A coalition of mining companies and trade associations appears to have used the Data Quality Act to derail a Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) rule that would protect miners from harmful particulate matter in diesel exhaust. The challenge did not raise actual objections to data quality; instead it couched industry's disagreements with the rule in data quality language. The tactic, however, appears to have succeeded in impelling the agency to publish a modification to the rule that weakens the mine worker protections. The Issue

Over the last two weeks, Congress has forged forward with plans to enact fiscally irresponsible budget and tax reconciliation bills that together will raise the deficit by as much as $35 billion over the next five years. That such a plan ignores new fiscal strains and the public's changed priorities since Hurricane Katrina seems of little consequence to lawmakers. Despite reaching agreement earlier this year on the elements of a dreadfully harmful reconciliation package, the House and Senate are currently crafting even more appalling (and now drastically different) bills.

On Oct. 20 the Federal Election Commission (FEC) heard testimony on its reconsideration of a rule on treatment of grassroots broadcasts by charities and religious organizations in campaign finance regulations. OMB Watch testified in support of an exemption for grassroots lobbying from the "electioneering communications" rule, which bans corporations, including nonprofits, from referring to federal candidates in broadcasts made 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a primary.

Charitable reform and giving legislation is moving piecemeal in both the House and Senate, focusing on specific abuses of the sector and charitable giving incentives in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.