Bill to ease presidential transitions heads to full Senate

[The Straight Story]

Bill to ease presidential transitions heads to full Senate


Bipartisan legislation to ensure seamless presidential changeovers sailed through a key Senate oversight panel on Monday evening.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act (S. 3196) by a voice vote without amendments, advancing it to the full Senate.

The measure -- introduced in mid-April by Sens. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., and Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and co-sponsored by Sens. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn. -- is aimed at making permanent the practices that helped smooth the transition from the George W. Bush administration to the Obama administration. It would encourage earlier planning on the part of incumbent administrations by authorizing funding for transition activities. Candidates would be eligible for logistical support from the General Services Administration immediately upon nomination, and they could set aside campaign funds to supplement GSA's services and to cover other transition-related expenses.


"Of course, presidential personalities and uncontrollable circumstances will always be a driving factor in the success of future presidential transitions," Voinovich said when the bill was introduced. "But we in Congress can contribute to future successes by providing sufficient assistance and formal avenues to more robust transition planning, and by working to address the stigma that has unfortunately been associated with so-called presumptuous transition planning before the general election."

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=45294&oref=todaysnews

[ixion]

1. Indeed. The march towards a full-blown Police State must not be

impeded by silly things like "elections"

[elocs]

2. When it came to presidential transitions, Bush couldn't get out of Dodge fast enough.

In fact, if they would have let him leave the day after the election he would have beat feet back to Texas.

Imagine where we would be if this financial meltdown had occurred in Bush's 3rd year rather than at the end of his term?

[Donnachaidh]

3. yeah -- this is SO important to the millions OUT OF WORK *NOW*

Gotta make the power process easier for the powermongers BEFORE they *consider* addressing the growing poverty in the country.

Can't have those politicians put out about not having all the toys in their appropriate place now, can we? :sarcasm:

:puke:

[zipplewrath]

4. And there's too much to do to

address DADT right now. But this.......

[rug]

5. I bet there's a provision to put Blair House at the disposal of the President-Elect.