Init record, air tanker update, NOAA chief, Greek bailout: Wassup May 13
We have a new record! More proposed ballot initiatives have been filed in Washington than ever before, the secretary of state's office said today.
The number of potential initiatives to the people stands at 77, crushing the previous record of 60 set in 2003. May be worth noting that only one proposal made it to the ballot that year, involving ergonomics regulations. It passed.
Members of Congress introduced a bill to make it harder for the Pentagon to award a military contract for a new air refueling tanker to any European company that was found guilty of trade subsidies. Which is another way of saying they introduced a bill that makes it harder for the Pentagon to award the contract to build a new tanker to Airbus, which has been hit with a sanction from the World Trade Organization, and make the contract a lock for Boeing. Probably just a coincidence that the sponsors are mainly from states with a major Boeing presence.off the coast of Washington.
A website sponsored by EADS, the Airbus maker, says it's a way of avoiding the discussion of who makes the better plane.
Also in the other Washington, West Coast senators introduced a bill to ban oil drilling off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California.
Democrats including Gov. Chris Gregoire are happy with the nomination Will Stelle to be the regional head of the NOAA/NMFS, a job he held in the '90s. Republican Rep. Doc Hastings of Central Washington's 4th District not so happy, says it's a "step back into the past," and wants to see a list of Stelle's clients during his recent years as a lobbyist.
NOAA/NMFS (pronounced Noah-Nymphs) stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. They're the feds who handle salmon restoration.
