LJWorld.com weblogs Congressional Briefing
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by Joel Mathis
March 9, 2007 at 9:23 a.m.
Boyda backs withdrawal proposal; Moran worried about farm ramifications
Here are today's headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:Rep. Nancy Boyda (D) ![][1][(Bloomberg) Democrats Seek Withdrawal of Troops From Iraq in 2008:][2] House Democrats said they will seek to force the withdrawal next year of U.S. combat troops from Iraq, a proposal that President George W. Bush's aides immediately said he would veto. The Democrats' withdrawal requirement will be attached to a war-spending measure and is intended to refocus military attention on the U.S. fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan, Democrats said. ... Under the House legislation, Bush would have to certify that the Iraqi government is making progress in bringing peace to the nation on July 1 and again on October 1, for U.S. troops to remain in the country. Even if the Iraqis meet those conditions, U.S. troop withdrawals would have to begin by March 1, 2008, and be completed within six months. ... Democrats who had expressed skepticism about putting undue restraints on military commanders in the field said it appeared that the measure introduced today would meet their approval. I think it is sufficiently broad to bring in enough of my colleagues,'' Dennis Cardoza of California said. Kansas Democrat Nancy Boyda said it strikes agood balance.''Rep. Jerry Moran (R) ![][3][(AP) War bill may be tough for officials in farm states:][4] Billions of dollars in agricultural disaster aid are tangled up in House legislation that would withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by next year, creating a dilemma for some farm-state members of Congress. ... Farm-state members from both parties have made disaster aid a top priority for the last year. Several Republicans said Thursday that adding the money to a controversial war bill is not the way to get it. ... Likewise, Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., considers farm disaster assistance his top agriculture priority this year. But he said he's disappointed that it is part of a spending bill that will be "very controversial."Sen. Pat Roberts (R)![][5][(Reuters) Globalization fears driving fast-track debate:][6] Fears about U.S. job losses from globalization are driving the debate over renewing the White House's fast-track trade negotiating authority and may require legislative action on a number of fronts, a top Senate Democrat said on Thursday. ... Fast-track authority allows the White House to negotiate trade agreements that Congress must approve or reject without making changes. Critics say lawmakers have too little influence over the outcome of trade deals and should have more say over which countries the United States picks for trade talks. ... Some Republicans expressed concern the United States could be forced to sit on the sidelines after July 1, while other countries continued to negotiate trade deals. "I don't think you can do all that in 120 days," said Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, referring to suggestions that fast track be part of a larger legislative package to provide a buffer from globalization. [1]: http://ljworld.com/specials/election04/primary/boyda.jpg [2]: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=apCH68luoAm8&refer=home [3]: http://ljworld.com/specials/kudole/bios/art/moran.jpg [4]: http://www.hutchnews.com/news/regional/stories/farm030907.shtml [5]: http://roberts.senate.gov/Roberts-020405-18060-080-CFFflipped.jpg [6]: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/08/AR2007030801523.html
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Comments
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Kropotkin (anonymous) says…
Roberts voted for NAFTA which shattered much of the manufacturing capability of the U.S. and simultaneously destroyed the Mexican small farmer. We're reaping the consequences now, epitomized by the waves of economic refugees coming across the border, the derelict factories in the rust belt and the enormous trade deficit due to state-subsidized industries in China that are determined to wreck what's left of our productive base.
Roberts and his fellow Republicans have regularly betrayed the trust of the American voters. He is pushing to give fast-track authority to an administration that constantly demonstrates it is completely untrustworthy and has so far refused to require that fair labor and environmental standards be a part of any trade pact. Thanks to Roberts, corporations such as Boeing have been exporting jobs for 14 years.
mick (anonymous) says…
Hopefully we can get this guy out next time and start trying to repair some of the ruination of the past dozen years.
haspas (anonymous) says…
Some very naive and uninformed folks believe the movement of some jobs offshore is the "fault" of one or a few people. They have a total lack of understanding of the nature of our economy.
How do they explain all the jobs lost at domestic auto manufacturers? Do the unrealistically high benefites paid to UAW members have anything to do with jobs moving offshore?
Who has created the largest number of jobs in the US of any Fortune 500 company over the last 5 years? Toyota, that's who. Aren't we lucky the Japanese didn't try to legally prohibit offshore manufacturing! And do you folks oppose that? Do you really think, in today's small planet, you can compartmentalize so as to keep Japanese jobs in Japan, US in the US, etc. etc. etc.??
Just last week Capgemini, a French company announced 600 new jobs, and good ones, to a new location in Junction City. This is bad?????
Kansas agriculture totally depends on open trade. If we did not export to other countries, production would have to be curtailed 30%. Which of you wishes to tell Kansas farmers to reduce their operations by 30%, and what would happen to rural Kansas if we did that? And to the tax base that supports the University of Kansas? Devastation.
It amazes me that some folks in Eastern Kansas have such a simplistic and ignorant view of the world, that they think we can build a brick wall to protect us. I bet they also believe the oceans keep us safe from terrorist attacks.
Rampant lack of understanding, or a triumph of mindless liberal bias, or all the above.
KsTwister (anonymous) says…
Roberts helped create the problem he now decries as being too difficult to fix. Macbeth reinvented.