Happy Tax Day! Here are some stories being reported on the Senate and its members for today.
General News
- From yesterday, The American Spectator reports that today’s Republican Caucus lunch meeting may include some further discussion on judicial nominations. Republicans, led by Senator Specter (R-PA), have been threatening for a few weeks now to bring all work in the Senate to a screeching halt if Judiciary Committee Democrats and Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) do not move more swiftly to give judges, especially circuit judges, an up or down vote. According to the report, a majority of Republican members have so far reacted positively to more aggressive actions against Senate Democrats.
- Members of the recently created House / Senate caucus aimed at ending all earmarks are still requesting them, The Hill reports. They have apparently modified their position by stating that they will work to end new earmarks but will not fight as fiercely against earmarks aimed at completing previously created projects.
- Senator Inouye (D-HI) threw his support behind Senator Byrd (D-WV) to maintain his chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As we’ve been reporting since last week, rumors continue to fly that Democrats are discussing possible replacements for the 90-year-old Senator behind closed doors. The article quotes the Senator as saying: “This is unusual. If someone has a problem, we all step in to help. Now all of a sudden they want to throw people out? That’s not the way to do it.” Update: The Crypt previews the importance of Senator Byrd’s performance at a hearing with the White House Budget Director over the new war spending bill.
- Martha Stewart comes to Washington? It’s true! She will be in attendance tomorrow at a hearing conducted by the Senate Aging Committee on expanding and training the country’s long-term care work force.
Election News
- Senator Biden (D-DE) will give a speech today at Georgetown University criticizing Senator McCain’s (R-AZ) foreign policy saying he “remains wedded to the Bush Administration’s myopic view of a world defined by terrorism,” The Crypt reports. The speech will reportedly hit on various themes revolving around America’s security. Senator Biden has been rumored as a top candidate for secretary of state if a Democrat is elected president in November.
Check back for updates throughout the day on this post.
