Wildland Fire Suppression Hearings

From the Missoulian: "The [House Natural Resources] committee is holding hearings on a pair of bills that would create an emergency fund to help pay for mounting fire suppression costs, which have dramatically cut into the U.S. Forest Service's bottom line."

The House Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing today with testimony from the Big Sky Coalition's Sonny LaSalle. The committee will be discussing bills H.R. 5541 and H.R. 5648.

Source: Backus, P. (10 April 2008). "House committee to discuss fire costs." Missoulian. B1.

Recent Congressional Hearings on Iraq and Troop Withdrawl

From the New York Times: "Telling Congress that progress in Iraq was 'fragile and reversible,' the top American commander recommended Tuesday that consideration of any new withdrawals of American troops be delayed until the fall, making it likely that little would change before Election Day."

General David H. Petraeus testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 8, 2008. His prepared remarks and those of Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker are available on the hearing webpage. Video of the hearing is available from C-Span.

Petraeus and Crocker are scheduled to appear before the House Armed Services Committee today (Wednesday, April 9, 2008).

C-SPAN has other Iraq Report Hearing videos on its website.

Source: Myers, S.L., & Shanker, T. (9 April 2008). "Petraeus Urges Halt in Weighing New Cut in Force." New York Times.

GAO Report on Abuse of Government Credit Cards

From the New York Times: "Federal employees charged millions of dollars for Internet dating, tailor-made suits, lingerie, lavish dinners and other questionable expenses to their government credit cards over 15 months, Congressional auditors say."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued the report yesterday: "Governmentwide Purchase Cards: Actions Needed to Strengthen Internal Controls to Reduce Fraudulent, Improper, and Abusive Purchases."

Source: AP (9 April 2008). "Government Credit Card Misuse Found." New York Times.

W.R. Grace Bankruptcy Settlement for Personal Injury Claims

From the Missoulian: "W.R. Grace & Co. said Monday it has reached an agreement to resolve current and future asbestos claims against the company, which would allow it to emerge from bankruptcy without further obligations for asbestos injury."

A summary of the settlement agreement has been posted on the W.R. Grace website. Grace has also issued a press release indicating it will retain the Libby Medical Program. Various opinions in the bankruptcy case are on the website for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The case number is 01-01139, and the judge in the case is Judith Fitzgerald.

Source: Hanson, A.B., & Oyan, K.(8 April 2008). "W.R. Grace reaches agreement to settle asbestos claims." Missoulian. A1.

Maltreatment of Infants

From the Washington Post: "More than 91,000 babies were mistreated in their first year of life in the United States in 2006, according to the first national estimate of abuse of the nation's youngest, most vulnerable children, prepared by federal officials on the basis of cases substantiated by state and local children's protective services agencies."

The most recent report was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Related information is contained in the CDC report, "Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements."

Other websites to visit include the CDC Injury Center and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

Source: Stein, R. (4 April 2008). "Report Cites Abuse of 91,000 Babies Under 1." Washington Post. A02.

Recent Bernanke Testimony

From the Missoulian: "Wondering just how wide the federal wallet might open for Wall Street, Sen. Jon Tester challenged the head of the Federal Reserve on Thursday over how much taxpayer money he would use to bail out troubled firms."

A press release describing the exchange between Tester and Bernanke has been posted on Senator Tester's website. More information is available on the webpage for the hearing, "Turmoil in U.S. Credit Markets: Examining the Recent Actions of Federal Financial Regulators." The hearing page includes archived video and prepared statements of witnesses and committee members.

Federal Reserve Chair Bernanke also appeared before the Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday. His prepared statement on the economic outlook of the nation is available on both the Federal Reserve website and on the Committee hearing webpage.

Various economic indicators are available on such websites as Liber8, EconomicIndicators.gov, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Source: Straub, N. (4 April 2008). "Bear Stearns / Sen. Tester: How much is too much?" Missoulian. A1.

Aerial Fire Retardant Documents

From the Missoulian: "An environmental watchdog group on Wednesday sued the U.S. Forest Service for a second time over the agency's use of aerial fire retardants.

"The Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, an Oregon-based nonprofit group, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Missoula."

The lawsuit relates to reports on aerial application of fire retardants. These reports were produced by the Forest Service, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The most recent Forest Service report is a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact.

Information on the the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE) lawsuit is available on the group's website.

Source: Cramer, J. (3 April 2008). "Group files second suit against USFS." Missoulian.

W.R. Grace Cleanup Settlement

From the Department of Justice press release: "W.R. Grace, a global supplier of specialty chemicals, has agreed to pay $250 million, the highest sum in the history of the Superfund program, to reimburse the federal government for the costs of the investigation and cleanup of asbestos contamination in Libby, Mont., the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today."

The consent decree that describes the agreement is on the Department of Justice website. The comment period has not yet been scheduled.

Background information about the cleanup and health issues in Libby is available on the EPA Region 8 website. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality offers links to additional, useful information.

Source: (11 Mar. 2008). "W.R. Grace agrees to pay for Libby asbestos clean up." KPAX.com.

FLAME Act

From the Billings Gazette: "The federal government would revamp how it pays for firefighting and take some of the burden off the U.S. Forest Service by creating a permanent fund for devastating blazes, under legislation introduced Thursday by key House Democrats."

Information on the "FLAME Act," H.R. 5541, is available through THOMAS. THOMAS links to the bill text, bill summary & status, and details on all Congressional actions on the bill, such as the introductory remarks on the bill.

Source: Straub, N. (7 Mar. 2008). "House bill aims to start fire fund." Billings Gazette.

Energy efficiency and Montana's Universities

From the Missoulian: "Gov. Brian Schweitzer's budget director didn't stay long at the Montana Board of Regents meeting, but David Ewer had the board's full attention during the hour he spoke, and his pointed comments lingered long after he left.

"Ewer delivered two distinct messages to the regents, both in a no-nonsense manner, on Thursday: Campuses must decrease energy consumption, and regents must better monitor the nonprofit agencies that manage millions of dollars in federal funding the state receives for student loans."

Information on the Board of Regents March 6, 2008, meeting is available on the Montana University System website.

The Governor's website includes information on the 20 x 10 energy efficiency initiative.

Source: Cohen, B. (7 March 2008). "University system / Rein in energy, loan entities, regents told." Missoulian. A1.

Canada Lynx Critical Habitat

From the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) press release: "The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to revise the amount of critical habitat designated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the federally threatened Canada lynx. In total, the Service is proposing to designate approximately 42,753 square miles of habitat in portions of northern Maine, northeastern Minnesota, the Northern Rocky Mountains (northwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho), the Northern Cascades (north-central Washington), and the Greater Yellowstone Area (southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming)."

View the proposed rule on the Regulations.gov site. Regulations.gov also has a form for submitting comments on this proposed rule. The rule was published in the Federal Register on February 28, 2008.

Additional information on Canada Lynx is available on the Endangered Species program website and on the FWS Mountain-Prairie Region website.

Source: Cramer, J. (29 Feb. 2008). "Proposal would increase critical lynx habitat." Missoulian. B1.

New Army Field Manual 3-0

From the LA Times: "This week, the Army released a new version of FM 3-0, the Army Field Manual on Operations. The first revision since 9/11, it offers what the Army -- which is not an institution prone to exaggeration -- calls 'a revolutionary departure from past doctrine.' For more than 200 years, the Army has had two 'core missions': offense and defense. FM 3-0 adds a third: 'stability operations,' better (if more controversially) known to the public as nation building."

The new Army Field Manual 3-0 is available on the Army website. The Army press release describes the change in operational doctrine.

Source: Brooks, R. (28 Feb. 2008). "War and peace, the Army way." LA Times. (Reprinted in the Missoulian Feb. 29, 2008, B4)

Guns in National Parks

From the Missoulian: "Thousands of national park rangers, police and retirees are speaking out against a plan to allow loaded guns in national parks - a proposal first put forward by Congress and now made possible by the White House."

The position of the park rangers is described on the Association of National Park Rangers website.

The Department of the Interior website has more information about the issue, including:

December 14, 2007, Letter from 47 Senators

February 11, 2008, Letter from Additional 4 Senators

February 22, 2008, Sample Response from Secretary Kempthorne

The letters reference two sections of the Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR 2.4 and 50 CFR 27.42, which contain the regulations about firearms in national parks and national wildlife refuges. Montana Senators Baucus and Tester are signatories to the initial letter.

Source: Jamison, M. (26 Feb. 2008). "Rangers oppose guns in parks." Missoulian. A1.

LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates

From the Washington Post: "The Supreme Court handed workers a major victory yesterday by allowing them to sue over mismanagement of their 401(k) retirement accounts, in which more than 50 million employees have invested nearly $3 trillion."

The Supreme Court has issued an opinion in the LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. case.

Docket no. 06-856

Supreme Court opinion

Questions presented

Merits briefs

Transcript of oral arguments

Lower court opinion (United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit)

Source: Johnson, C. (21 Feb. 2008). "Supreme Court Rules Employees Can Sue Over 401(k) Misconduct." Washington Post. A01.

Gray Wolf Delisting and Hunting Season

From the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service press release: "The gray wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains is thriving and no longer requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett announced today. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will remove the species from the federal list of threatened and endangered species."

The final rule delisting gray wolves has been posted on the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) website. The Mountain-Prairie Region site includes additional information on gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. The main FWS site has background information on the Endangered Species program.

In related news, Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks has set hunting dates, October 26-December 31, 2008, for the newly delisted wolves. The wolf conservation and management page includes information on wolves in Montana and the Northern Rockies and the Montana wolf season.

Sources: Cramer, J. (21 Feb. 2008) "Northern Rockies gray wolves delisted." Missoulian.
Byron, E. (21 Feb. 2008) "Season set for Montana wolf hunting." Helena Independent Record.

Jocko Lakes Fire Salvage Project

From the Missoulian: "If you'd like to tell the U.S. Forest Service what you think about the agency's post-burn plans for the Jocko Lakes wildfire, here's your chance.

"The Lolo National Forest is opening a monthlong public scoping period on its plan to log just under 2,000 acres of the 11,603 acres that burned last summer."

Lolo National Forest has issued a scoping letter and call for comments on the Jocko Lakes Fire Salvage Project. The project area map and details of potential salvage areas are on the project page.

Comments on the project should be sent prior to March 21, 2008. Comments can be sent by fax: 406 3637106; email: commentsnorthernloloseeleylake@fs.fed.us, or U.S. mail: Sandy Mack, TEAMS Enterprise Unit, 1801 N. First, Hamilton, MT 59840.

Source: Moore, M. (20 Feb. 2008). "Post-burn project comments sought." Missoulian. B1.

Beef Recall

From the Washington Post: "The Agriculture Department has ordered the largest meat recall in its history -- 143 million pounds of beef, a California meatpacker's entire production for the past two years -- because the company did not prevent ailing animals from entering the U.S. food supply, officials said yesterday."

The USDA has issued a statement and additional information on the recall of ground beef products produced by Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. This information includes a recall notice, a technical briefing, and a Q & A fact sheet.

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has additional information on the recall, including a lengthier fact sheet. FoodSafety.gov is an additional gateway to government information on food safety.

Source: Brown, D. (18 Feb. 2008). "USDA Orders Largest Meat Recall in U.S. History." Washington Post. A01.

Meteor Sighting in Montana

From KPAX.com: "The Associated Press is reporting that the meteor that streaked across Montana early Tuesday morning landed in eastern Washington."

There are some government sites that offer additional information on meteors, meteorites, and other small bodies in the solar system:

World Book at NASA: Meteor

Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards Program (note: this site includes video of the Peekskill Meteorite, which resembled a green streak of fire)

Meteors and meteor showers

The USGS Publications Warehouse lists several scientific reports related to meteors & meteorites.

Though not a government agency, the American Meteor Society (AMS) has a fireball monitoring program. The AMS site includes good background information on meteors.

Source: Thorsell, M. (19 Feb. 2008). "Meteor streaks across Montana skies." KPAX.com

District of Columbia v. Heller

From the Montana Department of Justice press release: "Attorney General Mike McGrath said Monday that Montana has joined a friend-of-the-court brief (PDF) urging the United States Supreme Court to uphold a lower court ruling that affirmed the individual right to keep and bear arms."

The text of the amicus brief is posted on the Montana DoJ website. Information about the case before the Supreme Court, District of Columbia v. Heller, is available on the Supreme Court website. The site includes links to briefs in the case, the docket (07-290), and questions presented.

Source: McKee, J. (February 12, 2008). "State signs gun rights brief." Missoulian. A1.

Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008

From the Washington Post: "Congress gave overwhelming final approval last night to legislation that would send government payments to most American households and grant tax incentives for business investment, sending President Bush a $152 billion stimulus plan for the faltering U.S. economy.

"The deal came yesterday after the Senate added low-income seniors and disabled veterans to the list of people who would receive money under a package previously approved by the House, then approved the bill, 81 to 16. The House took up and passed the Senate measure last night in a 380 to 34 vote, ensuring that checks would begin reaching recipients by mid-May."

The details of H.R. 5140, the "Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008," can be found on THOMAS. The site includes the final text of the bill as passed by the House and Senate, the results of Senate roll call vote 10, and the results of House roll call vote 42.

Montana Senators Baucus and Tester have issued statements about the bill's passage.

Source: Weisman, J. (Feb. 8, 2008). "Congress Approves Stimulus Package: Payments Added For Disabled Vets And Poor Seniors." Washington Post. A01.

Settlement between Montana and ARCO over Clark Fork Cleanup

From the EPA press release: "The Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) has agreed to pay $187 million that will finance a major cleanup along 120 miles of the Clark Fork River and other areas in southwestern Montana, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

"The State of Montana is a party to settlement and will be the lead government agency conducting the cleanup using the funds secured in the settlement. Decades of mining activity upstream in Butte and Anaconda has contaminated the sediment, banks and floodplain of the Clark Fork with heavy metals that harm plant and animal life in the river and along its shores."

The Department of Justice has the consent decree between ARCO and the State of Montana. The Montana Department of Justice Natural Resource Damage Program site includes information on the lawsuit history between the State of Montana and ARCO.

The website of the Clark Fork River Operable Unit of the EPA has information about the agreement and other documents on the clean-up process.

Source: Cramer, J. (Feb. 8, 2008). "Arco to pay $187M in Clark Fork deal." Missoulian. A1.

Director of National Intelligence on Threat Assessment & Waterboarding

From the New York Times: "Al Qaeda is gaining in strength from its refuge in Pakistan and is steadily improving its ability to recruit, train and position operatives capable of carrying out attacks inside the United States, the director of national intelligence told a Senate panel on Tuesday."

The Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, spoke before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday. His prepared statement, "Annual Threat Assessment of the Director of National Intelligence," is available on the committee website. The prepared text does not refer to waterboarding, but there is also an archived webcast of the hearing, which should include the question and answer period, available on the committee site.

Source: Mazzetti, M. (Jan. 6, 2008). "Intelligence Chief Cites Qaeda Threat to U.S." New York Times.

Montana Republican Caucus Results

From the Missoulian: "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney pulled off a decisive victory in Montana's winner-take-all Republican presidential caucus Tuesday night, with Rep. Ron Paul edging Sen. John McCain for second place."

The county-by-county results for the Montana Republican caucus are available on the Montana Republic Party website.

The Montana Democratic Party primary election will be held on June 3rd.

Sources: Johnson, C.S. (Jan. 6, 2008). "Romney wins Montana." Missoulian. A1.
Moy, C. (Jan. 6, 2008). "Missoula GOP chooses Paul." Missoulian. A1.

Montana Snowpack Data

From the Missoulian: "The snowpack across much of western Montana's higher elevations continued to build last month, according to preliminary data.

"The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bozeman will release its January report later this week based on snowpack telemetry data, manual measurements, and weather forecasts from across the state."

Snowpack data is collected by the Montana office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (part of the Department of Agriculture). The Montana Snow Survey Program provides mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts.

Source: Cramer, J. (Feb. 5, 2008). "Region's snowpack holds steady." Missoulian. A1.

Fiscal Year 2009 Budget

From the Washington Post: "President Bush yesterday unveiled a $3.1 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2009 that will leave deficits of more than $400 billion this year and next, forcing his successor to grapple with a range of unpalatable choices to close the gap, according to lawmakers and budget experts."

The President's new budget is available on the White House website and through GPO Access. Additional presidential budget materials are on the White House Budget Management web page.

Source: Abramowitz, M., and Weisman, J. (Feb. 5, 2008). "Bush's Budget Projects Deficits: $3.1 Trillion Plan Would Freeze Most Domestic Spending." Washington Post. A01.

Developments in the Economic Stimulus Act Of 2008

From the Missoulian: "After adding disabled veterans to the list of those who will receive tax rebates but deleting illegal immigrants, members of Congress and the wealthiest Americans, the Senate Finance Committee approved on Wednesday an economic stimulus bill written by Chairman Max Baucus."

The Senate Finance Committee has issued several documents and press releases to describe the proposed Senate changes to House Bill 5140:

Finance Panel Approves Baucus Economic Stimulus Plan With Rebates For 20 Million Seniors, Disabled Veterans

Baucus Statement on Economic Stimulus

Grassley Praises Committee-Passed Economic Stimulus Package

A Simple Solution on Rebates

America's Seniors: A Prime Target for Economic Stimulus

Business Tax Relief: Expanded Options for Entrepreneurs in Tough Times

Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Help for Hurting Families, Quick Cash for the Economy

The Joint Committee on Taxation has issued numerous reports and budget estimates on the various economic stimulus plans:

Technical Explanation Of The Revenue Provisions Of H.R. 5140, The "Recovery Rebates And Economic Stimulus For The American People Act Of 2008"

Estimated Budget Effects Of The Revenue Provisions Contained In H.R. 5140, The "Recovery Rebates And Economic Stimulus For The American People Act Of 2008"

Distributional Effects Of A Proposal To Provide Tax Credits For Individual Taxpayers As Contained In H.R. 5140, The "Recovery Rebates And Economic Stimulus For The American People Act Of 2008"

Description Of The "Economic Stimulus Act Of 2008"

Estimated Budget Effects Of The "Economic Stimulus Act Of 2008," Scheduled For Markup By The Committee On Finance On January 30, 2008

Distributional Effects Of A Proposal To Provide Tax Credits For Individual Taxpayers As Contained In The "Economic Stimulus Act Of 2008," Scheduled For Markup By The Committee On Finance On January 30, 2008

Description of the Chairman's Modification to the Provisions of the "Economic Stimulus Act of 2008"

Estimated Budget Effects of the Chairman's Modification to the "Economic Stimulus Act of 2008"

Estimated Budget Effects Of The "Economic Stimulus Act Of 2008," As Ordered Reported By The Committee On Finance And Scheduled For Consideration On The Senate Floor On January 30, 2008

Source: Straub, N. (31 Jan. 2008). "Senate panel adds to rebate bill." Missoulian. A2.

New Ruling in Cobell v. Kempthorne

From the Great Falls Tribune: "A federal judge Wednesday ruled that the Interior Department has "unreasonably delayed" its accounting for billions of dollars owed to Indian landholders."

The most recent opinion in Civil Action No. 1996-1285, Cobell, et al v. Norton, et al, was issued by Judge James Robertson of the D.C. District Court (note: the opinion is a 165-page PDF).

Press releases from the plaintiffs' side of the case are available on the Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne website.

Source: Jalonick, M.C. (AP). (31 Jan. 2008). "Interior 'unreasonably delayed' Indian trust accounting." Great Falls Tribune.

House Economic Stimulus Bill

From the Washington Post: "The House overwhelmingly approved a $146 billion shot in the arm for the nation's ailing economy yesterday, sending a stimulus package to the Senate with a bipartisan appeal not to slow down the bill with significant changes."

House Bill 5140, the "Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008," passed 385-35 in roll call vote 25. The text of the bill and the bill status are available through THOMAS.

Source: Weisman, J. (30 Jan. 2008). "$146 Billion Stimulus Plan Passes House." Washington Post. A03.

Baucus Economic Stimulus Plan

From the Billings Gazette: "Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., on Monday asserted his role in shaping the economic stimulus package, revealing a detailed plan for a flat $500 rebate to any American with $3,000 in qualifying income."

Senator Max Baucus (for the Senate Finance Committee) issued a press release with information on the proposed stimulus plan. An Open Executive Session to consider "The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008" is scheduled for January 30, 2008.

Source: Straub, N. (29 Jan. 2008). "Baucus reveals his version of economic stimulus." Billings Gazette.

2008 State of the Union

From the Washington Post: "President Bush told the American people last night that his strategy to stabilize Iraq is achieving results "few of us could have imagined just one year ago," even as he sought to reassure the public that his new stimulus plan will stave off a recession that threatens to hobble the nation's economy during the final year of his presidency."

The text of the 2008 State of the Union speech is available on the White House website. Audio and video of the speech area also available.

The Democratic Party response to the State of the Union speech was presented by Governor Kathleen Sebelius. The text and video of the response are available on the Democratic National Committee website.

Source: Abramowitz, M. and Eggen, D. (29 Jan. 2008). "Bush Touts Iraq Progress, Economic Plan: State of the Union Reflects New Focus on Money Matters." Washington Post. A01.

New Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf Regulations

From the Billings Gazette: "Federal officials finalized rules that will make it easier to kill wolves in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho that are believed to be 'one of the major causes' of elk herds failing to meet state population goals."

The new rule from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been posted on the Western Gray Wolf homepage. A FWS press release summarizes the rule and offers answers to anticipated questions about the rule.

Source: Stark, M. (25 Jan. 2008). "New federal rules make it easier to kill wolves: Policy designed to help protect elk, farm animals from attack." Billings Gazette.

Bipartisan Economic Growth Agreement

From the Washington Post: "House leaders and the Bush administration reached agreement yesterday on a $150 billion economic stimulus package that would quickly send hundreds of dollars to poor and middle-class workers while offering businesses one-time incentives to invest in new equipment."

The Bipartisan Economic Growth Agreement is described on several government websites. The Speaker of the House website lists details of the agreement. The Treasury Department site also describes the agreement and includes a fact sheet with examples of how the agreement would benefit Americans. The White House website includes several articles and a fact sheet on the new agreement. More information is available on the White House Economy & Budget page.

The Senate Finance Committee is working an independent, alternative stimulus package for consideration in the Senate.

Sources: Weisman , J., and Baker, P. (25 Jan. 2008). "Bush, House Hammer Out $150 Billion Stimulus Bill: Tax Breaks a Central Element In Bipartisan Compromise." Washington Post. A01.
McKee, J. (25 Jan. 2008). "Economic stimulus: Baucus wants relief for 40 million more." Missoulian. A10.

Troy Mine Accident Report

From the Missoulian: "Michael Ivins died deep in the Troy Mine last summer because mine management failed to properly shore up the rock roof, despite repeated warnings of dangerous conditions.

"That's the conclusion of federal mine inspectors, who released their final report on Ivins' death Wednesday."

The final report of the July 30, 2007, "fatal fall of ground accident" at the Troy Mine is available on the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) website. A shorter, preliminary bulletin on the accident with best practices for the prevention of future accidents is also on the site.

Source: Jamison, M. (24 Jan. 2008). "Troy Mine found at fault in death." Missoulian. A1.

Potential Indian Health Care Improvement Act Veto

From the New York Times: "The Bush administration threatened to veto Senate legislation designed to improve health care on Indian reservations, objecting to provisions involving pay and benefits for workers on some projects. The legislation would increase screening and mental health programs at the Indian Health Service, improve tribe members' access to Medicare and Medicaid, and lead to new construction and modernization of health clinics on reservations."

The Statement of Administration Policy on bill S. 1200 is posted on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) website.

Information about Senate Bill 1200, the "Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2007," can be found on THOMAS.

Sources: AP (23 Jan. 2008). "Bush Threatens Veto of Indian Health Care Bill." New York Times.
Bremner, F. (23 Jan. 2008). "Congress considers revamping Indian health care system." Great Falls Tribune.

Economic Stimulus Packages

From the Missoulian: "Proposed tax rebates of up to $800 per person won't go out until at least early summer, even though the economy would benefit more if the money reached pocketbooks sooner, lawmakers learned Tuesday."

Peter Orszag, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), testified before the Senate Finance Committee yesterday at the "Strengthening America's Economy: Stimulus That Makes Sense" hearing. The prepared statements of Mr. Orszag, Senator Baucus, and Senator Grassley are posted on the hearing webpage.

Additional information on the current budget and economic outlook is available on the CBO website.

Source: Straub, N. (23 Jan. 2008). "Congress debates tax rebate." Missoulian. A1.

Canadian Border Rules to Change January 31, 2008

From the Department of Homeland Security press release: "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds travelers that beginning January 31, 2008, border crossers will be asked to present documents denoting citizenship and identity when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry. This change primarily affects United States and Canadian citizens, who have previously been permitted entry by oral declaration alone, and marks the transition toward standard and consistent documents for all travelers entering the country. It is also the start of a more robust and concerted public education campaign, intended to inform travelers of document requirements which will be implemented next year."

The DHS website includes details about changes to U.S. land border crossing procedures. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection website describes acceptable documentation for border crossing. The State Department website has more information on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Source: Hsu, S. S. (22 Jan. 2008). "ID Rules To Change For Canada Crossings: DHS Defies Congress By Going Forward Now." Washington Post. A02.

Federal Reserve Economic Outlook

From the Federal Reserve Beige Book: "Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest that economic activity increased modestly during the survey period of mid-November through December, but at a slower pace compared with the previous survey period. Among Districts, seven reported a slight increase in activity, two reported mixed conditions, and activity in three Districts was described as slowing."

The latest Federal Reserve "Beige Book," a survey and overview of current economic conditions, is available online.

Source: Aversa, J. (17 Jan. 2008). "Fed: Recession fears persist." Missoulian (AP story). A2.

Montana's Hospitals Report

From the Montana Department of Justice press release: "Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath Wednesday released the first Montana Hospitals Report (PDF) summarizing charity care and pricing at the state's 11 major nonprofit hospitals. The report presents information about hospital pricing, the charity care hospitals provide in return for their tax-exempt status, bad debt and collection practices, hospital surpluses and more. The report does not address hospital foundations."

The new report, "Montana's Hospitals: Issues and Facts Related to the Charitable Purposes of Our Hospitals and the Protection of Montana's Consumers," is available on the Montana Department of Justice website.

Source: Dennison, M. (17 Jan. 2008). "Report outlines hospitals' 'charity care'." Missoulian. A1.

REAL ID Regulation

From the Washington Post: "A new Bush administration plan to create national standards for driver's licenses drew heavy criticism yesterday from civil liberties groups, some Republican and Democratic lawmakers, governors, and the travel industry."

The new REAL ID regulation is described in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release. The DHS site includes the full Final Rule, a questions & answers document, and a privacy impact assessment.

Source: Linzer, D. (12 Jan. 2008). "ID Plan Is Broadly Criticized: Bipartisan Objections Cite Security, Costs and Privacy." Washington Post. A02.

Inflation in 2007

From the Washington Post: "Inflation spiked in 2007, driven by escalating food and energy costs that more than cancelled the wage gains earned by workers over the year."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks the Consumer Price Index (the primary inflation indicator). The BLS collects data on other important economic indicators, such as the Producer Price Index, import and export price indexes, consumer expenditures, and compensation data.

The Washington Post article also references new data released by the Census Bureau on retail sales in late 2007. The Census Bureau site includes other economic indicators related to sales, inventory, and trade.

Source: Schneider, H. (16 Jan. 2008). "Inflation Rate Spikes in 2007." Washington Post.

NTSB Safety Regulation and Bridge Collapse Report

From the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) press release: "The National Transportation Safety Board today issued a safety recommendation that addresses a design issue with the I-35W bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi river on August 1, 2007. In this accident, approximately 1,000 feet of the deck truss fell into the river, and as a result, 13 people died and 145 people were injured.

"The recommendation is made to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and states: 'for all non-load-path- redundant steel truss bridges within the National Bridge Inventory, require that bridge owners conduct load capacity calculations to verify that the stress levels on all structural elements, including gusset plates, remain within applicable design requirements, whenever planned modifications or operational changes may significantly increase stresses.'"

The NTSB recommendation letter and 20-page interim report on the collapse have been posted on the agency website.

In related news, the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission issued its final report, "Transportation for Tomorrow," yesterday. The report includes recommendations for upgrading the nation's surface transportation system.

Source: Wald, M.L., and Davey, M. (16 Jan. 2008). "States Advised to Check for a Bridge Design Flaw." New York Times.

Safety of Cloned Animal Products

From the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) press release: "After years of detailed study and analysis, the Food and Drug Administration has concluded that meat and milk from clones of cattle, swine, and goats, and the offspring of clones from any species traditionally consumed as food, are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals. There was insufficient information for the agency to reach a conclusion on the safety of food from clones of other animal species, such as sheep."

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) press release: "USDA fully supports and agrees with FDA's final assessment that meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones pose no safety concerns, and these products are no different than food from traditionally bred animals. . . . At the same time, we understand there are currently only about 600 animal clones in the U.S., and most of them are breeding animals, so few clones will ever arrive in the marketplace. Further, USDA has encouraged technology providers to maintain their voluntary moratorium on sending milk and meat from animal clones into the food supply during this transition time."

The FDA documents on the safety of meat and milk from cow, pig, and goat clones are available on the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) website:

Risk Assessment

Risk Management Plan

Guidance for Industry

The USDA collection page on the cloning risk assessment includes the statement of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, a questions and answers document on the FDA risk assessment, and other related documents.

Sources: Weiss, R. (15 Jan. 2008). "FDA Says Clones Are Safe For Food: Report Finds No Evidence of Risks." Washington Post. A01.
Weiss, R. (16 Jan. 2008). "USDA Recommends That Food From Clones Stay Off the Market." Washington Post. A03.

Rock Creek Project

From the Missoulian: "A controversial mining plan to tunnel beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness north of Noxon has passed a 'significant milestone'."

The Kootenai National Forest issued a letter of determination notifying Revett Minerals, Inc. "that they may conduct surface disturbing activities as authorized by their Plan of Operations after all the applicable conditions have been met as outlined in the Kootenai's Record of Decision (ROD) with respect to the Evaluation Audit."

Additional information on the Rock Creek Project, including supplemental information reports on fisheries and wildlife, the record of decision, and final biological opinions, are available on the Kootenai National Forest website.

Revett Minerals has a website devoted to the Rock Creek Project which includes permitting documents and technical reports.

Source: Jamison, M. (19 Dec. 2007). "Rock Creek mine clears hurdle." Missoulian. A1.

Farm Bill Update

From New West: "After a six-week standoff, the Senate approved a $286 billion Farm Bill on Friday by a vote of 79-14. The vote was the largest margin to pass the Farm Bill in over 30 years, but reaction to the final Bill has been anything but unanimous."

Information on the Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007, H.R. 2419, is available on THOMAS. The bill status feature links to Congressional Record transcriptions of debates and roll call vote results. Several versions of the bill are available on GPO Access:

Introduced in House

Reported in House

Engrossed in House

Placed on Calendar Senate

More information on the version of the Farm Bill that passed the Senate can be found on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry website.

Source: Lewellyn Schlegel, K. (18 Dec. 2007). "Senate Passes the Farm Bill." New West.

2008 Domestic Spending Bill

From the Washington Post: "The House last night approved a $515.7 billion domestic spending measure that shaves billions from spending levels desired by Democrats and uses emergency spending and other tactics to challenge President Bush on his budget demands.

"The legislation, which passed 253 to 154, funds every agency of government but the Defense Department for fiscal 2008. The House then voted 206 to 201 to approve an amendment that includes $31 billion for fighting in Afghanistan but none for the war in Iraq."

The House passed the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, H.R. 2764, yesterday. THOMAS has the latest text of the bill and the results of roll call votes 1171 and 1172.

Source: Weisman, J. (18 Dec. 2007). "House Approves Domestic Spending: Bush 'Pleased,' But Fight Looms Over Iraq Funds." Washington Post. A01.

Projections of Education Statistics to 2016

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has just released a new projection report: Projections of Education Statistics to 2016. According to NCES, the report includes data and projections "on enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools, and enrollment, earned degrees conferred, and current-fund expenditures of degree-granting institutions."

2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results

From the Missoulian: "Montana's American Indian high school students report using the drug methamphetamine at more than twice the rate reported by all Montana students.

"However, meth use has fallen dramatically since 1999, when more than one-fourth of Indian high school students on Montana's reservations reported using meth at least once."

The Montana results of the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) are available on the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) website. The OPI page includes the full 2007 reports, trend data, regional data, comparison data, and special reports (e.g., meth use, seatbelt use, tobacco use).

National information is available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System website. The most recent national data is from 2005. However, the site includes information on the content of and rationale for the 2007 survey. 2007 data for states other than Montana are hosted on the relevant state or local government website (e.g., the Wyoming 2007 data are hosted on the Wyoming Department of Education website).

Source: McKee, J. (8 Dec. 2007). "Indian teen meth use drops dramatically." Missoulian. A1.

Open Space Conservation Strategy

From the Forest Service press release: "The loss of open space threatens the sustainability of the Nation's forests and grasslands. We lose approximately 6,000 acres of open space each day across the United States - a rate of four acres per minute. Land development is outpacing population growth, especially in rural areas where the trend is low density, dispersed growth. The new Forest Service report "National Forests on the Edge" projects that over 21 million acres of rural private lands near national forests and 44 million acres of private forest land will undergo increases in housing density by 2030.

The new Open Space Conservation Strategy is available on the Forest Service's Open Space Conservation website. The site includes answers to frequently asked questions, a summary of public comments, and additional information on the loss of open space.

The Open Space Conservation site includes links to additional reports:

National Forests on the Edge: Development Pressures on America's National Forests and Grasslands

Forests on the Edge: Housing Development on America's Private Forests

Forests on the Edge: Case Studies of NW Washington, Maine and Georgia

Cooperating Across Boundaries: Partnerships to conserve open space across rural America

The site includes information on other reports in progress.

Energy Bill and Secure Rural Schools

From the Helena Independent Record: "Montana counties would receive $93.3 million over four years under a rural communities and school program extension tucked into the energy bill that the House will vote today."

The House passed the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, H.R. 6, today in roll call vote 1140. THOMAS provides the latest text of the bill and a Congressional Research Service (CRS) summary of many of the provisions of the bill.

This large bill addresses issues such as energy efficiency, biofuels, renewable energy, vehicle emissions, fuel economy, price gouging, and the secure rural schools initiative.

Sources: Straub, N. (6 Dec. 2007). "Funds extended for rural counties." Helena Independent Record.
Weisman, J. and Mufson, S. (7 Dec. 2007). "Broad Energy Bill Passed by House: Car Mileage, Renewable Power Addressed." Washington Post. A01.

Mortgage Industry Agreement

From the New York Times: "President Bush announced an agreement with the mortgage industry today to freeze interest rates for up to five years for some of the two million homeowners who bought houses recently with subprime loans."

The transcript of the President's statement on the mortgage industry agreement is available on the White House website. The site includes a fact sheet on the agreement and other information on homeownership.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has more information on the agreement, including details of the FHASecure plan. The Federal Housing Administration (part of HUD) site includes more information on mortgages and refinancing.

Source: Andrews, E. and Bajaj, V. (6 Dec. 2007). "Bush Announces Mortgage Agreement." New York Times.

Sierra Club v. Bosworth

From the Missoulian: "A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a Bush administration rule that allowed logging and burning projects in national forests without first analyzing their effects on the environment."

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling yesterday in Sierra Club v. Bosworth.

The Forest Service Ecosystem Management Coordination (EMC) website includes information on the categorical exclusion rules for hazardous fuels reduction. The Forest Service also has a page on NEPA implementation.

The EPA website offers some useful background information on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Source: Chea, T. (6 Dec. 2006). "9th Circuit rules against logging exemptions." Missoulian. A2.

Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities

From the New York Times: "A new assessment by American intelligence agencies released Monday concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen, contradicting a judgment two years ago that Tehran was working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb."

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) website links to the unclassified version of the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), "Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities." The DNI site also includes a statement by the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence.

The White House website includes press briefings on this issue, including a statement by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. A transcript of the President's press conference should be included on the site shortly.

Source: Mazzetti, M. (4 Dec. 2007). "U.S. Finds Iran Halted Its Nuclear Arms Effort in 2003." New York Times.

Campaign Contribution Filings

From the Missoulian: "Sen. Max Baucus took campaign contributions for a likely 2008 race from many of the industries he helps regulate and received nearly 91 percent of his individual donations from outside Montana.

"In doing so, Baucus followed the pattern of most incumbents at a time when U.S. Senate races typically cost millions of dollars. But Baucus, a prolific fundraiser and head of the powerful Finance Committee, topped all his Senate colleagues up for re-election next year with his out-of-state individual contributions."

You can investigate federal campaign contributions on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website. Click on "Campaign Finance Reports and Data" to search the disclosure database, download filings, or look at expenditure reports.

The disclosure database is particularly interesting as it allows you to view contributions made by individuals, see who has contributed to a particular candidate's campaign, and see the contributions made by political action committees.

Source: Straub, N. (3 Dec. 2007). "Baucus' campaign fills coffers with out-of-state funds." Missoulian. A1.

Nursing Home Rankings

From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) press release: "The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today released the first ranking of the nation's poor-performing nursing homes.

"Release of the national list of facilities, identified as special focus facilities (SFFs), is expected to offer individuals, seeking long-term health care services, and their families powerful new information when choosing nursing homes. "

The list of special focus facilities not showing significant improvement is available on the CMS website. The CMS site on nursing homes includes background information, current data on nursing homes, and other studies.

Source: Freking, K. (30 Nov. 2007). "Nursing homes: Evergreen on feds' worst list." Missoulian. A1.

Annapolis Conference

From the New York Times: "The Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed themselves on Tuesday to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008, setting a deadline for ending a conflict that has endured for six decades.

"The agreement stopped short of the binding negotiating outline that many Palestinians had hoped for, but it revived a peace process that the United States had left dormant for seven years."

The joint understanding agreed to by Israeli and Palestinian leaders has been posted on the State Department and White House websites.

The White House Peace in the Middle East website includes statements from President Bush and related press releases. The State Department site on the Middle East Peace processes includes official remarks at the Annapolis Conference, transcripts of Secretary Rice's interviews, and historic documents.

The Annapolis Conference website includes logistical information about the conference: participants, the schedule, and media information.

Source: Myers, S.L., and Cooper, H., (28 Nov. 2007). "Israel and Palestinians Set Goal of a Treaty in 2008." New York Times.

Revised Endangered Species Rulings

From the Billings Gazette: "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday reversed seven rulings that denied endangered species increased protection, after an investigation found the actions were tainted by political pressure from a former senior Interior Department official."

Information on the ruling reversals is available on the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) website. FWS has indicated they will revise the rulings on white-tailed prairie dogs, Canada lynx, Preble's meadow jumping mice, Hawaiian picture-wing flies, arroyo toads, and California red-legged frogs. The site includes the latest decision, specific memos requesting reviews, and other background information.

A post on July 27, 2007, covered the extent of the FWS decision review and linked to the relevant species. The investigation of Julie McDonald, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the FWS, is available on the Center for Biological Diversity website.

Source: Associated Press (28 Nov. 2007). "Endangered species rulings reversed." Billings Gazette.

Economic Benefits of National Wildlife Refuges

From the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) press release: "Recreational use on national wildlife refuges generated almost $1.7 billion in total economic activity during fiscal year 2006, according to a new report released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The report, titled Banking on Nature 2006: The Economic Benefits to Local Communities of National Wildlife Refuge Visitation was compiled by Service economists."

The new report, Banking on Nature 2006: The Economic Benefits to Local Communities of National Wildlife Refuge Visitation, is posted on the FWS website. The report is also available in MS-Word format.

The website for the National Wildlife Refuge System links to other background information.

Source: Associated Press (27 Nov. 2007). "National wildlife refuges generate $1.7B economy." Billings Gazette.

Yellowstone Snowmobile Use

From the Billings Gazette: "Up to 540 snowmobiles a day will be allowed into Yellowstone National Park and Sylvan Pass will remain open during the winter when it's shown to be safe, according to a decision released today by the National Park Service."

The Record of Decision regarding Yellowstone winter use is available on the Yellowstone National Park website under "Management." Other winter use technical documents are accessible on the Yellowstone site as well.

Source: Stark, M. (20 Nov. 2007). "Park Service sets guidelines for Yellowstone snowmobile use." Billings Gazette.

Hate Crime Statistics, 2006

From the FBI press release: "Statistics released today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that 7,722 criminal incidents involving 9,080 offenses were reported in 2006 as a result of bias against a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or physical or mental disability. Published by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Hate Crime Statistics, 2006, includes data from hate crime reports submitted by law enforcement agencies throughout the Nation."

The report, Hate Crime Statistics, 2006, is available on the FBI website.

Source: Fears, D. (20 Nov. 2007). "Hate Crime Reporting Uneven: Miss. Cites None, Following Trend In Much of South." Washington Post. A03.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report

From the New York Times: "Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, describing climate change as 'the defining challenge of our age,' released the final report of a United Nations panel on climate change here on Saturday and called on the United States and China to play 'a more constructive role.'"

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) website includes the summary of the Fourth Assessment Report (the "Synthesis Report"). The website also links to earlier reports.

Source: Rosenthal, E. (18 Nov. 2007). "U.N. Chief Seeks More Climate Change Leadership." New York Times.

Montana Climate Change Advisory Committee

From the Governor's press release: "At a news conference today Governor Brian Schweitzer announced a new initiative seeking a 20% reduction in energy consumption by state agencies by the year 2010. He also discussed the climate change report presented to him today by the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality Richard Opper and announced that Montana has joined the Western Climate Initiative."

The state website includes links to the Final Report of the Climate Change Advisory Committee. The Climate Change Advisory Committee's 54 policy recommendations are outlined in the executive summary and are explained in more detail in the appendices.

The Western Climate Initiative website includes work plans and other documents.

Source: Dennison, M. (20 Nov. 2007). "Governor releases goals on emissions." Missoulian. A1.

2007 Montana Kids Count Data Book

From the Missoulian: "Juvenile arrests in Missoula County slipped from 2,007 in 2000 to 1,824 in 2006. Child abuse also fell from 979 cases at the start of the decade to 796 last year."

The new data comes from the 2007 Montana Kids Count Data Book. The book is available on the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) website.

Source: Chaney, R. (16 Nov. 2007). "Arrests of juveniles on decline, study shows." Missoulian. B1.

West-Wide Energy Corridor

From the Department of Energy press release: "The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense today released for public review and comment a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft PEIS) proposing designation of energy transport corridors on Federal lands in 11 Western States in accordance with Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The proposed energy corridors would facilitate future siting of oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution on Federal lands in the West to help address growing energy demand while protecting the environment."

The project website includes the West-Wide Energy Corridor Draft Programmatic EIS [Environmental Impact Statement]. The site also includes maps of the proposed project and information on how to comment on the project.

Source: Brown, M. (16 Nov. 2007). "Energy corridors proposed across public lands in West." Missoulian. B1.

Report on Missoula's Initiative 2

From the Missoulian: "It's hard to say whether the number of pot prosecutions dropped since Missoula voters passed a referendum aimed at downplaying marijuana offenses last year - in other words, no one knows whether Initiative 2 is working."

The Missoula County Initiative No. MCSO2006-02 Community Oversight Committee issued the first required report on Initiative 2. The committee website also links to the text of the original initiative.

Source: Scott, T. (15 Nov. 2007). "Still unclear if marijuana initiative working." Missoulian. A1.

"War at Any Price" Report

From the Joint Economic Committee press release: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) along with Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Chairman Sen. Charles E. Schumer, JEC Vice-Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer released a new report exposing the hidden costs of the war in Iraq. The Joint Economic Committee report entitled, 'War at Any Price? The Total Economic Costs of the War' details the high hidden economic costs of the war in Iraq beyond the direct budgetary appropriations, including interest costs of borrowing these funds, lost investment, long term veteran's health care, and oil market disruptions. The JEC estimates these costs could total $3.5 trillion depending on how long President Bush pursues the same course of action in Iraq. "

The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) report, "War at Any Price? The Total Economic Costs of the War," is currently available on the JEC website. The JEC site includes numerous related charts.

The Republican party has issued two responses to the report, one on November 13th and one on November 14th.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) also produces analyses for the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sources: White, J. (13 Nov. 2007). "'Hidden Costs' Double Price Of Two Wars, Democrats Say." Washington Post. A14.
White, J. (14 Nov. 2007). "Republicans Seek Retraction of Report on Wars' 'Hidden Costs'." Washington Post. A03.

Border Security Report

From the Billings Gazette: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection must hire and retain more officers and increase training in order to fix serious shortcomings in detecting people and goods that should not enter the country, senators and officials said Tuesday."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report that audits border security issues: Border Security: Despite Progress, Weaknesses in Traveler Inspections Exist at Our Nation's Ports of Entry.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs held a hearing yesterday: "Human Capital Needs of the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection." The hearing page includes prepared testimony from witnesses.

Source: Straub, N. (14 Nov. 2007). "Turnover, shortfalls plague border agency: Officials point to low morale, problems with staffing." Billings Gazette.

Terrorism: 2002-2005

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published an interesting report recently on incidents of terrorism in the United States: Terrorism: 2002-2005. An HTML version of the report is also available.

The report discusses significant events in the past several years, describes government activities to counter terrorism, and offers other background information. The report also lists terrorist incidents in the U.S. from 1980 through 2005.

Recent Bills Passed in Congress

From the Washington Post: "A year after Democrats won control of Capitol Hill, Congress delivered its clearest victory yet over President Bush yesterday, resoundingly overturning his veto of a $23 billion water resources measure -- the first veto override of Bush's presidency.

"The 79 to 14 vote in the Senate was followed last night by final passage of a huge, $151 billion health, education and labor spending bill. House and Senate negotiators also reached agreement on a transportation and housing bill that increases spending on highway repair in the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse and boosts foreclosure assistance in the midst of a housing crisis."

The bill that was passed through overriding the President's veto is H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

The other bill referenced in the article is H.R. 3043, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008.

Source: Weisman, J. (9 Nov. 1007). "A Bush Veto Is Overridden for the 1st Time: With Action on Spending Bills, Hill Signals Fight With White House Over Priorities." Washington Post. A04.

Mukasey Nomination and Confirmation

From the Washington Post: "A divided Senate narrowly confirmed former federal judge Michael B. Mukasey last night as the 81st attorney general, giving the nominee the lowest level of congressional support of any Justice Department leader in the past half-century."

You can see how senators voted by looking at the results of Senate roll call vote 407.

Prior to the confirmation vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on October 17 and October 18 with Michael Mukasey. The web page for the October 18 hearing includes records of questions and answers for the (then) nominee.

Source: Eggen, D. and Kane, P. (9 Nov. 2007). "Senate Confirms Mukasey By 53-40: Historically Low Tally for New Attorney General." Washington Post. A01.

Bitterroot Resort Economic Impact Analysis

The Bitterroot Resort Economic Impact Analysis, produced by the Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation and the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce, is available on the MAEDC website.

Source: Moy, C. (8 Nov. 2007). "Numbers on resort out today: Meeting set for 7 p.m." Missoulian. B1.