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Banking Group's Efforts Surge Prior To GSE Bill Markup
The trade group representing the Federal Home Loan Bank System is making a last-minute bid for a panel to oversee its 12 regional banks as well as mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as opposed to the creation of a single regulator.
Schafer: Sustaining Farm Bill Veto Might Be 'Uphill Battle'
Agriculture Secretary Schafer said today the Bush administration faces a tough fight to sustain President Bush's planned veto of the farm bill, while key senators started a campaign to convince Bush to change his mind.
AMA Outlines Guidelines For Electronic Prescriptions
The American Medical Association shared for the first time today an outline of what physicians would accept as part of electronic prescribing legislation.
Rules Eyed To Strengthen Enforcement Of Trade Rules
Legislation aimed at beefing up trade enforcement measures appears to be moving ahead in both chambers. House Ways and Means Committee Democrats discussed the issue this week and are developing a bill, although the timing for introduction was unclear.
Patent Court Case Gets Scrutiny From High-Tech Groups
High-tech groups and experts are closely following a key case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that addresses a type of patent aimed at disclosing and claiming new methods of doing business.
Blumenauer Calls Gas Tax Holiday 'A Goofy Bipartisan Idea'
Advocates of infrastructure spending today called for a $1 trillion-plus federal program to "rebuild and renew" America, and vented their displeasure at the proposal for a gas tax holiday to help offset the soaring price of fuel.
HILL BRIEFS
Blunt Urges Pelosi To Reconsider On Colombia
Trade. House Minority Whip Blunt today wrote to House Speaker Pelosi to prod her to consider the Colombia Free Trade Agreement soon, in anticipation of Saturday's one year anniversary of a landmark bipartisan agreement on trade policy.
Stabenow Presses For 'Cash-Out' Health Plans
Health. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., today renewed her call for bipartisan healthcare reform legislation that is based on a "cash-out" plan. The bill puts the burden of insurance on individuals rather than employers.
Plame Seeks To Resurrect Lawsuit In CIA Leak Case
Judiciary. Former CIA operative Valerie Plame is trying to resurrect a lawsuit against those in the Bush administration she says illegally disclosed her identity, the Associated Press reported.
Obama Secures Four More Superdelegates
Politics. Democratic Reps. Brad Miller of North Carolina, Rick Larsen of Washington, Donald Payne of New Jersey -- a former backer of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York -- and Peter DeFazio of Oregon are among the latest superdelegates to pledge support for Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the Associated Press reported.
THE FRIDAY BUZZ
Remember Them??
The recent special-election victories of Reps. Don Cazayoux of Louisiana and Bill Foster of Illinois mark the first time in more than 30 years that a Democrat has held each of those seats.
Investigating The Investigators' Investigations
As second-tier Bush administration officials head for the exits amid a dizzying series of dueling investigations, somewhere in Washington, surely, someone just subpoenaed Kevin Bacon.
Straight Man
Senate Majority Leader Reid's somnambulant speaking style and dry delivery might be a perfect fit for C-SPAN, but the former boxer seemed a bit out of place earlier this week when he visited cable television's razor edge of cool wit -- "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart."
Team Player?
In the testy relations among lawmakers, lobbyists and the Bush administration over the farm bill, Agriculture Secretary Schafer has been more popular than Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner.
5/9/2008 PM Contents
- Banking Group's Efforts Surge Prior To GSE Bill Markup
- Schafer: Sustaining Farm Bill Veto Might Be 'Uphill Battle'
- AMA Outlines Guidelines For Electronic Prescriptions
- Rules Eyed To Strengthen Enforcement Of Trade Rules
- Patent Court Case Gets Scrutiny From High-Tech Groups
- Blumenauer Calls Gas Tax Holiday 'A Goofy Bipartisan Idea'
HILL BRIEFS
- Blunt Urges Pelosi To Reconsider On Colombia
- Stabenow Presses For 'Cash-Out' Health Plans
- Plame Seeks To Resurrect Lawsuit In CIA Leak Case
- Obama Secures Four More Superdelegates
