For Senators, the Season for Cash and Coal

Citing his Nov. 26 guilty plea in Loudoun County General District Court, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as the panel is formally known, said on Dec. 19 that Filner "demonstrated poor judgment" and "is responsible for creating a situation" that led to the altercation with an employee at Dulles International Airport in mid-August. An investigative subcommittee considered a statement Filner made to the panel, as well as a letter of apology he wrote to the United Airlines employee, and then recommended no punishment.

Originally charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, Filner pleaded to misdemeanor trespassing and paid a $100 fine to the county court.

In prior statements Filner said he was tired after his plane was delayed before getting to Dulles and then, once they got to baggage claim, 100 passengers had to wait 90 minutes for their luggage. That prompted him to confront the United employee, who contended that the lawmaker pushed her and then entered an employees-only area and refused to leave.

Official Travel for Soldiers' Funerals

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee has issued new guidance that allows senators to use official funds to cover the costs of flying home to attend funeral services for soldiers killed overseas.

"We have as much responsibility to be present at these services as we do to debate on the floor how best to bring our troops home safely," Nebraska's Ben Nelson wrote earlier this year to Rules Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

Before the new rule, travel to and from funerals for soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan wasn't considered official travel, meaning senators had to pay out of their own pockets to travel to these somber events or not attend. Now they can consider travel to funeral services for police and firefighters as well.

Happy Honeymoon, Senator!

No member of Congress is starting the new year in the same style as Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). The new kid on the block in the Senate -- who was appointed in the summer to replace the late Sen. Craig Thomas-- is tying the knot New Year's Day in Wyoming to longtime girlfriend Bobbi Brown. Barrasso is so gung-ho about trotting his new wife to Washington that he wanted to get her an official Senate spouse's lapel pin for Christmas. Alas, he was told he'd have to wait until he had his marriage license in hand. "So that gift is on hold until '08," Barrasso spokesman Greg Keeley says.