Posted by Joel Mathis September 21, 2005 at 9:28 a.m.

Blocking the Korea deal

Sam Brownback links [(LA Times) A New Tilt Toward N. Korea:][1] By signing an agreement with North Korea this week, the Bush administration committed in principle to normalizing relations with the country for the first time since the Korean War ended in 1953. In exchange, the United States and its allies secured a promise from North Korea to abandon all its nuclear weapons and nuclear programs, submit to international inspections and rejoin the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. ... Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) said he was "not satisfied" with the agreement because it did not address human rights violations in North Korea. He said he would seek to hold up funding for the deal in Congress. Negotiations with the Soviet Union on crucial nuclear disarmament pacts in the 1980s "didn't keep us from condemning it or calling it an evil empire, and this regime in North Korea remains evil, even if it is recognized," Brownback said in an interview.[(Hearst Newspapers) Congress debates limiting eminent domain:][2] Congress on Tuesday began debating whether to limit the power of local governments to seize private property after the Supreme Court ruling in June that made it easier for cities and counties to use eminent domain to make way for private redevelopment projects. ... Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said the Kelo decision sent the message that "your property's not sacred, that it's not protected under the Constitution. ... It really got to a lot of people," Brownback (said), noting that his office received a flood of calls from angry and alarmed property owners worried their land could be up for grabs.[(Family News in Focus) Senators Seek Ways to Combat Supreme Court Property Decision:][3] The U.S. Senate is discussing ways to overturn the "Kelo" Supreme Court decision allowing the government to seize private property for the general good of the public. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from property owners, Senators, law professors, and a pastor whose church was seized. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback believes private property ownership is a sacred right that the government should respect. "I do hope we can move a bill on through to reestablish and re-instill with the American public the belief that their property does belong to them."[(The Hill) Gregg open to Katrina tax increase:][4] Conservatives demanded accountability and offsets in the next package of spending for the recovery from Hurricane Katrina, but many of them, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), scoffed at tax increases. ... Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) repeated his call for a commission to review government programs, similar to the one that closes and realigns military bases. Brownback introduced legislation in 2002 that would create such a panel, called the Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies.Jerry Moran links [(Associated Press) Congressional task force to tackle high gas prices:][5] The Gas Price Task Force will consider short- and long-term ways to expand domestic oil production, increase national refining capacity, promote renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel and encourage energy conservation. Fuel prices are a huge issue in farming states like Missouri and Kansas, where there are long distances to travel and agriculture is important, said Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., one of eight Republican House members Blunt selected for the task force. "Farmers have virtually no option, and the costs they face are tremendous," Moran said.How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][6] [1]: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-norkor21sep21,0,4774152.story?coll=la-home-world [2]: http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/12701518.htm [3]: http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0037986.cfm [4]: http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/092105/open.html [5]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/sep... [6]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed