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8A FEDERAL UPDATE from page 1 ...................................... Rage 26 Defense and Homeland Security Appropria- tions are not covered under the CR, as Congress passed the FY 2007 spending bills shortly before adjourning to campaign for the November 2006 elections. The CR will extend federal funding for the remaining federal programs through February 15,2007, at the lowest of the House-passed or FY 2006 spending levels. An exception is the Labor-HHS-Education spending measure (H.R. 5647). Since the bill has not passed in the House or the Senate, funding for the programs covered by that bill will be left at the FY 2006 level. In an effort to expedite consideration of the remaining FY 2007 appropriations bills, the incom- ing House and Senate Democratic Leadership recently announced their plan to pass a year-long joint resolution early in the 11 Oth Congress. The resolution would enable Congress to fund at a fixed level those Federal programs currently not provided FY 2007 funding in the remaining 10 appropriations bills. Incoming House and Senate Appropriations Committee chairmen have indicated that they wlll make "limited adjustments" to these progfams, but that the extended version Would have none of the earmarks contained in the remaining FY 2007 spending bills. The new Democrat-led Congress hopes to conclude work on the FY 2007 measures before the White House releases its FY 2008 budget proposal in early February 2007. Water Projects Bill Awaits Action in Post- Election Session House and Senate conferees failed to reach agreement on the long-awaited reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) prior to adjourning the 109th Congress. The bill would have authorized the Army Corps of Engi- neers to undertake hundreds of navigation, flood control, dredging and other water projects. Conference discussions stalled over how projects are reviewed and approved, and what oversight should be imposed on the Corps. Similar disagreements have stalled efforts to pass a water projects authorization bill for several years. No water projects authorization bill has been enacted since 2000 (PL 106-541). The House and Senate will now be tasked with devel- oping new WRDA bills in the 110th Congress. California Congressional Delegation Leadership and Committee Changes Over the past several weeks, incoming House . Democratic leaders have begun to organize committee assignments for their membership for the upcoming 110th Congress. The reorganiza- tion places several Californians in key positions on a variety of committees. The House Education and the Workforce Committee will remain under California leader- ship, however current committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) will become the committee's ranking member, while the committee's current ranking member George Miller (D-Richmond) will take over as the committee's chairman. California Members will also gain chairmanships on the House Govern- ment Reform and International Relations commit- tees, with Representatives Henry Waxman (0- Los Angeles) and Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) chairing those committees respectively. The House Appropriations Committee will welcome three new Californian Democrats- Representatives Barbara Lee (Oakland), Adam Schiff (Burbank), and Mike Honda (San Jose). They will join Reps. Sam Farr (Cannel) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (Los Angeles), raising California's Democratic membership of the key Federal spending panel from two to five. On the Republican side, current Appropria- tions Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (Redlands) will move into the ranking member Continued on Page 5 PAGE 4 . PRIORITY FOCUS December 15, 2006 . Issue #48 Visit the league's Official Website-www.caclties.org