Too bad. Hinchey Amendment (allows states to implement their own laws for the use of medical marijuana) fails: 165 to 262. It got 163 votes last year.

Real top 10: Angeline, George, Crystal, Oo-la-la, Orlander, Virginia, Angeline, George, Crystal, Oo-la-la. That's it.  And oh yeah an honorary mention to Shuler for sex appeal and his accent.

when did the 50 most beautiful people come out?

Question for Ashley on the hill's most beautiful people -- Please name those 12 sports.

50 list -- Thank God for Crystal;  Bonnie made the cut (it was close though); green tie -- oh no.  Orlander saved it for them men -- whew.  saddest thing about the whole thing - -the interviews.  And most beautiful office -- district director wasting tax payer dollars to fly in for a picture -- I thought Republicans were about saving money?

I just received a nice postcard, in the shape of a heart, from Code Pink. It read: "Here's a heart/I give you the best,/To fill the blank space/In your pitiful chest." Of course the Member I work for voted against the original authorization and has always voted for withdrawal. What douchebags.

i wish harry reid wouldnt mumble when he's speaking his intentions

http://dceiver.blogspot.com/

and you have to deal with snarky (though hilarious) comments from the dceiver

the hill's most beautiful couldn't do better than what they got because no one with a serious job on the hill would dare take part....it's too demeaning.  note that everyone seems to be a staff asst or aide of some kind. especially on the senate side, you can't get even an LA to do it.

Amen to that. Way to cheapen yourself by taking part.

Hillary took off during the evacuation to an early happy hour.

the hill's most beautiful couldn't do better than what they got because no one with a serious job on the hill would dare take part....it's too demeaning.  note that everyone seems to be a staff asst or aide of some kind. especially on the senate side, you can't get even an LA to do it.

Does the attic count? Yes.

The worst part of the evacuation is always the line to get back in afterwards. You'd figure that people would know by now what sets of a metal detector.

They had a roll call vote during the evacutation? That's one way to get controversial legislation passed.

Roll Call: The Dirksen and Hart Senate office buildings were
evacuated this afternoon when an electrical malfunction spread smoke in
the buildings.

Reports of smoke came in at about 4:30 p.m. and the District of
Columbia Fire Department responded, Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly
Schneider said. The problem was found to be an electrical malfunction,
she said, and people have been permitted to re-enter the buildings. 

Okay, who's office was responsible?

no, but there are really ridiculously good looking people.

but are there any really really good looking people here?

Top 3 From The Hill:
Jessica Andrews
Gladys Barcena Betsy Barrett

...they really could have done better though. There are some really good looking people here.

There are no plans for a north american union, sir. Tinfoil ruffles in the background.

I haven't, but I know someone who did today. She wont tell me where her secret romp room is.

has anyone ever had sex in their office or in the Capitol?  Does the attic count?

fire alarm in dirksen.

anyone else here that doomsday alarm?

So I guess immigration is the quintessential posion pill amendment now.  Good times.

He also had a shit-eating grin on his face.

A Last Call reader writes in, "I was wondering what Rick Santorum was up to these days."

I saw Santorum in Dirksen about two months ago. As I was leaving the elevator, he was entering. Apparently he walked passed the metal detector as though he were still a Member. I overhead one security guard saying to the other, "It's not as though you can say no."

The small brewers caucus celebrates theunique industry of small brewers in America. I urge all members to join as the only way to get into our receptions is if your boss is a member. As you can imagine, we get a lot of party crashers wanting free microbrews.

Thanks.

Price looked more like Flanders before he shaved his 'stache. However, he does sound like flanders....

I recovered the deleted e-mail for all you alcoholics. An RSVP is asked for, and while it is probably too late to do so, I bet it wont keep you from getting in -- unless your name is Patrick Kennedy. It is from 6-9 at the Cantina Marina, on 600 Water St SW.

weiner withdraws

Most beautiful office: Mary Bono's. http://thehill.com/cover-stories/the-most-beautiful-office-on-capitol-hi...

small brewers caucus? that's a caucus i would definitely join.

I asked our scheduler and he had no idea. And since my boss is a homebrewer and the founder of the small brewers caucus, I'd like to think he'd have gotten invited.

the beer wholesalers association is putting something on tonight, but i forget where it is. i am pretty sure that is what the person was talking about the "beer reception". it went around in an e-mail but i have since deleted it. anyone know where it is happening?

please smack that fool! Absolutely. And Rahm seems to think the same thing too. Won't happen, he says, until the second term of a prospective Democratic president. 

A group would like a meeting regarding our MOC’s
recent vote on the troop pullout measure. They are pissed and I was hoping to
avoid this meeting and so I asked them if they had heard in the news recently
that the Senator had introduced legislation to do almost the same thing. Yes,
they answered. After this there were a few moments of silence…they didn’t catch
on. Now, I will have to go through with this meeting. I will attempt to explain
why if Bill “A” = Bill “B” and our Senator introduced Bill “B”…he might
inclined to vote against Bill “A” and support Bill “B”.

If you know of a staff member in your office who
is actively working on ways to bring the immigration bill back to the floor...please
smack that fucking fool!

yes price sorry

What are people's thoughts on Warner's cap-and-trade bill? Seems sensible. CQ:

"Republican John W. Warner of Virginia joined three colleagues Tuesday in proposing legislation to create an oversight board modeled after the Federal Reserve to voersee any future "cap and trade" program for greenhouse gas emissions...

The bill would set up a Carbon Market Efficiency Board that would have the authority to implement cost-relief measures if the price of a cap-and-trade program exceeded expectations.

The board could adjust the short-term cost of the program by distributing extra emissions permits to businesses, while ensuring that the cap on pollution remained the same over the long term. It also could expand the ability of individual companies to borrow emissions allowances and repay them in the future."

NBWA is having a reception tonight

The next small brewers caucus reception isn't until September. What other beer reception could there be?

anyone going to the beer reception tonight? where?

who's funding this site? I am. If you're concerned about anonymity, email me and I'll prove to you that it's 100% anonymous.

Wait, shouldn't Tom Price be Flanders?

anyone going to the beer reception tonight?

http://www.simpsonizeme.com/index.php

Simpsonize yourself, Ron Paul you are already Flanders so it wouldnt be any fun

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_147/hoh/19168-1.htm

has anyone ever had sex in their office or in the Capitol?

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=40533

"just saw a Capitolist business card in a restroom in Dirksen... who's funding this site?"

i heard that the person who started it is a reporter and he's tracking all the posts in hopes to nail someone one day. lol...anonymous....suuuuuuuuure.  they are for sure tracking your IP

From a linked story in the Wonkette jump....

Six years after the incident, in 2001, Wilson began a three year term on the House Page Board, where she sat while rumors of Mark Foley's inappropriate behavior with underage men were reportedly widespread. Her campaign staff told the Albuquerque Tribune that she only became aware of the Congressman's behavior after an ABC news report on the matter prompted him to resign.

just saw a Capitolist business card in a restroom in Dirksen... who's funding this site?

i thought pat kennedy's constituents all agreed that he just shouldnt talk on the floor anymore....why the YELLLING? i bet he writes in all cAps

Seriously, I think the GOP House is essentially all closeted homos or perverts.

From Wonkette:

Republican Congresswoman Heather Wilson had a little problem back in 1995, when she was (of course) Secretary of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. The problem was that this department had a file on her husband, an Albuquerque attorney, because he had been accused of (but never charged with) inappropriate contact with a minor.

 In other words, a 16-year-old boy reported that Heather Wilson's husband tried to fuck him. 

The problem was that this department had a file on her husband, an Albuquerque attorney, because he had been accused of (but never charged with) inappropriate contact with a minor.

So Heather Wilson made the file disappear. And she got caught, lied about it, and finally admitted it. There was a YouTube clip of some local news investigation with her denial and admission as recently as Monday, but it has mysteriously vanished from the Internets.

 The local district attorney demanded she resign. She didn't and Heather Wilson bravely went to Congress where she served for three years on the Congressional Page Board and today serves on the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's caucus.

"The punchline is she was also on the page board during the mark Foley scandal."

One closeted person helps another.

speaking of someone who is always about to cry...Patrick Kennedy is currently speaking on the Floor.

"God is ultimately in control and the activities of human beings today are just one tiny part of that divine play."
Yes, yes.  Forget your worries.  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.  Big brother will take care of you.  Here... have some Kool Aid.

Don't forget Wilsons other accomplishment. When she was appointed Secretary of the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department she suppresed a report that alleged her husband molested a kid and then when confronted she lied about it.

The punchline is she was also on the page board during the mark Foley scandal.

Nice resume, In 9 years in Congress what has she done?   vacillate on the War? vaccillate on heath care funding?  Boast about her resume?  Take crafty votes? Offer bills she can't pass?  Big talker but does nothing but complain about the fact that no one pays attention to her or cares what she says.  If she's so important and impressive why has she sat in Congress for 9 years? Clearly no one's looking to promote her to anything.

For someone so tough, she sure does a lot of crying

hahahaha

yeah, she was pratically the only targetted Republican to survive the last cycle.

Sometimes I like to put my Blackberry on vibrate and then sit with it on my chair so my sack is just barely touching it.  It's pretty sweet when you forget that it is there and then that first e-mail comes in...

Vitter spoke during the Higher Ed Reauth earlier this week.....so no, not the first time, but definitely as funny!

Longworth cafe sucks right now, fyi.  i hear the capitol market is bad too.

Q:  Heather Wilson.  Total joke.  What has she ever done, besides cry on command?
A:  Graduated the Air Force Academy. Served in the Air Force. Was first Air Force Veteran in Congress. Is the only female Veteran in Congress. Was a Rhodes Scholar.  Earned an MA and a PhD in International Relations from Oxford. Served on the National Security Council.  Has been in Congress for over 9 years now. Is a senior member of the Energy & Commerce Committee.  Wins one of the toughest districts in the country each cycle. Etc. Etc.
...I'd say she has accomplished a few things...

Heather Wilson.  Total joke.  What has she ever done, besides cry on command?

Grassley: Okay. I understand that we're going to have a group of senators visiting Greenland this weekend to see the effects of global warming on glaciers. I'm sure they'll visit areas where you can see icebergs breaking off glaciers presumably more frequently than normal due to global warming, although this phenomena has always occurred to some extent. Perhaps these senators will also visit with local residents like farmers who have been able to graze their sheep longer during this warmer weather that now seems to be there. However, I wonder if, for a little historical perspective, the group will be visiting with the viking ruins on the southern tip of Greenland. As someone interested in history, I think such a cisit would be very fascinating....But 500 years later we are able to catch a glimpse of what their life must have been like by digging through a farm buried in that permafrost on Greenland. Only a little more time has passed sinced the vikings settlement disappeared, until today, than from the time that they were established there in Greenland until they have abandoned. Contemplating the passage of time over centuries humbles us by putting our own short life span in perspective. It makes us realize that God is ultimately in control and the activities of human beings today are just one tiny part of that divine play. 

House Judiciary Committee approved a contempt resolution for Miers and Bolten, 22-17.

He was argue that because Greenland once had Vikings, that we shouldnt worry that the Greenland icecap is melting.  It's an old old industry talking point to try to discredit global warming.  Grassley's argument has been debunked a million times over.  See here:  http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/12/13/22437/993

"Greenland was called Greenland by Erik the Red (was he red?), who was in exile and wanted to attract people to a new colony.  Much as you can not judge a book by its cover, you can't judge the climate of Greenland by its name."

did grassley just give a speech about vikings?

Senator Huggies!

It wont get pass the Senate.

vitter is speaking on the floor right now. first time, i think, since hookergate.

Yes, SJL speaks on every bill.

The administration will veto the bill anyway, right?

vitter is speaking on the floor right now.

Johanns clarified... says its H.R. 3160 introduced by Doggett yesterday.  60 consponsors... all Dems.  Must be the long sought offset they've been looking for.  Poor Chuck Rangell.

Is it just me or does Shelia Jackson Lee comment on every issue with or without knowledge of the topic at hand?

It's not you. Shes a notorous blowhard.

heather wilson is tearing it the fuck up right now

Kly: "It's hard to believe that over 200
It's Kyl.... You retard. Go name some post offices.

Is it just me or does Shelia Jackson Lee comment on every issue with or without knowledge of the topic at hand?

boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rep. Tom Price [R-GA]:
Mr.
Speaker, Orwellian democracy is alive and well here in Washington. Our
friends on the other side seem to think that if they just say
something, it is true.

Talk
about the budget. We have heard this morning that they are going to
balance the budget without raising taxes. Funny thing is, the budget
that they passed will do this: Between 2010 and 2011 their budget will
raise taxes on ordinary income from 35 to 39.6, capital gains from 15
percent to 20 percent, dividends from 15 percent to 39.6 percent,
estate tax, 0 percent to 55 percent. Child tax credit goes from $1,000
to $500, and the lowest tax bracket goes from 10 percent to 15 percent.
$400 billion in new taxes.

Mr.
Speaker, they may be saying one thing, but they are doing completely
the opposite. They may be able to fool themselves, but they won't fool
the American people.

is wonkette going to post a list of the best looking interns? seriously.

RUP

$286 billion over five years. jeez.

don't know what Johanns is talking about.

is wonkette going to post a list of the best looking interns?

that bill is creating a whole lot of heartburn.

Agriculture Secretary Johanns says there's a new bill working its way through the House that would raise taxes to pay for the bloated House farm bill.  Anyone know which bill he's talking about?

Several interns noted a peculiar old-looking gentleman in the Dirksen cafeteria last week as one mentioned: "Is that Donald Rumsfeld?"  The other intern responded: "No, that couldn't be him, there is no security detail following him."  They watched as he ordered a "Joint Resolution" from the Deli line, no one noticed him as he walked through the check-out line and then directly to a table in the far rear of the cafeteria where he sat down and began to eat in solitude, absolutely alone.   As the interns stared persistently as this man one blurted out: "Maybe you dont get security detail after leaving the office of secretary, in fact, I guess it doesn't do anything for your popularity either."      

and so is virginia muller.

And they saved Terri Schiavo... oh wait. lol.

wow, kathleen o'neill is hot.

And they saved Terri Schiavo... oh wait.

The expectation is that Senate Dems will be able to get a lot done the next week and a half:

With the minefield laid, even Republicans acknowledge they may have
a hard time preventing Democrats from coasting into the August recess
with a few notable accomplishments.

Indeed, the political perils of being blamed for blocking
Homeland Security funding and an overhaul of the State Children’s
Health Insurance Program along with a strong desire for a break from
the partisan acrimony are weighing heavily on Senate Republicans in
particular, as they contemplate when and whether to force a showdown
over a controversial U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals nominee.

“That and the jet-fume strategy. People are going to want to
get out of here,” said one senior Senate GOP aide of why Democrats
might have an easier time passing measures over the next two weeks.

In addition, most of the bills slated for the House and Senate
floors — the Homeland Security appropriations bill, SCHIP, a conference
on implementing the terrorism prevention recommendations of the 9/11
commission, and a long-sought rewrite of lobbying and ethics rules —
enjoy wide bipartisan support.

“This holds the potential to be a dramatically different two
weeks in the Senate when juxtaposed with the last six months,” said one
senior Senate Democratic staffer.

Well, since the 109th republican house only bothered to pass 2 of 11 needed appropriations bills last congress choosing instead to sit on their ass with a 3 day work week, it left a lot to clean up. That being said it's the senate where everything grinds to a halt and you can thank Mitch McConnell and the republican's obstructionism for that. They have invoked cloture so many times they are on track to triple the record.

Does anybody know about this? And they say Democrats lack class...

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/53_12/hoh/19541-1.html

During a House vote at about 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Miller strode onto
the floor wearing, according to an HOH spy, a look better suited to a
backyard cookout than the House chamber: a loose-fitting Hawaiian
shirt, linen pants and slippers. On his way into the chamber, House
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) caught sight of his informally
dressed colleague. Boehner, who’s always dressed neat as a (Hermes tie)
pin, apparently wasn’t impressed by the ensemble. “Nice outfit,
Miller,” Boehner called out, the HOH spy says.

The sartorial faux pas even prompted Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
(D-Texas), who was presiding over the chamber at the time, to weigh in.

“The chair must remind Members that the proper standard of
dress in the chamber is business attire, which includes both coat and
tie for gentlemen,” announced Jackson Lee, who’s no slouch in the
fashion department herself, once the vote was finished.

•  fiscally responsible budget: a budget that restores fiscal discipline and will lead to a surplus, while cutting middle-class taxes and funding foreign anddomestic priorities, including education, children’s health care, veterans, and our troops;

• 9/11 Commission recommendations: a bill to make America more secure by giving our first responders the tools they need to keep us safe; making it more difficult for potential terrorists to travel into our country; advancing efforts to secure our rail, air, and mass transit systems; and improving intelligence and information sharing between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies;

• Homeland security funding: legislation that provides $1.05 billion in funding necessary to address dangerous border and transit vulnerabilities left open by the Bush Administration since 9/11;

• Support for our troops: legislation funding the President’s requests for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, including $1.2 billion in additional funding for a total of $3 billion to provide our troops in Iraq with mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles;

• Health care for wounded soldiers and veterans: legislation that provides $3 billion in supplemental funds for military health care and $1.8 billion in supplemental funds to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to accommodate the increasing number of new veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan;

• Benchmarks for Iraq: legislation that conditions U.S. economic support for the Iraqi government on its progress toward achieving key political benchmarks;

• National Guard readiness: legislation to provide an additional $1 billion to President Bush’s request for National Guard equipment needs to remedy equipment shortfalls that are compromising the quality of force training and limiting the Guard’s ability to quickly respond to natural and potential man-made disasters at home;

• Continuing Resolution: legislation providing funding for the nine remaining appropriations bills that were not completed by Republicans in the 109th Congress.  In passing this legislation, Democrats stayed within budget limits, eliminated earmarks, and increased funding for national priorities, including veterans’ medical care, Pell grants, elementary and secondary education, the National Institutes of Health, state and local law enforcement, and global AIDS prevention and treatment;
• Energy Bill: landmark legislation to increase our energy independence, strengthen the economy, reduce global warming emissions, and protect American consumers.

• American competitiveness: bipartisan legislation to increase the nation’s investment in basic and innovative research; strengthen educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from elementary through graduate school; and develop the infrastructure needed to enhance innovation and competitiveness in the United States;

• Ethics and lobbying reform: a bill to slow the “revolving door” for former Senators and staff, strengthen limits on gifts and travel, expand lobbying disclosure requirements, establish a study commission on ethics and lobbying, prohibit pensions for Members of Congress convicted of certain crimes, and implement reform procedures relating to earmarks and conference reports;

• Minimum wage: legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25/hour;

• Middle-class tax cuts: the 2008 Budget Resolution provides for permanent extensions of the Marriage Penalty tax relief, the $1,000 refundable Child Tax Credit; the 10 percent income tax bracket; the adoption tax credit; the dependent care tax credit; U.S. soldiers’ combat pay for the earned income tax credit; and reform of the estate tax to protect small businesses and family farms;

• AMT patch: the 2008 Budget Resolution ensures that the number of taxpayers subject to the alternative minimum tax will not increase in 2007, giving Congress and the Administration time to come up with a permanent solution; 

• Head Start: a bill to expand eligibility for the Head Start program;
• Stem cell research: legislation to expand the number of human embryonic stem cells eligible for federally-funded research; 

• Children’s health coverage: the 2008 Budget Resolution and the 2007 Emergency Supplemental provide needed funds for the Children’s Health Insurance Program;

• FDA reauthorization: a bill to greatly improve the Food and Drug Administration’s oversight of drug safety;

• Rebuilding the Gulf Coast: legislation providing a total of $6.4 billion for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including $1.3 billion to complete levee and drainage repairs, $50 million to reduce violent crime in Gulf Coast states, and $110 million to repair the seafood and fisheries industries, which is vital to the region’s economic recovery; 

• Army Corps reform: legislation to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers does its job more effectively and soundly;

• Disaster assistance for small businesses: legislation providing recovery assistance for small businesses impacted by the 2005 hurricanes in an effort to revitalize the Gulf Coast economy;

• U.S. Attorney appointments: legislation ending the indefinite appointment of interim U.S. Attorneys and restoring the role of the Senate in the selection of U.S. Attorneys;

• Tax relief for small businesses: legislation providing a range of deficit-neutral tax incentives designed to help small businesses grow;

• Education and training: the 2008 Budget Resolution provides for the largest increase since 2002 in funding for elementary and secondary programs; and

• Energy and environment programs: legislation increasing funding for basic science research at the Department of Energy and for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

Under Democratic leadership, the Senate has passed the following measures:

• A fiscally responsible budget: a budget that restores fiscal discipline and will lead to a surplus, while cutting middle-class taxes and funding foreign anddomestic priorities, including education, children’s health care, veterans, and our troops;

• 9/11 Commission recommendations: a bill to make America more secure by giving our first responders the tools they need to keep us safe; making it more difficult for potential terrorists to travel into our country; advancing efforts to secure our rail, air, and mass transit systems; and improving intelligence and information sharing between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies;

• Homeland security funding: legislation that provides $1.05 billion in funding necessary to address dangerous border and transit vulnerabilities left open by the Bush Administration since 9/11;

• Support for our troops: legislation funding the President’s requests for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, including $1.2 billion in additional funding for a total of $3 billion to provide our troops in Iraq with mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles;

• Health care for wounded soldiers and veterans: legislation that provides $3 billion in supplemental funds for military health care and $1.8 billion in supplemental funds to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to accommodate the increasing number of new veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan;

• Benchmarks for Iraq: legislation that conditions U.S. economic support for the Iraqi government on its progress toward achieving key political benchmarks;

• National Guard readiness: legislation to provide an additional $1 billion to President Bush’s request for National Guard equipment needs to remedy equipment shortfalls that are compromising the quality of force training and limiting the Guard’s ability to quickly respond to natural and potential man-made disasters at home;

• Continuing Resolution: legislation providing funding for the nine remaining appropriations bills that were not completed by Republicans in the 109th Congress.  In passing this legislation, Democrats stayed within budget limits, eliminated earmarks, and increased funding for national priorities, including veterans’ medical care, Pell grants, elementary and secondary education, the National Institutes of Health, state and local law enforcement, and global AIDS prevention and treatment;
• Energy Bill: landmark legislation to increase our energy independence, strengthen the economy, reduce global warming emissions, and protect American consumers.

• American competitiveness: bipartisan legislation to increase the nation’s investment in basic and innovative research; strengthen educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from elementary through graduate school; and develop the infrastructure needed to enhance innovation and competitiveness in the United States;

• Ethics and lobbying reform: a bill to slow the “revolving door” for former Senators and staff, strengthen limits on gifts and travel, expand lobbying disclosure requirements, establish a study commission on ethics and lobbying, prohibit pensions for Members of Congress convicted of certain crimes, and implement reform procedures relating to earmarks and conference reports;

• Minimum wage: legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25/hour;

• Middle-class tax cuts: the 2008 Budget Resolution provides for permanent extensions of the Marriage Penalty tax relief, the $1,000 refundable Child Tax Credit; the 10 percent income tax bracket; the adoption tax credit; the dependent care tax credit; U.S. soldiers’ combat pay for the earned income tax credit; and reform of the estate tax to protect small businesses and family farms;

• AMT patch: the 2008 Budget Resolution ensures that the number of taxpayers subject to the alternative minimum tax will not increase in 2007, giving Congress and the Administration time to come up with a permanent solution; 

• Head Start: a bill to expand eligibility for the Head Start program;
• Stem cell research: legislation to expand the number of human embryonic stem cells eligible for federally-funded research; 

• Children’s health coverage: the 2008 Budget Resolution and the 2007 Emergency Supplemental provide needed funds for the Children’s Health Insurance Program;

• FDA reauthorization: a bill to greatly improve the Food and Drug Administration’s oversight of drug safety;

• Rebuilding the Gulf Coast: legislation providing a total of $6.4 billion for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including $1.3 billion to complete levee and drainage repairs, $50 million to reduce violent crime in Gulf Coast states, and $110 million to repair the seafood and fisheries industries, which is vital to the region’s economic recovery; 

• Army Corps reform: legislation to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers does its job more effectively and soundly;

• Disaster assistance for small businesses: legislation providing recovery assistance for small businesses impacted by the 2005 hurricanes in an effort to revitalize the Gulf Coast economy;

• U.S. Attorney appointments: legislation ending the indefinite appointment of interim U.S. Attorneys and restoring the role of the Senate in the selection of U.S. Attorneys;

• Tax relief for small businesses: legislation providing a range of deficit-neutral tax incentives designed to help small businesses grow;

• Education and training: the 2008 Budget Resolution provides for the largest increase since 2002 in funding for elementary and secondary programs; and

• Energy and environment programs: legislation increasing funding for basic science research at the Department of Energy and for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

I support expanding schip, but paying for it through a tabacco tax seems poorly conceived. For instance, in today's CQ: "Another bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., would have the Food and Drug Administration regulate tobacco with the help of advertising controls, new warnings and nicotine reductions, all designed to help people quit smoking or stop them from starting. Kennedy's bill (S 625) is due to be marked up Wednesday by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In scoring the Finance tax proposal, the Congressional Budget Office factored in that a few million smokers might quit puffing because of the increased cost. But CBO analysts didn't take into account the effect that new FDA regulations might have on the tax package."

SUMMER FASHION: Republican Lawmaker Rebuked For Striding Onto House Floor In Hawaiian Shirt, Slippers...

www.drudgereport.com

Does anybody know about this?

Kly: "It's hard to believe that over 200 days of the year are now gone. And what does this Congress have to show for its actions now for being in session for these 200 days? I can't say nothing, because the reality is we have approved -- or I should say we've named 20 post offices. That's a post office every 10 days....So let's call it the Post Office Congress."

"am i the only one who finds it absurd to raise a tax on cigarettes (read: poor people) essentially depending on them to keep smoking to pay for a ridiculously expensive health care system?"

if you harm children with your behavior you should pay for thier healthcare.

Someone mentioned it yesterday, but Neil Abercrombie really did pull a Don Young yesterday:

"When Lynn Wastermoreland, R-Ga., tried to strike from the Transportation-HUD spending bill (HR 3074) money for a housing program for native Hawaiians, Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, lashed out.

"I don't know how you were raised, I know how I was raised," Abercrombie said, prompting the presiding officer to remind Abercrombie to address him rather than Westmoreland.

"I am confining my remakrs to the chair. If I was saying it directly to the gentleman, he would know it a lot more physically," Abercrombie shot back."

am i the only one who finds it absurd to raise a tax on cigarettes (read: poor people) essentially depending on them to keep smoking to pay for a ridiculously expensive health care system?  let phillip morris lobby if they want.

does anyone else find it unethical that phillip morris sends out
postcards to people addicted to thier products urging them to call
congress and essentially lobby for them? that's fucking ridiculous.

haha.

Tom Price is sounding extra homo today.  he must have visited a bathhouse last night.

does anyone else find it unethical that phillip morris sends out postcards to people addicted to thier products urging them to call congress and essentially lobby for them?  am i the only one who sees whats going on here?

Also, top 10 -- half of them are minorities. It's not that they're not beuatiful. What surprises is that there are 5 minority staffers on capitol hill. Somewhat undrepresented on Capitol Hill and overrepresented on the list, but whatever. 

if i had to choose between being ugly and wrong about literally everything i would choose ugly

All of the "most beautiful" people are ugly democrats. 3 to 1.

Who brings short shorts to a professional photo shoot.

I like the intern idea.  Inappropriate, yet brilliantly delicious.   They also need to add some of those military liaisons.

with very few exceptions i see many more attractive people everyday on the hill than were in the 50...they should have done the hill's 50 most beautiful interns, that would have yielded more attractive people

Why is there a redskins cheerleader on the list?

How the hell did Sherrod Brown make the top 50?

It's just not the cig tax - the cigar tax hike involved in that measure is horrendous.  I mean a $10 dollar surcharge?  Give me a break.

http://thehill.com/cover-stories/the-50-most-beautiful-people-on-capitol...