Israel denies fiscal flotilla pressure

In May 2010, the Mavi Marmara and five other aid ships were on their way to Gaza when Israeli soldiers boarded it.Organizers accuse Israel and the United States of economic pressure on GreeceAn Israeli foreign ministry official calls the claim "ludicrous"The Israeli government warns foreign journalists against being part of the flotilla

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli foreign ministry on Sunday rejected as "ludicrous" suggestions that Israel and the United States were using economic pressure to force fiscally strapped Greece into preventing boats from participating in an international flotilla to Gaza.

"Do these people have any proof whatsoever to such claims?" asked Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor. "Their entire activity is aimed at demonizing the state of Israel. What are they saying, that we have used all the Jewish bankers in the world to cancel Greece's bonds? What kind of fantasy world are they living in?"

Organizers of one boat planning to join the flotilla, the U.S.-registered Audacity of Hope, released a statement Sunday asking the Greek government to explain why the leased vessel was being prevented from leaving a Greek port.

Passengers and crew say they are being told the boat cannot depart because of concerns about its seaworthiness and the need for further inspection.

Trip participants rejected the explanation, claiming the boat was safe. They suggested economic pressure was being brought to bear on Greece.

"Israel has said openly that it is pressuring governments to try to stop the flotilla, and clearly Greece is a key government since several of the boats plan to leave from Greece" passenger Medea Benjamin said in a news release by the boat's organizers. "It is unconscionable that Israel would take advantage of the economic hardship the Greek people are experiencing to try to stop our boat or the flotilla."

In the news release, the boat organizers -- U.S. Boat to Gaza -- suggested without offering proof that political leverage was being used with the International Monetary Fund in a bid to compel Greece to block flotilla ships from departing.

Palmor acknowledged that Israel was using diplomatic channels to prevent what he called "an illegal flotilla" from arriving in Gaza.

"These are diplomatic contacts with friendly countries" Palmor said. "As for their claims, they are knowingly and proudly commit an illegal act and still have complaints? Their accusations are simply ludicrous."

Meanwhile, the director of Israel's government press office, Oren Helman, sent a letter Sunday to Israel-based foreign journalists warning that "participation in the flotilla is an intentional violation of Israeli law and is liable to lead to participants being denied entry into the State of Israel for 10 years, to the impoundment of their equipment, and to additional sanctions."

"I implore you to avoid taking part in this provocative and dangerous event, the purpose of which is to undermine Israel's right to defend itself and to knowingly violate Israeli law," Helman wrote.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents international journalists working in the region, responded that the government's letter threatening punishment for media coverage of the flotilla "sends a chilling message to the international media and raises serious questions about Israel's commitment to freedom of the press."

"Journalists covering a legitimate news event should be allowed to do their jobs without threats and intimidation," the Foreign Press Association said in a statement. "We urge the government to reverse its decision immediately."

The flotilla, expected to sail soon, intends to challenge Israel's maritime blockage of the Gaza Strip.

According to organizers, the flotilla is meant to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a similar flotilla that resulted in a clash in international waters with Israeli navy commandos that killed nine people -- including an American citizen.

In May 2010, the Mavi Marmara -- owned by the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, or IHH -- and five other ships were on their way to Gaza with humanitarian aid and about 700 activists from various countries when the Israeli soldiers boarded it.

An independent Israeli commission, led by retired judge Yaakov Turkel, later found that the Israeli commandos "acted professionally and in a measured manner in the face of unanticipated violence" when they seized the Gaza-bound aid ship.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters Friday that she didn't think the flotilla plan for this year "is useful or productive or helpful to the people of Gaza."

"We have certainly encouraged that American citizens not participate in the flotilla," she said, "and we are urging that all precautions be taken to avoid any kind of confrontation."

Clinton's comments followed an even harsher statement by State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, in which she criticized what she called "irresponsible and provocative actions that risk the safety of their passengers."

CNN's Guy Azriel contributed to this report.

CNN

Pelosi Gets Fiscal Religion Over Boehner Hiring Attorney to Defend Gay Marriage Ban

Published April 23, 2011

| FoxNews.com

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi isn't known as a small-government advocate. But she and members of her camp have sounded more like fiscal conservatives ever since House Speaker John Boehner hired a law firm for up to $500,000 to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal law banning gay marriage.

"The hypocrisy of this legal boondoggle is mind-blowing," Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said in a statement to the Washington Post this week. "Speaker Boehner is spending half a million dollars of taxpayer money to defend discrimination. If Republicans were really interested in cutting spending, this should be at the top of the list."

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in a statement that the California Democrat's "newfound concern for saving taxpayers money is encouraging."

"We hope it means we can count on her support for reducing DOJ's budget to recoup any costs incurred by the House so that taxpayers will bear no added cost for the administration's refusal to defend the laws of the United States," he said.

The contract with former Bush administration solicitor general Paul Clement was made after President Obama instructed the Justice Department in February not to defend the law he called unconstitutional. The department said other groups can do so, prompting House Republicans to pick up the slack.

Before the cost of the contract was revealed, Pelosi and Boehner exchanged several letters, turning the issue into a political football.

Pelosi sent Boehner a letter last month asking how much it would cost taxpayers for Clement's law firm to defend at least 12 DOMA cases.

Boehner responded in a letter to Pelosi on Monday, saying the Justice Department should reimburse the House for court costs. He also said he shares Pelosi's concerns over the cost of defending the law in court and intended to "redirect" some of the department's money to the House as repayment.

But Boehner, who is traveling in Pakistan, didn't say how much money was at issue or how he would force the department of repay the House.

Pelosi sent Boehner another letter the same day, pressing him further to reveal the cost of the contract. She also argued that Congress shouldn't enter into "this lengthy and costly litigation," citing one lawsuit that the House plans to fight: a "gay widow" who was forced to pay $360,000 in estate taxes because DOMA prevented her from legally filing for a martial tax benefit.

"This case is a prime example of the injustice perpetuated by DOMA on millions of American families," Pelosi wrote.

When the contract was released -- showing that Clement would work for $520 an hour with a $500,000 cap that could be raised if both sides agreed in writing and received approval from the House Administration Committee -- Pelosi still wasn't satisfied.

In her second letter to Boehner Wednesday, she says the contract still left a number of unanswered questions.

Since Democrats were not informed of the expense approved by House Republicans on a bipartisan legal advisory board, she wants to know whether there was a call for bids, how the $500,000 fee and $520-per-hour rate were established, and what restrictions will be imposed on the lobbying practices of Clement's law firm to avoid any conflicts of interest.

The ball is back in Boehner's court.

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Summary of Fiscal 2011 Budget Bill

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The following is a summary of the budget bill for the rest of fiscal year 2011, as released by the House Appropriations Committee:

Overall Spending Limit: The final CR will include a total of $1.049 trillion in funding, a nearly $40 billion reduction from last year's (fiscal year 2010) levels. This includes the $12 billion in reductions previously approved by Congress and signed into law under the previous three continuing resolutions, as well as nearly $28 billion in additional new spending cuts. 

Agriculture: The CR funds Agriculture programs at $20 billion, which is $3 billion below the fiscal year 2010 enacted level and $3.2 billion below the President's 2011 budget request. 

The bill provides $1 billion for Food Safety and Inspection, which is $10 million below the fiscal year 2010 level, while allowing for uninterrupted meat, poultry, and egg products inspection activities of the agency. The bill also reduces Agricultural Credit Programs by $433 million, Agricultural Research Service by $64 million, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture by $125.9 million below the fiscal year 2010 levels.  

The CR also includes $6.75 billion for the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which allows the program to support more than 9 million income-eligible mothers, infants, and children up to 5 years of age. 

Commerce, Justice, Science: The Commerce, Justice, Science section of the CR contains a total of $53.4 billion, a $10.9 billion, or 17%, reduction from fiscal year 2010 levels, and a reduction of $7.1 billion, or 12%, from the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

The CR provides funding above fiscal year 2010 levels for National Institute of Standards and Technology research and manufacturing programs, as well as critical FBI national security and prisons/detention requirements. Justice Department appropriations are reduced by $946 million below fiscal year 2010, with significant reductions to grant and construction programs, and Commerce Department appropriations are cut by $6.5 billion below fiscal year 2010. The bill also includes $18.5 billion for NASA and fully funds the newly authorized exploration program. 

This section of the CR also prohibits funding for: the establishment of a Climate Service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the approval of new fisheries catch-share programs in certain fisheries; and for NASA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to engage in bilateral activities with China.
Defense Funding: The Department of Defense is funded at $513 billion in the CR - approximately $5 billion above last year - providing the necessary resources for the safety of our troops and the success of our nation's military actions. The bill also includes an additional $157.8 billion for overseas contingency operations (emergency funding) to advance our missions abroad. 

The Defense section of this legislation includes $126.7 billion for military personnel, providing for 1,432,400 active duty and 846,200 reserve troops. In addition, the bill contains a total of $165.6 billion for operations and maintenance, $102.1 billion for procurement, $75 billion for research and development, and $31.4 billion for Defense health programs. This legislation eliminates all Defense earmark account funding, a cut of $4.2 billion from last year's level. 

The CR also includes language preventing Guantanamo Bay detainees from being transferred into the United States for any purpose, prevents the construction or modification of detention facilities within the U.S. for the housing of detainees, and requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a certification to Congress that a transfer of any detainee to any foreign country or entity will not jeopardize the safety of the U.S. or its citizens. This language is virtually identical to existing law that was included in the National Defense Authorization Act 

Energy and Water: The Energy and Water section is funded at $31.8 billion in the CR. This is a 10% reduction - or $3.6 billion - from the President's fiscal year 2011 request, and a 5% reduction - or $1.7 billion - from fiscal year 2010 levels. These significant cuts further the House Republican commitment to deficit reduction and reining in the size of government, while at the same time protecting American security, providing support for private sector growth, and promoting a balanced national energy supply.  

The bill funds the Army Corps of Engineers at the President's request level of $4.9 billion, supports existing applications for renewable energy loan guarantees at the Department of Energy, and provides a $697 million (7%) increase for the National Nuclear Security Administration to ensure adequate funding for critical components of our national defense. 

Financial Services: The Financial Services and General Government section of the CR contains a total of $22 billion, a $2.4 billion, or 10%, reduction from fiscal year 2010 levels, and a reduction of $3.4 billion, or 14%, from the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

The CR reduces most Treasury and Executive Office of the President accounts and reduces funding for construction of new federal buildings by more than $800 million. The bill provides a $13 million increase over last year for the Inspector General of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to provide strong oversight of the billions of dollars remaining in TARP assets and continues current funding for drug task forces and programs to assist small businesses. 

The CR restores a long-standing provision against the use of federal and local funds for abortions in the District of Columbia. The bill also includes the reauthorization of the DC Opportunity Scholarships, along with a $2.3 million funding increase, to stop the termination of the program and allow new students to participate. The legislation also eliminates four Administration "Czars," including the "Health Care Czar," the "Climate Change Czar," the "Car Czar," and the "Urban Affairs Czar." 

Homeland Security: A total of $41.8 billion in discretionary funding is provided for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2011. This is $784 million, or 2%, below FY 2010, and $1.9 billion, or 4%, below the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

All critical frontline operations for DHS - including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Agency, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service are sufficiently funded to meet mission requirements and sustain staffing levels. This includes funding for 21,370 Border Patrol agents, 33,400 ICE detention beds, and military pay and allowances for the U.S. Coast Guard. The bill reduces CBP's Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology (BSFIT) account to the President's request, reduces FEMA first responder grants by $786 million, eliminates $264 million in funding that was previously targeted to earmarks, and rescinds $557 million in unobligated and lapsed balances from prior year funds. The bill also caps the amount of TSA screener personnel at 46,000. 

The bill also includes $1.05 billion in additional discretionary funding (for a total of $2.65 billion, including current funds) for the costs of existing and expected disasters for fiscal year 2011. 

Interior: The CR includes $29.6 billion in discretionary funding in the Interior and Environment section of the bill, which is 8.1%, or $2.62 billion, below the fiscal year 2010 enacted level and 8.5%, or $2.8 billion, below the President's request. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reduced by $1.6 billion, a 16% decrease from last year's level. The cuts to the EPA alone represent 61% of the bill's reduction compared to last year's level. Funding levels for Land and Water Conservation Fund (land acquisition) programs are reduced $149 million (-33%), climate change funding bill-wide is cut by $49 million (-13%), and funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities is reduced by a combined $25 million from last year's levels. 

Funding levels for operational accounts bill-wide are largely sustained to prevent layoffs and the closure of national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, Smithsonian museums and other sites. In addition, the legislation contains language reinstating the Fish and Wildlife Service's original determination to delist wolves in states with approved management plans in place. It returns management of wolf populations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Utah to the states. The bill also includes a limitation on the use of funds to implement the Bureau of Land Management's "Wild Lands" policy. 

Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies: The Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies section of the CR contains a total of $157.7 billion, roughly a $5.5 billion, or 3.36%, reduction from fiscal year 2010 levels. The bill is also nearly $13 billion, or 7.6 percent, below the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

The CR preserves funding for large education programs that fund elementary and secondary schools as well as special education and provides a modest increase for Head Start to ensure that all children currently enrolled will continue to receive services, while making prudent reductions in lower priority areas. In addition, the bill continues the Pell Grant Program at the current maximum award level of $4,860. 

The CR terminates funding for more than 55 programs, for a total savings of well over $1 billion. In addition, the bill terminates two programs funded in ObamaCare (the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) and the Free Choice Voucher programs). The bill makes reforms to the Pell Grant Program that are estimated to save more than $35 billion over the next 10 years by eliminating the ability of students to draw down two Pell Grant awards at the same time. Finally, the CR will return Title X funding to fiscal year 2008 levels. 

Legislative Branch: Legislative Branch is reduced by $103 million from last year's levels. Of this amount, funding for the U.S. House is reduced by $55 million from last year - or 53% of the total cut - and reflects a 5% cut in Member, Committee, and Leadership office expenses except for the Appropriations Committee, which offered a larger cut of 9%. 

Military Construction/Veterans Affairs: Military Construction/Veterans Affairs programs will receive $76.6 billion in discretionary funding - an increase of $3.4 billion over the President's fiscal year 2011 request and an increase of $600 million over last year's level. Within this funding, the bill provides critical and necessary resources for veterans' health and benefits, including an increase of $13.8 billion for the Department of Veterans affairs over last year's level. Military Construction accounts are reduced by approximately $10 billion below last year's level.  

State and Foreign Operations: The funding level for the State Department and Foreign Operations in the CR is a total of $48.3 billion - a $504 million reduction from last year's level and an $8.4 billion reduction from the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

This section of the legislation includes a prohibition on pay raises for foreign services officers, a $377 million cut to U.S. contributions to the United Nations and international organizations, and a $130 million cut to international banks and financial institutions. In addition, the bill reduces family planning activities by $73 million - including a reduction in the UN Population Fund to fiscal year 2008 levels - and maintains pro-life policy provisions carried in fiscal year 2010. 

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development: The Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies section of the CR contains a total of $55.5 billion, a $12.3 billion, or 18%, reduction from fiscal year 2010 levels, and a reduction of $13.2 billion, or 20%, from the President's fiscal year 2011 request. 

For the Department of Transportation, the bill eliminates new funding for High Speed Rail and rescinds $400 million in previous year funds, for a total reduction of $2.9 billion from fiscal year 2010 levels. The bill reduces funding for transit by a total of $991 million and includes a total of $528 million in new funding for the "TIGER" grant program. While the majority of programs funded by the Highway Trust Fund remain at fiscal year 2010 levels, the bill contains total contract authority rescissions of $3.2 billion, of which $630 million is comprised of old earmarks. 

For the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Community Development Fund program was reduced $942 million, for a fiscal year 2011 funding level of $3.5 billion. The Section 8 program is funded at a level of $18.4 billion with $16.7 billion for voucher renewals, $1.45 billion for administrative fees, $35 million for Section 811 mainstream voucher renewals, and $50 million for HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers. 

For a list of highlighted program cuts, please visit

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House GOP fiscal plan unveiled to slice off $4.4T

By Susan Walsh, AP

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says the 2012 GOP budget plan does not include tax hikes.

EnlargeCloseBy Susan Walsh, AP

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says the 2012 GOP budget plan does not include tax hikes.

The plan, criticized by Democrats before it was released, would also cut Social Security, defense and domestic spending in order to reduce federal deficits by $4.4 trillion over 10 years.

The unprecedented attack on government red ink would be achieved without any increase in taxes. The plan calls for reducing the top individual and corporate tax rates to 25% from their current 35% levels — and paying for that by wiping out some special-interest tax breaks.

The plan, produced by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., takes an ax to the three entitlement programs that are at the root of the government's fiscal imbalance: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

The proposal is being released as Congress and the White House continue to negotiate over $33 billion in spending cuts needed to seal the 2011 budget. They face a midnight Friday deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown, which last occurred 15 years ago.

"The new House Republican majority will introduce a budget that moves the debate from billions in spending cuts to trillions," Ryan said in a column to be published in today's Wall Street Journal.

The plan, dubbed "The Path to Prosperity," was criticized by Democrats such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for cutting deeply into New Deal and Great Society programs.

Ryan's plan is much tougher on deficits and debt than the budget President Obama unveiled in February. It's more dramatic, even, than the plan produced by a bipartisan fiscal commission, which recommended in December nearly $4 trillion in spending cuts and tax increases over 10 years.

The plan is likely to win passage in the Republican-controlled House but run into a roadblock in the Democratic Senate, where a bipartisan group of lawmakers is seeking a compromise approach. The White House is hoping those talks yield results.

Highlights of the GOP plan:

•Starting in 2022, new Medicare beneficiaries would choose a private health plan, and the federal government would subsidize the cost. Low-income recipients and those with greater health risks would get extra help.

•Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor, would be turned into a block grant to states, just as welfare was in 1996. Similar changes would be made to the food stamps program.

•Defense and domestic programs would be reduced below 2008 levels for the next five years. That's a lower threshold, for a longer period of time, than cuts Obama proposed.

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