Today in Washington D. C. - April 11, 2008

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Summary of American Concern: Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid's and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's continued ineptness have moved from moronic to being a serious threat to the Unites States. It is time for them to be replaced with reasoned Democrat leadership. Failure to do so will not only continue to damage our foreign relations but also our economy, judiciary and domestic relations. American cannot afford to continue to tolerate their ineptness. At a minimum, democrats should be concerned that the public's total lack of trust in these individuals could result in a complete repudiation of a democrat led Congress.

On The Floor: Yesterday, the Senate passed 84-12 housing bill (H.R. 3221) after approving an amendment to the bill to extend renewable energy tax breaks and rejecting one to reduce credits on wind energy while extending others longer. After voting down four amendments by Sen. Coburn (R-OK), the Senate then passed 91-4 the omnibus public lands bill (S. 2739). Last night the Senate approved four district court nominees and also confirmed Catharina Haynes to be a judge on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the first circuit judge confirmed since December. They recessed until 2 PM Monday.

In the Senate, Republicans aired their frustrations at the glacially slow pace of judicial confirmations in the Senate. Senate Democrat leadership have delayed approval of judicial appointments far behind the average of 15 per year for circuit court nominations approved by under Republican leadership during the President Bill Clinton's final two years. The Senate has advanced six appellate nominations so far this Congress. Republicans are most upset about vacancies on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia . With 19 judicial emergencies and nine openings on the appellate courts, they point out that the Senate must not stall any longer.

News Reports on House Leadership: The storm of opprobrium earned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi because of her unprecedented rules change to put the Colombia Free Trade Agreement in limbo continues today. In addition to Thursday's scolding Pelosi received from newspapers, today her hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle, criticizing her for “playing politics by pandering to free-trade foes.” The New York Post attacked “Pelosi’s Putrid Sellout.” Colombia’s trade minister told Bloomberg that “Not having a trade agreement is almost like having trade sanctions imposed in the sense that you’ve been downgraded . . . .” A former Clinton administration official expressed concern that the international impact of Pelosi's House move, saying, “Behind the scenes people are looking at us and wondering what we are doing. . . . The concern is palpable, especially among countries that are pursuing democracy and open markets.”

The Washington Post reported President Bush statement: “Today’s unprecedented and unfortunate action by the House of Representatives -- led by Speaker Pelosi -- to change the rules governing legislation to implement our trade agreement with Colombia is damaging to our economy, our national security, and our relations with an important ally. It also undermines the trust required for any Administration to negotiate trade agreements in the future.” And House Republican Leader John Boehner said, “We’re doing nothing here but hurting American businesses and American workers. Why? I think the speaker made it very clear. This action today is nothing short of political blackmail.”

---

Tags: 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, Columbia, Free Trade, Harry Reid, housing assistance, judicial appointments, Nancy Pelosi, public lands, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!