Rushing To Memorial Day

It's a typical Thursday before a Congressional recess, as the House and Senate try to finish action on a series of high profile legislative items, ranging from money for Iraq to a farm bill that might have been vetoed but not really vetoed.

A bunch of headlines should erupt in the Senate, as approval is now expected for a slimmed down package that includes extra money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Democrats had loaded the plan with extras like extended jobless benefits and more, but all that now seems to be going down the drain.

The Senate is expected to send the war funding back to the House, which had initially rejected the money in a parliamentary battle one week ago.

Democrats may still win approval of a $51 billion plan to expand the GI Bill and veterans education benefits.  President Bush though has promised a veto.

Speaking of vetoes, Mr. Bush's veto of a $300 billion Farm Bill has resulted in all kinds of legislative confusion.  As I wrote in a separate blog, the bill somehow got sent to the White House without some 34 pages of text that were in the final compromise.

As everyone knows from School House Rock, that's not the way you make laws.

("I'm just a bill.  Yes I'm only a bill.  And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.")

After the House overrode the President's veto Wednesday, everyone started realizing that they had overriden a veto of a bill that hadn't really and truly been approved by Congress.

That screwup may delay final action on the outlines of a Congressional budget plan for the next fiscal year, which had been due for final approval today.

Democrats still hope to fix that "clerical" error and get the bill sent down to the White House again for action. 

Whether they do or not, I can smell the fumes of idling cars on the plaza outside the House and Senate chambers, waiting to zip their lawmakers to the airport and a fast trip home.

See you in June, Mr. High Fiving Lawmaker.




It's a typical Thursday before a Congressional recess, as the House and Senate try to finish action on a series of high profile legislative items, ranging from money for Iraq to a farm bill that might have been vetoed but not really vetoed. A bunch of headlines should erupt in ...