Impressive Congressional Win

Sometimes what Congress debates, discusses and wins when confronted with issues of global importance that will determine the sustainability of our planet defines ......... Congress:

That's One Successful Negotiation, Medium Rare

The famed House taco salad, which draws hungry patrons from both sides of the Capitol every Wednesday, may soon be available on the Senate side of the complex.

After weeks of unexpected objections, House Republicans finally agreed yesterday evening to a carefully crafted deal that would allow Restaurant Associates, the private contractor that has run House eating establishments since the 1980s, to take over the troubled Senate dining facilities.

After months of negotiation, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last month overcame Democratic opposition to the privatization of the famed Senate Dining Room and the chamber's other eateries, persuading colleagues to approve the deal. The Senate's food service operation has lost $18 million since 1993; it has turned a profit seven times in the last 44 years and is on the verge of losing $2 million in fiscal 2008.

The plan, approved unanimously, offers current Senate food service workers buyout packages worth as much as $25,000 for the longest-tenured staff members, if they don't want to work for Restaurant Associates. Employees who sign on with the contractor would receive guarantees of their current salaries and would be allowed to maintain their federal benefits. New hires would not receive such benefits.

Because the deal was in a piece of legislation, it required House approval. Senate lawmakers assumed that was a mere formality; long-standing tradition dictates that one chamber does not interfere with the internal affairs of the other.

But House Republicans objected to the benefits package, contending that it sets a precedent by allowing workers to receive federal benefits while working for a private contractor. The bill stalled for a time, with another deadline approaching later this month.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wants to pass the restaurant plan without debate so the House will not waste precious floor time on an issue that has nothing to do with that chamber, according to lawmakers and aides.