Congress Approves Bill Funding Government
Congress yesterday whipped through legislation to keep the government operating for two weeks, allowing time for lawmakers to reassemble to repeal a highly controversial provision of a permanent funding bill that would let appropriations committee chairmen examine people's tax returns.
The temporary spending measure was approved by unanimous consent in both chambers, with only a few members in attendance. Among those who came were House Democrats who accused Republicans of creating a budget mess that forced passage of bills before members could read them and invited dangerous errors.
"The sad fact is this is not an aberration. This is how we do appropriations bills now," said House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.).
A $388 billion bill to fund most government operations for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1 was passed by both houses Saturday. But the Senate insisted on scrapping the tax-return provision before the bill is sent to the White House. The Senate did so Saturday, and the House plans to follow suit in a special session Dec. 6. The new stopgap spending bill is needed because the previous one expires Dec. 3.
GAO to Investigate How Votes Are Counted
The Government Accountability Office, responding to a request from Democratic lawmakers, will investigate the way votes were counted in the Nov. 2 election. The investigation will study the accuracy of the count and methods used to count votes. Investigators will look at the way officials counted provisional ballots, which were provided to voters whose names did not appear on voting lists but who contended they are eligible to cast ballots.
Congress's investigative agency said it is not authorized to take action if irregularities are found. "Under the nation's legal framework, elections are a matter largely reserved to, and regulated by, the states," a GAO statement said. "As a result, general questions concerning these issues, as well as specific allegations of voting irregularities, should be addressed to state and local officials, such as the secretary of state or the state attorney general."
EPA Moves to Widen Case Against DuPont
Environmental Protection Agency officials hope to expand their case against DuPont Co., which they allege violated federal law by failing to tell the government about possible health risks associated with perfluorooctanoic acid, an ingredient used to make Teflon.
Officials have asked an administrative law judge to postpone a Dec. 16 hearing in which the chemical giant will contest the charges, which could carry as much as $313 million in fines, so they can add new allegations. The agency recently discovered that the company learned in July that a dozen residents near its plant in Parkersburg, W.Va., have dramatically elevated blood levels of the chemical, known as C-8 or PFOA, but DuPont did not pass the findings on to the EPA.
DuPont spokesman Clifton Webb said yesterday, "Should the agency decide to file an additional complaint, we will contest their decision and defend our position."
But Environmental Working Group President Kenneth A. Cook, whose group has criticized DuPont for not being more forthcoming about C-8, said company officials do not understand that it needs to be more honest about dangers connected to its products. "DuPont still doesn't get it," Cook said.
-- Compiled from reports by
staff writers Helen Dewar and
Juliet Eilperin and news services
