News Quiz

Today's is easy - just one question:

Q: What do $20 million for a road project in Mississippi, $5 million for the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery in Montana, $2 million for an upgrade of chemistry laboratories at Drew University in New Jersey, and $1 million for the Woody Island and historic structures in Philadelphia have in common?

A: They're all part of the $82 billion supplemental spending bill for the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And you thought congress couldn't get anything done.

Also included: a directive that the White House label the "prepackaged news stories" it provides to media outlets:

Although the practice was common during the Clinton administration, Democrats and many reporters complained that the release amounted to propaganda.

The provision will force the White House to label the video releases for a year, but Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, New Jersey Democrat, promises to bring up a bill this year to make the requirement permanent.

"This is a good first step, but it is only a temporary measure," he said. "We need a permanent solution. ... We need to shut down the administration's propaganda mill once and for all."

The bill passed with strong bipartisan support.

The bill also allows an independent counsel that has been investigating Clinton administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros for 10 years to continue until he finishes his final report.

David M. Barrett has spent $21 million since 1995 when he began looking into charges that Mr. Cisneros lied to the FBI about payments that he made to his mistress while serving as HUD secretary in President Clinton's first term.

You might be asking "don't they know there's a war on?" But based on the name of the bill we must assume they are fully aware.

Osama Bin Laden could not be reached for comment.

Update: Major K comments here, and provides a list of a few things his guys could use in Iraq if there are a few bucks left over.