VOLUME No: 49 Issue No: 4

Washington, D.C. - May 23, 2003

House Passes Tax Cut Plan

Early Friday morning the House of Representatives approved one of the
largest tax cuts in the nation's history.

The $350 billion tax cut plan is less than half the $726 billion in
tax reductions that President Bush proposed in January. Commerce
Secretary Don Evans commented that the tax cuts were designed to
create jobs, describing unemployment as a more pressing worry than
the growing deficit.

"This is a very manageable debt level," Evans said on NBC's
"Today." "The deficit we need to stay focused on is
the job deficit we have in this country."

The plan will deliver rebate checks of up to $400 per child to many
families as early as this July. Other reductions would go to married
couples, most workers, people who sell property, businesses, and
corporate stockholders who receive dividends. Following earlier
criticism that not enough has been done to help financially troubled
states, the new tax cut plan also includes $20 billion in aid over a
two year period to help the cash-strapped states.

Most Democrats have objected to the tax cut ever since Bush proposed
the idea early this year. ''It gives away billions to those who need
it least and does very little for those who need it most,'' said
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD).

USA PATRIOT Act and War on Terrorism

House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
(R-WI.) and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI.) received answers
from the Justice Department to their questions regarding the USA
PATRIOT Act and the war on terrorism.

Chairman Sensenbrenner said, "The Justice Department should be
commended for the timing and thoroughness of these answers. These
answers will assist the Judiciary Committee in fulfilling its
legislative and oversight responsibilities and should prove helpful
in any future debate about extending all or part of the USA PATRIOT
Act. In addition, I hope Members and the public will review the
Department's answers for an accurate understanding of what the USA
PATRIOT Act authorizes, and how this law is being implemented."

Ranking Member Conyers said, "I appreciate the fact that the
Justice Department responded to our queries in a timely basis. I wish
they would have been more forth coming in terms of manner in which
and how freely the new powers have been used. I look forward to
engaging in further oversight with the Department on this critical
civil liberties issue."

Full texts of the questions presented may be found here or at:
http://www.house.gov/judiciary/patriot040103.htm

And the reply from the Justice Department here or at:
http://www.house.gov/judiciary/patriotlet051303.pdf

Bush's World Tour to discuss the World Economy and the Future of Iraq

At the end of this month, President George W. Bush will embark on a
world tour that includes Poland, Russia and, France. During his trip
to France, President Bush is expected to head the G-8 Economic
summit. He will discuss the future of Iraq and his new Middle East
economic scheme with top leaders from Europe and Canada. A meeting
with China's new President Hu Jintao is also on the table.

Speculations indicate that President Bush might make his first visit
to the Middle East. Qatar and Kuwait are the most likely candidates
where Bush aims to visit the U.S. troops and thank the respective
countries for being part of coalition in the war in Iraq.