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Politics

Boehner splits with bush in budget battle

By Times Wires
Published December 12, 2007

WASHINGTON

The top Republican in the House, John Boehner of Ohio, made a modest but important break with President Bush over the budget Wednesday, endorsing more than $6-billion in new spending. The surprise development removed one hurdle from among the many standing in the way of Congress completing its budget work. Boehner has been perhaps Bush's most loyal ally in his monthslong battle with congressional Democrats on the budget. His remarks came as a surprise to the White House. He endorsed adding funding above Bush's budget for border security, foreign aid and State Department operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other purposes. He said he remains committed to supporting Bush vetoes of any catchall spending bill that tops his budget request. "Our position has not changed - hold government spending to the president's reasonable and responsible levels and fund our troops in the field," said White House budget office spokesman Sean Kevelighan.

House raises pilot retirement age

The House voted unanimously Tuesday to extend the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65, changing a 1960 Federal Aviation Administration regulation forcing pilots to leave the cockpit at age 60. The bill, if approved by the Senate, would put the U.S. retirement age in line with international standards. The International Civil Aviation Organization adopted a 65 retirement age in November 2006. The measure passed on a 390-0 vote.

Democrats push on with energy bill

Despite a threatened veto, Senate Democrats decided Tuesday to push ahead with billions of dollars in oil industry taxes as part of an energy bill, but abandoned a requirement for utilities to use wind and other renewable energy to produce electricity. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said he hoped a revised tax package, totaling $21-billion, will garner enough votes if necessary to overcome a threatened Republican filibuster.

Bush pardons 29,but not Libby

President Bush granted pardons Tuesday to carjackers, drug dealers, a moonshiner and an election-laws violator, but not to I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, his vice president's former top aide who was convicted in the case of the leaked identity of a CIA operative. Bush pardoned 29 convicts and reduced the prison sentence of one more in the end-of-the-year presidential tradition. Justice Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Bush has granted 142 pardons and commuted five sentences since taking office in 2001, lagging far behind the pace set by most modern presidents. Nearly all of those to win pardons this year were small-time crooks who at most were imprisoned for five years. Many of them never served time at all, and instead were fined or put on probation

Do not call forever,House vote says

The House voted to make permanent the program protecting people from telemarketer calls, relieving consumers from having to renew their participation in the do-not-call registry. About 146-million people have signed up for the list, which Congress created in 2003. "This might quite possibly be one of the most popular laws and government initiatives in our nation's history," said Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.

[Last modified December 12, 2007, 01:22:14]