Democrats, Republicans to talk special session
Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008
DES MOINES (AP) -- Democratic and Republican lawmakers are meeting separately this week to decide whether it's worth gathering for a special session as they wait for the federal government to determine how much it will help with this year's record flooding.
Democrats plan a conference call later this week to see if members are interested in a special session. Republicans are heading to heavily damaged Cedar Rapids on Friday to push for the flooding response.
House Republican Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said the GOP decided to hold the meeting in Cedar Rapids to remind people of the damage that city suffered during the flooding, a disaster he said is slipping from public attention.
"Unless you're in Cedar Rapids, it's slipped off the front page," said Rants. "There should be a special session."
House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said majority Democrats have waited until a special commission named by Gov. Chet Culver issued its assessment of flood damages before making any decisions. With that report out this week, Democrats will begin discussions of the next step.
"We're starting to get the information we need," Murphy said. "We still have to wait and see what the federal government does. I don't think anybody thought it would take this long for the federal government to act."
When record flooding, deadly tornadoes and severe storms hit the state earlier this summer, all sides assumed that Culver would call lawmakers back into session to react to the disaster. As time has passed, however, the ardor for that session has cooled.
The bulk of money flowing to victims of the disaster will come from the federal government. The major outstanding question is whether the federal government will pick up 75 percent of the recovery costs, or up their share to the 90 percent Culver has requested.
There's nothing the Legislature can do to influence that decision and, until it's made, lawmakers won't know how much money they will need to find. Culver's commission released its report just this week, and Democrats said they're still going over its findings.
"We're still looking at it," said Murphy.
In the meantime, Rants said complaints are being voiced that the state is doing nothing to deal with one of the worst disasters in its history.
"I keep hearing from people in Cedar Rapids," said Rants.
He said Republicans want to gather to review the commission's findings, but also to polish their proposals to deal with the flooding aftermath.
"We're going over the recommendations that Republican legislators have put together," Rants said.
Time may be working against those advocating for a special legislative session. Congress has yet to approve a disaster relief measure, and attention is beginning to shift to the fall campaign season.
A competitive presidential election is on the horizon, and Republicans and Democrats are also in the midst of a battle for control of the Legislature. Few may be eager to take time out from that competition to return to Des Moines for a special session.
With election-year tensions making the potential for partisan bickering high during a special session, some key leaders are looking for a way out. In recent weeks, they've been pointing out that Culver has broad emergency authority to divert money on his own without legislative action.
Culver has said he'll make a decision on summoning lawmakers back into special session before the end of the month. Earlier, he had said that a special session was "very likely" during the middle of September.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return for their next regular session in January.
Democrats plan a conference call later this week to see if members are interested in a special session. Republicans are heading to heavily damaged Cedar Rapids on Friday to push for the flooding response.
House Republican Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said the GOP decided to hold the meeting in Cedar Rapids to remind people of the damage that city suffered during the flooding, a disaster he said is slipping from public attention.
"Unless you're in Cedar Rapids, it's slipped off the front page," said Rants. "There should be a special session."
House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said majority Democrats have waited until a special commission named by Gov. Chet Culver issued its assessment of flood damages before making any decisions. With that report out this week, Democrats will begin discussions of the next step.
"We're starting to get the information we need," Murphy said. "We still have to wait and see what the federal government does. I don't think anybody thought it would take this long for the federal government to act."
When record flooding, deadly tornadoes and severe storms hit the state earlier this summer, all sides assumed that Culver would call lawmakers back into session to react to the disaster. As time has passed, however, the ardor for that session has cooled.
The bulk of money flowing to victims of the disaster will come from the federal government. The major outstanding question is whether the federal government will pick up 75 percent of the recovery costs, or up their share to the 90 percent Culver has requested.
There's nothing the Legislature can do to influence that decision and, until it's made, lawmakers won't know how much money they will need to find. Culver's commission released its report just this week, and Democrats said they're still going over its findings.
"We're still looking at it," said Murphy.
In the meantime, Rants said complaints are being voiced that the state is doing nothing to deal with one of the worst disasters in its history.
"I keep hearing from people in Cedar Rapids," said Rants.
He said Republicans want to gather to review the commission's findings, but also to polish their proposals to deal with the flooding aftermath.
"We're going over the recommendations that Republican legislators have put together," Rants said.
Time may be working against those advocating for a special legislative session. Congress has yet to approve a disaster relief measure, and attention is beginning to shift to the fall campaign season.
A competitive presidential election is on the horizon, and Republicans and Democrats are also in the midst of a battle for control of the Legislature. Few may be eager to take time out from that competition to return to Des Moines for a special session.
With election-year tensions making the potential for partisan bickering high during a special session, some key leaders are looking for a way out. In recent weeks, they've been pointing out that Culver has broad emergency authority to divert money on his own without legislative action.
Culver has said he'll make a decision on summoning lawmakers back into special session before the end of the month. Earlier, he had said that a special session was "very likely" during the middle of September.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return for their next regular session in January.
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