January 8, 2007: Senate Ethics Bill Will Come Up Tomorrow; Feinstein Talks About Earmarks

[14:59]
Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA) says that the ethics bill, S1, will be called up by her and Susan Collins (ME) tomorrow.  The very same bill, she says, passed the Senate 90-8 last year before stalling in the House.  Of course, if amendments are being offered then the final bill could look different than the one that passed the Senate last year.  Feinstein is now saying that "earmark" language is going to be the hard part.  Feinstein, a "big-state" senator has no problems with earmarks and notes that California sends more to the gov't in the way of taxes than it gets back in the way of earmarks.  However, she says that if a senator adds an earmark her name should be on that earmark and that she's just fine with having her own name attached to the earmarks she attempts to land.  Finally, she says that earmarks added "in the dead of night" or without passing through the appropriations committee should need to garner 60 votes to pass, similar to the point of order rule under Rule 28 for non-germane amendments.

She is also talking about holds....  She says sometimes mischief is behind holds, and that holds are sometimes meant only to make a point.  That if earmarks are no longer anonymous holds should no longer be anonymous.

Earlier:

• Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) spoke about S1, the Senate's ethics bill.  It looks like senators will be allowed to add amendments to this bill, unlike in the House.  The bill will be called up tomorrow and debate will start this week.  Apparently, there will be six or seven days of debate where senators can add amendments.

• The Senate passed a resolution honoring the late president Gerald R. Ford.  And, senator Charles Grassley (IA) spoke for twenty-five minutes about putative Democrat efforts to change the language in 2003's Medicare bill wherein the government cannot negotiate prescription drug prices.  Grassley said that no, the bill was not perfect, but if it ain't broke don't fix it.  Polls show that seniors think the new Medicare law is working.  Also, the government is inept when it comes to setting prices.