From: cp-del@nationaljournal.com
To: undisclosed-recipients@enron.com
Date: 2001-10-19 22:18:52+00:00
Subject: National Journal's CongressDaily - Friday, October 19, 2001

National Journal's CongressDaily
Issue date:  October 19, 2001
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TRADE
White House Intensifies Push For Trade Authority Bill
   The White House is mounting an aggressive campaign to pass
presidential trade negotiating authority, pushing for approval in
both the House and the Senate before the end of the year.
Groundwork for the current effort was laid in July, when it
appeared the House might schedule a vote. "The president thinks
it's absolutely necessary that it gets done," said one senior
White House official. But causing problems are President Bush's
views on agriculture, which several lawmakers are linking to
their support for trade negotiating authority. The White House
rejected legislation authored by House Agriculture Chairman
Combest and ranking member Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, that was
recently approved by the House. Neither Combest nor Stenholm has
committed to backing trade negotiating authority, and pro-trade
strategists consider their support indispensable. House
legislators who met with Bush on trade earlier this week decried
the lack of a specific administration agriculture policy.
   But the White House appears ready to move decisively. White
House senior adviser Karl Rove, Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Bolten
and OMB Director Daniels met behind closed doors Thursday with
several commodity group officials. According to sources familiar
with the session, the Bush aides laid out several markers for a
potential Bush farm policy and indicated they would try to craft
a specific proposal, emphasizing they would be flexible and work
with others, such as Combest. But sources emphasized that the
meeting was also an effort separate from trade. With a farm bill
passed in the House and the expectation that new Democratic-
sponsored legislation will begin to move in the Senate as early
as next week, the White House wants to wade more forcefully into
the agriculture debate.
   Bush will begin to talk about trade negotiating authority much
more frequently, aides said. Cabinet officials are being tasked
both to lobby and publicly pitch the bill. Secretary of State
Powell wrote an op-ed article in The Wall Street Journal this
week touting the legislation, and Treasury Secretary O'Neill and
Commerce Secretary Evans staged an appearance on the White House
driveway today to do the same. Evans and Trade Representative
Zoellick have already lobbied dozens of lawmakers. And an
interagency task force chaired by White House Legislative Affairs
Director Nicholas Calio and Deputy National Security Adviser Gary
Edson meets at least twice a week.
   But despite the passage in committee last week of Ways and
Means Chairman Thomas' bill, the outlook remains unclear, the
senior White House official acknowledged. "I think it's a little
up in the air between the two chambers," the official said,
pointing to rancor among Democrats who allege that Thomas did not
make sufficient effort to include them or their views in crafting
his bill. "There are some obvious problems with the atmosphere in
the House relative to this issue - which we think is an absolute
shame - because while I think some folks could question how
Chairman Thomas did it, the fact of the matter is he went farther
on labor and the environment than any previous trade bill in
history," the official said. - by Keith Koffler
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

TRADE
Textile State Members Convey Concerns To Thomas
   House Ways and Means Chairman Thomas met this week with
members from textile states to discuss their concerns about
moving forward with legislation to restore the president's trade
negotiating authority. The textile industry has been hit hard by
trade expansion in the last 20 years, as companies have shifted
operations abroad to countries with lower pay scales and where
textile production has become less labor intensive. GOP House
leaders have made passage of what they call trade promotion
authority a top priority, but a solid margin of victory depends
on the support of as many Republicans as possible, and a number
of those members come from textile producing states.
   "Ways and Means has usually turned a deaf ear to the textile
industry," Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., said. This was not meant to
suggest, he said, a particular antipathy for that industry but
rather was a statement of the panel's inclination for free trade.
Coble said he and many other textile state legislators want free
trade "laced with fair trade" and stressed this to Thomas, whom
he described as willing to listen. Coble echoed the industry's
contention that the "dyeing, finishing and printing has to be
done here."
   Thomas' legislation, approved by his committee last week, and
awaiting action on the House floor as early as next week,
accommodates some of the concerns of textile state members, said
Rep. Mac Collins, R-Ga., also a Ways and Means member. He said he
believes Thomas' bill contains "strong report language"
instructing negotiators to make sure there are ways to closely
monitor adherence to textile provisions in future trade pacts. He
said there is also added emphasis in the U.S. Customs Service to
prevent transshipments, a device used to skirt trade rules by
misrepresenting the true source of a textile product.
   "This is the first time since I have been on the committee
there has been an open ear," said Collins, reflecting on the way
Thomas has handled the development of the bill. Collins said he
would vote for Thomas' bill during the floor vote as he did in
committee. But another member from a textile state, who asked not
to be identified, is still uneasy and will not support Thomas'
bill unless there are changes. His aide explained that Thomas and
GOP leaders must recognize that there remain serious concerns
among agriculture state legislators, especially after recent
administration statements that were critical of the House farm
bill's provisions designed to stem the effects of expanding
trade. The aide said GOP leaders would have to accommodate these
concerns in order to marshal enough votes for passage. - by
Stephen Norton
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

HEALTH
Senate Leaders Waiting For Anthrax Sweep To Finish
   Health officials today continued to sweep Senate office
buildings to look for traces of anthrax, as the Senate stood in
recess. Senate Minority Leader Lott said leaders had not yet
decided whether to open the Senate office buildings for business
Monday. "That call will be made over the weekend," he said. Lott
said it would be possible that the Dirksen and Russell buildings
would be open, while only the Hart building - where anthrax was
delivered to Majority Leader Daschle's office - would remain
closed. But that scenario could pose logistical problems for
Senate officials, since Hart staffers would have to be relocated
to other buildings. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said officials
would announce the status of the buildings at 5 p.m. Sunday.
   Health officials said today that at least three of the swab
tests conducted on people earlier this week have proven to be
false positives. The number of positive tests now stands at 28:
two from the office of Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., six from
law enforcement agencies and 20 from Daschle's staff. Health
officials said a total of 3,900 swabs have been conducted, with
results in on 1,400. Most were conducted on those who worked in
or visited the Hart building Monday. One of the initial positive
swabs that since has been found to be negative was obtained at
the U.S. Capitol Police off-site delivery center, meaning all
current positive swabs come from the immediate area in or
adjacent to Daschle's office; Feingold's office is next door.
   As a precaution, Daschle's staff and others in the fifth and
sixth floors of the southeast quadrant of the Hart building are
being kept on a 60-day regimen of antibiotics. Even those who get
a negative result on a nasal swab test could have come in contact
with anthrax, since spores can enter the body through the lungs
or through open cuts. Frist and other health officials who gave a
briefing today faced criticism for the Capitol's response to the
incident - including the initial establishment of a close
perimeter outside Daschle's office that allowed reporters and
staff access to the corridors of the Hart building. "In light of
the circumstances, we're going to go back and look at our
procedures again," said Lt. Dan Nichols, a Capitol Police
spokesman. Frist also confirmed a report that exposed Daschle
staffers were instructed to bring their exposed clothing into the
Capitol for testing, although it was determined there was "no
health hazard" posed by the clothing.
   Regardless of the state of any building closures, the Senate
is scheduled to be in session Tuesday, when a cloture vote on the
FY02 Foreign Operations appropriations bill is scheduled. A Lott
spokesman said there was still "no deal" on moving judicial
nominees, and that Republicans will try to defeat cloture, as
they did last week. "Hopefully we can come to some sort of
agreement so this wont have to happen again," said the spokesman.
- by Geoff Earle
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

HEALTH
New Anthrax Reports Deemed Apparent Hoaxes
   Mailed envelopes containing white powder have been received by
three additional lawmakers, but appear to be hoaxes, authorities
and members said. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., received a letter
at his district office Thursday containing white powder, but the
substance tested negative for anthrax, aides told the Boston
Globe. The envelope bore a Boston return address that turned out
to be fictitious and contained a threatening letter. In Arkansas,
GOP Sen. Tim Hutchinson also received a letter Thursday in his El
Dorado office from a prisoner in the Union County jail. The
letter included threatening language and a white substance that
appeared to be dried toothpaste, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
And in Tennessee, envelopes containing white powder were also
sent to offices of Republican Sen. Bill Frist and GOP Rep. Ed
Bryant, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reported. "In my view, most
of these anthrax scares are the product of local people who are
copycats, pranksters, or people who have relatively simple
minds," said Bryant. Preliminary tests on the envelopes were not
available.
   Meanwhile, Kennedy's spokesman today told the Associated Press
that Kennedy is working on bioterrorism legislation costing $5
billion to $10 billion that the Senate could act as early as next
week. The plan may include provisions that would make it easier
for the government and the drug industry to cooperate to speed up
research and production of new vaccines and drugs to combat
bioterrorism threats. Kennedy already has been working with Frist
on a $1.4 billion measure, much of that going to local and state
governments to upgrade computers, help communities plan for
disasters, increase staffing, give training to more workers and
improve health laboratories. Minority Leader Lott said Thursday
that bioterrorism provisions could be added to the anti-terrorism
bill that could win approval next week.
   In a telephone briefing to all House members this afternoon,
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said teams will sweep the Capitol
complex today and Saturday, allowing health officials the
required 36 hours to process the results. "They are doing that in
a very methodical way," DeLauro said. A spokesman for House
Speaker Hastert said this afternoon that leaders do not yet have
test results back for a suspicious letter handled in Hastert's
fourth floor Capitol office. The FBI Wednesday collected a letter
that had handwriting similar to those on anthrax-tainted letters
addressed to Senate Majority Leader Daschle and NBC News
anchorman Tom Brokaw. "Nothing's back yet. It takes awhile," the
Hastert spokesman said. Similarly, the spokesman said that teams
sweeping the Capitol complex for anthrax would need several days
to process their work. The House is still scheduled to return
next week Tuesday, the spokesman said. - by Mark Wegner
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

TAXES
Retailers Propose Sales Tax Holiday As Part Of Stimulus
   With their eye toward the Senate, the nation's retailers are
beginning to push a proposal for the economic stimulus package
that would institute a 10-day, nationwide sales tax moratorium to
bolster consumer spending during the all-important Christmas
shopping season. The National Retail Federation is arguing that,
with more than two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product
attributable to consumer spending, the Senate bill must contain
more direct stimulus than the one passed by the House Ways and
Means Committee last week.
   That is not to say the group is completely dissatisfied with
the House proposal, particularly the provisions that would fatten
consumers' pocketbooks - namely the acceleration of the 25
percent tax bracket and the tax rebate for low-income Americans.
But overall, the group is critical of House leaders' decision to
include corporate alternative minimum tax breaks and some other
expensive items that may not provide an immediate boost to the
economy. "It tends to look more like a garden variety omnibus tax
bill than it does a stimulus package," said Steve Pfister, senior
vice president of government relations at the NRF. The group said
that because the nation's economy relies so much on spending,
more of the stimulus package should be focused on increasing
consumer sales, which fell 2.4 percent in September - the largest
drop in 10 years. Under the NRF proposal currently being shopped
around Capitol Hill and among interest groups, states and
localities could choose to suspend sales taxes on all items,
including cars, during a 10-day period likely starting the day
after Thanksgiving. Congress would then reimburse states for lost
revenue.
   Currently, eight of the 45 states that collect sales taxes
have these holidays, which the NRF claims would boost sales even
during the sales-heavy holiday season. Pfister also noted that
the cost of the proposal, $4 billion to $7 billion, is "not
monumental" given the boost it could provide to struggling retail
outlets, which rely on fourth-quarter sales to make up 30 percent
to 50 percent of their annual business. "This is doing what the
president wanted, providing a temporary immediate stimulus,
putting money in people's pockets," said Pfister. "And it should
be on the table as this process goes forward." - by Bill Ghent
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

FINANCE
Lawmakers Grapple With Crafting Reinsurance Measure
   With the specter of future terrorist acts looming, the
question before Congress is no longer whether, but how, to craft
a legislative package aimed at correcting a market weakness
resulting from reinsurers refusing to back up property and
casualty insurers for such damages, sources concurred today. The
deadline is Dec. 31, given that most insurers and reinsurers must
renegotiate their contracts by Jan. 1. During the next few weeks,
the key will be to craft a package that adequately balances
industry versus taxpayer exposure, in short, "what makes the most
economic sense," said Robert Hunter, director of insurance for
the Consumer Federation of America. "Members want to try to grasp
the true economic ramifications of having a federal backstop and
Treasury [Department] involvement in the area of insurance
against terrorist acts," added one industry observer. "The
devil's in the details," said Robert Rusbuldt of the Independent
Insurance Agents of America, whose members sell 75 percent of all
commercial business insurance.
   "The big thing is we've got to charge a premium" to the
industry in return for the government aid, said Hunter. "Some
premium that is actuarily sound, that hopefully, would allow the
taxpayer to break even over time. You can't just give it away -
that's absurd." Hunter suggested the deductible be related to an
individual company's surplus. "That way you keep the industry
whole and strong," Hunter added. "Reasonable people" across the
political spectrum will rally around the idea that "taxpayers
need protection as much as the industry," Hunter predicted.
Congress must also decide whether to include in the package a
proposal by the life insurance community for a government study
on the economic impact of future terrorist acts on that industry.
   But there is some skepticism regarding the underlying package,
as well. "We want a backstop, not a bailout," said one Republican
congressional source. "It must also be temporary in nature," the
source added. "We don't want to see the federal government in the
insurance business." Meanwhile, the White House has effectively
vetoed the property and casualty industry's proposal, while the
White House legislative plan has been panned by fiscal
conservatives in Congress as an industry bailout.
   In the Senate, Banking ranking member Phil Gramm, R-Texas, and
Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., are working together on a bill,
which could be ready for presentation next week. The ability of
those two legislators to reach a consensus would signal a plan
that could satisfy a range of political ideologies. "We're trying
to find common ground . obviously mindful that the clock is
ticking on this," a Dodd spokesman said today. In the House,
Financial Services Chairman Oxley and Rep. Richard Baker, R-La.,
are sketching out their own ideas for legislation. A Financial
Services subcommittee hearing scheduled for this week on the
subject had to be postponed twice because of the anthrax scare at
the Capitol, but the panel is aiming to reschedule it next week,
possibly Tuesday, sources said. The Senate Banking Committee also
may have a hearing in the works for next week, sources said. - by
Pamela Barnett
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Blue Dogs, New Dems, CBC Consider Leadership Races
   House Democrats say they are weary from the long-running
minority whip contest that elevated Rep. Nancy Pelosi of
California to their second highest leadership post, but members
from various party factions are beginning to look for their own
seats at the leadership table. "Over the years, we have discussed
the fact when a leadership position opens up that we consider a
race," said Rep. Max Sandlin of Texas, a prominent member of the
Blue Dog Coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats. "As
our group has coalesced and grown, it seems only right that we
have a Blue Dog or New Democrat" in leadership. Sandlin, who has
compiled a moderate voting record, publicly backed Pelosi's
election and has had ties to the party's liberal wing. Some see
him as a potential candidate for some Democratic leadership
position. "I have thought of that, and have been approached by
some members of the Blue Dog Coalition and other members,"
Sandlin said.
   But space within leadership ranks already is becoming crowded.
Minority Leader Gephardt and Pelosi next year will occupy the
party's two top posts in the minority, and Reps. Robert Menendez
of New Jersey and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut already have said
they would run for the No. 3 position held by term-limited Caucus
Chairman Martin Frost of Texas. Currently, Menendez and DeLauro
hold the respective fourth and fifth leadership posts, and it is
unclear whether a third Democrat would join the race to succeed
Frost. Rep. Jim Turner of Texas, a Blue Dog co-chairman, said the
group began talking about leadership opportunities even before
Pelosi's election last week over Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
"The Blue Dogs have informally discussed the importance of having
an impact in the outcome of that race," he said, adding that the
group has not ruled out any of the races below Democratic whip.
"I think that all of these are a possibility."
   Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas said the Congressional Black
Caucus has had similar informal discussions. "No leadership door
is closed," Jackson Lee said, adding, "There are many good
candidates in the CBC." Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who has
previously chaired the CBC, said he has gotten inquiries. "[Rep.]
Earl Hilliard called me a couple of days ago and said I should
run," Clyburn said of his Alabama colleague. "I said, 'Let's talk
about it.'" Clyburn, who said he is looking at "some entry level"
leadership post, said it is too early to begin campaigning,
noting that leadership positions could change. "I'm not too sure
exactly how that's going to be defined," Clyburn said. "What the
structure is today may not be the structure the next time
around." For example, after DeLauro lost a 1998 race against
Frost to head the Caucus, Gephardt created a special assistant
position. No leadership races are likely until after next year's
election, which will also shape the contests. A Democratic
majority would promote Gephardt to speaker while minority status
could lead to his departure, possibly to seek the presidency in
2004. - by Mark Wegner
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

REDISTRICTING
Kennedy Supporter On Redistricting Panel Challenged
   Government watchdog groups say the campaign treasurer for Rep.
Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., has a conflict of interest in sitting on
the redistricting commission that will redraw congressional
district borders, the Providence Journal reported. State
Democratic Rep. William San Bento, who has been Kennedy's
campaign treasurer since 1994, was appointed to the 16-member
commission by House Speaker John Harwood in July. But his role in
the Kennedy campaign only began receiving attention over the past
two weeks, after Kennedy himself questioned whether his former
chief of staff, Anthony Marcella, should be on the redistricting
panel. H. Philip West, executive director of the government-
watchdog group Common Cause of Rhode Island, said he had not
known about San Bento's involvement with the Kennedy campaign
until told by a reporter, but he said San Bento does have a
conflict of interest and should recuse himself from congressional
redistricting decisions. San Bento said he sees no conflict of
interest since he receives no pay and is only one of 16 votes.
   Meanwhile, an Illinois circuit court judge Thursday dismissed
a lawsuit filed by Democratic Rep. David Phelps challenging a new
redistricting map adjusted for the loss of one congressional
seat, according to the Springfield State Journal-Review. Phelps,
who was redistricted into the neighboring district of GOP Rep.
Tim Johnson by the new map, argued the new districts are not
compact, are politically gerrymandered and fail to protect
communities of interest. The judge ruled that Phelps had not
raised any constitutional or federal issue and so he dismissed
it. Phelps has said he intends to run in the newly created 19th
District against GOP Rep. John Shimkus.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

ECONOMY
Consumer Prices Rise In September
   Consumer prices edged up in September, pushed higher by the
biggest jump in gasoline prices in 15 months, the Labor
Department reported today. The Consumer Price Index rose by 0.4
percent last month, the largest increase since May. The advance
came after a tiny 0.1 percent increase in August. Meanwhile, the
Commerce Department reported that the United States' trade
deficit shrank to $27.1 billion in August, 7 percent below a July
imbalance of $29.2 billion. The improvement reflected a 1.1
percent drop in imports, the fifth straight monthly decline, and
a small 1 percent increase in U.S. exports.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

POLITICS
Bond To Host Event For Sununu
   Sen. Christopher (Kit) Bond, R-Mo., is planning to host a
fundraising event in Washington for New Hampshire Republican Rep.
John Sununu's challenge of GOP Sen. Bob Smith, the Nashua
Telegraph reported. "John has been an effective leader in the
House from day one. He'll be a great senator. He'll make New
Hampshire proud," said Bond. Senate Republicans largely have
remained neutral or have supported Smith. The $1,000 per-person
event is slated for Nov. 4.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

ATTACK UPDATE
   U.S. special forces have begun operations on the ground in
Afghanistan, officials confirmed today, opening a significant and
dangerous new phase of the assault against the Taliban and
terrorists, the Associated Press reported. Members of the
secretive forces were supporting efforts by the intelligence
community to undermine the Taliban regime in southern
Afghanistan, said a U.S. official. A Pakistani official said that
country was told that special forces were dropped into Taliban
territory Thursday. The source said U.S. forces have also been in
anti-Taliban northern alliance territory of Afghanistan for more
than one week.
   U.S. warplanes eased their bombardment after dawn today,
Islam's holy day. In Pakistan, a Taliban official said his side
had nothing to fear from U.S. commandos. "Fifteen or 20 troops
will be able to do nothing," embassy spokesman Sohail Shaheen
said. "If they want to send in soldiers, they should send in
100,000. Then it can be a fight between our soldiers and theirs."
President Bush refused to confirm the presence of U.S. ground
forces in Afghanistan but said, "We will use whatever means are
necessary to achieve our objective."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

THE FRIDAY BUZZ
   Dark Humor. A week that inspired both fear and terror on
Capitol Hill also prompted senators to engage in a bit of dark
humor, once they were assured that staff who had come in contact
with spores of anthrax this week would be okay. "We do need humor
right now; we really do," explained Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
who appeared Thursday night on "Late Night" with David Letterman.
A common topic was the antibiotic Cipro, which many senators and
staff are taking as a precaution. But the fun-loving Sen. John
Breaux, D-La., was searching for an even better cocktail. "I'm
trying to see if I can take a combo-pack of Viagra and Cipro
together," he quipped. "I'll be happier and healthier."
   Other jokes focused on the Capitol mail, which posed the
danger of spreading the disease. Minority Whip Nickles proclaimed
after the initial scare that he planned to keep opening his mail
- "Except for my Citibank, Visa, and American Express." Sen.
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, known for his humor on the campaign trail
and gospel singing, was asked whether he had received any
suspicious packages. "I did get a CD from [country artists]
Brooks and Dunn singing one of my CDs, and it was unbelievable,"
he said. Asked whether such a recording constituted an act of
terrorism, Hatch replied, "It was counter-terrorism."
   Others riffed on the once taboo - but now wacky - theme of
public contamination. Nickles began one interview outside the
Senate chamber with a series of exaggerated hacking coughs,
although a few scribes braved the phlegm to pursue information
about the Senate schedule. McCain, a known jokester, warned that
his Commerce Committee staff director, Mark Buse, had a "variety
of communicable diseases." Among them: premature balding,
terminal illness, and ugliness. Buse took the ribbing in good
spirit, although he must have been buoyed when a reporter
observed that hair loss was a sign of virility.
   Reporters got a few laughs at the expense of Majority Leader
Daschle, who inspired broad support among members and staff for
his handling of the situation. Daschle is a known master of
understatement. During a recent news conference when Republicans
were thwarting his legislative plans, he used variations of the
word "disappointed" - a staple of his vocabulary - all of six
times. So it was not at all unusual that when he learned Monday
that someone was trying to infect him and his staff that Daschle
remarked that he was "very, very disappointed." But by the end of
the week, even the even-keeled Daschle's blood was up: He said he
was "angered that this has happened."
   The diminutive Daschle even poked fun at himself on the Senate
floor late this week, when Majority Whip Reid praised him for
"standing tall" during a difficult crisis. "I guess I would just
note that any time somebody gives me credit for standing tall, I
will take that as the highest compliment," he said. - by Geoff
Earle
   Looking For A Home. While some House members this week fought
the perception they were weak-kneed legislators who had fled to
their districts while the Senate stood tall, others fumed that
terrorists could interrupt their work and that no alternative
workspace was available. "This is a hell of a strategic victory
for them," an animated Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said in a
private hallway conversation Wednesday with Democratic Caucus
Chairman Martin Frost of Texas. Abercrombie was also overheard
suggesting that "maybe we need new leadership." Asked about the
exchange immediately afterward, Abercrombie responded, "Talk to
the doctor" before ducking into the cloakroom.
   Frost said later Abercrombie had quickly cooled, and took
satisfaction with the suggestion made during a members' briefing
that Congress reconvene in Honolulu. "Mr. Abercrombie is fine.
His concern is there needs to be an alternative location where we
can meet," Frost said. An apologetic Abercrombie later explained
his feelings in terms of "offense" and "defense," saying the
nation was only reacting to terrorist threats. "It's been five
weeks, but we are still responding to [Sept. 11 terrorism],
rather than acting," he said. Abercrombie said he would like
Congress to have an alternative workspace in such events and has
received assurances the House Administration Committee was
looking for such space.
   While many House members and staff returned to their
districts, others worked from makeshift offices or from home. In
response to media inquiries, House Administration Chairman Ney,
Majority Whip DeLay and National Republican Congressional
Committee Chairman Tom Davis of Virginia staged a photo
opportunity Thursday at NRCC headquarters. Democratic Caucus Vice
Chairman Robert Menendez of New Jersey borrowed a nearby
townhouse from a former GOP member to convene a scheduled meeting
of the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security. Prudence
became the adjective of choice this week to defend the House's
early recess, which allowed security teams to sweep the Capitol
complex for any traces of anthrax. Ney, whose panel is
responsible for security, said in an interview he has not been
tested. "I don't know. I'm going to wait and see what they find,"
Ney said. "I'm remaining cautious and calm." - by Mark Wegner
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

THE FINAL WORD
   "It's about time they worked longer than us."
   - House Majority Whip DeLay, speaking Thursday, while
defending the Republican leadership's decision to shut down the
House as the Senate remained in session.



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