November 30, 2010

Senator Sanders

Inheritance Taxes  -  A new tax on multimillion-dollar estates may emerge as the final hurdle to a deal on expiring tax breaks.  Some senators favor permanent repeal; Majority Leader Reid supports a top rate of 45 percent after a $3.5 million tax-free allowance; Republican leader McConnell backs a 35 percent rate after a $5 million exemption; and a group led by Sen. Bernard Sanders wants a sliding scale with rates up to 55 percent or more, according to Bloomberg. LINK

International

U.S. Downplays Leaks - The Obama administration sought Monday to dilute the fallout from the disclosure of more than 250,000 State Department cables, insisting that strong foreign partnerships could withstand the damage and that the leaks will not force any U.S. policy changes, The Washington Post reported. LINK

Bombs Target Iran Scientists  - Separate explosions hit cars in which two prominent Iranian nuclear scientists were riding on Monday, killing one and injuring the other, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK

National 

Food Safety - The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation that would revamp food safety, give significant new authority to the Food and Drug Administration, and place new responsibilities on farmers and processors to keep food free from contamination. The Senate began debate on the measure Monday, according to The Washington Post. LINK

Earmarks - Tuesday's Senate roll call on a proposed three-year moratorium on appropriations earmarks could reshape the year-end budget debate, forcing Democrats to alter an omnibus spending bill so as to strip out or weaken draft language that currently sets aside billions for home-state projects, Politico reported. LINK

Senators Cannot Agree on Fix to the Health Law - The Senate on Monday failed to repeal an unpopular element of the health care overhaul even though Democrats and Republicans agreed it needed to be jettisoned to prevent businesses from being saddled with undue tax paperwork, The New York Times reported. LINK  

Obama, Hill Leaders to Meet on Taxes and Treaty - The clock running, President Obama and Republican and Democratic congressional leaders are sizing up each other as they struggle for common ground on taxes and nuclear arms before the end of the year, The Associated Press reported. LINK

Obama Freezes Pay - President Obama on Monday announced a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers as he sought to address concerns over high annual deficits and appealed to Republicans to find a common approach to restoring the nation's economic and fiscal health, The New York Times reported. LINK

Vermont

Transportation Secretary - Gov.-elect Peter Shumlin on Monday announced he will name Brian Searles to head the state Transportation Agency. Searles, who is now the Burlington International Airport director, was secretary of transportation under former Gov. Howard Dean, Vermont Public Radio reported. Shumlin also announced that state Rep. Sue Minter would become deputy transportation secretary. LINK

Smart Grid - Vermonters can learn more tonight about the state's upcoming Smart Grid system, which will use digital technology to move power more efficiently and reduce overall usage and peak demand, which in turn saves money. The multi-million dollar technology will also centralize meter reading and allow utilities to pinpoint power outages automatically. The project is partially funded by federal stimulus funds, WCAX reported. LINK

VTC President Search Narrows - Vermont State Colleges has narrowed its choices for president of Vermont Technical College to two finalists. One choice is Dr. Kathleen Nelson, former president of Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota. The other finalist is Dr Philip Conroy, vice president for enrollment and marketing at Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts, AP reported. LINK