Before They Recessed for Hometown Barbecues....

Congress recessed for the Memorial Day holiday, and will be back in session on Monday, June 6. Before they all left for hometown barbecues, a few items hit the proverbial fan....

Senate Democrats once again delayed a final vote on blunt-spoken John Bolton's nomination to be UN Ambassador. Seems that the State Department continues to ignore Democratic requests for documents routine to background investigations for such positions.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist huffed about Democrats spoiling the post-filibuster air of cooperation. Senator Joe Biden, Senator Barbara Boxer and Senate Democrats were successful, though, in postponing the matter until June.
-------------------------
After the Republican-led House of Representatives ignored President Bush's threats and voted 238 - 194 this week to loosen restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called for a swfit Senate vote on the House-passed legislation. Reid said President Bush was "wrong politically, morally and scientifically" for opposing the measure.

Parroting Republican lingo used in the filibuster "nuclear option" controversy, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) said of the stem cell bill, "Let's have an up-or-down vote."

Bush-pal Bill Frist declined to schedule a vote, possibly out of concern that it may actually pass.
-------------------------
Here's the legislative tidbit of the week that bothers me. The House killed a Republican effort to limit the role of military women in combat.

It's doesn't bother me because it's sexist, which it is. I hate war, and especially despise the Iraq conflict. I'm pleased when anyone is protected from combat. The more people, the better. Everyone, preferably.

It bothers me because it smacks of public assurance that might be needed if the draft was reinstated. All armed forces missed their recruiting quotas for the past few months, and Congress believes that our overseas troops are too small. Troops are doing 2 and 3 tours of duty in that hellacious place and soldiers are being kept in service long after their terms are up.

I believe that reinstating the draft to support the War in Iraq would cause protests the like of which this country has never before seen. It would change the course of US politics and history. And yet, without withdrawing from Iraq, new soliders will have to come from somewhere.

So I wonder....why now move to protect women in combat when no one gave a damn before recruiting quotas were missed? To make the draft more palatable?

Because it's just not believable that some in Congress would resort to such blatent sexual discrimination in this day and age.