Suitably Flip

Pork-Out Debrief: Round-Up and Reaction

24 hours after Robert Byrd's office confirmed the Senator was the second "secret holder" of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (following a captivating game of cloakroom and blogger, eliminating Senators without such holds to expose the obstructors), there's been a significant amount of fall-out and follow-up.

Let's recap.

Glenn Reynolds, co-founder of key project catalyst Porkbusters notes coverage in the Chicago Tribune.

To the right of the masthead at the Web site porkbusters.org is a quote attributed to former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott: "I'll just say this about the so-called porkbusters. I'm getting damn tired of hearing from them."

Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) are probably damn tired of hearing from them too, but taxpayers ought to listen up--and applaud. The porkbusters led a pack of bloggers who outed the two senators for bottling up a bill meant to help the public track how its tax dollars are spent.
...
It's a good day for taxpayers and the bloggers who got to the truth. And a bad day for secrecy in the U.S. Senate.

Mary Katherine cites the Congressional Record from August 1, 2003, during which Senator Byrd expressed his displeasure with secret holds.

Wyden: I especially want to thank Rules Chairman Lott and the Senate's foremost authority on the Rules, Senator Byrd, for their commitment to working with us on this resolution. They know all too well the havoc ``secret'' holds can wreak on the Senate agenda.

The Lott-Byrd-Grassley-Wyden resolution would bring the anonymous hold out of the shadows of the Senate.
...
In Chapter 28, "Reflections of a Party Leader," of Volume II of The Senate, the Honorable ROBERT C. BYRD wrote: "To me, the Senate rules were to be used, when necessary, to advance and expedite the Senate's business.''

Tim Chapman rebuts both Byrd's and Stevens' ostensible rationale for their secret holds.

Sen. Stevens’ spokesperson stated that Sen. Stevens placed a hold on S.2590 because of cost concerns.
...
FACT:  Sen. Stevens allowed eight bills, costing a total of $1.8 billion over the next five years, to pass unanimously on the same night on which he placed a hold on S.2590.

Sen. Byrd’s spokesperson stated that Sen. Byrd placed a hold on S.2590 because additional debate, review, and amendment were necessary prior to passage of S.2590.
...
FACT: Sen. Byrd allowed eight bills to pass without debate, four bills to pass without amendment, and two bills to pass without committee oversight on the same night on which he placed a hold on S.2590

Most importantly, Bill Frist renews his commitment to bring S2590 to a prompt vote (after doling out a kindly blog shout out).

I’m very encouraged to see that all one hundred Senators have now answered the blogosphere’s inquiries on the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. Now is the time to act. In September, I will bring S. 2590 to the floor of the Senate for the vote it deserves.

Good times.

Previously:
Suitably Flipping the Byrd
Hold the Phone - Another Secret Holder Lurks!
The Silent Triumverate
Secret Holder Being Sniffed Out

Comments

Pork-Out Debrief: Round-Up and Reaction

24 hours after Robert Byrd's office confirmed the Senator was the second "secret holder" of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (following a captivating game of cloakroom and blogger, eliminating Senators without such holds to expose the obstructors), there's been a significant amount of fall-out and follow-up.

Let's recap.

Glenn Reynolds, co-founder of key project catalyst Porkbusters notes coverage in the Chicago Tribune.

To the right of the masthead at the Web site porkbusters.org is a quote attributed to former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott: "I'll just say this about the so-called porkbusters. I'm getting damn tired of hearing from them."

Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) are probably damn tired of hearing from them too, but taxpayers ought to listen up--and applaud. The porkbusters led a pack of bloggers who outed the two senators for bottling up a bill meant to help the public track how its tax dollars are spent.
...
It's a good day for taxpayers and the bloggers who got to the truth. And a bad day for secrecy in the U.S. Senate.

Mary Katherine cites the Congressional Record from August 1, 2003, during which Senator Byrd expressed his displeasure with secret holds.

Wyden: I especially want to thank Rules Chairman Lott and the Senate's foremost authority on the Rules, Senator Byrd, for their commitment to working with us on this resolution. They know all too well the havoc ``secret'' holds can wreak on the Senate agenda.

The Lott-Byrd-Grassley-Wyden resolution would bring the anonymous hold out of the shadows of the Senate.
...
In Chapter 28, "Reflections of a Party Leader," of Volume II of The Senate, the Honorable ROBERT C. BYRD wrote: "To me, the Senate rules were to be used, when necessary, to advance and expedite the Senate's business.''

Tim Chapman rebuts both Byrd's and Stevens' ostensible rationale for their secret holds.

Sen. Stevens’ spokesperson stated that Sen. Stevens placed a hold on S.2590 because of cost concerns.
...
FACT:  Sen. Stevens allowed eight bills, costing a total of $1.8 billion over the next five years, to pass unanimously on the same night on which he placed a hold on S.2590.

Sen. Byrd’s spokesperson stated that Sen. Byrd placed a hold on S.2590 because additional debate, review, and amendment were necessary prior to passage of S.2590.
...
FACT: Sen. Byrd allowed eight bills to pass without debate, four bills to pass without amendment, and two bills to pass without committee oversight on the same night on which he placed a hold on S.2590

Most importantly, Bill Frist renews his commitment to bring S2590 to a prompt vote (after doling out a kindly blog shout out).

I’m very encouraged to see that all one hundred Senators have now answered the blogosphere’s inquiries on the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. Now is the time to act. In September, I will bring S. 2590 to the floor of the Senate for the vote it deserves.

Good times.

Previously:
Suitably Flipping the Byrd
Hold the Phone - Another Secret Holder Lurks!
The Silent Triumverate
Secret Holder Being Sniffed Out