us to do in his Inaugural Address just eight days ago, the House is taking action, 'bold and swift,' by passing a bill to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs," Pelosi says. "This is a bill about the future and about how we create jobs for today's workers and for the next generation. It provides tax cuts for 95 percent of Americans, invests in science and innovation, in energy, in health care, in education --- all with strict accountability and fiscal responsibility.

"I look forward to swift Senate passage and for President Obama to sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law before the Presidents' Day recess," Pelosi adds.

Prior to the vote, Pelosi appeared at a press conference along with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and others supporting the stimulus package.

"On Monday, in just one day, American companies cut 65,000 jobs -- in one day," Hoyer says. "Three of those millions of pink slips you're holding in your hand, the final verdict of years of failed economics, policies that we've been pursuing for the last years, eight years, which have not worked. The worst job creation period in -- since the Hoover Administration.

"The economics that got us into this mess have been wrong, again and again, on the economy," Hoyer adds. The Reagan tax cuts created great deficits. Predicting disaster for the Clinton economic policy was dead-flat wrong. In fact, we had 22 million jobs created, not lost. We had an economic boom, the likes of which none of us have seen in our lifetime.

"The opposition to this bill can speak out against this recovery plan all they want. But their policies have not worked. And Americans voted for change. They voted for a New Direction. That's what we're going to get," Hoyer says.

Violet Quick, a union electrician in Washington, also came out to support the stimulus.

"When the economy slows down, the construction industry feels it. In this economy, we feel like we're on the edge right now, and our jobs and our livelihood depend on it. So it's been great news to hear about President Obama talk about the economic recovery plan, which will create a magnitude of jobs," Quick says.

Quick also touted the greater accountability Obama promised for the federal spending that flows from the stimulus, with the ability for people to track funding via a new website, recovery.gov

"I helped build the D.C. baseball stadium, which came in on budget and on time, and was built in record time by comparison to any other baseball park. It was my job to make sure that it came in on time, and we did a great and outstanding job. And -- sorry -- the contract that we signed is what we fulfilled, and the kind of accountability is what we expect of this bill to come," Quick says.

With House passage of the stimulus, the Senate will consider a different, somewhat larger version of the package. The two versions then will have to be reconciled in conference -- with a final version approved for Obama to sign into law.

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Expert: Obama Uses Interview To Take On al-Qaeda

By giving his first television interview as president to a Muslim broadcast outlet, President Obama was aiming directly to take on the terrorist network responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to an expert on Middle East affairs.

Obama granted the interview to the Saudi Al-Arybia TV network.

"Obama was asked about this in the Al-Arabiya interview -- he said Al Qaeda seems nervous about his taking office, and I think he's right," says Tamara Cofman Wittes, director of the Middle East Democracy and Development Project at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "The messages from Al Qaeda since the election have tried to make the case that Obama's presidency will NOT bring change in US policy, that he's just Bush in different guise. Obama's early signals to the region are a clear effort to counteract that claim. Unfortunately, the Gaza crisis, coming as it did when Obama was powerless in the transition, was tailor-made for Bin Laden's purposes. Obama is working hard to take back the initiative, and I think he's succeeding."

Reaction to the interview in the Muslim world has been "positive but there is definitely some skepticism -- perhaps without the Gaza crisis the honeymoon might have been warmer," Cofman Wittes says.

"I think both Arab governments and the Arab public are encouraged by the language and tone from the new administration, but they want to see actions, too. That's why sending [former Sen. George] Mitchell to the region early was important," she says.

A former Senate majority leader, Mitchell has been dispatched as Obama's Middle East envoy, going initially to Egypt. Israel ended deadly attacks in Gaza just prior to Obama's inauguration. The attacks were in retaliation for rocket strikes by Hamas against Israel.

The choice of Mitchell, known also for running a high-profile probe into drug use among pro baseball players, is an "inspired choice," Cofman Wittes says. Also, Mitchell fits well into the overall foreign policy structure of the Obama administration, she says.

"There are a lot of high-powered people joining the Obama foreign policy team -- and so far, they seem to be coordinating very carefully with one another to send a single, clear message of engagement and energy behind US diplomacy, especially in the more troubled parts of the world," Cofman Wittes says. "The Mitchell appointment is a good example -- he's reporting to Secretary [of State Hillary] Clinton, but it's very clear he speaks with the authority of the president behind him. If they keep on like they've done these first few weeks, I think they will work very effectively together indeed."

Cofman Wittes made her remarks today in an online chat on the Brookings website.

In all, Cofman Wittes sees three distinct but related challenges for Obama in the Middle East: containing Iran which is seeking nuclear weapons, stabilizing Iraq, and working on Arab-Israeli peace.

"... [T]he question is how to put them into a coherent package that speaks to the people of the region," she says. "Just working them in isolation won't work, because the governments we need to work with to do these things are under pressure from their resentful and beleagured populations -- and those populations resent their governments for domestic failures as well as for their alliances with the US.

"This resentment gives strength to regional radical actors like Iran, Hizballah, and Hamas. To address this problem, the United States needs to frame its involvement in the Middle East as not just dealing with trouble spots, but addressing the desires of the regional citizens: building a future of peace, prosperity and progress," she adds. "That means not just Palestinian-Israeli peace, it also means real Arab reform, in politics and economics.

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Measuring Economic Recovery -- Obama Lays Out Benchmarks For Recovery Plan

President Obama unveiled a specific set of benchmarks as part of his first White House address as president, creating a set of yardsticks by which to measure the progress -- and success -- of the massive economic stimulus program he is pushing through Congress.

The House today is set to vote to approve the plan, which Obama calls his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

"It’s a plan that will save or create three to four million jobs over the next few years, and one that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment -- the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work even as, all around the country, there’s so much work to be done," Obama says. "That’s why this is not just a short-term program to boost employment. It’s one that will invest in our most important priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century."

Among the metrics offered by the White House are:

Doubling renewable energy generating capacity over three years, or enough power to supply 6 million American homes.

Investments and reforms in modernizing the nation’s electricity grid that will result in more than 3,000 miles of new or modernized transmission lines and 40 million “smart meters” in American homes.

Weatherizing at least 2 million homes to save low-income families on average $350 per year and modernizing more than 75 percent of federal building space, saving taxpayers $2 billion per year in lower federal energy bills.

Providing health care coverage for nearly 8.5 million Americans through a new tax credit.

Investment to school modernization, sufficient to renovate and modernizing 10,000 schools.

Providing 7.5 million blind, disabled and older Americans an immediate $450 through temporarily increasing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

"I know that some are skeptical about the size and scale of this recovery plan," Obama says. "I understand that skepticism, which is why this recovery plan must and will include unprecedented measures that will allow the American people to hold my Administration accountable for these results. We won’t just throw money at our problems -- we’ll invest in what works."

Obama also promises new transparency in the spending of the recovery money, announcing a new website where people can track the flow of funds.

"Instead of politicians doling out money behind a veil of secrecy, decisions about where we invest will be made public, and informed by independent experts whenever possible," he says. "We’ll launch an unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending in our government, and every American will be able to see how and where we spend taxpayer dollars by going to a new website called recovery.gov."

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Taking On Google: Organization Wants Privacy Protection In Stimulus

Congress should close loopholes in medical privacy laws to prevent Internet search company Google from moving forward with a reported plan to sell electronic medical records, a group called Consumer Watchdog says.

The organization is calling on Google to cease a rumored lobbying effort aimed at allowing the sale of electronic medical records in the current version of the economic stimulus legislation now under consideration in Congress.

Consumer Watchdog also wants lawmakers to remove loopholes in the ban on the sale of medical records and include other privacy protections absent from the current bill such as giving patients the right to an audit detailing who had accessed their medical records and how the records were used.

Reportedly Google is pushing for the provisions so it may sell patient medical information to its advertising clients on its new Google Health database, Consumer Watchdog says.

"Americans will benefit from an integrated system capable of making our medical records available wherever we may need them, but only if the system is properly used," Jerry Flanagan, Consumer Watchdog health advocate writes in a letter to members of Congress. "The medical technology portion of the economic stimulus bill does not sufficiently protect patient privacy, and recent amendments have made this situation worse. Medical privacy must be strengthened before the measure's final passage, rather than allowing corporate interests to take advantage of the larger bill's urgency."

In his letter, Flanagan outlines five protections for consumers that should be included in the $825 billion economic stimulus plan. Flanagan has copied President Obama on his letter.

The 5 patient privacy protections that Consumer Watchdog urges in its letter to Congress to adopt in the electronic medical record section of the economic stimulus bill, include:

1. Retain & Strengthen Prohibition on Sale of Private Medical Data. Our private medical information, including which prescription drugs we take and which illnesses we have, is extremely valuable to the medical-insurance complex. Some want to market to us, others want to use this information to deny us access to insurance coverage.
For instance:

Google is said to be lobbying hard this week to weaken the ban currently in the draft measure on the sale of our private medical records. Google must not be allowed to destroy this basic privacy protection.

On Friday, Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) added an amendment to the House version of the stimulus bill allowing pharmacists to sell our private medical information without our knowledge. This amendment must be removed.

Currently, the stimulus bill makes an exception to the ban on the sale of private medical information for purposes of "research." This loophole is large enough to allow drug companies, marketers and health insurers to buy our private health information for purposes of "researching" consumer advertising for the newest health products, or to decide which of us to insure.

Another broad exception would allow companies to sell or exchange a patient's records if the sale or exchange is "to a business associate for activities ... that the business associate undertakes on behalf of and at the specific request of" the company holding the private information.

"These blatant attempts to weaken privacy protections all must be turned back," Flanagan says.
The other provisions Flanagan cites in his letter are:

2. Provide an “Audit Trail” To Track Who Accesses Our Records. Under the current version of the bill, a patient is not able to track which medical personnel access their medical records or how that information is used. The measure must be amended to allow patients to request an “audit trail” detailing when their medical record was accessed, by whom, and for what purpose.
3. Make Database Holders Accountable for Keeping Our Medical Records Private. Companies developing electronic medical record technology must be fully accountable for the safe keeping of our information. “Safe harbor” provisions in the current legislation that would insulate these interests from accountability must be removed. For example, the current version of the bill shields database holders from telling patients when possible identity thieves access their private information as long as the data disclosure was “unintentional” and the company acted in “good faith.”
4. Allow States To Adopt More Protective Standards. Currently the bill allows states to
establish additional privacy regulation and enforce existing requirements. These provisions must remain part of the final proposal. Other federal health care laws, like HIPPA, Medicaid, and
COBRA, provide a model for a federal-state partnership rather than federal pre-emption of more protective state standards. States have traditionally been the laboratories of innovation in patient privacy. In fact, the gold standard for medical privacy is the California Confidentiality of
Medical Information Act, which bars the sharing, selling, or using for marketing or otherwise,
any private medical information.
5. Retain House Amendments Protecting Private Information. Last week, Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA) added amendments to the House bill requiring the holders of health information databases to make protected health information “unusable, unreadable, or undecipherable” to unauthorized individuals. This amendment will help to ensure that databases are appropriately protected to keep sensitive medical information out of the hands of identity thieves and black market information aggregators.

"First and foremost, electronic medical records should be designed to benefit patients, not the corporate interests lobbying hard on Capitol Hill to get a piece of the $20 billion in taxpayer subsidies provided for this project," Flanagan says in closing his letter.

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Ledbetter Pay Act Could Be First Bill Obama Signs

With Senate passage, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act could be the first bill President Obama signs into law. Senators approved the bill on a vote of 61 to 36.

The House already approved the bill earlier this month prior to Obama's swearing in. The legislation, named for a woman who worked at a Goodyear Tire plant in Gadsden, Ala., addresses a Supreme Court decision in 2007. Ledbetter found she was being paid less than men doing comparable work and took the matter to court, where she prevailed. But the Supreme Court ruled that Ledbetter should have filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 180 days after each allegedly discriminatory paycheck.

Lawmakers first introduced the Ledbetter bill in the last Congress, but it was opposed by President George W. Bush.

“This bill is a victory for American workers," says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). "It restores the law to where it was prior to the Supreme Court decision. And it could not have happened without the guidance of Senator [Edward] Kennedy [D-Mass.] and the leadership of Senator [Barbara] Mikulski [D-Md.].

“Today Republicans and Democrats united around ensuring that hardworking individuals across this country should be paid fairly – and that they will have a fair shot to fight back when they are not," Reid says. "There is no reason anyone should take home a paycheck different from his or her coworker’s based solely on that worker’s gender, race, age, ethnicity or disability. And in a historically weak economy such as ours, American families can no longer afford it.

“We will send this to the President as soon as possible so he can sign it into law,” Reid adds.

Democrats, in control of Congress, have been passing a number of bills that had been bottled up by Bush that are now expected to be signed by Democrat Obama. That includes an expanded reauthorization of the federal State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that Bush had repeatedly vetoed. They are now all competing for honor as the first legislation that the new president will sign.

Democrats made the Ledbetter issue a focus of their 2008 nominating convention in Denver.

Senate passage of the Ledbetter bill followed a Washington press conference featuring a number of female senators, and Ledbetter herself.

“Women from all over the country have told me how they are paid less for doing the same job as their male colleagues –- and now there’s nothing they can do,” Ledbetter says. “Congress has the opportunity to restore the promise that the Supreme Court broke in my case and to protect women from pay discrimination by enacting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.”

At the press conference, Mikulski said "wage discrimination still exists because there are loopholes in our federal laws."

"Change in the federal law books means change in women’s checkbooks," Mikulski adds. "We need to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. It's time for a new American revolution -- we need to put on our lipstick, square our shoulders and fight together!"

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Pelosi Won't Delay Economic Package; Speaker Cites Ex-McCain Adviser In Its Need

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intends to hold to a President's Day deadline to get a massive economc recovery package approved in Congress and onto President Obama's desk for signature into law. The California Democrat also cites an economist who advised Republican John McCain's presidential bid as to the need to act on the recovery program.

Pelosi discussed the economic recovery program, which carries a price tag north of $800 billion, today in depth during a wide-ranging press conference in Washington. The economic package is a mix of tax cuts and new federal spending.

Pelosi also disputed a report from her own Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that finds that as little as 7 percent of the outlays for this fiscal year will be spent on so called "shovel ready" transportation projects. Democratic leaders, including Obama, are looking for such "shovel ready" projects to get moving on quickly.

"My reaction is they did not have the full data when they made that report," Pelosi says of that CBO report. "Today, the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee is having its own hearing on the bill and they will lay out the facts which were not considered by the CBO. The CBO, some of the leadership of the Congressional Budget Office met with [Rep.] [James] Oberstar [D-Minn.] yesterday and admitted that they did not have the full data on which to base their projection, and it is rejected by almost every other independent analysis of what the bill will do.

"So, when all the facts are present and, by the way, they were talking about one aspect of the bill, and they really didn't have it right on that," Pelosi adds. "But as they turn to other aspects of the bill and the job creation that is in the package, of course that increases the number of jobs. But on your question of infrastructure, I think today will set the record straight."

Pelosi says she is firm on the stated President's Day holiday to complete work on the package aimed at lifting the flagging U.S. economy, despite talk the Senate may want to take longer on the proposals. Pelosi says she won't adjourn the House without having moved the economic program onto the White House.

"Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package 500,000 Americans lose their jobs," Pelosi says. "I don't think we can go fast enough to stop that. The President asked for action, swift and bold. That is what we are doing. And there is nothing really new in this. We have been asking for this for over one year of President Bush. Much of what is in the package has been part of what President Obama has been talking about and where we are in full partnership and support of reaching out to the Republicans.

"The American people are in a desperate situation. They expect and demand action to relieve the economic crisis that they are experiencing in their own families. I don't think we are going too fast."

Pelosi also says she wants passage of the economic package to be bipartisan, noting the opinion of economist Mark Zandi, who was the economic adviser to McCain in his failed race against Obama. Zandi, Pelosi says, indicates that the economic recovery proposal under consideration in the House, will create or save 4 million jobs, decrease unemployment by 2 percent, by the year 2010.

"He also said if we do not do that, the situation will only worsen. So, we are very pleased that we are taking 'action, bold and swift,'" Pelosi says.

Pelosi says she also is pleased Obama is reaching out to congressional Republicans for their support for the economic plan.

"It is what we had hoped that President Bush would have done, to act in a bipartisan way," Pelosi says. "As we keep saying, we have to respect every voice and every view. I think it is important for the President to communicate directly with the Republicans. President Bush came to one of our issues conferences, you may recall, a number of years ago, I think it was eight years ago, and then he came a few years ago. He came two times, and it was important for him to do that. In between, however, we had very little communication on that level.

"I commend the President for reaching out to the Republicans, and I look forward to the outcome of that meeting," Pelosi adds. "But it is not just about a meeting, it is about a relationship. It is about increased communication. I am perfectly pleased with it."

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Closing Gitmo Praised As Return 'Rule Of Law,' Will Make Counterterrorism More 'Effective'

President Obama won support for his early action to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay from Capitol Hill and beyond. The leader of Senate says it will make U.S. efforts to fight terrorism more "effective," while a key human rights group praises the decision as a "return to the rule of law."

President Obama took aim at Bush administration ant-terror policies by issuing new executive orders outlining a process for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and revising detention and interrogation policies. Obama often criticized Bush anti-terrorism policies during the campaign, particularly practices used against detainees at Guantanamo that he and his administration regard as torture, such as waterboarding.

In his recent confirmation hearing, Obama's pick for attorney general, Eric Holder, declared waterboarding to be torture.

The Guantanamo prison was set up at the U.S. base in Cuba to hold those suspected of being terrorists who were captured by American forces in operations since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

“Bipartisan members of Congress and the military, as well as intelligence and diplomatic leaders, are convinced that revising the way we detain and interrogate terrorist suspects will help America more effectively fight terrorism and make Americans safer. I strongly support the Obama Administration’s plan to work on a bipartisan basis to tackle this tough issue right away," says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

“I will study the new executive orders in greater detail, but at first look, they appear to lay out a responsible and careful path that maintains every effective tool needed to defeat terrorists,” Reid adds. “In fact, I am convinced these changes will strengthen and enhance our counterterrorism efforts, as we restore America’s standing in the world.”

Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International claimed victory with Obama's orders. The organization had long fought to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and end practices such as waterboarding.

"With the stroke of a pen, President Obama initiated this nation's return to the rule of law by immediately signing an executive order to shut down the U.S. detention facility in Guantanamo Bay. Today's executive order is the first step toward closing the notorious prison," says Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA.

"Amnesty International commends President Obama and his administration for moving quickly to restore the United States' role as a positive force for human rights in the world," Cox adds. "While the executive order leaves many questions unanswered, including the possibility of detainees being held for up to a year without charge, Amnesty International welcomes this very important measure and hopes it signals a commitment to place human rights at the heart of the new administration."

Ultimately, any plans to try or release Guantanamo detainees must comply with international human rights safeguards, Cox says.

"Detainees should be promptly charged and sent for trial before U.S. federal courts without relying on the use of tainted evidence gained through coercion or torture," he says. "All others should be returned or resettled in countries, including the United States, where they will not face torture or other ill-treatment.

"Amnesty International also welcomes President Obama's executive order to instruct the U.S. government to adhere to the current U.S. Army Field Manual, international treaty obligations and the Geneva Conventions when holding and interrogating detainees," Cox adds, referring to international standards that prohibit use of torture."

Closing Guantanamo and ending torture in the future isn't enough for Amnesty International, Cox says. Those who participated during the Bush administration should be investigated, he says.

"As the process to close Guantanamo Bay develops, it is also extremely important that the abuses that were committed during the past eight years are investigated by an impartial tribunal and those responsible are held accountable," Cox says. "To truly confront the ghost of Guantanamo and all other aspects of U.S. interrogation and detention policies, the investigation must be thorough and have the mandate to investigate anyone who may have abused his power and circumvented the laws of the land."

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Reid Hails Clinton, Pushes For Geithner

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid praised his former colleague Hillary Clinton just before Clinton was overwhelmingly confirmed to be President Obama's secretary of state. Reid, however, urged the Senate to speedily do likewise for Obama's nominee for treasury secretary.

"Senator Clinton is uniquely capable and profoundly prepared to lead our State Department at a time of unprecedented global challenges, and a time when quick confirmation of President Obama’s national security team is critical to protect us here at home," Reid says. “We face two wars abroad, a complex and unpredictable crisis in the Middle East, the nuclear ambitions of a volatile Iranian regime, together with the complexities of dealing with North Korea.

“Senator Clinton has earned the admiration and respect of the global community with her understanding that our international power must be both strong and smart –- that the true measure of our influence is not just the size and strength of our military, but also how we use other tools, including diplomacy and foreign assistance, to make the world safer and more free, Reid adds.

Senators approved Clinton to be the nation's top diplomat today on a vote of 94-2, after a delay yesterday brought by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Cornyn had placed a temporary hold on Clinton's nomination due to concerns regarding potential conflicts for Clinton stemming from her husband's foundation.

Clinton brings the number of confirmed Obama appointees to eight. Senators approved seven Obama nominees yesterday shortly after the new president took the oath of office.

With Clinton approved, Reid also pushed for senators also to confirm troubled Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner. Geithner had his confirmation hearing before the Senate today, which had been delayed over revelations over taxes he hadn't paid on time. Geithner apologized today during his hearing.

"This is a historically critical time for Americans to have sound and experienced leadership at the Treasury Department, and Tim Geithner is exactly the man for the job," Reid says. "His testimony before the Finance Committee today showed why Mr. Geithner is qualified and capable of righting this ship, and the ongoing struggles in the markets and in homes around the country show why he must be confirmed without delay.

“From his time as the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and in leadership roles at the Treasury Department, [International Monetary Fund] and the Council on Foreign Relations, Mr. Geithner knows not only how to work within the federal government, but also how to navigate the complex financial world," Reid adds. “I look forward to the Senate confirming him as soon as possible so we can rebuild our broken economy in a way that once again puts the American people first.”

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Capitol Idea: Obama And His Political Capital

By Scott Nance

George W. Bush never really understood political capital and how it works. That's odd, since he was our first "MBA president."

Certainly, Bush talked about political capital, famously stating how he had it and intended to spend it. Yet, for priding himself on being a man of business, Bush didn't seem to understand that political capital works pretty much like financial capital. Yes, if you have it you can spend it. But like any bank account, sooner or later you need fresh capital in there, or otherwise you go broke.

Since his 2004 re-election, Bush spent his political capital wildly but he never sought to make any fresh deposits. In the end, he maxed out his political charge card and became politically bankrupt. The historically low approval ratings he had for months -- years -- leading up to his exit are the manifestation of that.

Yesterday as President Obama was sworn in and took office amidst vast crowds, television commentators and political analysts often remarked about the nearly unprecedented goodwill the American people were showering on him. And, they said, that gives Obama a huge amount of political capital with which to work.

To be sure, Obama will need every bit of that political capital and as he has shown every indication he plans to be highly active -- he will be spending that capital freely to push through a massive economic recovery program, draw down the U.S. presence in Iraq, refocus the mission in Afghanistan and much more.

But unlike his precedessor, Obama is already earning more political capital, even as he spends it.
Obama has already used one important tool to build political capital: expectation management. Since the night of his election in November, Obama has asked us for patience, warning us that his policies will take time to show results. He also acknowledges there will be setbacks and false starts.

Contrast that with Bush, who ever since that "mission accomplished" banner on the aircraft carrier, always seemed to proclaim premature victory -- and almost never admitted to a setback or false start. Bush became the president who cried wolf once too often and the American people lost faith in him.

In the very first posting on his new White House website, Obama has now brought out the other tools he will use to earn more political capital. His staff blogger, Macon Phillips, enumerates and describes them quite simply: communication, transparency and participation.

These tools seemed foreign to Bush as well, since he preferred to operate in secrecy, communicate only in slogans and certitudes and viewed most citizen participation in his work as a nuisance at best.

Certainly, in the end, Obama and his policies must produce some measurable results. He won't be re-elected in four years otherwise.

But in the meantime, by emphasizing communication, transparency and participation, Obama will not only enable us to see what he is doing -- and measure its effectiveness along the way -- he hopes we will become connected to, and invested in, those activities and policies.

If that happens, we will end up rooting Obama along like we would our favorite sports team.

How do companies often attain new capital? Through investment. And it will be from our continuing personal investment in him and his work, Obama will reap fresh political capital into the future.

The publisher of On The Hill and its sister sites, Life, The Universe ... and Politics Live, Scott Nance has covered government and Washington for more than a decade. Capitol Idea is his regular column from Washington.

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Abortion Forces Take On Obama Over Bill

Although President Obama has focused on detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison and other issues on his first full day at the White House, anti-abortion forces are also hoping to get his attention. In particular, abortion opponents are concerned over Obama's support for the the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

In particular, the organization American Right To Life is recalling a statement Obama made on the campaign trail in 2007, in which he reportedly said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act."

If he keeps this promise, American Right To Life President Brian Rohrbough says, "President Obama will press the reset button on the pro-life movement and reverse decades of legislation, regulations not built on the firm foundation of personhood, but misguided laws built on sand shifting in the political wind."

FOCA was introduced in the last Congress, and "declares that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child; terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability; or terminate a pregnancy after viability when necessary to protect her life or her health.

"Prohibits a federal, state, or local governmental entity from denying or interfering with a woman's right to exercise such choices; or discriminating against the exercise of those rights in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information. Provides that such prohibition shall apply retroactively. Authorizes an individual aggrieved by a violation of this Act to obtain appropriate relief, including relief against a governmental entity, in a civil action."

For Obama to sign it, FOCA would have to be reintroduced in the current Congress and passed by the House and Senate. Lawmakers have already introduced other bills in the new 111th Congress that are much closer to Obama's desk for his signature.

"FOCA trumps regulations, and personhood trumps FOCA," says Rohrbough, "because personhood invokes the laws that already protect persons. For a state to re-introduce slavery is inconceivable, yet after a mere election cycle, Obama is committed to reverse decades of misguided pro-life effort."

In a statement, American Right to Life says that lawyer Clarke Forsythe, president of Americans United for Life (AUL), erred when he wrote in Human Life Review that the partial-birth abortion ban (PBA) "served as a legal fence." Laws that end with, "and then you can kill the baby," as do all such regulations including the PBA ban, erect no walls, nor fences, but only swinging gates, the anti-abortion group claims.

"The PBA fiasco confirms what happens when a Christian movement is turned over to secular humanist lawyers," says American Right to Life Vice President Steve Curtis, "because it never had the authority to save one child, as James Dobson stated that 'Ending partial-birth abortion...does not save a single human life."

American Right to Life says that it "sees the FOCA fight as the opportunity for pro-lifers to unite in establishing personhood and the God-given right to life."

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7 Obama Nominees Confirmed; Clinton And Geithner Not Among Them

The Senate acted quickly to confirm seven of Barack Obama's top officials within hours of the new president taking office. However, two of the most significant members of Obama's Cabinet were not among them. Timothy Geithner is not yet Obama's treasury secretary and Hillary Clinton also was not confirmed as secretary of state.

Senators voted to confirm Steven Chu as secretary of energy, Arne Duncan as secretary of education, Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security, Peter Orszag as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Kenneth Salazar as secretary of the interior, Eric Shinseki as secretary of veterans’ affairs and Thomas Vilsack as secretary of agriculture.

“In the coming days, weeks and months, we will work with President Obama to revive our economy, protect homeowners and consumers, bring our country closer to energy independence, strengthen our national security, and improve access to health care and education for all Americans," says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “These challenges require a President with a full arsenal of tools and experts. President Obama has nominated a cabinet of exceptionally bright and capable people. They represent a cross-section of our country, geographically and politically.

“It is up to us, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, to confirm these worthy nominees quickly so that they, along with our new President, can hit the ground running,” Reid adds.

However, as Obama will be without his top officials at the departments of Treasury and State tomorrow as he begins his first full day in the Oval Office.

Instead, Geithner will be sitting through a confirmation hearing in the Senate that had been delayed until tomorrow due to revelations about his personal tax returns.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, meanwhile, reportedly has put a hold on Clinton's nomination. According to televised reports, Cornyn concedes that Clinton will be confirmed to head up Foggy Bottom. However, Cornyn maintains reservations about allowing Clinton to become the nation's top diplomat because of potential conflicts between international activities of the foundation run by Clinton's husband, the former president.

Geithner and Clinton will not be in place as Obama reportedly wants to hit the ground running tomorrow, having major meetings planned both on reviving the domestic economy and dealing with foreign policy abroad.

Aside from Geithner and Clinton, other Obama Cabinet officials not yet confirmed include Attorney General-designate Eric Holder, Transportation Secretary-designate: Ray LaHood, and Health and Human Services Secretary-designate: Tom Daschle, among others.

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Obama Inaugural 'Compelling And Inspiring,' Public Speaking Expert Says

A group that trains people to be better public speakers heaped praise on President Obama for the 18-minute inaugural address he delivered today after taking the oath of office. The group, Toastmasters International, compares Obama's speech to that of President John F. Kennedy.

Obama today became the 44th president of the United States at noon, even before Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama was elected president after serving less than four years in the U.S. Senate. Prior to that, Obama was an Illinois state senator.

Obama closed his speech saying, "Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Since his keynote speech four years ago at the Democratic National Convention, Obama has proven that he is a "masterful orator who demonstrates how communication and leadership are inextricably linked," says Toastmasters International President Jana Barnhill. "His inaugural speech was compelling and inspiring. He spoke candidly about the country's many serious challenges, yet struck a hopeful chord, using controlled pacing and vocal variety to build emotional momentum that reverberated across cultures, generations and faiths."

Lance Miller, former Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, agrees: "President Obama's speaking basics were impeccable: eye contact, vocal variety and use of volume. He accentuated important points with pacing and pauses. His gestures and body movement, while constrained by the speaking platform, were smooth and natural and in concert with the message he conveyed."

From his opening remarks, Obama emphasized the transition to a time of equality and inclusion. Toastmasters Board Member Mohammed Murad says, " Mentioning President Bush right at the beginning and so briefly, indicated that he is mindful of the fact that an era is over and he is now in charge and there is a need to move on."

Obama's speech also at a number of points took sharp rebuke at the policies pursued by Bush over the last eight years, such as when he said "we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," in a criticism of Bush anti-terrorism policies.

Like all good speakers, Obama effectively used metaphors for dramatic effect, such as his line, "....the rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace," Toastmasters says in a statement.

Barnhill praises his use of poetic language. "President Obama took a worldwide audience on a visual journey describing the path America has traveled and the road that lies ahead."

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NEWSWEEK Cover: Obama's America - Who We Are Now

Editor Jon Meacham opens Newsweek's special Inauguration issue with an essay about the make-up of the America that President-Elect Barack Obama is inheriting when he takes office on Tuesday.

As Meacham points out, the turning point came not long after Obama himself was born, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Immigration and Naturalization Act in 1965, a law that played a key role in creating the America that made this week's inauguration of Obama possible.

Meacham writes about Johnson because "who we are now -- a country in which traditional barriers of race and age and gender are crumbling -- flows in many ways from what LBJ did then."

The issue looks at the political, social and economic state of the union with essays, stories and graphics that examine how Americans are changing in terms of our politics, where we live, how we work, race, gender and age. "Stories about demography tend to be prospective and general, and it is all too easy to exaggerate this turn in the statistics or that tick in the projections," Meacham writes in the Jan. 26 issue. "But this much is clear and certain: the nation over which Obama will preside is changing, rapidly, and history is likely to connect his political rise to the shifting nature of a country that was largely one thing in the wake of World War II and through the Cold War and into the opening years of the 21st century, and quite another as the Obama era began."

Highlights in the issue:

-- Bruce Katz, a vice president at the Brookings Institution, and Jennifer Bradley, a senior research associate there, point out that the suburb as we know it is vanishing. Now more jobs and immigrants are located in the suburbs, but they're also suffering from growing rates of poverty and foreclosures. "They no longer represent a retreat from the tumult of American life, but the locus of it. What do we do now that they resemble our cities, in good ways and bad?" the authors ask.

-- Miami Bureau Chief Arian Campo-Flores and Reporter Sarah Kliff report on the Boy Scouts of America's campaign to double its Latino membership by its 100th anniversary in 2010. Hispanics make up 15 percent of the U.S. population, and young Latinos will account for the bulk of population growth in the country in the years ahead, but only about 3 percent of the organization's 2.9 million members. Like any major organization catering to kids, the Scouts need more Hispanic members in order to survive. Yet many Latino families know little about the group-or consider it so quintessentially white, suburban and middle class that it seems inaccessible.

-- Reporter Jesse Ellison reports on Lewiston, Maine, a mill town that like many of the more rural, white areas of the country suffered from a shrinking population and vanishing jobs. Now it's been transformed because of thousands of African refugees who have settled there since 2001, when the first Somali family arrived. Since then, per capita income has soared, and crime rates have dropped. In 2004, Inc. magazine named Lewiston one of the best places to do business in America, and in 2007, it was named an "All- America City" by the National Civic League.

-- Washington Bureau Chief Jeffrey Bartholet and reporter Daniel Stone report on the number of Obama's top aides who grew up in other countries and the insight they developed by seeing America from the outside in. The former expats include domestic policy adviser Valerie Jarrett; Retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, the incoming national-security adviser; Timothy Geithner, the nominee for Treasury Secretary; and Retired Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, a leading contender to become the new NASA administrator. They're increasingly typical: as the world shrinks, the numbers of Americans working and studying outside of the country is rising.

In 2006-07, more than 241,000 Americans studied abroad, up from less than 100,000 who did so a decade ago. The State Department now estimates that more than 5 million Americans live overseas.

-- Reporter Tony Dokoupil and Religion Editor Lisa Miller look at how a generation gap is opening up even among evangelicals. Youth are now more willing to call themselves liberal than at any time since 1973. Young Christians, too, liked Obama much better than Kerry: a third of white evangelicals ages 18 to 29 voted Democratic this time, compared to 16 percent in 2004. This doesn't represent a sea change among evangelicals -- who remain more socially conservative than most other religious groups -- but painful generational divisions within their ranks. Disagreements revolve around priorities: how best to express Christian values in a fast-changing world.

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Capitol Idea: Dana Perino Outdoes Bush With Her Farewell

By Scott Nance

The formal farewell President Bush delivered the nation last Thursday may have fallen flat as defensive, sad -- even disingenuous. But the final press briefing from outgoing press secretary Dana Perino the following day was, by contrast, full of humor -- and also a much more honest goodbye.

Perino, who had cool and almost stony at the podium over the course of 145 press briefings, let the emotion come out Friday -- paying tribute both to her husband and her late predecessor as chief Bush spokesperson, Tony Snow.

Perino's goodbye, however, was not at all a solemn affair. In fact, she was frequently tongue firmly in cheek as she mixed her goodbyes with trying to answer a few actual questions from the press corps.

The James Brady Press Room erupted in laughter as Perino delivered lines like, "I have a lot of respect for the White House press corps -- don't look so surprised. (Laughter.) It's true I respect you, because you never once complained about your work space. (Laughter.) Even though sometimes it could be a little cramped. I respect you because you are always at the top of your game, you never miss a beat. (Laughter.) Even when on some days you felt like lying down on the job. (Laughter.)"

Watch video of Perino's final briefing below. The column continues after the video.



A good soldier to the end, Perino continued in her last briefing also to defend President Bush as misunderstood.

"I don't know whether this is lost on people or not, but let me just repeat it; that one of the things that I've always admired about President Bush is that no matter what anyone says about him, he lets all of the negativity roll off his back, and he cares deeply about every single American, no matter what they believe, if they support him or not. And he has made decisions based on the best interests of the country," she says.

Perino, though, didn't turn the last briefing into a partisan affair. Indeed, she was much more philosophical over the course of those 22 minutes.

Asked if she had any regrets, Perino said, for instance, "I'm going to go on a six-week trip with my husband, and I'm sure there will be long enough flights for me to think about all the things we could have done better. Any press secretary always wants to be more proactive, but news happens all over the world. And now with the 24/7 news cycle, in many ways sometimes you feel like you're just trying to keep up with that. And so it's not a regret or a disappointment, it's just a fact of life.

"I told someone earlier today that on Friday, I had finally cleaned out my in-box, got it down to 997 emails. And when I got here on Monday morning, over the weekend -- and I had been working over the weekend -- I had then 2,172 emails. So it's a brutal pace and a lot of information coming at you. And that was just on a weekend where we didn't have a lot of news. So I think it's time for me to exit stage left."

Perino was een more thoughtful and expansive when asked about perceived media bias -- giving the press corps high marks, in fact.

"For everybody that's in this room, I think that -- and I was on a panel with [Clinton administration press secretary] Mike McCurry about a month ago and we both had the same feeling -- that in this room, and the reporters who show up every morning and are here late at night and work the weekends, that the people that are covering the President out of here, and the presidency, strive so hard to be fair. And you have to fight for us with your other bureaus and with your other reporters, and I really think that everybody in this room, on a scale of one to ten, I give you a nine in terms of fairness and -- in fairness in working with us and then listening to us," she says.

"I do think that outside of the White House briefing room, think the -- but I think the increase in the amount of commentary, I just think it's quite remarkable that everyone says they want to add more commentary to their news pages. In some ways, I think, well, how is that even possible? It seems sometimes that that's all that there is," Perino adds.

"But I do think that in this room I think that that's true, and Mike McCurry said the same thing. So I think by comparing Presidents and presidencies, I think it's probably similar," she says. "But there's no doubt that your industry is going through a change and a transition and a transformation, and I really do think for the sake of democracy and the sake of our country we need to have more of you. And good, tough reporting takes a lot of money and it takes investment, it takes time, and it takes the willingness from your editors to be willing to go off on assignment and to really hold your elected leaders to account. I don't think that journalism is dead, but I think that we all have a responsibility to make sure that it survives."

You see we learned more from Perino's goodbye than we did from Bush's. That's because she was, in the end, more human than her boss.

Bush got applause from those he picked to be in the room Thursday night for his farewell. Perino received applause, as well. But even Bush would have to admit, Perino was playing to a much tougher crowd.

The publisher of On The Hill and its sister sites, Life, The Universe ... and Politics Live, Scott Nance has covered government and Washington for more than a decade. Capitol Idea is his regular column from Washington.

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House Economy Recovery Package Leaves Americans Hungry, Food Bank Group Says

The massive economic recovery package put forward by the House Appropriations Committee may be have a price tag north of $800 billion, but it still will leave Americans hungry, according to the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity.

Congressional Democrats are working closely with President-elect Barack Obama and his incoming administration to craft legislation to respond to the ongoing economic turmoil that's thrown hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work.

The House appropriations panel, led by Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.), has unveiled a package that includes $275 billion in tax cuts and $550 billion in new spending for federal programs.

"The economy is in a crisis not seen since the Great Depression," the committee says in a statement introducing its legislation. The statement also quotes conservative economist Mark Zandi as saying that “the economy is shutting down.”

"The economy is in such trouble that, even with passage of this package, unemployment rates are rise to between eight and nine percent this year," the committee's statement says. "Without this package, we are warned that unemployment
explode to near twelve percent. With passage of this package, we will face a large deficit for years Without it, those deficits will be devastating and we face the risk of economic chaos. Tough choices made in this legislation and fiscal discipline will demand more tough choices in years to come."

The package includes $20 billion to increase the food stamp benefit by more than 13 percent to help struggling Americans, but it should include $300 million specifically in aid to food banks, says a statement from Feeding America (formerly named America's Second Harvest).

"It is tragic that this legislation ignores the emergency food needs of millions of people affected by the faltering economy. This package contains many positive provisions that will help our economy begin to recover, but the House Committee must keep in mind that food banks nationwide are reporting a 30 percent increase, on average, in the number of people turning to them to help put food on their table. Many of the people we see are recently unemployed and do not currently qualify for food stamps, or are waiting for benefits to be approved," says Vicki Escarra, president and chief executive officer of Feeding America, a network of 205 food banks and the nation's largest hunger-relief organization. "Our food banks are seeing unprecedented numbers of people coming to food pantries across the country, and their shelves are becoming emptier by the day. We cannot continue to feed millions of additional men, women and children who are turning to us, often for the first time, without more support from the federal government. Americans are going hungry, and we are in a crisis."

Feeding America cites a recent survey that finds food banks around the nation report that the primary factors contributing to the increased need were unemployment and rising food prices. The 30 percent average increase in people seeking help is nearly double the increase that food banks reported just six months ago, the organization says.

"Food banks are on the front lines feeding people, so they typically experience emerging economic trends before they show up in national data," says Escarra. "The lines at the food pantries and soup kitchens have grown longer and longer this past year, and unfortunately, we expect to see more and more hungry people coming to us for help as unemployment rates continue to climb. The December survey of food banks also reported that more than 70 percent of food banks are presently unable to adequately meet the needs of their communities, and are cutting back the amount of food they are making available to agencies, including soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters.

"We are heartened by President-elect Obama's longtime commitment to fighting hunger in America, and his renewed sense of commitment in his pledge to end child hunger by 2015," Escarra adds. "The Economic Recovery legislation is the first opportunity for a new President and new Congress to make progress toward eliminating hunger. If we can afford more than $300 billion to bail out banks, surely we can afford $300 million to help our food banks."

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Senate OKs 'Biggest Wilderness Protection Bill in Decades'

As congresional Democrats continue to strongly flex the legislative muscle that a wider majority and an incoming Democratic president bring, the Senate yesterday passed a bill that one leader in the environmental community is calling "the biggest wilderness protection bill in decades."

The Senate passed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act on a bipartisan basis of 73-21. The bill now goes to the House, where, if passed quickly, could become one of the first bills signed into law by Barack Obama.

“This bipartisan bill will protect and improve America by land and by sea," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says. "As one of the most important conservation efforts in decades, it will benefit all 50 states –- from public lands throughout America, the waterways that connect them and out to our oceans.

“This package was crafted by Democrats and Republicans working together so that all Americans can enjoy more than 2 million acres of wilderness, more than 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers, thousands of miles of new national trails, and three new units of the National Park Service," Reid says, adding that he urges the House to act on the measure.

The bill would protect more than 2 million acres of wilderness in eight states, including the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Oregon’s Mt. Hood, and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The bill also would codify and adds permanence to the National Landscape Conservation System, which includes all of the Clinton-era national monuments, wilderness study areas, and other protective designations, encompassing more than 26 million acres. Further, it would protect more than 1 million acres of the Wyoming Range from oil and gas development, according to a summary released by the Sierra Club.

"This is the biggest wilderness protection bill in decades," says Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. "Through their leadership on this bill, Senator Reid and Senator [Jeff] Bingaman [D-N.M.] have helped ensure that we will have a wild legacy to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Now future generations will be able to hike in pristine forests from California to West Virginia. They'll be able to fish America's untouched rivers, watch antelope migrate through Wyoming, and enjoy the majesty of treasures like Rocky Mountain National Park."

With the nation mired in recession, Pope also highlights the economic benefits of this legislation.

"Wilderness, rivers, trails and parks support important tourist economies across the country," he says. "This legislation will protect the tourist dollars and jobs that outdoor recreation generates by keeping our last, best places safe from unchecked industrial development."

Key Republicans also support this wilderness bill, including the new ranking Republican of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Bingaman heads.

“This lands package is hugely beneficial to individual communities not only around the country, but especially in Western states where the federal government owns more land and it has been less developed," says Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). "For far too long this omnibus bill has been blocked in the Senate to the detriment of communities that rely on the federal government to help them develop their economy, protect and preserve the environment and provide access to basic necessities.”

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Science Fact, Not Science Fiction: Congress Moves Toward Nanotech Regulation

Congress has so many pressing issues before it -- a faltering economy, two international wars to manage, conflict in the Mid East. So it may seem as if lawmakers have veered into the realm of useless science fiction by moving toward greater understanding and regulation of the environmental and health effects of nanotechnology.

But that's not so, according to a Washington think tank that tracks development of the emerging science and engineering of nanotechnology -- which involves manufacturing at the atomic scale.

In 2007, the global market for goods incorporating nanotechnology totaled $147 billion, and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) cites a market reesarch study which projects that figure will grow to $3.1 trillion by 2015. PEN is an initiative launched by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Such are the stakes, then, as the House Science and Technology Committee today introduced legislation that highlights the growing attention on Capitol Hill for the need to strengthen federal efforts to learn more about the potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) risks posed by engineered nanomaterials. Some scientists last year published research, for instance, that suggest some nanomaterials may cause lung disease similar to asbestos.

The new bill (H.R. 554) is almost identical to legislation that passed the House last year with overwhelming bi-partisan support by a vote of 407 to 6, PEN says in a statement. The Senate was expected to mark up similar legislation, but lawmakers ran out of time during the session, the statement adds.

Introduction of the bill comes months after former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official J. Clarence (Terry) Davies authored a report that makes a series of recommendations for improving federal risk research and oversight of engineered nanomaterials at EPA, the Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The report published by PEN, Nanotechnology Oversight: An Agenda for the Next Administration, offers a host of proposals for how Congress, federal agencies and the White House can improve oversight of engineered nanomaterials.

"We know that when materials are developed at the nanoscale that they pose potential risks that do not appear at the macroscale," says David Rejeski, PEN's director. "This new bill shows that lawmakers recognize both nanotechnology's enormous promise and possible problems. The legislation reflects mounting Congressional interest in understanding potential risks in order to protect the public and to encourage safe commercial development and investment."

The House bill comes only weeks after a National Research Council (NRC) panel issued a highly critical report describing serious shortfalls in the Bush administration's strategy to better understand the EHS risks of nanotechnology and to effectively manage those potential risks.

The NRC report, Review of the Federal Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health and Safety Research, calls for a significantly revamped national strategic plan that will minimize potential risks so that innovation will flourish and society will reap nanotechnology's benefits in areas like medicine, energy, transportation and communications.

Effective and safe regulation of nanomaterials will be critical, otherwise consumers may eventually recoil from anything nanotech if horror stories begin to emerge, Rejeski told lawmakers last year in congressional testimony.

"Public trust is the 'dark horse' in nanotechnology's future," says Rejeski in his testimony. "If government and industry do not work to build public confidence in nanotechnology, consumers may reach for the 'No-Nano' label in the future and investors will put their money elsewhere. Public perceptions about risks -- real and perceived -- can have large economic impacts. For example, the European Union's ban on genetically modified foods, driven largely by public concerns, cost American farmers an estimated $300 million annually in lost sales and much more in products that never made it to the marketplace."

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Kaine Understands Commitment To 'Fighting Everywhere,' Dean Says In Handing Over DNC Chair

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the incoming chairman of the Democratic National Committee, understands the need for a commitment for Democrats to be "fighting everywhere," outgoing Chairman Howard Dean says.

"I know a lot of people are wondering what to expect as we move forward. I can assure you that Governor Kaine will continue the grassroots approach that has made our party and Barack Obama's campaign so successful," Dean says in an email sent yesterday titled, "Thank you."

"Governor Kaine knows first-hand what a commitment to fighting everywhere means -- Virginia is a prime example of what can happen when we refuse to concede any part of this country and build our organization everywhere," Dean says.

Dean's comments come in an apparent response to some Democratic activists afraid Kaine has not committed to continue the "50-state strategy" begun by Dean. That strategy helped Democrats win races in North Carolina, Kaine's own state of Virginia, and elsewhere in last two elections that have not been traditionally friendly territory for Democrats.

Dean took over the DNC in 2005 and help engineer elections in 2006 and 2008 that saw the Democratic Party regain control of Congress, expand that majority in 2008 and elect Barack Obama as president. Former governor of Vermont, Dean himself sought the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, but fell to eventual nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

"I believed then -- and I believe now -- that every single one of us must take responsibility for building our party. It's not enough to simply vote for Democrats -- in order to win, every one of us must deliver our message and values into our own communities. We must organize," Dean says in his email. "Four years later, we have more Democratic state legislators and governors. We expanded the electoral map, regained a majority in both houses of Congress, and put a Democratic president in the White House.

We did it by rebuilding the party infrastructure from the ground up, creating a truly national voter database, and developing 21st century campaign tools that merged traditional organizing with new technology," he adds.

Kaine is Obama's pick to head up the national Democratic Party, and is inviting questions from Democrats online, Dean says. Kaine will answer questions via video.

"Thank you for everything you did for our cause in this election and over the last four years," Dean adds. "But we are not stopping here. And even though my term as chairman is ending, I will be with you -- and with our new chairman -- every step of the way."

Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey has also sent an email embedded with a welcome-message video introducing himself as the new head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Menendez takes over from Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, who headed the Democrats' Senate campaign operation over the last two election cycles.

Democrats gained 14 Senate seats in the 2006 and 2008 elections combined.

In his video, Menendez also solicits questions and input from Democratic supporters.

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House Tees Up SCHIP Bill For Obama

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization could be for Barack Obama what family and medical leave was for Bill Clinton: an early bill waiting for his signature which had been bottled up by a Bush.

Clinton signed the family leave bill soon after taking office, after his predeccesor, President George H.W. Bush, vetoed the legislation.

Fast-forward to the current outgoing President Bush, who last year vetoed legislation to expand the federal SCHIP program saying the new bill would do too much to expand SCHIP.

Now with Democrat Obama set to take the oath of office in just days, the House has once again passed a SCHIP bill, on a bipartisan vote of 289 to 139. The bill that passed today would provide health coverage for 11 million children, according to supporter, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"With this action and with the legislation last week to ensure equal pay for equal work for women, Congress makes clear that we put women and children first," Pelosi says. "It is important that we have this legislation up so soon in this new Congress because children are our top priority. We would like to be considered a Congress for the children, a Congress for the future."

Pelosi casts the SCHIP issue in context of the ongoing economic downturn, in which 500,000 Americans are losing their jobs per month.

"Each month until we have an economic recovery initiative, we will continue to lose at least 500,000 jobs per month. With such job loss, Americans see the health care coverage that we all need for our children disappear," Pelosi says. "For every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, it is estimated that as many as 1.5 million Americans will lose their health care coverage. A record 47 million Americans, including 9 million children, are without health insurance now.

"Ensuring that children have access to affordable health care just makes sense. It's not just about addressing their health needs when they are sick, it's about keeping them healthy in advance," she adds. "It's about prevention. It's about diet, not diabetes. It's about prevention, not amputation. It's about a healthier America.

SCHIP is needed because families should not rely solely on an emergency room for health care.

"An emergency room is as it is described -- for emergencies. Not for ongoing health care. So for those who say that all people in our country have access to health care, they can go to an emergency room, I don't know what they could be thinking," Pelosi says. "By ensuring health care coverage for 11 million children, families will have regular doctor visits and preventive care. We will ensure that children get the care they need and that the health care costs are not inflated, due to expensive emergency room care.

"That is why more than 80 percent of the American people support this legislation. It is bipartisan. It is fully paid for by a 61-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes -- as a major part of its funding. And it represents a new direction, because it is for good health care for American children and it is paid for," she adds.

In a parting blow, Pelosi takes a parting shot at Bush, who opposed the SCHIP bill because he said it was unaffordable. But Pelosi says the amount the United States pays for 40 days of operations in Iraq equals more than 10 million children in America insured for one year. "We certainly can afford to do that," Pelosi says.

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Think Tank Provides Online Tool To Compare Health Reform Consequences

A new online tool released today by the well-known policy organization, the RAND Corp., allows users a chance to compare and contrast the implications of various approaches to healthcare reform.

RAND describes the tool, called COMPARE (Comprehensive Assessment of Reform Efforts), as a first-of-its-kind online resource that synthesizes what is known about the current heath care system, provides information on proposals to modify the system and delivers insight about how potential policy changes are likely to affect health care delivery and costs in the United States.

President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to reform the U.S. healthcare system, and he and members of Congress have been putting forward various proposals to achieve broader coverage while controlling costs.

The centerpiece of COMPARE is a policy options “dashboard” that offers both a snapshot and an in-depth look at the implications that various policy changes could have on a range of outcomes like costs to government and others, quality of care, and access to care, as well as the ease with which changes could be implemented. The dashboard also depicts gaps in our knowledge about the consequences of changes in our health care system.

Results on the dashboard are informed by a review of prior experience with the policy options and a state-of-the-art microsimulation modeling tool that allows policymakers to estimate the impact of specific policy changes on coverage, spending, consumer financial risk and health. COMPARE's modeling tool is uniquely transparent; users can see how much a change in a particular design element -- for example, the different sizes of firms subject to an employer mandate -- would affect outcomes.

RAND says it developed COMPARE to provide an objective, nonpartisan source of analysis that can inform the anticipated upcoming public dialogue about health care reform and to help policymakers develop more effective options going forward.

"COMPARE is a global positioning system for health care policy," says Elizabeth McGlynn, associate director of RAND Health and co-director of COMPARE. "It is a tool that tells us where we are and, more importantly, where the new proposals will take us in the immensely complex matter of health care reform.

"There is no magic solution to our nation's health care challenges, and every proposal likely to emerge will contain inevitable trade-offs between cost and quality of care and access to it," she adds. "COMPARE will help make realistic assessments, based on objective standards and facts, and therefore encourage a full understanding of the immensely complicated benefits and risks of the policy choices ahead."

Among the new findings revealed in the dashboard:

An individual mandate is the most cost-effective strategy for decreasing the number of uninsured.

For most options, how the policy is designed has a significant impact on how effective it will be and whether there will be unintended consequences. For individual mandates, for example, the level of subsidies that would be available, the development of a national insurance exchange, and the penalties for noncompliance all determine likely reductions in the uninsured and the associated costs to the government and others.

There is a link between having health insurance and life expectancy. The model estimates that life expectancy would increase by six months on average among newly insured persons who maintain coverage until age 65.

There is no evidence that many of the proposals for saving money -- prevention, disease management, pay-for-performance, malpractice reform -- will actually reduce spending on health care in the next decade.

Payment reform options are likely to produce the greatest opportunity for reducing health care spending, but most of the proposed changes have not been tested on a wide scale.

RAND calls COMPARE a one-stop location for detailed information on the present state of the American health care system. Data on spending, reliability, patient experience, coverage and capacity will provide visitors to the site with a broad understanding of current policy and health in the United States today, the organization says in an announcement.

"All the parties in the coming health care debate will have their own opinions on how best to address the challenges we face," says Jeffrey Wasserman, co-director of COMPARE and a senior policy researcher at RAND. "We created COMPARE to contribute credible, objective and easy-to-understand facts and analysis so that those opinions can be based on real information. We don't expect that everyone will like everything COMPARE reports, but we hope everyone will recognize the contribution COMPARE makes to the health care debate."

Among the companies and foundations funding the development of COMPARE are: AARP; Aetna Foundation; Alcoa; Amgen Foundation; Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Massachusetts; California HealthCare Foundation; General Motors Foundation; Johnson & Johnson; Karen Katen; Charles N. Martin, Jr., The Martin Foundation; Pacific Business Group on Health; Pfizer; RAND Corporate Endowment; RAND Health Board (designated gifts from individual members); and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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