Good Read..

[vcs]

***First, it should be noted that National President Gage met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman David Obey and spoke on the phone with Senator Barbara Mikulski on our behalf (there may have been more he spoke with, but, these were the main people behind this language. Beth Moten met with Chairman Obey, Chairman Mollohan, Senator Reid and other's staff as well. I say this because this was a big push and I want you all to understand the help we received. Of course many of us met with our legislator's and pushed for the funding also, but, it is good when the folks at the top understand the importance of our issues.

The House placed 178 million dollars into the Supplemental Funding bill for BOP funding. This would get us through the year without too much pain. We are still not in great shape and will have to push for the full 500 million for next year. The Senate bill also includes the 178 million dollar language.

I have contacted Senator's Durbin, Biden, Specter, Casey, Schumer, Kennedy, Mikulski and Congressman Murtha, Mollohan, Carney, Shuster, Scott, Conyer's, staff and asked them to support keeping this language in any final package. Please do the same with your members of Congress and the Senate.

My understanding is President Bush has threatened a veto of this bill because he doesn't like the additional items for housing and entitlements for veterans education benefits. At this point he has not mentioned vetoing this because of prison spending.

Our issue now is if the bill passes with our language in tact, and he veto's it, we will need to mobilize. As much as we are mobilizing on this gun bill, we will need everyone to mobilize on the funding measure. Our fight will be to keep our language in any compromise bill that is redrafted due to a presidential veto.

The House is supposed to vote on this May 14th. With the Senate following either the same day or the next day. That is the schedule right now. It could change at a moments notice.

When a full bill is placed on Thomas.gov for review I will get it out to you.

I believe the BOP and DOJ want the funding but I don't know what the Office of Management and Budget is going to say about it yet.

Please feel free to send this to your Presidents. I will forward to the legislative coordinators. They may want to contact their representatives now and ask them to keep this language in any version of the supplemental spending bill for FY 2008.

I hope this brings you up to date.

Phil Glover

[BikerRN]

Thanks for posting this.

Take care and stay safe.

Biker

[jafish]

Great info, thanks.