Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
ACTUALLY MADE IT INTO THAT
FINISHED PRODUCT.
>> GREAT NEWS.
PANDA CAM IS BACK.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
BUT IN ORDER TO GET THAT
COMPROMISE BILL DONE, THERE WERE
OF COURSE SOME SHOEHORNED
EXTRAS.
SOME CONSERVATIVES CRIED PORK
AFTER A $2 BILLION AUTHORIZATION
FOR THE OLMSTEAD LOCK AND DAM
PROJECT WAS ADDED TO THE BILL.
>> WE'RE HERE ON THE OHIO RIVER,
ON THE OLMSTEAD LOCK AND DAM
PROJECT.
>> THE MONEY WILL CONTINUE TO
PAY FOR THIS MASSIVE ARMY CORPS
OF ENGINEERS PROJECT ON THE OHIO
RIVER ALONG KENTUCKY'S BORDER.
THE SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUND, A
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE,
DUBBED IT THE KENTUCKY KICKBACK,
BLAMING THE ADDITION ON
KENTUCKY'S OWN SENATE MINORITY
LEADER, MITCH McCONNELL.
>> I'M PLEASED TO GET THIS KIND
OF FIRSTHAND BRIEFING OF A
PROJECT THAT I AND OTHERS HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON PROVIDING THE
FUNDS FOR.
>> McCONNELL HAS LONG SUPPORTED
THE DAM PROJECT.
HERE HE IS ON A VISIT IN 2009.
BUT THIS MORNING, HE FIRED BACK
AT CRITICS ON WVLK RADIO IN
LEXINGTON.
>> THERE WAS NO MEEARMARK.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
REQUESTED THE OLMSTEAD LOCK
FUNDING.
BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE PASSED
AN AUTHORIZATION FOR IT.
EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE
SENATE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT
AND NONE ASKED FOR IT TO BE
TAKEN OUT.
>> McCONNELL'S NEGOTIATING
COUNTERPART, SENATE MAJORITY
LEADER HARRY REID, AGREED LAST
NIGHT.
>> THIS IS NOT AN EARMARK.
IT SAVES THE MONEY, THE
TAXPAYERS LOTS OF MONEY.
>> IT TURNS OUT OFFICIALS SAY
STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE
PROJECT WOULD HAVE COST OVER
$200 MILLION IF THE
AUTHORIZATION HAD NOT GONE
THROUGH.
OH, AND PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD THE
SAME PROVISION TO CONTINUE THE
PROJECT IN HIS 2014 BUDGET.
>> RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT
SHUTTING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT,
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT SHUTTING
DOWN THE WASTE.
>> TOM SHATZ IS PRESIDENT OF
CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT
WASTE.
>> ADDING A PROVISION TO FUND A
DAM OPENS THE DOOR FOR SIMILAR
PROJECTS IN THE NEXT C.R.
THIS PROJECT HAS TRIPLED IN
COST.
IT'S BEHIND SCHEDULE AND IF
REGULAR ORDER HAD PREVAILED IT'S
UNCLEAR WHETHER THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN FUNDED AT ALL IN THE NORMAL
APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
>> OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE BILL
TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDE
$175,000 WHICH WILL BE PAID TO
THE WIDOW OF SENATOR FRANK
LAUTENBERG WHO DIED LAST YEAR.
SUCH A PAYMENT IS STANDARD
PRACTICE BUT IT MIGHT BE WORTH
NOTING LAUTENBERG WAS ONE OF THE
WEALTHIEST MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
ROLL CALL REPORTED HE WAS WORTH
MORE THAN $50 MILLION IN 2011.
FINALLY, LET'S CALL THIS THE
EDWARD SNOWDEN EFFECT.
THE PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
OVERSIGHT BOARD WILL GET $3.1
MILLION.
THEY ARE A WHITE HOUSE OVERSIGHT
GROUP SET UP TO GUARD AMERICANS'
RIGHT TO PRIVACY AGAINST
OVERREACH BY GOVERNMENT
CYBERINTELLIGENCE.
SENATOR JOHN McCAIN DID NOT
MINCE WORDS ABOUT SOME OF THESE
ADDED PROVISIONS.
HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST QUOTE,
THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE ALC
ALCOHOLICS.
THEY CAN'T RESIST TAKING A
DRINK.
IT'S RIDICULOUS.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
IT SHOWS THERE ARE PEOPLE IN
THIS BODY WHO ARE WILLING TO USE