Etc., etc., etc. …...

Coming in future issues…..

Progress Report on Fontenelle Trees

Nebraska Byways:
Stories about
Nebraskans

WESTERN ARCTIC
GETS REPRIEVE

NRDC and our partners have scored a major courtroom victory for Arctic wildlife. In late September, a federal judge blocked the Bush administration from proceeding with oil and gas development in more than 1 million acres in the Western Arctic Reserve, including a pristine nesting area for migratory birds and the calving grounds for the Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd.

The court ruled that the Interior Department failed to consider the cumulative environmental impacts of oil and gas drilling on this sensitive ecosystem. In tandem with our courtroom campaign, BioGems Defenders have sent more than 100,000 messages urging the Bush administration and Congress to uphold protections for important habitat areas within the reserve.

COURT UPHOLDS STRICT LIMITS ON DEADLY SONAR

A federal appeals court has rejected the Bush administration's attempt to turn back a landmark NRDC courtroom win that limits the peacetime deployment of a powerful low-frequency active sonar system. According to the Navy's own studies, the LFA sonar system generates noise so intense that dangerous levels of sound travel more than 300 miles -- posing a deadly threat to whole populations of whales and other marine mammals that depend on their hearing to survive.

Three years ago, a lower federal court sided with NRDC and our partners and ruled that the Navy's plan to deploy this powerful new sonar system across 75 percent of the world's oceans violated a host of federal laws. In the wake of the appeal court's decision, the Navy must continue to adhere to an agreement with NRDC, which limits LFA testing and training to an area in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

More WPA stories about Nebraska by Nebraskans

Annoyed with President Bush's recent recess appointments of controversial nominees, US News reports Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has a procedural maneuver to thwart the White House. "Reid will call the Senate into session [during the summer recess] just long enough to force the Prez to send his nominees who need confirmation to the chamber. The talk is he will hold a quickie 'pro forma' session every 10 days, tapping a local senator to run the hall. Senate workers and Republicans are miffed, but Reid is proving that he's the new sheriff in town," reported the magazine. The move would legally deny Bush the ability to make any recess appoint-ments….Despite threats from both major parties, Florida Governor Charlie Crist (R) signed into law the bill that moves the state's Presidential primary forward to January 29, 2008. The bill also forces to end in the state of touchscreen voting machines that don't produce voter verifiable paper receipts, and ended the state's "resign to run" law for candidates seeking federal office. That last part was purportedly added to allow Crist to be in contention for VP nomination -- although it will allow lots of state senators and local officials to make congressional runs without risking their current seats…..Call it Ernie Fletcher's revenge. US Senate Mitch McConnell (R-KY), portrayed in state newspapers as the godfather of the Kentucky GOP, has his faction of the party heavily backing Anne Northup in the gubernatorial primary. That appears to be why a growing movement in the party -- led by the pro-Fletcher faction -- is looking for payback in the form of giving McConnell a tough primary challenge in 2008. Check out the DraftForgy.com website, urging former State Supreme Court Justice Larry Forgy (R) to oppose McConnell. Forgy was the GOP nominee for Governor in 1991 and 1995. The Draft Forgy website is filled with pro-Fletcher and ani-

McConnell sentiments, plus lots of Forgy quotes that make him sound rather interested in the race….Sen. Chuck Hagel's 95% GOP playbook voting record was trumpeted by Mitch McConnell at a GOP Nebraska fundraiser. In the audience, no doubt with burning ears, was Hagel challenger Nebraska AG Jon Bruning. (that's what happens when you play with the big kids, Jon)….Capitol Hill sources are reporting former Speaker Dennis Hastert, (R-IL) may retire and not run in 2008. He is rumored to announce his decision by early fall…..Arizona Sen, John McCain has missed about 60% of votes in the Senate as he campaigns for his party's presidential nomination. By contrast, Sen. Hillary Clinton has missed 4% and Sen. Barak Obama 6%….  Alaska newspapers are reporting the FBI, still inves-tigating State Rep. Ben Stevens on corruption charges, is now also investigating his father, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, longest serving GOP Senator in history, on similar charges of corruption….Newly found emails show VP Cheney ordered the Secret Service to destroy appointment logs,,,

U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson: Phone: (202) 224-6551  Fax: (202) 228-001240, Suite 5 Dirksen Basement (Temp)
Washington, DC 20510
senator@bennelson.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel: Phone: (202) 224-4224  Fax: (202) 224-5213
346 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry: Phone: (202) 225-4806, Fax (202) 225-5686   1517 Longworth House Office Bldg. Washington,DC 20515
Rep. Lee Terry:Phone: (202) 225-4155  Fax: (202) 226-5452  1513 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
talk2lee@mail.house.gov
Rep. Adrian Smith 503 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Phone:(202) 225-6435
Fax:(202) 225-0207

SEC. B, p2
Senate Moments

SEC. B, p3
HISTORY
SCRAMBLE