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DAILY 03-02-10 MD SU A13 BLACK
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010 KLMNO S A13
THE FED PAGE
Intelligence disclosure and the power of 8
A Senate dissident’s maneuver keeps
T
he House last week voted process. Under the proposed law,
to revise the “Gang of the president would be required
Eight” system, under which to record the date of a Gang of
jobless, federal workers on the line
the president discloses the most Eight briefing. After 30 days, the
sensitive intelligence operations president would also be required this time, Congress kept funding
and covert activities to only a to provide that information in
Larger package of
alive with a series of 30-day ex-
handful of Senate and House writing to the committee of the
leaders and not the full
tax credits, benefits
tensions.
WALTER PINCUS
lawmaker who was briefed. If resources become gridlocked
membership of the both House passage may not end expected this week in the Senate, it may fall to the
chambers’ intelligence
Fine Print
the controversy over how a House to revive the transporta-
committees. president should inform tion pipeline. That chamber is
The law already requires the notifications. The approach drew Congress of particularly sensitive by Ashley Halsey III considering a Senate-approved
president to keep Congress fully an immediate White House veto intelligence activities. The jobs bill that also would extend
informed of intelligence threat. Senate Select Committee on Hundreds of thousands of un- transportation funding until Sep-
activities, particularly when U.S. On Thursday, the House, as Intelligence has proposed its employed workers faced an end tember. But House Speaker Nan-
participation is hidden. He also part of the fiscal 2010 own changes, while essentially to their jobless benefits Monday, cy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is said to be
must inform the intelligence intelligence authorization bill, keeping the Gang of Eight idea. and the federal government fur- having trouble marshalling sup-
committees in a timely fashion approved a new plan that had Its version of the 2010 loughed about 2,000 employees port for it among Democrats who
when he signs a finding for a been negotiated with the authorization bill, passed by the without pay, a result of one sena- are bothered by other provisions
covert action before it gets administration. Under it, the Senate last September, also tor’s efforts to block legislation in the legislation.
underway, except in special president would have to notify requires that both intelligence that would fund $10 billion in “The big one’s in the speaker’s
situations. both committees that there has committees be notified of all federal programs. hands because if she can get
Burned by the way, in their been a Gang of Eight disclosure intelligence activities and when a Lawmakers failed to reach an Democrats to vote for it that gives
opinion, the Bush administration and provide the other members covert action is undertaken. agreement last week on tax cred- us some breathing room on
originally limited revelation of with “general information on the When the details of such an its, unemployment benefits and a transportation until the end of
short-term extension of the High-
GERALD MARTINEAU FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
the year,” said Jim Berard,
way Trust Fund. Sen. Jim Bun- Construction on the Ninth spokesman for the House Com-
ning (R-Ky.) derailed the bill on Street Bridge stopped abruptly mittee on Transportation and In-
Thursday when it came to the after a bill with federal frastructure.
floor for unanimous approval. transportation funding stalled Suspension of the Ninth Street
Bunning withheld his consent. Bridge construction in the Dis-
“The bottom line is that Sena- percent less. In addition, the de- trict occurred because the bridge
tor Bunning wants to renew lay meant that some rural satel- crosses a rail yard and federal in-
these important programs,” lite-TV subscribers likely lost ac- spectors are required to monitor
spokesman Mike Reynard said. cess to local channels, and a its progress.
However, the senator “feels very Small Business Administration “People did not come to work
strongly that we can’t keep add- lending program was interrupt- today for that project,” said Gabe
ing to the debt.” ed. Klein, director of the city’s de-
Now, the Senate is likely to The Department of Transpor- partment of transportation.
pass a larger package, but not un- tation furloughed 2,000 employ- That was the only immediate
Congress’s current “Gang of Eight” on intelligence matters, from left: Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John til later this week. ees without pay Monday, and result of the funding cutoff in the
Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Silvestre Reyes, Peter Hoekstra, Dianne Feinstein and Christopher Bond. “It’s going to create hardship state officials warned that unless Washington region.
across America,” said Sen. Rich- Congress this week restores the “We have more than enough
its post-Sept. 11, 2001, electronic content of the finding or notice.” action are limited to the Gang of ard Durbin (D-Ill.), the Senate transportation funding, which cash reserves to pay our bills for
interception program and later He would continue to be Eight, it requires the director of majority whip. He said Bunning’s provides states with $42 billion a the next month or so,” said Sean
its harsh terrorist interrogation required to find it “essential to national intelligence to explain action would result in 400,000 year, construction contracts will Connaughton, Virginia’s secre-
methods, members of the limit access . . . to meet in writing “in a timely manner” people nationwide going without be delayed, construction loans tary of transportation.
Democratic-led House extraordinary circumstances the main features of the action an unemployment check, with may be jeopardized and projects Maryland Secretary of Trans-
Permanent Committee on affecting vital interests of the and the reasons it is being that number rising each day. suspended. portation Beverley K. Swaim-Sta-
Intelligence approved language United States.” withheld from the other The bill Bunning voted against Two constructions that require ley said that if Congress resolves
last summer that would have Another added element would members. would have extended provisions on-site federal inspectors — re- the spending crisis soon the state
done away with the Gang of permit any one of the Gang of Another new provision in the that were included in last year’s placement of the Ninth Street will not suffer.
Eight system. Under that system, Eight to break his or her silence Senate bill would withhold stimulus package, including one Bridge in the District and a new “If this were to continue into
disclosure is made only to the and register opposition to the funding of any intelligence in which the federal government road at the Hoover Dam in Ne- next week, we’d have some con-
speaker and minority leader of proposed intelligence operation activity that has not been fully assumed 65 percent of the cost of vada — were immediately sus- cerns,” she said. “But we’re fortu-
the House, the majority and with the director of national disclosed to the two committees COBRA health benefits. It would pended. nate to be in the position of not
minority leaders of the Senate, intelligence. That action would or to the Gang of Eight. The have perpetuated other key pro- Federal transportation budgets having anything major in the
and the chairmen and ranking have to take place within 48 administration has not taken a grams, including one that would have stumbled along since Sep- pipeline.”
minority members of the Senate hours. The DNI would then public position on the Senate keep Medicare reimbursement tember, when the last big funding halseya@washpost.com
and House intelligence report in writing to the president approach or the new House rates at current levels. plan expired. Congress authoriz-
committees. his response to the objection. A language, but the two bills On Monday, the government es the funds in massive bills that Staff writers Ed O’Keefe and Ben
In the past, the normal copy would also go to the appear close enough to make began paying doctors who see cover six years of spending. Pershing and wire services
procedure for the eight has been lawmaker. settlement easy to achieve. Medicare patients more than 20 Unable to agree on a new bill contributed to this report.
that they do not take notes from A further modification is One thing to remember,
the briefing and cannot discuss directly related to last year’s however: Congress has not
any details with others — controversy over what was passed an intelligence
including other lawmakers and disclosed in September 2002 authorization bill for four years.
their staffs. about the waterboarding of the In that period, the bills carried
Last June, in reaction, the al-Qaeda terrorist known as Abu language opposed by the Bush
House intelligence panel Zubaida to Nancy Pelosi White House. President Obama’s
approved an amendment to the (D-Calif.), then the ranking promise of change could come to
law that would have allowed minority member of the House pass if Congress approves the
each intelligence committee to intelligence panel. Pelosi, now fiscal 2010 intelligence
establish its own rules on how it the speaker of the House, denied authorization bill and he signs it.
would handle such sensitive she was told of the torture-like pincusw@washpost.com
IN SESSION
Perry Bacon Jr.
GOP renews effort to dislodge Rangel
C
an Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) So far, Democratic leaders said there was “growing unrest”
survive? have remained on Rangel’s side, among members of Congress
The longtime lawmaker with Pelosi arguing that “he did elected in 2006 and 2008, many
from Harlem, one of the not knowingly violate House of whom ran on anti-corruption
founders of the Congressional rules.” But Pelosi and others have platforms.
Black Caucus in 1971 and carefully hedged their support, Even if Democrats in
chairman of the powerful House noting that the ethics Washington don’t push
Ways and Means Committee, will committee is still Rangel to step down
face another challenge this week investigating Rangel from his committee, he
related to his ethics problems. and that Congress faces another problem:
Congressional Republicans plan should wait for that challengers back home.
to offer a resolution on the process to end. Vince Morgan, 40, a LEGAL RESEARCH
House floor that, if approved, “I can make a case banker who helped run
would strip Rangel of the why he should step Rangel’s reelection
committee post he long coveted down, but I can also campaign in 2002, is
before he got the gavel in 2007. make a serious case opposing Rangel in the
THAT SPEAKS
Similar GOP efforts failed last that he is entitled, as Sept. 14 Democratic
year, getting the backing of only we say in America, to primary, saying Rangel
two Democrats, but Republicans his day in court,” Rep. Charles B. “has lost touch with
THE SAME
say they expect more Democrats Rep. George Miller Rangel (D-N.Y.) bread-and-butter
to defect from Rangel after the (Calif.), a member of has vowed to run issues” in Harlem. A
House ethics committee the House for reelection. Republican pastor,
reported last week that he Democratic Michel Faulkner, has
LANGUAGE
violated House rules by leadership, said on C-SPAN’s also declared his candidacy in
attending conferences in 2007 “Newsmakers.” “I would hope Rangel’s heavily Democratic
and 2008 in the Caribbean that that they [the ethics committee] district.
were funded in part by would wrap up their work as Despite the controversy, and
YOU DO:
corporations. quickly as possible, as fairly as his role in helping craft health-
Rangel, 79, also faces possible, and then the Congress care legislation that could be
accusations that he failed to will have to make a decision.” considered a capstone for his
HUMAN.
disclose thousands in assets, Republicans, who have called career, Rangel has so far ignored
improperly used congressional for Hodes and other Democrats calls to retire and has pledged to
stationery to solicit donations to give back campaign donations run for reelection in the fall.
for an academic center bearing they have received from Rangel, His office did not return a call
his name at a New York college, are using his ethics troubles to seeking comment on the
and used multiple, attack not only Democrats in key resolution.
rent-controlled apartments in races but also Pelosi. The
Harlem in violation of city law. speaker, an ally of Rangel,
Liberal vs. conservative
Already, Rep. Paul W. Hodes pledged back in 2006 to run “the No wonder Democrats hoped
(D-N.H.), who is running for the most ethical Congress in history” Sen. Olympia J. Snowe
Introducing a new Westlaw.
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Senate, has called for Rangel to and end what she called a (R-Maine) would join them on
there’s your personal life. WestlawNext
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recognizes both, with a more intuitive, you-centric
step aside, saying that “culture of corruption” created supporting health care:
“Washington must be held to the by Republicans when they According to ratings of
legal research system. Now, finding the information you need is as easy as searching for it the
highest ethical standards.” controlled the House. lawmakers based on their votes
way you say it. And intelligent tools let you filter, tag, and folder that information effortlessly.
“Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said Carter’s resolution is expected in 2009 done by National
For greater efficiency. And confidence. We’ve always worked for you. Today, we work like you.
she would clean up the to be voted on Wednesday. It is Journal, Snowe was not just the
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corruption in the House, and as likely to fail because most of the Senate’s most liberal Republican
the ethics committee has shown, chamber’s 254 Democrats are but was to the left of Democrats
that involves Rangel’s activities,” not yet ready to dump Rangel. Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Ben Nelson
said Rep. John Carter (Tex.), a But the number of Democratic (Neb.) .
member of the House GOP defections could affect how On the House side,
leadership. “I look forward to Pelosi and other party leaders Massachusetts in 2009 had the ©2010ThomsonReuters L-358085/2-10 ThomsonReutersandtheKinesislogoaretrademarksofThomsonReuters.
seeing the Democrats step up evaluate the controversy, which most liberal delegation, and
and live up to their promises of has being going on for more than Idaho had the most conservative.
following the rule of law.” 18 months. One top party aide baconp@washpost.com
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