Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection

Archive Spotlight: Trust Issues (WAMU-FM)

capitolnewsconnection.org — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:33:46 +0000

After months of hand-wringing over the question, ‘to reconcile, or not to reconcile?’ the Senate now appears likely to exercise that option to get a health care bill passed. Reconciliation allows certain types of bills to pass by a simple 51-vote majority. But a separate source of tension is growing within the Democratic majority; that tension is between the House and the Senate.

The House Giveth, the House Taketh Away

capitolnewsconnection.org — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:00:45 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

When it come to addressing the high cost of oil and gas… Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont says there are really two questions to answer:

WELCH One, are you going to crack down on speculation… potential to bring prices down right away? Or are you going to go back to the ‘drill-baby-drill’ approach – that rhetorically sounds good but doesn’t have any prospect of providing immediate relief?

Today the House votes on legislation to expedite oil drilling in the Gulf – and off the coast of Virginia. Just yesterday, a House Committee voted along party lines to take the next step toward defunding the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Welch and fellow House Democrat Joe Courtney of Connecticut had co-sponsored an amendment that would have carved out an exception to the funding roll-back – to protect the regulatory entity’s ability to crack down on hedge fund speculators. That amendment got some cross-partisan traction, but it lost by one vote. Which brings us back to Welch – and how he, for one, looks at the day’s upcoming votes.

WELCH This is an astonishing contrast: you know, open up the Gulf on leases – there’s no immediate payback, but deny funding or even rule implementation for CFTC that would provide real protection to the consumer.

Whether the House giveth, or the House taketh away… that’s in the eye of the beholder.

The threat of retaliation for the killing of Osama bin Laden has transportation officials on alert. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says travelers should expect more cautionary measures… seen and unseen. T-S-A says expect more bag checks and explosives screenings. Congressman Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, says:

THOMPSON The inconvenience is something we’ll have to put up with for a while.

Extraordinary times. They do giveth. They do taketh away.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Bin Laden's Gone: Cheers End, Questions Begin

capitolnewsconnection.org — Tue, 03 May 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Congress returned to work Monday, and returns to hard questions today.

Sunday's killing of al-Queda leader Osama bin Laden allowed both Democrats and Republicans to share a rare collective sigh of relief and praise for President Barack Obama's handling of the operation. However, it also raised lots of questions... Why was bin Laden discovered living in a fortified mansion, near Pakistan's capital? Why had he been able to live in comfort for such an apparently long time?

The questions, of course, were veiled references to something deeper: Had Osama bin Laden received help from the Pakistani government?

That begins to be answered today, when the Senate Intelligence Committee receives a briefing on the operation that killed bin Laden. Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein says she also plans to explore whether Pakistan should continue receiving U.S. aid.

"Our government is in fiscal distress. To make contributions to a country that isn't going to be fully supportive is a problem for many. And I don't want to say here, candidly. I'm not sure. I want to think this out and talk with other members.

"We meet at 2:30 tomorrow. We have our traditional 'hot spots' briefing. However, everybody wants to hear from [CIA Director Leon] Panetta and the head of JSOC [Joint Special Operations Command]."

You can hear Feinstein for yourself in the attached audio file.

The Last Breakfast

capitolnewsconnection.org — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

At what point does a broken-down or blocked-off escalator go from hassle to hazard?

Good morning, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

When Metrorail first opened in 1976, those toothy metal escalators offered a futuristic, smooth ascent. [AMB escalator groan] Today, more of a slog... that kind of sounds like sick marine life. A NewsiT community correspondent captured the death rattle at the Takoma Park station. [AMB fade out]

LAPORTE It is a concern, no doubt about it. And I think that's why you're seeing the expedited effort to get them back on and running.

Peter LaPorte is Metro's director of emergency management. Transit safety regulations say emergency station evacuation must take no more than four minutes - less in some cases. Even with no working escalators...

LAPORTE It may not be a safety violation but it's a significant concern when our escalators are out and getting them turned on as fast as we can is certainly our goal.

AMB escalator groan

Finally - on an entirely unrelated note...

AMB_PB [music] Good Morning from Capitol Hill ...I'm Todd Zwillich. This is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

That was October 2007.

AMB_PB Today Attorney General hopeful Michael Mukasey is going to get some tough questions in the Senate about wiretapping Americans without a warrant... [fade under]

For three and a half years, we've served up this 'daily dose of political caffeine' from the Capitol. Next week, Congress will be back at it... But Power Breakfast will not. Our time here on WAMU comes to an end today. But check us out every Sunday on television - on NBC-4 WRC-TV - just before Chris Matthews. And watch for what's next with Power Breakfast on web and mobile... at capitol news connection-dot-org and at newsit-dot-net.

BAUCUS Because otherwise, it's just going to be a lot of talk. Talkie talkie talk. Talk talk talk. And not a lot's going to happen.

To the listeners - thanks for sharing so many mornings.

That's Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Going for a ride... Or not.

capitolnewsconnection.org — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Metro escalators. If you ride, you know where this is going.

Andrew Eiva ("eye-va") lives in Northwest D-C and rides often. On this day, he's outside a busy Union Station - not far from two working escalators, and one that's out of commission.

EIVA Well, escalators a little bit of a problem but I need the exercise - so I enjoy the exercise when they're out of order.

Andrew Eiva is a glass half-full kind of guy. Reggie Simmons of Hyattsville, Maryland - not so much.

SIMMONS I'm from Philadelphia and our subway system isn't as clean as this but it's functional. I think people would take a little dirt for functionality anytime, and they need to get their act together.

This rider didn't have to reach very far back in his memory to recall a situation that made him question the implications of something as seemingly ordinary as a busted or blocked-off escalator.

SIMMONS We had an experience yesterday where it a package threat (or a bomb) - a suspicious package. And there's no information from Metro. Most of the time the escalators are broke here and you never find out 'til you get off the train... And it's a one-way to get up, one-way to get down. It's inconsistent. One day this one might be working, that one might be working. There's no rhyme or reason for it.

Well, is there? For that, of course, we go to the folks who operate Metro. We plan to bring you their part of the story - right here, tomorrow. And along with assorted musings of passengers and the official musings of transit officials - community correspondents have logged on to Newsit-dot-net to share photos and information. That's in the mix for tomorrow, as well - and at Newsit-dot-net.

That's Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Praying for rain

capitolnewsconnection.org — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

On the U-S Drought Monitor map, Oklahoma and New Mexico are awash in shades of tan and red. Texas is mostly just red. Throughout much of the southwest, drought conditions are now severe… and in some areas, exceptional.

According to Victor Murphy of the National Weather Service, long-range forecasts show the drought persisting through May.

MURPHY Short term into the longer term, bottom line is no relief expected whatsoever.

BROWN This really is an historic climate event affecting our region.

David Brown is monitoring the situation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Texas is experiencing its worst drought since 1967. And wildfires have already scorched more than a million acres, consuming hundreds of homes. And it’s not even summer yet.

BROWN Predictions call for the drought to continue and perhaps even intensify in some areas as we struggle to get any rainfall.

So Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are gasping for moisture; while flood-ravaged Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri have more than they can handle. According to Brown at NOAA, there’s a pattern if not a method to Nature’s madness.

BROWN It is severe weather season so obviously extremes in the pattern are not uncommon this time of year.

Governor Rick Perry has encouraged Texans to pray for rain. So far anyway, those prayers have yet to be answered.

Finally – we want to thank those aspiring community correspondents who’ve logged on to newsit-dot-net with photos and findings about Metro escalator outages. Today’s the final day to contribute to a newsit-powered report we’re working on for Power Breakfast. With perhaps some surprises about escalators, stairs – and what fire code does and doesn’t say. You can email your photos and findings to transit-at-newsit-dot-net.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

A national pre-school report card

capitolnewsconnection.org — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

The annual survey by the National Institute of Early Education Research is a ranking of the forty out of fifty states that fund pre-K in some form. In 2010, almost half - 19 of those 40 states - showed a drop in funding. According to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, that puts American kids at risk of falling behind.

DUNCAN "The general trends are frankly not encouraging. We see overall state spending going down on a per-child basis."

Only three states increased per-child spending by more than 10-percent.

In this phone call previewing today's report card release, Duncan said he personally visited all 50 governors to deliver a message:

DUNCAN "...that I simply can't support where governors are cutting back on early childhood education. Our three- and four-year-olds don't vote. They don't hire lobbyists. They don't have a union. And it's up to us to make this critically important investment."

Duncan says he's given each governor written suggestions on what education programs could be cut so that preschool funding could be spared.

Pre-school report card co-author Steven Barnett says states that have high enrollment and low spending are beginning to see lower performances. Take Florida, for example:

BARNETT "It now ranks second in the country in enrollment - two-thirds of four-year-olds are enrolled in state pre-K in Florida - but you rank near the bottom on spending-per-child, and Florida only meets 3 of 10 benchmarks for quality standards."

So the issue isn't quantity, it's quality. And if the quality isn't there, says Barnett, that's a problem.

BARNETT "...because spending on poor quality isn't an investment. It's just spending."

That's Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Food safety served up in Washington

capitolnewsconnection.org — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

This week food safety experts were in Washington to talk about doing a better job at keeping food safe.

WOOD My company prides itself on what we feel is world class safety program. But there's always a challenge when you have many facilities.

Sharon Wood is director of food safety for Texas-based H-E-B supermarkets. If you shop at her markets, it's her job to keep food-borne illness out of your dinner.

Wood was a speaker at this week's Food Safety Summit. The industry is still digesting recent findings from the F-D-A showing food establishments not doing enough to prevent food-borne illness.

In a ten-year study, the F-D-A visited 850 sites... restaurants, grocery stores and cafeterias in places like hospitals. Apparently hand-washing remains a challenge. Wood says sometimes it's a matter of how a restaurant or department is designed.

WOOD When they're pressured with many customers in a hurry, they hesitate to stop, leave that direct contact with their customer.

The good news: 80 percent of meat markets inspected were in compliance for handling of food. The bad news: only 45 percent of full service restaurants made the cut.

WOOD Sometimes, the food safety piece doesn't stay top of mind like it should.

The Food Safety Modernization Act, which President Obama signed into law in January, is an attempt to change that.

Speaking of safety matters: Metro escalator broken again? Is your station compliant with fire code? Help investigate safety on the Metro - by joining Newsit - a network of community correspondents. At Newsit-dot-net you can find assignments that matter to you... we want to report on your findings next week on Power Breakfast and at Newsit-dot-net.

That's Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

BP spill: One year later

capitolnewsconnection.org — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Patrick Terpstra sitting in for Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

The Gulf Coast oil spill may evoke images of animals soiled in crude… or robots battling an underwater gusher.

Congressman Gregg Harper says… what he still thinks about are the eleven people killed in the initial explosion of the rig. Four of them were from his home state of Mississippi.

HARPER I think about the meetings with wives of those we met with in our district and just the great tragedy that we’ve had.

The Gulf Coast Republican says the hardships then spread to other families… when the Obama administration ordered a six-month moratorium on drilling.

HARPER The blanket moratorium was not a good thing to do. It was something that had very negative consequences on lots of families when those jobs were shut down.

Now the moratorium has been lifted… and that’s one reason Patty Whitney traveled from Louisiana to Washington this week to mark the one year anniversary. Unlike Congressman Harper… Whitney thinks the moratorium should be reinstated… for good.

WHITNEY I’d like to see new energy industries come into our area and give people hope and options in the future and don’t tie them to one industry for their economic survival.

Whitney says the only way to prevent another oil spill is to stop drilling altogether. Harper says… would drive gas prices even higher. A year after the spill… Congress is debating whether to speed up the process of permitting new rigs… not whether to shut them down.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

(More) Social Insecurity, Pt. 2

capitolnewsconnection.org — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Today's installment in the ongoing tale of "Social Insecurity" begins with the release of an activist message [AMB music up "A rare glimpse into an alternate universe..."] with a flair for the dramatic:

AMB Narrator: "...one where politicians have cut your Social Security benefits and raised retirement age so seniors have to work and work - and keep right on working until they're 69, 70 and beyond.

On-screen, quavering octogenarians struggle to hold a fire hose, shimmy a utility pole and deliver heavy boxes. This video comes out today from the group 'Strengthen Social Security.'

In the debate over whether Social Security is stable - and if so, for how long - members of this Congress are picking sides. While some favor raising the retirement age, others want to compensate for the demographic shift by requiring wealthier Americans to pay more into the system. The government only withholds Social Security taxes only on the first 106-thousand dollars in annual income. Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, is pushing a bill that would raise that cap.

HARKIN: :"Why is it that someone who makes $50,000 a year pays on every last dollar they make to pay into Social Security? But someone who makes $500,000 a year only pays on 20 cents of every dollar. Why is that?"

The rhetorical battle is between raising taxes on one side [AMB Raise the cap!], and adding years to Americans' working lives on the other. In the end, the answer may involve both. On this much, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso speaks for many in Washington:

BARRASSO: "At least we have to have a discussion about the best way to make sure to we can strengthen and secure Social Security."

A sober, mature discussion.

AMB Narrator: "... Don't make us work 'till we die. You can change this reality and the future by taking action today." (music out)

When Congress reconvenes in May, a bipartisan group of senators who call themselves the "Gang of Six" will unveil their proposals to reform Social Security.

That's Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

(More) Social Insecurity, Pt. 1

capitolnewsconnection.org — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

When Congress reconvenes in May, a bipartisan group of senators who call themselves the Gang of Six will unveil their proposals to reform Social Security. Today’s installment of a two-part “Social Insecurity” begins with Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis, who’s not in the Gang of Six – but she has some ideas.

LUMMIS: “I believe we should raise the retirement age for people under the age of 50…that bill alone would solve somewhere between one-third and half of the problem with solvency of Social Security.”

Lummis is among those saying the system no longer reflects demographic reality in a post-baby boom world. She’s introduced a bill that would phase in further increases beyond the current retirement age of 67. In a nutshell: today’s four year olds would have to work until age 70 to receive their maximum social security benefits.

BARRASSO: “The reality is, there’s more money going each year than is coming in.”

That’s Wyoming Senator John Barrasso. And Senator Mike Enzi:

ENZI: “Anybody who is saying that Social Security is in good shape is making a political statement that they don’t want to handle it during their term in office.”

He worries about the government ‘borrowing’ from the Social Security surplus to pay for other things.

ENZI: “It’s one of those amazing trusts funds that the United States has that has no money in it, it has IOU’s in it and that should worry everybody.”

AARON: “You shouldn’t really look at the Social Security system. Since it’s inception it’s collected a lot more money in revenues than it’s paid out.”

Brookings Institution economist Henry Aaron says now that Baby Boomers are beginning to collect, the program is breaking even. Nonetheless, he agrees that changes to the system WILL be needed. More on that – and another set of ideas about reform – in tomorrow’s Part II of this installment of “Social Insecurity.”

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Congress in recess: Looking back, looking ahead

capitolnewsconnection.org — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Like most every member of Congress, Representative Peter Welch has left Washington. He’s returned to his largely Democratic district in Vermont – to begin the process of explaining to the folks back home, the ‘developments’ of the last few days and weeks.

WELCH The good news here is the government is continuing and we have a government through September. So that clears the decks.

But the brinksmanship was a harbinger of things to come - like the debt limit debate.

WELCH You know, the debt limit is fundamentally about a moral obligation to pay our bills. And there are many here who want to leverage it as a way of extracting their political point of view… And if we play chicken with the debt limit – a tough political vote but a necessary thing to do – then we’re playing Russian roulette with the economy. It’s very dangerous what lies ahead.

The debt limit is one challenge; the 2012 budget is another. And going into both… by Welch’s own account Democrats haven’t exactly been winning the public relations game.

WELCH I think one of the problems we’ve had is that of our defense has been defense of programs – and that’s kind of abstract to most people, and they have skepticism that government programs make much difference…

When it comes to compromise, he says both parties could do a whole lot better.

WELCH “And compromise isn’t about compromising principles, it’s about doing the obvious, and that’s taking a look at the entire federal structure – all the programs, all the entitlements, the tax system – and understanding that each one of these can be a tool that can be used effectively to get to a sustainable budget. We can do it.

So what’s everybody waiting for? Welch can’t speak for Republicans. But his own party -

WELCH Democrats have to be willing to work with Republicans on looking at some of the programs that have been longtime stalwarts of the Democratic Party.” (EWJ: Truth be told, have you been?) “No, not as much as we need to be.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

An environmental threat to U.S. borders?

capitolnewsconnection.org — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

One chairs a government oversight subcommittee that deals with national security. The other leads the natural resources panel that oversees public lands. Congressmen Jason Chaffetz and Rob Bishop both say that federal environmental laws are undermining efforts to secure the southern border.

CHAFFETZ We have big gaping holes down in Arizona for instance, where we have the Organ Pipe National Forest that is bumping up against the border and the need to have vehicles and electronic surveillance to try and secure that border.

Chaffetz says he’s looking to hear from all sides: environmentalists, regulators and border patrol officers. For his part, Bishop has done the math:

BISHOP If you look at a map, ironically 51% of every one we a recapturing comes through one sector. There’s got to be a reason why all the bad guys are funneling into one sector and that’s what we’re going to be focusing on. My assumption is, it’s because it’s all federal property and there were restrictions on what the border control can do on federal property.

House Republicans in general have been making good on plans to use their majority status to increase oversight and rein in federal environmental regulation. Bishop in particular is eager to bring about a shift in priorities.

BISHOP The bottom line is, look, we’ve got a problem with immigration, we have a problem with drug cartels, we have a problem with prostitution rings and people being captured and people now being murdered. And Americans are being prohibited from going on American property. If that doesn’t say we have to do something significantly different, screw the country, we’re dead.

Environmental groups contend the conflict is… overblown.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Deal or no deal?

capitolnewsconnection.org — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

The House is expected to vote today on the overdue spending compromise for F-Y 2011.

LaTOURETTE Well I’m gonna vote for it, I think it’s a great deal.

Republican Congressman Steven LaTourette of Ohio says everybody’s trying to take credit for it, and that’s O-K.

LaTOURETTE If the president thinks he won, that’s fine and Senator Reid that’s fine but I know who won and that’s John Boehner and I’m comfortable with that.

As for his fellow House Republicans who voted against the deal last week for not cutting “enough” – and who may vote against it again:

LaTOURETTE Ok it’s great to think you’re going to be as pure as Caesar’s wife but that’s not the way this place works. And they would have us not get the 80% of a loaf that Boehner for got us, they’d be happy with nothing.

Some tea party Republicans will vote ‘no.’ So will some Democrats. If the Continuing Resolution does pass – first in the House, then in the Senate, it will be with the help of Republicans like LaTourette and Senator Mike Johanns.

JOHANNS I haven’t seen anything yet that would cause me to be anything but a yes vote on the CR.

The Nebraska Republican isn’t happy about cuts to federal agriculture programs that will hit his state hard.

JOHANNS Everybody’s going to have to do their share and so – you know, there’s other things that I’m sure somebody else would look at and say, ‘Aw, I hate the thought that that’s going to be cut.’ But we’ve got to do something. So.

His fellow Midwest Senator, Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa, doesn’t plan to go along with this ‘something.’

HARKIN This is not about deficit reduction, this is about ideology. Republicans are taking a meat ax to programs for the middle class.

Nonetheless, Democratic leaders agreed to the deal, which will keep the federal government running until September 30.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Where the cuts come from

capitolnewsconnection.org — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

The deal that averted a government shutdown will cut deeply from a wide swath of programs. Virginia Democrat Bobby Scott says he’s still reviewing details. And while he isn’t saying yet how he’ll vote...

SCOTT “You have to have a vision for America. And if it includes fewer clean water projects, fewer FBI agents, fewer food inspections, fewer investments in our education and things like that – in order to fund tax cuts for millionaires and multi-millionaires – that’s just not my vision.”

Freshman Scott DesJarlais, a Tennessee Republican, plans to vote “yes.” He says the first goal was to shift the conversation from ‘controlling’ spending to cutting it, and that much has occurred.

DESJARLAIS And so really, we wanted to get to where we’re talking about serious money…

Not that 38.5 billion dollars in cuts aren’t serious, he says – but they’ll be dwarfed by the fight over next year’s budget.

Some of this year’s cuts do hit close to home. For Tennessee, which has one the worst methamphetamine problems in the country -

DESJARLAIS There are no funds available right now for meth clean up. Like everyone else they just kind of flipped that switch. It is important that we find a way to control that problem, especially in Tennessee’s 4th district.

Speaking for Tennessee’s 9^th district, Democrat Steve Cohen says he may vote against the compromise. Too one-sided, says Cohen.

COHEN There are cuts to education. There are cuts to health care. And these concern me.
I want to see shared sacrifice. I think not only should there not be cuts to the people who are at the bottom, but there ought to be taxes on millionaires.

The House will vote first this week; then it’s on to the Senate.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.