Government Executive - Authors - Brody Mullins

Senators hope to complete 2003 spending package by Thursday

Jerry Hagstrom, Bill Ghent, and Brody Mullins — Wed, 22 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

The Senate continued to trudge forward on the $390 billion fiscal 2003 omnibus appropriations bill Wednesday, as senators began to aim for completing the bill by Thursday evening.

Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., speaking on the floor Wednesday, urged Democrats and Republicans to limit the number of amendments to the bill and to push for time agreements to expedite its passage. "I'm very hopeful we can finish this bill by tomorrow night," Daschle said.

Earlier Wednesday, Republicans beat back a Democratic amendment challenging the Bush administration's new clean air rule, which would loosen emissions restrictions on power plants. The Senate, by a 50-46 vote, defeated the amendment by Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., that would have delayed the new rule by six months while the National Academy of Sciences studied the rule's health effects. Instead, the Senate approved, 51-45, a substitute by Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla., that would allow the study to go forward but not delay the rule's implementation.

A Daschle amendment-doubling the amount of drought aid in the bill to $6 billion-will be the main attraction during Wednesday afternoon's debate. Republicans have already moved to include $3 billion in drought aid, paid for with across-the-board cuts.

Wednesday afternoon, Agriculture Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., will propose another amendment to rewrite how the drought aid is distributed. An Agriculture Committee aide said the Cochran amendment would expedite the distribution of the $3 billion to farmers in already designated drought areas as well as those who qualify in neighboring counties. The aide said Daschle's proposal would take longer-eight or nine months-to reach farmers than the Cochran plan. But a Democratic aide criticized the GOP plan because all farmers in so-called disaster counties would get payments regardless of their personal situations.

Other amendments that could see votes Wednesday include one offered by Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., boosting special education by $1.5 billion, and a substitute by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., that would also add $1.5 billion for special education but pay for it with an across-the-board reduction. The Senate could also vote on amendments by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., adding $180 million for the fight against AIDS in Africa; Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., on emergency-room care for Medicaid patients; Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., on corporate expatriation; and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., on extending unemployment benefits.

More than 200 amendments are pending, ranging from a measure by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., to boost funding for Amtrak to a provision by Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, dealing with chick peas.

According to a list circulated Wednesday, senators hope to offer a total of 238 amendments before debate on the omnibus measure ends. Although Democrats filed more amendments than Republicans, GOP amendments include measures by Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi to boost aviation security, and Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to provide refugee assistance.

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Democrats hope to add $20 billion to fiscal 2003 omnibus bill

Bill Ghent and Brody Mullins — Wed, 15 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., Wednesday proposed adding nearly $20 billion to the fiscal 2003 omnibus appropriations bill that could be on the Senate floor as early as Wednesday evening.

Democrats intend to push five amendments to the $385 billion omnibus, including a $5 billion addition to the homeland security spending that will be offered by incoming Appropriations ranking member Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and a total of $7.5 billion to fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.

Democrats also hope to restore $438 million cut from Amtrak's budget and $300 million sliced from the low-income home heating program. Daschle said Democrats also plan to offer an amendment to provide about $6 billion in emergency relief to drought stricken farmers.

Senate leaders will turn to the 11 remaining fiscal 2003 appropriations bills Wednesday if a Senate organizational resolution can be adopted on the floor Wednesday afternoon. Incoming Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, looking to expedite their consideration, is likely to bypass the full committee markup he had wanted to hold, and instead take the bills directly to the floor, his spokeswoman said.

Stevens would then proceed to a general debate on the appropriations bills, which are to be attached to a placeholder continuing resolution sent by the House last week.

Still unknown is the amount of time that will be given to the debate and how many amendments will be proposed to boost spending or add policy language. Republicans are working on getting a unanimous consent agreement with Democrats to limit debate, holding out hope the bills can be completed by week's end. Daschle said he wants to finish this week, but debate on the 11 appropriations bills would make that complicated.

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Frist threatens to cancel recess as organizational fight continues

Brody Mullins — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., Monday threatened to keep the Senate in session next week unless senators approve an organizing resolution and remaining fiscal 2003 spending bills this week.

Vowing to cancel the Senate's planned Martin Luther King Day recess, Frist said, "We will remain in session to get our work done." Earlier in the day, Senate Democrats urged Frist to keep the Senate in session in order to move legislation to revive the economy.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., cited the 100,000 jobs lost in December and said the Senate "should be here next week debating the right course for putting American families back to work and getting our economy moving again, and not taking an unneeded vacation."

First also threatened to bring to the Senate floor a GOP-drafted resolution to reorganize the committees if Republicans and Democrats are unable to reach agreement on a broader resolution that divvies up funding and staff space between the parties.

"If an agreement is not reached shortly-and by that I mean very soon-we will be moving forward with a committee resolution" that names committee members and committee chairmen, Frist said on the Senate floor Monday evening.

At issue is a procedural resolution required by Senate rules to reorganize the chamber to reflect the GOP's newfound majority.

Although the 108th session is one week old, the chamber continues to act very much as it did at the end of last year, when Democrats were in the majority. While First is recognized as the Senate's majority leader, the committees are still run by Democrats.

As a result, Republicans have not been able to make any progress on the 11 remaining fiscal 2003 appropriations bills, because Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., remains Appropriations chairman.

Another casualty of the impasse was the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee's scheduled hearing Tuesday on the nomination of Tom Ridge to become secretary of the Homeland Security Department. That hearing was delayed until Friday.

The organizing resolution has been held up by a dispute over funding for the committees. Republicans argue that the Senate should follow the precedent of recent history, in which the majority party holds a large funding advantage.

For this year, they are pressing for two-thirds of the total funding for the panels. However, Democrats believe the chamber should follow the precedent set after last session's historic mid-year shift in control to the Democrats, when the chamber was split 51-49 in the Democrats' favor.

Since the chamber is once again is split 51-49-this time with the GOP in control-Democrats believe the Senate should approve a similar resolution.

"If it was good for a 51-49 Senate a month ago, it ought to be good for a 51-49 Senate today," Daschle told Frist on the floor.

In addition to delaying action on the appropriations bills, the ongoing talks on the resolution have frustrated Frist's hopes for a quick start to the year.

That frustration was exposed Monday in the new majority leader's threat to keep the Senate in session next week.

If a deal is not reached, the Senate will "return Tuesday and remain each day and evening until our work is done," he said.

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Lieberman announces presidential bid

Molly M. Peterson and Brody Mullins — Mon, 13 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

In an appearance at his old high school in Stamford, Conn., Lieberman-his party's 2000 vice presidential candidate-declared, "Two years ago, we were promised a better America, but that promise has not been kept."

Lieberman, a 60-year-old moderate, led the fight in the Senate to create the Department of Homeland Security. He was a strong supporter of the Gulf War, and has remained an advocate of removing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Lieberman-who, if nominated, would be the first Jewish American ever to head a national party ticket-joins a crowded field. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards are running. Among others considering a bid are Connecticut's senior senator, Sen. Christopher Dodd; Sens. Bob Graham of Florida and Joseph Biden of Delaware; former Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado; and the Rev. Al Sharpton, a New York City civil rights activist.

Asked about Lieberman's comments, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "There are many things many Democrats are going to say in order to stand out in the Democratic primary. The president looks forward to welcoming whoever wants to run."

Meanwhile, allies of Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, think he is also seriously considering a 2004 bid for the White House, Cleveland's Plain Dealer reported. "The issues that I have been debating in Congress … are resonating with people across the country," said Kucinich, who sits on the House Government Reform Committee. "As a result, I am hearing from thousands of people … about running. I am listening." An announcement could come this winter or early spring.

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Senate Dems stall reorganization in dispute over funds

Brody Mullins — Thu, 09 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

Senate Democratic leaders, angling for political leverage, could hold off for weeks on agreeing to a procedural resolution needed to reorganize the chamber for the 108th Congress-a move that could prevent the Senate from addressing legislative business until February.

Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., has dug in his heels on a GOP request to give the party's incoming committee chairmen two-thirds of the funding for the panels-and is in no rush to reach an agreement. Since Republicans enjoy only a one-seat majority in the chamber, Daschle believes committee funding should be more evenly spread between Republicans and Democrats.

Republicans had hoped to settle the issue this week in order to officially take over the chamber and install Republicans at the helm of the committees. Without control of the committees, Republicans will not be able to move the remaining fiscal 2003 spending bills through the Appropriations Committee by the end of next week, as they had hoped. By delaying the reorganization resolution-or at least threatening to do so-Democrats hope to force Republicans to share more committee funds.

Meanwhile, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., continues to wield the gavel at the Governmental Affairs Committee, calling a hearing Tuesday to hear from Homeland Security Secretary-designate Tom Ridge.

Democratic leaders continue to struggle with decisions about which rank-and-file members to remove from a handful of key committees to reflect their new minority status. Because Republicans have refused to expand the size of committees, Democrats must drop two Democrats from each committee in order to give the GOP a majority. Sources said Democratic Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina is likely to retain his seat on the Judiciary Committee, probably forcing out Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington.

Democrats must shed members on these committees: Agriculture, Appropriations, Banking, Budget, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Public Works and Judiciary. On the remaining committees, Democrats do not need to drop existing members due to retirements or re-election defeats.

Democratic leaders have refused to discuss the matter publicly, saying the issue is premature because the Senate has not adopted an organizing resolution. However, private speculation is rampant. On the Environment and Public Works Committee, for example, Democrats say either Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York or Sen. Jon Corzine of New Jersey could find themselves off the panel. Both could be forced out if newly elected Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey claims a seat.

According to Democratic sources, Lautenberg will not be credited with his full seniority from three previous terms in the Senate, but he could receive enough credit to land on the committee. If Clinton and Corzine are forced off the panel, they will have soft landings: Corzine was recently named chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee while Clinton took the reins of the Democratic Steering Committee.

It is unclear which Democrats will leave the remaining committees, although Sen. Thomas Carper of Delaware has said he expected to be forced off the Energy and Natural Resources panel.

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GOP takes control of both chambers as session starts

Mark Wegner and Brody Mullins — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0500

In a day of pageantry on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., was re-elected to the chamber's highest-ranking position and Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., began work as Senate majority leader.

Frist, who was elected by his colleagues to replace embattled former Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., formally became party leader after he took to the Senate floor to ask for consideration of a series of procedural motions. With Lott eyeing him from two rows behind, Frist was recognized by Vice President Dick Cheney, leading to a round of applause from senators who crowded the floor.

Frist's tenure got off to a rocky start. He stumbled through a series of procedural motions as Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.-the Senate's leading defender of procedure-challenged Frist's moves like a seasoned veteran breaking in a rookie. Still, Frist kept his cool and slowly grew more confident, eventually winning the approval of Byrd. After Frist flawlessly called for the Senate to begin a period of morning business, Byrd nodded his head approvingly as senators broke into applause.

In a brief speech, Frist promised to work closely with Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. "We will find common ground to bridge this aisle," Frist promised. Daschle said, "I have little doubt that we will be led well and we will be led fairly."

In the House, Republicans turned back the nomination for speaker of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after a 228-201 manual roll call vote, with four members voting present, Hastert and conservative Democratic Reps. Ralph Hall and Charles Stenholm of Texas, and Ken Lucas of Kentucky. Another conservative Democrat, Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi, voted for Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. By nominating Pelosi, Caucus Chairman Robert Menendez of New Jersey and House Democrats made history by placing a woman's name in contention for speaker. In an event Tuesday to mark Pelosi's ascension to minority leader, outgoing Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said Democrats would work to elect Pelosi to the top job. "My fervent prayer is two years from now we will have the handful of votes we need to make her the speaker of the House," Gephardt said.

Meanwhile, the House Republican Steering Committee, which has been interviewing candidates to lead committees, plans to meet Wednesday to make its recommendations to the full GOP Conference about new chairmen.

Under one scenario, the question of who will head a new select committee on homeland security depends on who becomes the next Government Reform chairman. Former National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis of Virginia and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Christopher Cox of California are vying for the Government Reform Committee, as is Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn. GOP sources say Davis and Cox are likely to end up in charge of either the Government Reform panel or the select committee. Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio, has actively begun talking to GOP members about running for the Policy Committee position if Cox leaves that elected position.

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Frist most likely successor to Lott as Senate majority leader

Brody Mullins — Fri, 20 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

After Lott announced Friday that he was stepping down from his leadership position, Frist quickly solidified his support among Republicans, who were eager to avoid what could have been a bitter intraparty squabble.

"I think it's important to rally around one person fast," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. "I hope we can have a united Conference in support of his bid, so that we can begin to move forward," added Sen. Olympia Snowe, R- Maine, while announcing her support for Frist. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said this afternoon he hoped the selection of Frist would be by acclamation.

Even before Lott announced his decision, nearly a dozen Republicans had said publicly and privately that they would back Frist. "If Bill Frist is a candidate for majority leader, I'm for him," said Sen.-elect Lamar Alexander, Frist's home state colleague.

Within an hour after Lott's announcement, the number of Frist backers swelled to more than two dozen and it became clear that he has substantial support among Republicans. But Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., was making calls and testing the waters. "Sen. Santorum might run," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

If no challenge develops, Frist officially would take over for Lott during a Republican Conference meeting Jan. 6, although Domenici suggested that meeting be moved up to between Christmas and New Year's to give the new majority leader more time to prepare for the upcoming session.

Although Frist did not announce his candidacy until late Thursday, many Republicans saw the outgoing National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman as the inevitable beneficiary of the controversy surrounding Lott's comments earlier this month about retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential campaign.

Besides Santorum, incoming Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and outgoing Minority Whip Don Nickles, R-Okla., had been considered contenders, but Friday both endorsed Frist.

Frist, riding high after engineering the GOP's Election Day victories, quickly became the heir apparent. "I was one of many who encouraged Bill Frist to run for majority leader and I support him 100 percent," Nickles, a long time Lott rival, said Friday.

Frist, who has the backing of the White House, will not be GOP leader for long-he has promised to step down from the Senate when his second term expires in 2006.

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Discrimination lawsuits filed against Capitol architect's office

Brody Mullins — Thu, 19 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Two African-American employees in the Office of the Architect of the Capitol have sued their employer, alleging superiors and co-workers created a "racially hostile work environment" and denied them promotions because of race.

In separate lawsuits, Roy Holmes and Michael Graham allege violations of the Civil Rights Act and the Congressional Accountability Act. Holmes, a mechanic for the Architect since 1964, is seeking $300,000 in back pay, lost bonuses and other compensation. Graham, an electrician for 26 years, is seeking similar compensation. The Architect's spokeswoman declined to comment, citing a policy against discussing pending litigation.

Holmes alleges he was repeatedly denied promotions, raises and bonuses because he is black and was subjected to verbal and mental abuse. In 1989, for example, the complaint alleges, Holmes walked into one of the Architect's offices to find "a white sheet with eye-holes cut out of it draped over a chair in such a way that it looked like a Ku Klux Klansman." The effigy remained on display for two days after Holmes brought it to the attention of his boss, the suit alleges. Holmes also alleges he was periodically the target of racial slurs.

Graham alleges that in the early 1990s, co-workers hung a hangman's noose in their break room in the Rayburn House Office Building, where it remained until last year. "The white electricians joked about the noose in front of" Graham, the complaint said, and his former boss "went as far as humiliating another black employee by taking a picture of him under the noose while another man dressed as a Klansman stood next to him." Graham said the picture remained posted in the Rayburn office until 2001. Graham also alleges one of his recent bosses claimed to be a close relative of a KKK grand dragon.

Holmes' and Graham's lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Oct. 23 and Dec. 9, respectively. The Office of Employment Counsel, which is handling the cases for the Architect, must file a response in the Holmes case by Jan. 3.

Both men filed lawsuits after separate proceedings in the Office of Compliance. Both also filed Equal Employment Opportunity complaints. The Chavers Law Firm is representing Holmes and Graham.

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Senate Republicans draw battle lines over Lott

Brody Mullins — Wed, 18 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

At least 17 Republican senators are leaning toward voting for incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., to remain party leader next year, while only seven senators indicated that they plan to oppose him, according to an informal CongressDaily survey conducted Wednesday. But the tally belies the difficulty Lott faces in finding the nine remaining votes to give him the 26 he needs to cling to power.

While Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., became the first Republican senator to ask Lott to step down, 26 current Republican senators remain either undecided or silent about how they would vote in a closed-door referendum on Lott's tenure slated for Jan. 6. Among that group are Sens. Don Nickles, R-Okla., and Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who are both thought to have their eye on Lott's job. A 51st Republican senator will be appointed later this week to fill in for former Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, who was elected governor.

Lott, meanwhile, speaking to the Biloxi, Miss., Chamber of Commerce, vowed Wednesday to serve out his six-year Senate term, no matter what.

"I'm telling you here this morning, I'm hanging in there," Lott said. "I'm going to find a way for myself, my family, my friends, you the people of Mississippi and America to benefit from this experience."

Meanwhile, a number of Republicans are beginning to feel pressure from home state newspapers and voters to oust Lott. On Tuesday, Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., became the first Lott supporter to backtrack from comments in support of the Mississippi Republican. Fitzgerald, who must confront Chicago's strong African-American vote to win a second term in 2004, said, "The problem now is that Sen. Lott's intent may no longer even be the issue, and the broader issue is whether he can remain an effective Senate majority leader no matter what his intent was, no matter what his character may be, and no matter how remorseful he remains."

Sen.-elect Jim Talent, R-Mo., who also has a large African-American constituency, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "There is now a substantial question as to whether Sen. Lott has the capacity to move that [Republican] agenda forward. And I am prepared to voice my concerns at the conference meeting."

In a local radio interview in his home state, Chafee said today that Lott should not continue as Senate Republican leader.

"It's time for a change," Chafee said. "I think the biggest problem has been that his apologies haven't connected."

On the other side of the Capitol, House members have begun to call for Lott's departure. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., who is expected to challenge outgoing Senate Majority Whip Harry Reid, R-Nev., said Lott should step down because he will "impede the GOP agenda." Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., also called for Lott to step down.

Still, for every senator who has publicly questioned Lott's ability to remain, two Republicans are on the record in support of the embattled Republican. Despite a re-election contest in a racially diverse state, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., told The Philadelphia Inquirer he plans to back Lott even though "I know I'm losing political skin on this." According to the CongressDaily survey, 14 senators said Lott should remain as majority leader and another four said they are leaning in Lott's favor.

Not all the senators who support Lott were willing to say so publicly. Among Lott allies who have publicly indicated that they would support him are Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.; Mike Crapo, R-Idaho; Larry Craig, R-Idaho; Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, John Ensign,R-Nev.; Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Rick Santorum, R-Pa., Ted Stevens, R-Alaska; George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Specter. Another three senators are inclined to back Lott, but did not want to say so publicly. Beside Chafee, no senator opposed to Lott agreed to be identified.

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Supporters say Lott would stay in Senate if ousted as leader

Brody Mullins — Tue, 17 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

"After 30 years, he is not going to go out that way," said one former aide, referring to speculation that Lott would resign from the Senate entirely if he is ousted from the leadership at a special Jan. 6 meeting of the GOP Conference.

Lott's departure from the chamber would allow Democratic Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove to choose a Democratic replacement, erasing the GOP's majority in the Senate. Instead, Lott allies now say that Lott-if forced from the leadership-likely would announce his intention to resign, but remain in the Senate at least through a November 2003 special election. The move would preserve the GOP majority and give either Republican Reps. Charles (Chip) Pickering or Roger Wicker a decent shot of replacing him in a special election next year.

Under another scenario being floated, Lott could remain in the Senate until after Mississippi's 2003 state election determines whether Musgrove will be replaced by former Republican National Committee Chairman Haley Barbour, a close Lott ally.

"If he decided to pack it in, he would announce that he would stay until November," said one Republican close to the embattled senator. If Barbour prevailed, he could tap a GOP replacement as soon as he took office in 2004. State Republicans say Barbour would appoint Pickering, a former Lott aide who has close family ties to Barbour.

Under Mississippi law, Lott's replacement would face a special election in November 2004 for the remaining two years in his term. Alternatively, some Republicans say that if the controversy continues to mushroom, Lott would best serve the party by stepping down from the Senate in the next two weeks. If that happens, state law requires a special election within 90 days. Possible Democratic candidates include Attorney General Mike Moore, former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and former Gov. William Winter.

When Republicans first mentioned the idea of removing Lott from his leadership post last week, Lott's allies threatened that he would leave Congress entirely, jeopardizing the party's Senate majority. But GOP sources said this week that Lott would have no choice but to stay in the Senate until Republicans find a like-minded replacement.

As the son of a shipyard worker and a teacher, Lott, 61, has a lean financial portfolio and was expected to leave the Senate after his third term expires in 2006 to make his fortune in the private sector. But a bitter departure from Congress-particularly one that threatens the party's Senate majority-could dash those plans.

"Can you imagine how Lott would be treated by the 13 Republican committee chairmen who lost their gavels as a result [of his departure]?" said one GOP lobbyist.

Allies have made it clear that Lott has no intention of stepping down from his leadership position. "Don't count Lott out," said one ally. "If anybody could pull it off, it would be Trent."

Still, some Republicans have begun searching for ways to find a soft landing for Lott if he is forced out. Some are considering giving Lott a committee chairmanship. But it is not clear what committee post he could take.

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Republicans to meet January 6 to decide Lott's future

Brody Mullins — Mon, 16 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Although only a handful of senators have publicly called for the meeting, Republicans Monday said it was becoming increasingly difficult for Lott to remain as majority leader when the 108th Congress convenes in early January.

Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana Monday joined the group of Republicans calling for a Conference meeting to decide whether Lott should remain as party leader.

"It is not fair for us to leave Sen. Lott's future as Senate majority leader uncertain, nor is it helpful for the party to let the issue go unresolved," Burns said in a statement. Burns joins Sens. Don Nickles of Oklahoma, John Warner of Virginia and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska in calling for a session.

Under party rules, Santorum must call a meeting if at least five Republicans sign a petition. Santorum, a Lott ally, initially declined to schedule one. But as the list of Republicans calling for a Conference meeting grew, Santorum relented and decided to schedule it for the day before the start of next year's session.

"The sooner the better," said a Hagel spokesman.

Meanwhile, aides to several other Republican senators told CongressDaily that those senators support a Conference session-and Lott's dismissal.

Privately, Republicans were harshly critical of Lott and his chances of surviving as the controversy enters its second week. "He's toast, it's just a matter of when he figures it out," said one GOP lobbyist. "It will be very difficult for him to survive," added another.

Several Senate aides said Lott should step aside because the controversy has damaged the party. On the House side, one GOP leadership aide acknowledged that Lott's problems are a potential liability for Republicans, but also could offer the White House the chance to highlight Republican efforts to court minority voters.

"They call more attention to these kinds of issues," the aide said. "If handled correctly, which I think they will, they will draw attention to [Republican] outreach efforts."

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Lott if he steps aside, although Nickles and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky-who is scheduled to replace Nickles as Republican whip-also are considered possible successors, according to sources.

As the outgoing chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Frist was credited for the GOP's Election Day triumph and enjoys strong support among Republicans in the White House and Capitol Hill, Republicans said. Unlike Nickles, Frist also has support among Northeastern moderates.

Several Republicans said today that Nickles is considered too conservative-and hurt his chances by being the first to call for Lott's resignation.

In a statement, Frist said he has not made up his mind on how to proceed. "My Republican colleagues are actively engaged in deciding what is in the best interest of the Senate as an institution and the country," Frist said. "I am confident a consensus will emerge, but no decisions have been made yet, and I have endorsed no specific proposal at this time."

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GOP plans to pass spending bills by Jan. 21

Bill Ghent and Brody Mullins — Thu, 05 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Republicans agreed on a schedule for the appropriations measures over the last few days, sources said. "We want to get them done before the State of the Union," said a spokesman for incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

Other sources said Republicans want to complete work on this year's spending measures in order to "clear the table" of outstanding bills, so that Bush can focus on future priorities in his speech. Bush plans to deliver the annual speech to Congress Jan. 21, leaving congressional leaders just two weeks to complete work on the appropriations work after returning to Capitol Hill Jan. 7. Republicans hope to move the spending bills one-by-one, but have not ruled out an omnibus package.

Meanwhile, incoming Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, has said he would like to try to live within the president's budget total of about $750.4 billion. But in order to do that, Stevens and Senate Appropriations subcommittee chairmen will have to trim more than $15 billion-including regular appropriations, emergencies and added highway money-from the fiscal 2003 bills passed under outgoing Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W. Va.

Republicans are hoping that some savings can be found in agency budgets, given that one-third of the fiscal year will be over by the end of January.

It also is considered possible that appropriators will not fund certain items, hoping to attach them instead to an fiscal 2003 supplemental bill early next year. But that particular strategy could draw the ire of the White House, which opposed a beefed-up fiscal 2002 supplemental because of congressional add-ons.

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Bush, Senate GOP win big on homeland security bill

Brody Mullins — Tue, 19 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

The 52-47 vote Tuesday morning cleared the way for final approval of the bill later that night on a 90-9 vote, ending a four-month partisan fight.

In the skirmish earlier in the day, three Democrats and independent Sen. Dean Barkley of Minnesota joined all but one Republican in rejecting the amendment by Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., that would have stripped seven controversial add-ons to the bill. If the Senate had accepted the amendment, the House would have had to return to work out a compromise on the bill, perhaps stretching the post-election lame-duck session into late December.

Instead, the Senate prepared for adjournment Wednesday after approving other pending measures, including a continuing resolution to fund the government through Jan. 11.

A spokesman for House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who had said the House would return if the amendment had been adopted, said, "We're very pleased that this bill is one step closer to the president's desk and one step closer to defending the homeland."

The Bush administration and Republican leaders prevailed on the amendment after promising the moderate wing of their party that they would revisit three controversial elements of the bill early next year.

Maine Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe secured commitments from party leaders to consider legislation early next year to address provisions that would provide liability protections for makers of certain vaccine preservatives, permit U.S. companies that move overseas to win contracts from the new department and create a homeland defense research center.

"We would not have agreed to vote against the amendment had we not secured these commitments," said Collins. Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., speaking on the Senate floor, said: "There are some things in this bill that stink ... We will change that. You have my commitment."

House Republican and White House officials also promised to revisit the provisions in the first appropriations bill that moves through Congress next year. The pledges secured votes from the Maine senators and cemented the support of Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and two Democrats who sponsored competing homeland compromises: Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Zell Miller of Georgia.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., sealed the fate of the amendment by casting the 51st vote against it. Landrieu, who faces a difficult runoff re-election Dec. 7, spent most of the vote huddling with Democratic leaders.

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was the lone Republican to join Democrats. On Monday, a McCain spokesman blasted the provisions as a "special-interest bonanza." The Senate's other independent, Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont, voted with the Democrats as he usually does.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., is in Paris and did not vote. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, ended his self-imposed period of mourning and returned to Washington for the first time since the death of his close friend Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., in order to cast his vote for the amendment.

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Senate Dems seek to strip provisions from homeland bill

Mark Wegner and Brody Mullins — Mon, 18 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., believes Democrats are closing in on the votes needed to approve an amendment that would strip seven controversial provisions from the House version of the homeland security bill.

Daschle said he thinks all Senate Democrats will vote for the amendment he has proposed with Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman, D-Ct. In addition, several Republicans such as Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Susan Collins of Maine have hinted that they may vote for the amendment. "We are very hopeful," said a Daschle spokeswoman. But the office of Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., Monday announced he will vote with Republicans against the amendment.

Adopting the amendment would create competing House and Senate bills, requiring the House to either come back into session to accept the Senate changes-or create a House-Senate conference committee to work out the difference. House Republicans said they would opt for a conference committee, which would likely begin in December and could stretch until Christmas, according to a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.

"If Senate Democrats continue to play games in the Senate we are prepared to come back," said a spokesman for House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the incoming majority leader.

A spokesman for retiring House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, added that the House would not accept the Democrats' amendment. "The changes that they are talking about aren't acceptable and would force a conference," the Armey spokesman said.

The House passed the legislation last Wednesday by a 299- 121 vote and Armey's spokesman said Senate Democratic leaders were searching for complaints about the bill. "The bill is a product of compromise between the House and the Senate," he said. "We passed it by a veto-proof majority."

After voting on the Democrats' amendment Tuesday morning, the Senate will move to a handful of votes to approve the House- passed bill.

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Senators blast homeland bill provisions, but expect approval

April Fulton and Brody Mullins — Fri, 15 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Most senators said while they opposed many of the superfluous measures added to the bill (H.R. 5710) in recent days by House Republicans, the Senate should pass the House-approved legislation before leaving Washington for the year.

"The question at the end of the day is: Is this bill so bad that you're going to vote against it just to make it clear you have very serious misgivings and then hope that it passes?" said outgoing Majority Leader Daschle, who plans to vote for the legislation on final passage. "I think perhaps it will pass in any case."

Still, Daschle and other senators said the country "is paying a high price for the way with which this legislation has been handled and the way the Republicans, especially in the House, have treated some of these egregious provisions."

A few senators on the other side of the aisle echoed Daschle's criticism. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who was blocked from proposing three amendments to the bill, blamed House Republicans for "put[ting] us in a take-it-or-leave-it situation" by approving their own homeland bill before adjourning. But Specter said the Senate should "take it, even though I think the legislation could be much better with amendments."

Added Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine: "I support homeland security. But I fear that under the name of homeland security, we are being asked to vote on special-interest provisions that have not seen the light of day."

In a series of speeches that stretched into the evening, a number of senators took issue with a host of last-minute changes, such as a provision that limits the liability of pharmaceutical firms that produce vaccine additives and a measure that permits U.S. companies that move offshore to secure government contracts from the new department.

"How serious are they about coming up with a good bill if they're going to protect companies who declare that they don't want to do business in the United States of America, to avoid paying taxes?" Daschle asked.

Senators took particular aim at the vaccine provision, which would be a boon to Eli Lilly & Co., a leading manufacturer of vaccine preservatives.

"It is still stunning that in the midst of a debate about how to protect ourselves we're going to protect our pharmaceutical companies from what may or may not be a fair question about liability," said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who noted that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee had been working on a bipartisan compromise on that issue.

"Why is this provision being rushed through now in the context of homeland security legislation?" asked Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., who wrote the Democrats' version of the homeland bill.

Daschle also condemned House Republicans for stripping language that would have created an independent panel to investigate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, although it later appeared that a separate deal had been reached between the White House and key senators to create such a panel.

"The president strongly supports a bipartisan commission to expand on the work that has already been done by our intelligence committees and look at a broad range of issues," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott McClellan.

But McClellan did not say whether President Bush would seek to include a provision for such a commission in the homeland security bill.

Keith Koffler contributed to this report.

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Homeland security to prolong lame-duck session

Mark Wegner and Brody Mullins — Fri, 15 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Last-minute objections to legislation to create a Homeland Security Department will keep the Senate in session into next week, dashing hopes that Friday would be the final day of the lame-duck session.

Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. said he hopes the Senate's final day in session would be Tuesday, although Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said votes on a number of remaining issues could force the session to "slop over into Wednesday."

After the Senate invoked cloture 65-29 on homeland security legislation Friday, Daschle said he will keep the Senate in pro forma session over the weekend to run the clock down on the remaining hours of debate on the issue. A final vote could come Monday or Tuesday after the Senate deals with an amendment offered Friday by Daschle and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., to strike a number of special interest provisions added to the bill.

Other than passing homeland security legislation, Daschle said the Senate also would approve a terrorism insurance bill, a continuing resolution to fund the government through Jan. 11 and at least one judicial nomination.

The Senate likely will vote on the nomination of U.S. District Judge Dennis Shedd to serve on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Shedd, a former Judiciary Committee chief counsel under retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., was approved by the Judiciary Committee this week over the opposition of many Democrats.

The House is scheduled to reconvene at noon next Tuesday for a pro forma session, but legislators are expected to return only if the Senate makes significant changes to homeland security legislation.

Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., said Friday there is virtually no chance the House would return before members of the 108th Congress are sworn in on Jan. 7. "None. And if there is I won't be here," Dunn added.

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Controversial provisions could delay Senate homeland vote

April Fulton and Brody Mullins — Thu, 14 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Senate leaders, determined to create the Homeland Security Department before the year's end, are likely to accept most of the provisions. Still, the new debates could push a final vote on the underlying bill into next week.

Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., who wrote the Democrats' version of the bill, said he is "especially concerned" about the latest GOP bill, because it contains "a number of special-interest provisions that are being sprung on the Senate without prior warning or consideration. This is really not the time for that."

"We all ought to be focusing on the terrorist threat, the need to create a Department of Homeland Security to meet that threat, and not on using a vehicle that is moving, probably to passage, to put into it a host of pet personal projects," Lieberman said.

Chief among the concerns of Lieberman and others are provisions to eliminate or reduce a manufacturer's product liability, two of which relate to vaccines. According to the new bill, a broad range of items, from drugs to life preservers, could escape liability lawsuits if the head of the homeland security department designated them as "necessary for security purposes."

Limited liability protections already in place for vaccines would be expanded to include vaccine components, such as the preservative Thimerosal, manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co. and already the subject of several class-action lawsuits by parents who claim the product's high mercury levels have caused their children's autism.

An aide to Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who had included a similar provision in a vaccine bill he introduced earlier in the year, said the senator did not press House GOP leaders to include the Thimerosal provision in the homeland bill.

The aide said the language essentially codifies a recommendation an independent vaccine advisory committee made to the Clinton administration.

"There is a concern about liability destabilizing the vaccine system," he said.

But Democratic aides point out that Thimerosal is a preservative unnecessary for the production of the vaccines and suggest that the language is an effort to cut back on the lawsuits.

Yet another provision in the bill would require liability claims against smallpox vaccine manufacturers to go through the federal tort system. The federal government would pay the damages, and punitive damages would be banned.

The new bill also would limit liabilities for airport screening companies and high-tech firms that develop equipment essential to ensure domestic security.

It would aid the airline industry further by extending aviation war-risk insurance for a year and giving airports another year to install baggage-screening equipment. It would also allow pilots to carry handguns in airline cockpits.

The latest version of the homeland bill strips several provisions that were top priorities to key members of Congress.

Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lieberman were enraged to find out that the new bill removes language calling for an independent commission to examine the roots of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Without an investigation by such an independent commission, Daschle said, "we will never fully have an objective evaluation."

Daschle also said the bill guts congressional oversight over a critical part of the federal government.

The bill does not include $1.2 billion to increase passenger rail and tunnel security, though the funds were in the earlier Senate version.

"We're very disappointed," said Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., a rail advocate and former member of the Amtrak board of directors. "Our failure to act to improve security of our rail travel is an Achilles heel in our nation's efforts to secure our transportation system," Carper said.

The bill also drops provisions that would have applied Davis-Bacon protections to workers contracting with the Homeland Security Department and a provision that would have safeguarded the public's ability to use the Freedom of Information Act to find out information about the department.

Mark Wegner contributed to this report.

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Bush, GOP leaders prevail on homeland bill labor rules

Brody Mullins — Wed, 13 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

The Republicans' victory came after three Senate moderates, Sens. John Breaux, D-La., Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said they would support a new GOP proposal on personnel rules for the new department.

Their support broke a stalemate on this issue by giving Republicans the votes they need in the Senate to prevail on the personnel issue this week. The new measure likely will first see action in the House-possibly Wednesday-and afterwards in the Senate.

In a statement, the three moderates said while they continue to support their own amendment on the issue, the new Republican amendment "represents improvement."

"In the end, most members of the Senate want to pass homeland security legislation this week," they said. "We will vote for this proposal when it reaches the Senate floor."

Immediately after the trio announced their decision, Democratic leaders in the Senate conceded defeat on the personnel issue and moved to approve the underlying bill by week's end.

The new measure would add language making it slightly more difficult for the president to waive collective bargaining rights for employees of the new agency. Under the proposal, unions would have 30 days to respond to any proposed change to civil service rules. If parties failed to reach agreement, either party could request 30 days of mediation by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent agency that intervenes in labor disputes, but does not make rulings. The Homeland Security Department would retain the authority to alter civil service rules after this process.

Most Democrats and labor unions are expected to oppose the new proposal.

A description circulating on Capitol Hill indicates the bill would allow armed pilots in airline cockpits and would allow a one-year delay in baggage screening.

Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said while he did not support the GOP employment rules, he would allow a vote on them.

"There may be differences of opinion on different components of the legislation, but there is no disagreement that we need to complete work on this bill," he said.

The endorsement by Breaux, Chafee and Nelson and the concession by Democrats give Bush a legislative victory a week after he claimed that the GOP's electoral victories provided a mandate on Capitol Hill.

Although Democrats dispute Bush's interpretation of the election results, Breaux, Chafee and Nelson said in a statement, "There is no doubt that the supporters of the [GOP amendment] are in a better negotiating position following the elections of last week."

Said Majority Whip Harry Reid, D-Nev.: "It was a good campaign issue for them."

Sen. Dean Barkley, I-Minn., voiced his unequivocal support for compromise homeland security legislation being negotiated by lawmakers and White House aides.

"If there is a compromise being worked out in the Senate, you can guarantee that I will support it," said Barkley, who was sworn in Tuesday.

Barkley spoke at the White House following a meeting with Bush.

Keith Koffler contributed to this report.

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House passes homeland security bill

Mark Wegner, Bill Ghent, and Brody Mullins — Wed, 13 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

The bill passed by a vote of 299 to 121.

House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who headed the House's select homeland security panel, said the compromise was the result of "very broad negotiations with the White House and the other body." He added the final product "is fundamentally the House passed bill."

Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a member of the homeland security committee, said the labor flexibility language is key for the success of the new department. He highlighted a provision that would allow unions 30 day to negotiate contracts before a second 30-day federal mediation period would kick in, and language that requires the president to give Congress 10 days notice before limiting collective bargaining.

Lawmakers also worked out language that would give the administration the ability to transfer funds to the fledgling department, although that authority is not carried in the homeland bill itself and rather is included in the fiscal 2003 continuing resolution that passed the House Wednesday afternoon.

Administration officials and appropriators agreed to let the administration transfer up to $500 million in 2003 money-or money that is appropriated in the CR-and another $140 million in unobligated money that was previously appropriated. Under the agreement, the transfers are also subject to the approval of the Appropriations Committees.

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Congress returns to stack of bills in lame-duck session

Bill Ghent and Brody Mullins — Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

The House and Senate enter an uncertain lame-duck session Tuesday with little known about its length and breadth-even though it now appears the Democrats will remain in control of the Senate for at least another couple of weeks.

One thing for sure is that President Bush and members of Congress hope to approve the remaining fiscal 2003 appropriations bills, homeland security, remaining conference reports and dozens of pending nominations. But last week's election, tipping control of the 108th Congress to Republicans, is one more complication in a thicket of difficulties besetting the 107th Congress.

On the appropriations front, leaders once again will have to pass a continuing resolution, to keep the government operating without completion of 11 of the 13 fiscal 2003 spending bills. But as the week began, leaders had not determined whether the CR would carry the government past Nov. 22 and into December to finish the bills, or until February or March-as some have advocated-to avoid what could be a protracted, pre-holiday session and a messy situation in the Senate.

Indeed, while many lawmakers left town in October resigned to returning to finish the appropriations bills, the election results-in particular, the pending leadership change in the Senate-have cast serious doubt on Congress' ability to put a quick end to an already troubled fiscal 2003 budget process.

House appropriators still have their game face on, however. "It is our position that we still want to get our work done," said a panel spokesman.

At least publicly, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., is siding with appropriators in the push to finish the spending bills, according to Hastert's spokesman. Bush said last week that he, too, thinks Congress should finish the appropriations cycle before next year.

But it remained unclear whether disaffected Democrats and jubilant Republicans had any real interest in trying to reconcile differences between the House and Senate spending totals.

Appropriators have been working on ways to bridge the gaps. They could reach an agreement if it were left to the chairmen and ranking members of the appropriations panels.

But their solution inevitably would mean more spending than the White House has proposed. Given talk of a "Bush mandate" following GOP gains in last week's election, it appeared less likely that appropriators could muster support among Republicans to oppose their president on budget issues only days after a significant electoral victory.

Last week, incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., indicated his preference for Congress to come back this week and pass a months-long CR, lasting until February or March-a move that would avoid a protracted and painful debate over spending priorities. It also would sidestep the discord that would befall the Senate in December, when party control is expected to shift to Republicans with the anticipated swearing-in of Sen.-elect Jim Talent, R-Mo.

In addition, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska,-who would take over as chairman of the Appropriations Committee from Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.,-said before the election that he also wanted to avoid leadership entanglements, and he advocated a longer-term CR earlier this fall.

However, if Congress feels compelled to stay to finish the homeland security bill, appropriators would hope to use that time to work on spending measures. But while easier-to-pass bills might be completed, it would be much harder to address the bigger-ticket items-like the Labor-HHS spending bill-without movement on overall budget figures.

The House reconvenes Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and at 2 p.m. for legislative business to consider five bills under suspension of the rules. No votes are scheduled until Wednesday, when the House is slated to consider the continuing resolution.

The Senate reconvenes Tuesday at 1 p.m., and no votes are planned before 5 p.m.

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Lawmakers reach compromise on homeland security

Brody Mullins — Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Republican leaders have crafted a compromise amendment to break the stalemate on legislation to create a Homeland Security Department, a move that clears the way for Senate approval as early as this week.

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., negotiated a deal Tuesday afternoon with Sens. John Breaux, D-La., and Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., on personnel rules for the new 170,000-person department. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., also signed on to the compromise.

If the deal sticks, President Bush and congressional Republicans would finally have the votes they need to prevail in the fight over the employment rules and enact the legislation after months of partisan delay.

The White House indicated earlier Tuesday that negotiators were heading toward a deal that Bush could support. But, noting that an agreement was not yet nailed down, White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott McClellan Tuesday declined to explicitly endorse the emerging compromise, although he raised no objections and noted that the White House is pleased with the progress.

In a speech Tuesday, Bush repeated his call for the Senate to approve the legislation soon. To reinforce that point, Bush has invited Lott, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. and Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., to the White House Wednesday morning to discuss the bill and other lame-duck priorities. Bush plans to meet with Sen. Dean Barkley, I-Minn., Wednesday afternoon for a "get to know you" session that is certain to include discussion of the homeland security bill.

Senate leaders said a final vote on the bill could be held as early as this week. The support of Breaux and Chafee would give Republicans a slim majority on the issue. Before the election, Democrats held a one-vote majority on the employment rules-forcing Republicans to block a vote for months.

Sources say the agreement closely tracks a compromise proposed before the election by Sens. Zell Miller, D-Ga., and Phil Gramm, R-Texas. However, it would add language to permit aggrieved employees to appeal to a mediator and it would make it slightly more difficult for the president to waive collective bargaining rights for department employees. Labor unions and most Democrats are expected to oppose the deal.

"It's cheap window dressing on a bad House-passed bill," said Beth Moten of the American Federation of Government Employees. Added Maureen Gilman of the National Treasury Employees Union, "It looks like the employees would have less civil service protections than any other employees in the federal government."

Daschle has not seen the compromise, according to a spokeswoman. However, she said Democrats plan to bring the homeland security legislation to the Senate floor Wednesday and hope to approve it as early as this week, adding, "It's the first order of business."

A spokesman for Gramm said a final vote on the bill would be this week.

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Lawmakers to push for passage of homeland bill before lame-duck ends

Keith Koffler, Mark Wegner, and Brody Mullins — Fri, 08 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Bush at a news conference Thursday insisted that Congress not leave until the homeland security bill is passed. But Hastert and Lott, who spoke with reporters at the White House Friday following a lunch with Bush, gave little firm indication about how much more work they believe can get done this year.

Lott said legislation related to port security and the Coast Guard is "most likely" to move, and that approval of a handful of other conference reports is possible. But he said that while terrorism insurance legislation might be a candidate for passage, there remain "a lot of problems" with the bill. Hastert said appropriators would continue to try to make progress striking agreements on outstanding issues.

Lott indicated he was uncertain when during the lame-duck session he would become majority leader. "It could be next Tuesday, it could be Nov. 22," he said.

Lott said he talked Thursday with Sen.-designate Dean Barkley, I-Minn., but indicated it remains unclear whether Barkley will caucus with Republicans. Barkley has said he intends to take the weekend to think over his options, although GOP Sen.-elect Norm Coleman has called on him to resign so Coleman can be seated immediately. Lott said the lame duck could last one or two weeks, and he hoped no longer than that.

Despite calls from Lott for a speedy lame-duck session, outgoing Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., Friday joined President Bush in calling for Congress to hold a more meaningful post-election session. Daschle, who will begin the session as majority leader, said he hopes Congress will use the session to approve each of the remaining fiscal 2003 appropriations bills, create a Homeland Security Department, wrap up a few remaining conference reports-specifically naming the port security bill as the most likely measure to emerge from conference-and clear the calendar of dozens of pending nominations. On homeland security, Daschle said he would "probably" lose the critical vote on the personnel rules for the new department, but he quickly backtracked and said, "I don't know what would happen."

Although Daschle said he did not want to add any legislation to the calendar that is "outside of the box," his comments indicate that the lame-duck session could stretch for weeks, rather than days, as Lott wants.

Earlier Friday, House Republican leaders said they are anxious to move homeland security legislation and fiscal 2003 spending bills in the lame-duck session, which begins next week, but that progress depends largely on the composition and action of the Senate. A spokesman for Hastert said Friday the workload is an "open question," and depends upon how quickly newly elected or appointed senators take their seats or decide which side to join to determine which party will be in majority. "There are a lot of variables. I'm not sure we can assume anything right now," the Hastert spokesman said.

Another House GOP leadership aide called the arrival of Sen.-elect Jim Talent, R-Mo., who can be sworn in immediately once his election is officially certified, and the decision of Barkley the "two X factors" that will determine the future of spending bills and homeland security legislation. "We don't know what the makeup of the Senate will be. I think there is hope, but we don't know," the aide said.

The aide added that Congress could complete some of the 11 unfinished appropriations bills and pass the others in an omnibus bill or approve another continuing resolution, deferring them until next year. GOP leaders also are considering bankruptcy and terrorism risk insurance as possible candidates for House action in the lame-duck session.

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GOP sweeps back into control of Senate

Brody Mullins — Wed, 06 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Although final results had not been reported for some races as of Wednesday morning, Republicans gained control in the 108th Congress by winning Democratic-held Senate seats in Missouri, Georgia and Minnesota and successfully defending all but one GOP-held seat. Republicans will have at least 51 seats next year. One race-in South Dakota-remained too close to call on Wednesday morning.

Republicans also could pick up a seat in Louisiana, where they forced Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu into a Dec. 7 runoff by preventing her from getting 50 percent of the vote.

In the House, Republicans registered a net gain of at least three seats, giving them a minimum of 226 seats. While Republicans were expected to keep control of the House, gaining Senate control was a surprise. It marks the first time in history that either party has captured control of the Senate in a mid-term election with a president of its own party in the White House.

"We'll never forget this night, will we?" an exuberant Sen.-elect Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., called out to cheering supporters after claiming victory in her race for that state's open Senate seat.

Dole's win was one of several components to the GOP's dramatic and unlikely return to power a year and a half after Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont defected from the Republican Party and handed control of the Senate to Democrats. Even though Republicans were forced to defend 20 of the 34 Senate seats in play this year, the party won the Senate by prevailing in nine of the 12 closest races.

The GOP held onto all but one of their vulnerable seats-and earned three hard-fought victories in Democratic territory. Sen. Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas was the only GOP incumbent who lost Tuesday, falling 54-46 percent to Democrat Mark Pryor, the state's attorney general and son of former Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark.

Meanwhile, appointed Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri lost, 50-49 percent, to former GOP Rep. Jim Talent; Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., was upset, 53-46 percent, by GOP Rep. Saxby Chambliss; and Minnesota GOP nominee Norm Coleman, a former St. Paul mayor, early today was projected to be the winner over former Vice President Mondale, who had replaced the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on the Democratic ballot line.

At the same time, Republicans held onto all of their seats aside from Arkansas: Sen. Wayne Allard defeated Democrat Tom Strickland, 51-45 percent, in Colorado; Rep. John Sununu, R-N.H., beat Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, 51-47 percent; and Texas Attorney General John Cornyn routed former Democratic Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, 55-43 percent; Rep. Lindsey Graham rolled over Democrat Alex Sanders, 54-44 percent, in South Carolina and Dole defeated former White House Chief of Staff Bowles 54-45 percent.

One bright spot for Democrats: former Sen. Frank Lautenberg defeated GOP businessman Douglas Forrester 54-44 percent in November in the race abandoned by Democratic Sen. Robert Torricelli.

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Republican lawmaker outlines priorities for lame-duck, next Congress

Michael Posner and Brody Mullins — Wed, 06 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Newly empowered Republicans plan to press Senate Democrats for a speedy post-election, lame-duck session that could wrap up by the end of next week, Republicans said after winning control of both chambers of Congress.

"There are some things that we should do and can do, but let's not drag it out," said Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., who is expected to become majority leader in the 108th Congress. The lame duck is scheduled to begin next Tuesday, with Democrats in control.

But Republicans could take control of the special session as soon as Missouri's secretary of state certifies Sen.-elect Jim Talent, R-Mo.-or if Minnesota officials decide to seat Sen.-elect Norm Coleman, a Republican, to fill the remainder of the term of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone.

The GOP victories give the Senate Republicans and Lott added sway over the length and focus of the lame duck. Lott, who reiterated Wednesday that he is "not an advocate" of lame-duck sessions, said he would like to pass a continuing resolution that funds the government until February or March.

He said he hoped to complete legislation creating a Homeland Security Department in the coming weeks, but acknowledged the issue probably would slide into next year. In addition to that bill, Lott said his priorities in 2003 would include passing a budget resolution, pension and welfare reform, permanent tax reductions and another tax package. Lott declined to discuss what a tax bill would include.

Lott Wednesday also put in plugs for energy legislation, port security and other bills. He said he hoped to reach a deal with outgoing-Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., to clear a host of judicial nominations.

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Senate control uncertain following death of Wellstone

Greta Wodele and Brody Mullins — Fri, 25 Oct 2002 00:00:00 -0400

Wellstone was killed Friday in the crash of a small chartered plane in northeastern Minnesota, along with his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia and campaign aides Tom Lapic, Mary MacEvoy and Will McLaughlin, and two pilots.

Wellstone's death leaves the Senate divided 49-49-1, but independent Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont would continue to supply his vote to keep Democrats in the majority.

However, if a successor for the remainder of Wellstone's current term is not appointed until after the Nov. 5 election, and Republican nominee Norm Coleman, a former St. Paul mayor, is elected, independent Gov. Jesse Ventura could immediately appoint Coleman to the seat. That would create a 50-50 split and give Vice President Cheney the tie-breaking opportunity to give control to the Republicans.

Ventura Friday had little to say little about a successor for Wellstone, other than to declare that he would not appoint himself to the seat.

Even if a Democrat were named to finish Wellstone's term, another special election-this one to decide whether Sen. Jean Carnahan, D-Mo., finishes the remaining four years of her late husband's term-also could come into play. If former Republican Rep. Jim Talent defeats Carnahan, he could be seated before the end of the year and then restore Republicans to the majority.

Either development would give the GOP control over both chambers of Congress in the post-election lame-duck session scheduled to begin the week after Election Day.

Republicans were unwilling to speak publicly about the possibility in the hours after Wellstone's death. But GOP sources said Republican Senate leaders plan to meet Monday to map out a strategy.

Even limited GOP control of the Senate could have major implications for the lame-duck session, which is scheduled to begin Nov. 12. Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and other Senate Republicans have pressed for an extremely short post-election session in which senators would approve a continuing resolution to fund the government until next year as well as any conference reports that emerge from House-Senate negotiations.

A Republican majority in the Senate also would break the logjam on homeland security legislation. Without Wellstone's reliable vote, Democrats would lose their one-vote advantage on the key labor rules that have held up approval of the bill since July. As a result, Cheney would be able to break a tie vote on the labor provisions and move the bill through the Senate after months of fruitless debate.

The National Treasury Employees Union, which has pushed strongly for labor rights for workers slated to move into the Homeland Security Department, called Wellstone's death "a great loss for the American people" Friday.

"He never wavered in his beliefs, and he never wavered from his passion and commitment to American workers and their families," said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley.

President Bush, congressional leaders and colleagues also mourned the death of Wellstone, calling it a great loss for Minnesota and the country.

Bush called Wellstone "a plainspoken fellow" who did his best for Minnesota and the United States.

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Wellstone was the "soul of the Senate." He said the death of Wellstone and his wife is a "shattering loss to Minnesota, to the nation and to all who knew and loved them." Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., added, "For the entire United States Senate, this is a death in our family."

In Minnesota, former Vice President Walter Mondale, who served 12 years as the state's senator, praised Wellstone's intellect, adding, "He also had a great heart." Mondale said the Wellstones "made one of the most impressive public couples" in America.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who was in the state to campaign for Wellstone, added: "He was man of enormous ability, but most of all, he was a caring person. He was coming to the people of Minnesota that he loved and he wanted their support so he could return to the United States Senate and fight for them. We'll miss you Paul, and we'll never forget you."

Former St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, who was challenging Wellstone, said the "people of Minnesota have experienced a terrible, unimaginable tragedy. The entire Wellstone family has been selfless, public servants who embodied the best of Minnesota."

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