In the Times

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Posted by Joel Mathis October 17, 2005 at 10:57 a.m.

Sam Brownback links [(New York Times) Kansas Senator, Looking at Presidential Bid, Makes Faith the Bedrock of Campaign:][1] Mr. Brownback, an evangelical-Protestant-turned-Roman Catholic from Kansas who attends services in the two faiths each Sunday and once washed an aide's feet in a gesture of humble devotion, is contemplating a big bet on a resurgence in traditionalist faith that he hoped to find in the monastery's numbers. He came here to assess the potential for a Republican presidential primary campaign centered on opposition to abortion and support for God in public life, while back in Washington his current role as the Republican most publicly questioning the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet E. Miers is becoming the first big test of his long-shot campaign.Pat Roberts links [(New York Times) Little Authority for New Intelligence Post:][2] A new Central Intelligence Agency office intended to provide more coordination over American spying operations will wield only limited authority, leaving the Defense Department and the F.B.I. free to carry out an increasing array of human intelligence missions without central operational control, two senior intelligence officials said Thursday. ... Senator Pat Roberts, the Kansas Republican who is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, described the changes as "a negotiated settlement" between the various agencies. Mr. Roberts expressed reservations about what he called "this latest reorganization," saying he would have preferred that Mr. Negroponte exert his authority to "manage human intelligence collection worldwide."Todd Tiahrt links [(Family News in Focus) Energy Shortages Devastating Family Budgets:][3] The average American household is expected to spend nearly $2,000 this year on gasoline alone. That's up over 45-percent from three years ago, and Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt says its time to do something about it. "We all feel the pinch. We never thought we would be glad to see $2.50 gasoline, but today that seems like a reasonable price at times. It shouldn't be. It should be back below that amount."How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][4] [1]: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/national/14brownback.html [2]: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/national/14intel.html [3]: http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0038189.cfm [4]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed