Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) are preparing to introduce a resolution to make Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports and products publicly available on the Internet. The CRS is a research arm of the U.S. Congress, which authors numerous reports and products on issues ranging from the environment to budget.

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) introduced a bill (S. 265) that would require sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to meet the same fuel efficiency standards as passenger cars. The bill, introduced January 30, would require auto manufacturers to raise the fuel economy standards for light trucks and SUVs from the current 21 miles per gallon (mpg) to 27.5 mpg -- the standard that passenger cars meet today. The legislation calls for gradual increases in fuel efficiency, climbing to 23.5 mpg by 2008, 24.8 mpg by 2009, and 26.1 mpg by 2010, reaching 27.5 mpg in 2011.

EPA is issuing a weak final rule to limit nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from new marine diesel engines in large ships and tankers. The standards are equivalent to those contained in a previous international agreement, which manufacturers are already meeting, and are not expected to have much effect. Initially, EPA favored taking stronger action, but OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs blocked this effort in its review of the agency’s proposed rule.

For more information see our summary of both bills. Tax policy expert Matt Hamill of the Institute for Higher Education Policy has put together a comparison of the charitable giving portions of H.R. 7, CARE Act 2002 and 2003 and the Bush Budget for FY 04.