1. Well, here we are 3 weeks past the target adjournment for Congress. Any signs they’ve had enough yet?

–Are we havin’ fun yet? We’re actually working on the 4^th week of temporary extensions on the new fiscal year budget.

–When both the top Republican leader in Congress & the President say it’s time to go home, perhaps it means the end is really near.

–That’s just what Senate GOP leader Trent Lott said this week, & the President said "no more one week temporary spending bills".

–Congress has finally made real progress on several of the appropriations bills.

–Compromise with the President has become the order of the day where confrontation and stonewalling had been the norm.

–We saw the beginning of that change last week with the passage of the Ag Appropriations bill and the President signalling he would sign it, in spite of misgivings.

2. So, what’s left to be done?

–4 appropriations bills have been signed by the President.

–5-7 additional bills have been approved by both the Senate & House and sent to the President, including a compromise on the Energy & Water bill that was vetoed by the President a few weeks ago.

–The remaining 2-4 appropriations bills are in process, but will likely go to the President by the end of this week.

–There will still be a surprise or two with the ongoing attempts by both parties to score election year points, either making themselves look good at the expense of the other side, or making the other side the goat and acting innocent.

–One of these days in an ideal world, good and bad legislation won’t be bundled together.

3. We’re down to less than 2 weeks to go until election day. From time to time, we’ve focused on where the candidates stand on the issues. With the growing importance of global trade, let’s take a look at their views on trade today.

–While the candidates and their supporters are out trying to emphasize their differences, it is hard to find stark differences on this issue.

–Both candidates say they are for global free trade.

–Both support the WTO process and previous GATT and NAFTA agreements.

–Both want trade negotiating authority (TNA), formerly known as fast track.

–Both intend to push competing countries to further reduce subsidies of their farm products and tariffs on our farm goods.

–Both want the EU to drop their ban of our hormone beef and GMO products.

4. Sounds like it doesn’t matter on trade.

–Well, when you dig into their answers past the formal statements, you can see some differences.

–Gore has allied himself with labor and environmental interests, and tends to talk more about "fair" trade and trade that doesn’t sacrifice the environment.

–That opens up another agenda that could include restrictions on trade, which may or may not be appropriate.

–And, for all Bush’s talk of supporting free trade, he has given different responses on trade with Cuba while Castro is in power.

–That opens up another agenda that could include using trade and trade embargoes for political purposes.

5. Other policy-related news:

a. GMO corn causing reconsideration of USDA rules on GMO food & feed.

b. The EU and US continue talks on banana and beef trade issues.

c. World poverty and hunger continue as problems with global proportions.

d. New proposals on conservation programs floated in Congress.

e. Turmoil in Mideast could have adverse impacts on US agriculture.

f. Administration talks with North Korea spells optimism for ag trade, but it will likely take years to work out.

6. Congress

a. Recent/Current:

–Conference committee meetings on various appropriations bills ongoing

b. Upcoming:

–Primary focus is to complete action on all appropriations bills & close 106^th Session by 26 Oct.

c. The budget process & deadlines:

--The President highlighted his budget proposal at the State of the Union Address 27 Jan.

--Feb: House & Senate Budget Committees held hearings w/experts & CBO.

--Mar: Budget Committees draft budget resolution.

--1 Apr: Budget Committees report resolution.

--15 Apr: Budget resolution adopted by Congress.

--15 May: Appropriations bills considered by House.

--10 Jun: House Appropriations Committee reports last bill.

--30 Jun: House completes action on appropriations bills.

--1 Oct: new fiscal year begins; new continuing resolutions as necessary to keep the Federal government in business.

--6 Oct: target adjournment; continuing resolutions suggest delayed adjournment.

d. Congress reconvened 24 Jan with 131 weekdays scheduled until 6 Oct target adjournment. As of 25 Oct, there is 1 day remaining in this session.

Senate Scheduled in session (remaining):

Oct 26 latest continuing resolution proposed

House Schedule:

Oct 26 latest continuing resolution proposed

e. Other key issues for this session of 106^th Congress:

--dealing w/Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

--consideration of tax cut & appropriations bills

--Endangered Species Act revision

--consideration of Kyoto global warming agreement

--oversight of WTO Millennium Round (when restarted) & agreement to continue as member in WTO

--consider revision of Food Quality Protection Act