Sanctions on Iran

From Secretary Rice's statement: "Today Secretary Paulson and I are announcing several new steps to increase the costs to Iran of its irresponsible behavior. Many of the Iranian regimes' most destabilizing policies are carried out by two of its agencies: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or the IRGC, and the Quds Force, an arm of the IRGC. Because of the Revolutionary Guard's support for proliferation and because of the Quds Force support for terrorism, acting under U.S. law and consistent with our international obligations, the United States today is designating both of these groups. We are similarly designating three Iranian state-owned banks: Bank Melli and Mellat, for their involvement in proliferation activities, and Bank Saderat as a terrorist financier. We are also designating several additional Iranian individuals and organizations.

"What this means is that no U.S. citizen or private organization will be allowed to engage in financial transactions with these persons and entities. In addition, any assets that these designees have under U.S. jurisdiction will be immediately frozen. These actions will help to protect the international financial system from the illicit activities of the Iranian Government and they will provide a powerful deterrent to every international bank and company that thinks of doing business with the Iranian Government."

The State Department website includes a fact sheet on the new sanctions, transcripts of related press briefings, and an "on the record" briefing from Under Secretaries Burns and Levey. Further information will be gathered on the State Department Iran page.

Source: MacAskill, E. (26 Oct. 2007). "US imposes sweeping sanctions on Tehran." Guardian Unlimited.

SCHIP Passes House Again

From the Washington Post: "After hours of partisan warfare and delay, the House easily approved a new version of legislation to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program yesterday, but the vote failed to get any more Republicans to override another promised veto from President Bush."

The revised SCHIP bill, H.R. 3963, passed the House 265 to 142 in roll call vote 1009.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a cost estimate for the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007.

In response to the new bill, the White House has issued a new fact sheet, "Just the Facts: Top Five Reasons the Democrats' 'New' SCHIP Bill Is Actually More of the Same."

Source: Weisman, J. (26 Oct. 2007). "House Passes Revised Children's Health Bill, but Timing Irks GOP." Washington Post. A04.

2007 Farm Bill Update

From the Washington Post: "The Senate Agriculture Committee, under pressure to make changes in decades-old subsidy programs, voted yesterday to offer farmers an alternative safety net that lawmakers said will provide better protection against falling incomes and will save as much as $4 billion over the next five years."

Details of the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill is available on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry website. The site includes archived video from the October 24 and October 25 markup hearings, accepted amendments, section by section details, and the Chairman's Mark draft version.

Montana Senator Max Baucus, who serves on the committee, issued a statement on the release of the bill. Senator Tester has also issued a statement on the bill.

Source: Morgan, D. (26 Oct. 2007). "Senate Panel Moves $288 Billion Farm Bill: Plan Offers Option of Revenue Guarantee Instead of Price Supports." Washington Post. A04.

Blackfeet Water Rights Compact

From the Great Falls Tribune: "A new draft water rights compact between the state and the Blackfeet Tribe was unveiled to the public Wednesday at a meeting here of the Legislature's Water Policy Interim Committee."

The draft Blackfeet Water Rights Compact is available on the Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission website. The site includes the draft Birch Creek Management Plan and the draft Blackfeet Agreement Regarding Birch Creek Water Use.

Source: Puckett, K. (26 Oct. 2007). "Blackfeet, state revise water rights compact." Great Falls Tribune.

Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007

From the House Committee on Natural Resources press release: "For only the third time in history since enactment of the Mining Law of 1872, the House Natural Resources Committee today approved comprehensive legislation to reform the antiquated law that has governed hardrock mining on public lands."

You can read the text of the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, H.R. 2262, or track its progress through THOMAS. The full committee markup of the bill, with details of changes the committee made to the bill, is available on the House Committee on Natural Resources website.

Source: Straub, N. (24 Oct. 2007). "House panel OKs bill imposing mining royalties." Billings Gazette.

2007 Farm Bill

From the Missoulian: "Full details of the five-year bill, scheduled to be considered by the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, have yet to be released. But an aide to Senate Agriculture Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said the legislation would ban government payments to "non-farmers" whose income averages more than $750,000 a year. The bill defines non-farmers as those who make less than two-thirds of their income from agriculture."

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held several field hearings on the forthcoming farm bill this summer. One was held in Great Falls, Montana, and the prepared statements from witnesses have been posted on the hearing webpage.

The farm bill that the Senate will vote on has not been released yet. Senator Tom Harkin's website includes a description of the forthcoming bill. A version of the 2007 farm bill that passed the House in July, H.R. 2419, is available on THOMAS.

Source: Jalonick, M.C. (24 Oct. 2007). "Critics say Senate farm bill doesn't do enough to limit subsidies." Missoulian. A4.

Bitterroot Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Report

From the Missoulian: "Almost every year over the last 20, the Bitterroot National Forest has offered the public an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at how their public lands are being managed."

The Bitterroot National Forest has posted the Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Report - Fiscal Year 2006 on its website (Note: large file).

Source: Backus, Perry. (22 Oct. 2007). "Forest Service publishes Bitterroot plan for public scrutiny." Missoulian. A1.

Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

From the Missoulian: "A longstanding rift between East Coast and Western lawmakers erupted again Thursday as a congressional subcommittee heard testimony on a sweeping bill that would designate as wilderness 23 million acres in five Western states.

"Supporters of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act noted that the bill only affects public lands and said it would protect vital wildlife corridors in the West. They considered it a victory simply that a hearing took place on the bill, which has been reintroduced every year since 1993."

You can read the text and track the progress of bill H.R. 1975, the "Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act," through THOMAS.

Montana Representative Rehberg issued a press release conveying his opinion of the bill.

The House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a hearing on October 18, 2007, on the bill. The web page for the hearing includes links to the prepared testimony of witnesses, including some with Montana connections.

Source: Straub, N. (19 Oct. 2007). "Wilderness bill debate boils down to East versus West." Missoulian. A7.

Funding to States and Counties

From a Census Bureau press release: "The Consolidated Federal Funds Report for Fiscal Year 2005 is a presentation of data on most domestic spending by the federal government for state and county areas of the United States, including the District of Columbia and U.S. outlying areas. The data include expenditures for the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security."

The Consolidated Federal Funds Report for Fiscal Year 2005 is available on the Census site. A companion report, Federal Aid to States for Fiscal Year 2005, includes data on grants to state and local governments.

Source: Ohlemacher, S. (10 Oct. 2007). "Most states taxed less than they receive: Montana gets more than $2 back for every dollar it gives." Missoulian A4.

National Strategy for Homeland Security

From the Washington Post: "The White House warned today that al-Qaeda is likely to intensify efforts to infiltrate terrorist operatives into the United States and expressed heightened concern about the potential use of improvised explosive devices, or makeshift bombs, in a domestic attack."

The White House issued the October 2007 National Strategy for Homeland Security today. There is also a related fact sheet summarizing the report.

Source: Branigin, W., and Hsu, S. (9 Oct. 2007). "White House Issues Strategy for Terror Threats: Report Expresses Heightened Concern About Use of IEDs." Washington Post.

Blackwater Bill and Related Information

From the Washington Post: "Prompted by last month's deadly shootings in Baghdad by armed guards working for Blackwater USA, the House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to place all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts."

The House of Representatives passed bill H.R. 2740, "MEJA Expansion and Enforcement Act of 2007," in roll call vote 940. The bill moves to the Senate for consideration. House Report 110-352 clarifies the intent and implications of the bill.

The State Department has created a panel to "review the State Department's security practices in Iraq." The Department has issued a brief press statement on an initial assessment of Blackwater operations. The State Department site also includes links to a June 21, 2007, Congressional Research Service report, "Private Security Contractors in Iraq: Background, Legal Status, and Other Issues," to information on the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and to other statements.

On October 2nd, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on "Private Security Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan," with an emphasis on Blackwater operations. The hearing web page includes links to witness statements and related documents (memos, emails, invoices, etc.). The Committee website includes links to a staff memorandum on Blackwater activities in Iraq and other documents.

Source: Weisman, J. (5 Oct. 2007). "House Acts in Wake of Blackwater Incident: Measure Is Passed to Place Wartime Contractors Under U.S. Courts' Jurisdiction." Washington Post. A06.

Hearing on Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007

From the Missoulian: "Members of Congress heard about the problems of abandoned mines in Montana and considered how best to begin charging royalties for mining on federal lands at a hearing Tuesday on potential changes to 1872 hardrock mining law."

The Subcommittee On Energy And Mineral Resources of the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on H.R. 2262, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, which pertains to mining royalties and abandoned mine reclamation. Details on the hearing, including prepared statements from witnesses, are available on the committee website.

Source: Straub, N. (3 Oct. 2007). "House panel hears testimony on abandoned Montana mines." Missoulian. A5.

SCHIP Veto

From Senator Baucus's press release: "In order to override a Presidential veto, Baucus will have to secure a 2/3 vote in both the House and the Senate. When the bill was voted out of each chamber, the Senate had a veto proof majority, gaining 67 votes, but the House fell short by 25 votes."

The text of the President's veto is available on the White House website. The veto is also recorded in the Congressional Record on page H11203. The White House site includes supplemental documents: "Myth/Fact: Five Key Myths About President Bush's Support for SCHIP Reauthorization"; "Just the Facts: The $83,000 Question"; and "Setting the Record Straight: Speaker Pelosi Misleads on SCHIP."

Senator Baucus responded to the veto on the Senate floor on October 3rd, and his remarks are recorded in the Congressional Record beginning on page S12485. Senator Tester responded to the veto on his website, and Rep. Rehberg has expressed his support for the bill as well.

You can track the progress of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, H.R. 976, through THOMAS. The next activity on the bill is scheduled for October 18th.

Sources: Rehberg, D. (1 Oct. 2007). "Guest column: President needs to sign SCHIP legislation." Missoulian.
Straub, N. (6 Oct. 2007). "Political spin in overdrive over SCHIP." Missoulian.

GAO Report on Wildland Fire Management

From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) summary: "Recognizing that millions of acres are at risk from wildland fire, the federal government expends substantial resources on thinning brush, trees, and other potentially hazardous fuels to reduce the fire risk to communities and the environment. However, questions have been raised about how the agencies responsible for wildland fire management--the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's (Interior) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS)--allocate their fuel reduction budgets and select projects. GAO was asked to report on the agencies' processes for allocating funds and selecting projects, and on how, if at all, these processes could be improved to better ensure that they contribute to the agencies' overall goal of reducing risk. To obtain this information, GAO visited headquarters and field offices of all five agencies; obtained data on fuel reduction funding and accomplishments; and reviewed previous evaluations of the fuel reduction program."

The summary page for the new report, "Wildland Fire Management: Better Information and a Systematic Process Could Improve Agencies' Approach to Allocating Fuel Reduction Funds and Selecting Projects," provides links to report highlights and the full document.