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A few really interesting moves over the last few days from Speaker-elect Pelosi...

First, ethics reform. From today's NYT: Democrats Consider Outside Ethics Panel

House Democrats are seriously exploring the creation of an independent ethics arm to enforce new rules on travel, lobbying, gifts and other issues that Democrats intend to put in place on taking power next month.

Senior party officials said Tuesday that Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the incoming speaker, had consulted with Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the minority leader, on forming a bipartisan group to examine outside enforcement. The goal would be to have the group report back in the spring.

An independent Congressional watchdog, if approved, would be a major break with tradition. Some lawmakers say House and Senate members have sole responsibility for policing themselves when it comes to internal rules.

Next up, spending. Republicans managed to complete only 2 of 11 spending bills for 2007, and in the final days of their extra session they decided to leave everything undone in part to force Dems to clean up their mess. Here's the first of two stories on how their little plan just backfired. Democrats Decline to Take Up Unfinished Spending Bills

Congressional Democrats said Monday that they would not try to finish multiple spending bills left hanging by the departed Republican majority. Instead, they want to keep most government agencies operating under their current budgets until next fall.

In a joint statement, the incoming Democratic chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees said the urgency of new business and the administration’s next spending request for the war in Iraq gave them little choice but to abandon efforts to pass the overdue bills.

“While the results will be far from ideal, this path provides the best way to dispose of the unfinished business quickly and allow governors, state and local officials, and families to finally plan for the coming year with some knowledge of what the federal government is funding,” said the statement from the chairmen, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia and Representative David R. Obey of Wisconsin.

The Republican-led 109th Congress, which adjourned early Saturday, completed only 2 of 11 spending bills due Oct. 1. This was because of a variety of reasons, including Republican divisions over spending levels and a desire by the party leadership to spare lawmakers from tough votes before the Nov. 7 election.

But that's not really the best part. This is: Democrats Freeze Earmarks for Now:

Democratic leaders declared a temporary moratorium on special-interest provisions known as earmarks as they attempt to cope with a budget crisis left by the outgoing Republican-led 109th Congress.

Congress adjourned early Saturday, having completed work on two of the 11 spending bills for the 2007 fiscal year that began Oct. 1. As a short-term fix, lawmakers extended current funding levels until Feb. 15. But the incoming Democratic chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees announced yesterday that they would extend current levels until the 2008 fiscal year begins next Oct. 1.

The new chairmen, Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.) and Sen. Robert C. Byrd (W.Va.), said in a statement: "While the results will be far from ideal, this path provides the best way to dispose of the unfinished business quickly, and allow governors, state and local officials, and families to finally plan for the coming year with some knowledge of what the federal government is funding."

They also said they would place a moratorium on all earmarks until lobbying changes are enacted. Those special spending provisions included in the unfinished fiscal 2007 bills will be eligible for consideration next year, the chairmen said, subject to new standards.

"We will work to restore an accountable, above-board, transparent process for funding decisions and put an end to the abuses that have harmed the credibility of Congress," the chairmen said.

A great more by the leadership, right? Not according to the Post. According to the Post, this is actually a victory for the GOP. Go figure.

The announcement appears to be a victory for conservative budget reformers, such as Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Tom Price (R-Ga.), who circulated a petition last week calling for a resolution that would extend funding through the rest of the year, but without earmarks. That petition, however, called for all domestic programs to be funded at the lowest levels called for in either the House or Senate versions.

In contrast, Obey and Byrd indicated that they would seek adjustments in spending levels to satisfy Democrats and moderate Republicans who were upset by the austere funding bills passed by the House Appropriations Committee. In particular, the measure to fund labor, health and education programs fell billions of dollars short of the Senate-approved levels, and the levels that even many House Republicans said were acceptable.

The biggest victory would be for those lawmakers who have crusaded against earmarks, or home-district pet projects. Virtually all of the bills that pass the Senate and House appropriations committees contain such projects. For the fiscal year that began in October and will end Sept. 30, the slate will be wiped clean.

Obey and Byrd noted that the last time Congress passed all appropriation bills separately and on schedule, and got them signed by the president in time for the next fiscal year, was in 1994, the last year they both served as chairmen. In November 1994, a month after the 1995 fiscal year began, Republicans won control of Congress.

Got that? They aren't approving their version, and yet somehow its a victory for them. Stupid media.

That aside, one more story worth mentioning. Remember that 9/11 Commission? You know, the one Congress and the President decided to mostly ignore? They're baaaaack!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she will create a new congressional panel to examine the administration's intelligence budget and to make sure the money is being spent properly.

Creating the panel, Pelosi said at a news conference, "makes oversight stronger and makes the American people safer."

Democrats have been highly critical of the conduct of intelligence agencies in the days before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Pelosi, D-Calif., also said that one of the first tasks of the Democratic-controlled House she will lead beginning in January will be approving the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, including taking steps to make intelligence decisions more transparent.

The Select Intelligence Oversight Panel proposed by Pelosi would be made up by members of the Appropriations Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, and would work within the Appropriations Committee.

It would examine, through hearings, the president's intelligence budget, prepare the classified annex to the annual defense spending bill and conduct oversight of the use of appropriated funds by intelligence agencies.

Pelosi said the new panel would help remove barriers between the intelligence committee, which makes policy and tracks intelligence activities, and the Appropriations Committee, which determines annual spending levels.

She said she has supported making the intelligence budget public, but acknowledged that many in Congress continue to support the policy of classifying spending numbers. At the least, she said, there should be efforts to make classified material available to more members of Congress. "There are many things that all members of Congress should have access to."

Pelosi, to be the first woman Speaker when the 110th Congress convenes, outlined six objectives she hopes to accomplish in the first 100 legislative hours of the new Congress.

Those include enacting ethics and lobbying reform, implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations, raising the federal minimum wage, cutting interest rates on student loans, making health care more affordable and cutting subsidies to the oil industry.

Nothing like a little oversight to brighten the mood...