Capital Comment -- Daily news notes, political rumors and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
Test pattern -- Undersecretary of Transportation for Security John Magaw announced Monday that five airports have been designated as "pilot test sites for explosive detection technologies" as part of the mandate of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act signed by President Bush last Nov. 19. According to Magaw, the law states the government shall ensure "explosive detection systems are deployed as soon as possible to ensure that all United States airports ... have sufficient explosive detection systems to screen all checked baggage no later than Dec. 31, 2002."
The airports hosting these tests are Norfolk, Va., International Airport; Hagerstown, Md., Regional Airport; Jacksonville, Fla., International Airport; Love Field in Dallas; and Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Dress code -- The White House has issued a dress code for reporters traveling with the president to Europe. The media pool has been informed that "necessary items" for the trip include: jacket, tie and dress or dark shoes ("when sneakers are not appropriate"). They have also been told that "A collared shirt is required at ALL events in St. Petersburg" while "Shorts" are prohibited at NATO.
For the trip to the Holy See, men are required to wear jacket and tie and dark or dress shoes. Jeans, the White House says, are not permitted. For women going along to the Vatican, skirts must be below the knee and legs must be covered. In a bit of good news the press office says that "head coverings will be provided."
There's always the mattress -- A proposal to raise the maximum federally insured bank deposit amount from $100,000 to $130,000 is drawing fire from California GOP Rep. Doug Ose. A realtor in private life, Ose believes the increase will provide few if any benefits to savers while doing nothing to benefit the taxpayers who will be exposed to greater liability. The plan, which also indexes the maximum amount to inflation, is causing some on Capitol Hill to recall how a previous increase for covered deposits in savings and loans helped fuel the activity that ultimately ended in an industry collapse that left taxpayers on the hook for the multi-billion dollar federal bailout.
Hail fellow, well met -- The National Press Foundation is accepting applications for the 2002-2003 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowships, a series of one-day seminars for regional reporters currently or soon to be based in Washington. Now in its 16th year, the Paul Miller program gives regional pressies the opportunity to learn from veteran colleagues, officials and experts how to best dig out important news in Washington that has a bearing on the folks back home.
Bridging the gap -- A bill by Sen. George Allen, R-Va., to authorize federal grants to help historically black colleges and universities and Latino institutions of higher learning become more Net-friendly has been approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
The Allen plan, formally known as The Digital Network Technology Program Act, provides for $250 million in grants directed toward minority-serving institutions, allowing them to upgrade their technology infrastructure, provide educational services for technology degrees, and to implement technology projects in conjunction with government agencies. Allen's home state of Virginia is an East Coast high-tech center and is home to five historically black colleges and universities: Hampton University, Norfolk State University, St. Paul's College, Virginia Union University and Virginia State University.
Deep thoughts -- Beginning May 31, the National Association of Scholars meets for its 10th national conference. The theme of the meeting, which will be at the Washington Marriott Hotel, is "Higher Education and Democracy in Peace and War." Among the speakers who participate in the program are: National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman Bruce Cole; authors Gertrude Himmelfarb and Ronald Radosh; and foreign policy guru Richard Pipes.
Calling time -- A spokesman for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir says an offer to open immediate cease-fire negotiations with the rebel Sudanese People's Liberation Army is now on the table. The offer comes on the heels of former U.S. Sen. John Danforth's report to President George W. Bush on the state of affairs in the sub-Saharan nation.
Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin Al-Attabani, an adviser to the president, issued a statement last week saying, "The government of Sudan is prepared to immediately negotiate ceasefire arrangements with the SPLA. Such negotiations must be unencumbered by preconditions, and would heed calls from a number of quarters for a ceasefire to address the immediate humanitarian needs in the south, particularly in Bahr al-Ghazal and in Unity State."
What's in a name? -- Some political activists are asking the folks who insisted software giant Microsoft was a monopoly to take a look at VeriSign, the company that controls the database of Internet domain names. VeriSign, formerly known as Network Solutions, is getting into the business of site hosting and web development according to the Association of Concerned Taxpayers, a conservative group.
AOCTP is charging that VeriSign has been "dragging their feet when it comes to servicing companies that are its competitors in the Web-hosting industry." They want members of the U.S. Senate like Michigan Democrat Carl Levin to call VeriSign in for a chat about their business practices.
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