Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010
Read CongressDaily’s PM Update, with links to all CongressDaily stories published throughout the day.
ENERGY
In Spill Aftermath, A Gulf Between Words and Actions
Six months, 185 million gallons of spilled oil and upwards of 60 congressional hearings after BP's well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, and what does Washington have to show for it? Not much.
POLITICS
Sestak Surging in Pensylvania
Pennsylvania's Senate race, which only two weeks ago seemed irretrievably lost for Democrats, is suddenly a wellspring of hope after an independent poll unveiled late Tuesday showed Rep. Joe Sestak (D) leading by 3 points over former Rep. Pat Toomey (R).
BUDGET
Earmark Reformers Expect More Allies in New Congress
A coalition of earmark reformers believe that their goal of increased transparency and accountability will strike a chord with what is expected to be a surge of members in the next Congress who are hostile to earmarks.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Cyber Chief Downplays Need to Resolve Lines of Authority
A senior Pentagon official today downplayed the need to define clear lines of authority for federal agencies involved in combating cybersecurity threats, saying the emphasis has shifted toward having agencies work more closely together.
HEALTH CARE
Boeing Back-and-Forth Prompts Charges of Bullying
A back-and-forth on Boeing's health insurance plan this week has critics of the new health care law complaining that Democrats are pressuring companies who dare to criticize the overhaul and its downstream effects.
ECONOMY
Treasury to Press G-20 for Currency Deal
The United States wants global leaders to focus on negotiating an agreement on market-driven exchange rates at the upcoming Group of 20 meetings, a senior U.S. Treasury official said today.
ENERGY
Oil Companies Want Interior Dept. To Get Moving
The oil industry is urging the government to take steps to ensure the Interior Department can process offshore drilling permits in a timely and efficient manner under the new, stricter regulations. Any steps, that is, except for those that command more money from oil and gas producers.
AGRICULTURE
USDA Undersecretary Touts Stimulus Effects
The Agriculture Department's Rural Development Office's $21.2 billion share of Recovery Act funds has saved or created 300,000 jobs in rural America and will bring high speed Internet service to more than 7 million people, Agriculture Undersecretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager said today.
AGRICULTURE
Settlement Adds Pressure to Other Cases
The settlement of the Keepseagle Native American farmer discrimination case against the Agriculture Department announced Tuesday is increasing pressure on Congress to provide money to settle the black farmers' case against USDA, the Native American trust case against the Interior Department, and on the Justice Department and USDA to settle the cases brought by Hispanic and women farmers.
CONGRESS
'Don't Vote' Ad Aimed at Latinos Yanked Off the Air
An ad urging Latino voters in Nevada to abstain from voting will not be aired on Univision, a Spanish-language network, The Wall Street Journal reports. The ad, created by Latinos for Reform, says that the Democratic leadership has for years been making empty promises to Latinos and taking their vote for granted.
WHITE HOUSE
Bush Defense of Bailouts Contrasts With Tea Party
President George W. Bush said in remarks last night that his decision to bail out the banks at the beginning of the financial crisis "wasn't that hard" because he was warned of how bad a possible depression could be.
The Final Word
"The easiest job you have in the federal government would be a budget director; don't balance the budget, you can be praised." --Retiring Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on ABC's "Good Morning America," referring to the difficulty mayors have in balancing budgets compared to the federal government, because "you can't just print money."
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