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Here are today’s headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:

Rep. Dennis Moore (D)

(Politico.com) Pols sidestep debate over Armenian genocide: Beginning in 1915, more than 1.5 million Armenians died when the Ottoman government forced the relocation of the population. President Bush has a reason not to call it genocide: That would anger the Turkish government, an ally and a Muslim democracy which has threatened to revoke permission for the U.S. to use an important air base over the issue, among other repercussions. Resolutions recognizing and condemning the genocide have been introduced in both the House and the Senate, and the administration is vigorously opposing them. And Turkey's lobbying prowess has already forced four co-sponsors to back off the bill. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) also supported the resolution before he withdrew as a co-sponsor. His office said he had "no official comment" on the flip-flop.

EARLIER: Taking a peek into the Congressional Record

Rep. Nancy Boyda (D)

(Teamster.org) Teamsters Sue to Stop Dangerous Plan to Open Border to Unsafe Mexican Trucks: The Teamsters Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the Bush administration's illegal pilot program authorizing unsafe Mexican trucks to operate freely in the United States. The lawsuit against the Transportation Department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was filed Monday in federal court in California. The Teamsters Union is suing because the Bush administration violated federal law by failing to publish proper, advance notice of the pilot project and by not allowing an opportunity for public comment before the program takes effect. ... Congress is considering a provision in an emergency spending bill that would block funding for the program until Mexican trucking companies meet congressionally mandated safety and security standards -- which they have been unable to do for years. It also would require that U.S. trucks have equal access to Mexican roads and mandate that the project comply with federal law governing pilot programs. A bill by Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., would enact similar requirements.

Rep. Jerry Moran (R)

(AP) Farm Service Agency revamps proposal to close Kansas offices: Facing mounting opposition, the Farm Service Agency has revamped its initial proposal to close offices across Kansas. FSA, a U.S. Department of Agriculture agency that handles federal crop payments to farmers, has instead decided to keep three of the 11 targeted offices open. It also modified its plans to restructure others. The changes came in the wake of public hearings in the affected counties that drew more than 1,400 people and elicited criticism from Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., whose district encompasses western Kansas.

Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R)

(KWCH) Anti-Gun Ad Blasts Tiahrt: You may have seen TV ads targeting Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt. The group sponsoring the ad, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, says Representative Tiahrt is protecting criminals, not police. The group, led by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is opposing legislation that makes it difficult for police to trace a gun's history. Bloomberg told CNN, ""Every time a gun is used a police officer can trace it's serial number to find out who bought it, when they bought it, and where they bought it. By continuing to pass this amendment police departments of our country are prevented from fully utilizing one of the best investigative tools they have." Tiahrt says that's just not true. He says his law protects undercover officers by restricting who can get information about their gun. The National Fraternal Order of Police supports Tiahrt in his move. They say trace requests can inadvertently reveal the names of undercover officers or informants, endangering their safety.

Other issues

(KC Star) Time for insurance to cover mental health:Congress now has a historic opportunity to close the remaining loopholes in health insurance coverage for people with mental illnesses. It should give them the care they need by passing legislation to require insurance companies to provide mental health coverage on an equal basis with physical illnesses. When the measure was introduced in the Senate this year, 40 members signed on as co-sponsors, including Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, and Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat. A similar bill introduced in the House has 255 co-sponsors, including Dennis Moore, a Kansas Democrat; JoAnn Emerson, a Missouri Republican; and William Clay, Russ Carnahan, Emanuel Cleaver and Ike Skelton, all Missouri Democrats.

(YubaNet.com) Federal Legislation Introduced to Protect Public From Big Cat Attacks: IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) today commended members of the 110th Congress for introducing bipartisan federal legislation to protect the public from attacks by captive big cats, such as lions and tigers, at facilities licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. H.R. 1947, also known as Haley's Act, is named in memory of Haley Hilderbrand, a 17-year-old high school student who was killed at a USDA-licensed facility by a 550-pound Siberian tiger while being photographed for her senior picture. Haley was originally scheduled to be photographed with two tiger cubs. ... "Lions and tigers are wild animals, not pets, and USDA-licensed facilities should treat these creatures accordingly. Congress must establish strict guidelines to prevent further tragedies from occurring due to poor safety standards and minimal fines," said Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (D-KS), whose legislation, H.R. 1947 is cosponsored by her three Kansas colleagues Reps. Dennis Moore (D-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), as well as Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Barney Frank (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), George Miller (D-CA), James Moran (D-VA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Last year after Haley's death, the Kansas state legislature banned the private ownership of big cats as pets and forbade public contact with big cats at USDA facilities to help prevent future tragedies. However, the problem extends well beyond Kansas.

Congressional briefing appears semi-regularly, Monday through Friday. If you've seen a news story or other blog entry about the Kansas Congressional delegation that we've missed, do let us know.

1. 25 April 2007 at 9:03 a.m.

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   63BC (Anonymous) says…

   So, just to be clear…Dennis Moore flip-flopped on a non-binding resolution.

   Wow. That takes a particular brand of spinelessness.

2. 25 April 2007 at 9:11 a.m.

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   Baille (Anonymous) says…

   What is the point of the resolution in the first place?

3. 25 April 2007 at 9:12 a.m.

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   Jamesaust (Anonymous) says…

   I suppose he's done what Republicans condemn him so often for failing to do: listen to the Bush Administration's pleas that the issue is a sensitive international concern and that this resolution will poison relations with a vital ally.

4. 25 April 2007 at 9:33 a.m.

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   Godot (Anonymous) says…

   Why I am not surprised that Nancy Boyda is in the pocket of the Teamsters?

5. 25 April 2007 at 10:14 a.m.

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   jasonc_22 (Anonymous) says…

   why am i not surprised nancy boyda wants to protect American families on our highways?

6. 25 April 2007 at 11:45 a.m.

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   Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

   Republicans have been pushing for giving rights to illegal aliens because they think that that will result in the Latino population that is here legally and allowed to vote to vote for them, as many have friends and family that they want to join them in the U.S.

   This type of strategy was originally applied during the first George W. campaign, and was stepped up again for re-election. This is another desperate bid from the remaining republicans on Capitol hill to retain some semblance of power as the democrats take over and try to turn us into a society where nobody can be offended or held responsible for their own actions in any way on pain of strongly worded letters and half hearted congressional bills.

7. 25 April 2007 at 12:37 p.m.

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   b_asinbeer (Anonymous) says…

   Bravo Mr. Dennis Moore! You did the right thing. If I were in your district, I'd vote for you again.

8. 25 April 2007 at 1:03 p.m.

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   staff04 (Anonymous) says…

   Pretty hostile headline from the liberals running LJW, dontcha think?

9. 25 April 2007 at 1:22 p.m.

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   Godot (Anonymous) says…

   Why, jason_c_22, are you ethnically profiling the drivers from Mexico by suggesting that allowing them to traverse our highways, our highways will be less safe? How uncharitable of you.

10. 25 April 2007 at 1:24 p.m.

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    Godot (Anonymous) says…

    Actually, staff04, putting the phrase flip-flop in parentheses defuses it. It telegraphs, “we know it isn't so.”

11. 25 April 2007 at 2:56 p.m.

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    staff04 (Anonymous) says…

    Well, those are quotation marks first, and second, how do you know what it telegraphs?

    Since the editor who wrote the headline already improperly used the single quotation marks (which are reserved in American English for speech within speech), how can you make any judgements about what the intent was. Given the background of inappropriate use of punctuation, I think the editor intended to use the quotation marks improperly for emphasis, which is a quite common error and nullifies your comment if correct.

    Anyway, who cares if someone decides to no longer be a cosponsor of a bill? Oh that's right, people can't change their minds in the presence of new information…I forgot.

12. 25 April 2007 at 3:31 p.m.

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    perkins (Anonymous) says…

    Did you hear the one about the dim bulb congressman - oh wait, the voters sent him packing. Does he still have a house on Wellman Road?

13. 25 April 2007 at 4:03 p.m.

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    jasonc_22 (Anonymous) says…

    point taken, Godot.

    But, not profiling…recognizing standard for repair are not as high in Mexico as they are in the USA, thus, the trucks pose a threat.

    After all, even good American trucks have wheels fly off of them sometimes.

    Nancy's doing something good…and saying “she's in the pocket” of any group is, well, silly.

14. 25 April 2007 at 4:11 p.m.

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    Godot (Anonymous) says…

    jason, did you see Boyda's campaign literature?

15. 25 April 2007 at 9:30 p.m.

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    doubledogleg (Anonymous) says…

    Congressman Moore is learning that the responsibility of governance (being in the majority) actually requires public servants to make difficult and sometimes unpopular and unexplainable decisions (see President Bush). Lots of people will probably be surprised when America's challenges don't automatically disappear in Jan. '09. We'll still have lots of serious issues on our plate and those in power will have difficult decisions to make. For example, do you work with one bad guy to prevent another bad guy from harming you? Do you read every prisoner of war his constitutional rights and give him three squares a day? Or, do you do what is necessary to save American lives? These decisions are a lot tougher when your vote actually matters.

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