The Senate This Week: February 13-17, 2006

Here’s the major things to watch in the Senate this week:

• The full Senate will continue debate today on the Tax Relief Act of 2005 – Let’s give more money to the rich folks!

• Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will resume hearings to examine Hurricane Katrina response issues, focusing on waste, fraud, and abuse during the disaster. Why we care: It’s time to find out more about Team Bush’s incompetence in responding to this disaster.

• The Armed Services Committee will continue hearings to examine the defense authorization request for fiscal year 2007. Why we care: Let’s see if anyone talks about how much of this money will actually go to protecting the troops versus how much will line the pockets of Cheney’s buddies at Halliburton.

• The Veterans Affairs Committee will hold hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2007 for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Why we care: We’ll see the fur fly if the subject of massive tax cuts for the wealthy versus helping Veterans comes up – and it most assuredly will.
  

• Foreign Relations will hold a closed briefing on the challenges and responses to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Why we care: Let’s check out whether the justification for our next war is under full construction yet.