Feingold Takes on Stevens

This morning, Wisconsin senator Russ Feingold made an excellent speech lambasting Ted Stevens and his colluders for inserting the ANWR-opening provision into the Defense Department appropriations bill. That circuitous maneuver was approved by the House early this morning, since members were understandably unwilling to hold up passage of a bill to fund our men and women in uniform. The Senate will take up the bill in the coming days.

Feingold's main point is very important. Senate rules prohibit the insertion of language into a conference committee report that was not in the version of the bill approved by either chamber. Neither the House nor Senate drafts of the DoD appropriations bill included the ANWR language, so technically it should not be allowed. But the little paragraph inserted by Ted Stevens into the conference report basically says that the Senate rules are suspended so that the ANWR provision can be included ... and then once it's passed, the rules are immediately reinstated. Ridiculous.

The senator from Wisconsin is correct. This end-run around the Senate rules should not be allowed.

[Update: TMV has more on this. Don't miss Joe's post. -- 11:18 a.m.]