Today in Washington D. C. - June 24, 2008

On The Floor: The House: The House Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY 09 Department of Homeland Security spending bill (no bill number). The measure sets forth how much money the federal government can spend next year on enforcing immigration laws. Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chair David Price (D-NC) said the the bill would direct ICE to spend the $800 million "only to identify and deport illegal immigrant in U.S. communities or jails who have committed serious crimes." His proposed bill would limit funding and force money to be shifted from priorities such as the 287(g) program, which enables local police and sheriffs to enforce immigration laws and workplace enforcement activities. Price is making it clear that democrats do not want what the majority of American want - a comprehensive program to address illegals. Americans want 1) expanded funding for the 287(g) program that trains local agencies to enforce immigration law and 2) ICE to continue to conduct workplace raids on companies with huge illegal workforces. There is still time to contact your representative and members of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

The Senate resumed consideration of the housing bill (Senate amendments to H.R. 3221). After an hour of debate, the Senate will vote on cloture on the motion to concur with the Dodd substitute amendment. Also, today, votes are expected on 3 district court nominees and two circuit court nominees Democrats are pushing. FISA reform has returned to the Senate after a compromise was reached in the House last week. Yesterday, Sen. Reid filed cloture on the compromise FISA bill (H.R. 6304), setting up a vote on Wednesday. Democrats opposed to the bill, including Sens. Russ Feingold and Chris Dodd, are hoping to get a vote on an amendment to strip from the bill the critical immunity provisions for telecoms that cooperated with terror surveillance. It remains to be seen whether Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will join Feingold, since he said he planed to support the bill but also promised last year that oppose any bill with telecom immunity provisions. If he opposes the provision, it would be to appease his "trial lawyer" friends helping to fund his campaign.

From Senate & News Sources: Though Democrats have become fond of accusing Republicans of “obstructionism” in the Senate, this week will feature Republicans attempting to overcome Democrat roadblocks on key issues. While Democrats continue to block sensible proposals to create more American energy and American jobs, Republicans will unveil a new package of energy plans. The Senate GOP will also fight objections from the far left to get a FISA bill to the president’s desk after months of lost intelligence. Finally, Republicans will push to get a working FEC, as Democrats’ stall for the purpose of scoring political points.

Senate Republicans will continue this week to pressure Democrats to stop blocking more production of American energy. CongressDaily notes: “[T]he GOP plan will focus on deep sea oil and gas exploration, Western oil shale production and research and development of electric cars.” Unfortunately, Democrats continue to have little to offer in terms of energy solutions. They’re holding press conferences today to tout their proposals of more regulation and investigation of oil companies, but they will do absolutely nothing to produce more energy or alleviate high gas prices.

Meanwhile on FISA, liberal Democrats will respond to the calls of MoveOn.org, the ACLU, and the liberal netroots to attempt to stall a bill which they vehemently oppose. CQ Today reports: “‘We’ll be requiring key procedural votes, and also taking some time on the floor this week, to indicate the problems of this legislation,’ Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said Monday of himself and Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., speaking at the New America Foundation, a Washington think tank. ‘We’re not just going to let it quickly pass.’” This effort is likely to fail, though, since almost all Republicans and many Democrats support the compromise bill.

The third logjam presented by Democrats today is over nominees to the Federal Election Commission. After a long dispute in which Democrat attacks resulted in one of President Bush’s nominees withdrawing from consideration, a full slate of nominees is ready to be agreed on by both sides of the aisle. But Roll Call reports that Sen. Harry Reid stalled confirmation on behalf of Sen. Feingold who supposedly wants to talk to the nominees some more. Roll Call writes: “Senate Republican leaders continued to cry foul on Monday over Feingold’s demand for more time to scrutinize the nominee slate. A Republican Senate leadership aide said Democrats were sandbagging a possible vote in order to buy the Democratic National Committee time to file a lawsuit today involving McCain. ‘I expect that after the lawsuit is filed, Sen. Feingold will drop his hold, and we’ll have an FEC,’ the GOP aide said.”

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