Senate rules allow lawmakers to put anonymous holds on bills, and that's what happened to the database bill last week, according to a blog post by (Mark) Tapscott. But rather than admit defeat on the bill, he invited bloggers to expose something else: the senators who don't want the bill to go to a vote. "Whoever it might actually be," Tapscott wrote, "the blogosphere could be instrumental in uncovering the offending senator or senators identity by calling every Senate office and asking if the boss is the one. Let's keep a tally of the responses."More here:
Sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, and Barack Obama, Illinois Democrat, the bill would require the administration to create a searchable Web site that would list the name and amount of any federal grant, contract or other award of money amounting to $25,000 or more. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN)tried to win speedy passage just before the Senate left for its summer break, but at least one senator objected anonymously.
Now Porkbusters.org, a Web site dedicated to exposing wasteful government spending, is conducting a public campaign to smoke out the obstructor or obstructors, while blogs on both sides of the political spectrum have weighed in, demanding action on the bill. Mr. Frist has also vowed to get into the act, promising to try to pass the bill again when Congress returns from its break next month.
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