Today in Washington D. C. - April 9, 2008

On The Floor: Senate resumes consideration of H.R. 3221, the vehicle for the housing bill. A substitute amendment containing compromise language worked out by Sens. Dodd and Shelby is the basis for debate. Yesterday, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the Dodd-Shelby substitute amendment. At least 3 germane amendments to the substitute are still pending and could be voted on later today. Following the housing bill, Reid is expected to turn to a public lands bill (S. 2739).

From Senate & News Sources: Today, General David Petreaus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker are back on the Hill delivering their testimony to the House Armed Services Committee. They will testify this afternoon before the House Foreign Relations Committee. Yesterday, Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker summarized to the Senate the “significant but uneven security progress in Iraq” since September. They emphasized the stark contrast between the current security situation and that of January 2007 and noted the many positive political and economic developments as well as the impressive improvements in the Iraqi security forces. As Gen. Petraeus cautioned, though, “the progress made since last spring is fragile and reversible” and thus recommended a period of evaluation and consolidation of security gains after the surge forces complete their rotations out of Iraq.

Democrats in Congress seem to not be paying attention. Many continue to act and speak as if nothing has changed in the country since 2006. Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) chided Democrat Senators, saying, “As I hear the questions and the statements today, it seems to me that there’s a kind of see no progress in Iraq, hear no progress in Iraq, and most of all speak of no progress in Iraq.” The next avenue for legislation concerning Iraq will be the supplemental appropriations bill for the war, which is likely to be on the floor towards the end of this month. It is disappointing that Roll Call reports that not only are withdrawal timetables that have been repeatedly defeated returning, but Democrats are also proposing loading up the troop funding bill with unrelated domestic spending.

As expected yesterday, President Bush formally submitted to Congress the Colombia Free Trade Agreement for approval. The Los Angeles Times and USA Today both have laudable editorials urging approval of the agreement.

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Tags: General David Petreaus, Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Iraq War, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!