Even if your bill does not pass, you can claim victory.

A letter from a committee chair can ask a Cabinet Secretary to do what your bill would have required the agency to do.

Such requests usually receive a positive response.  The Secretary has an ongoing relationship with the chair.

I suggested that two such letters be sent this week.

But no details in this blog until the chairs sign the letters.

Every significant capital project starts with money for design.  The funding for the bricks and mortar follows the next year.  I learned that a long time ago.

A new program where regulations must be written before money is awarded to applicants can start with a small appropriation.  The real money will come the next fiscal year.

I learned that today, when a colleague proposed that low-cost alternative.