Short Takes – 9-4-22

Why Do Some People in New Jersey Suddenly Have Bags and Bags of Bags? NYTimes.com article. Ban on single use bags has some problems. Pull quote: “The well-intentioned law seeks to cut down on waste and single-use plastics, but for many people who rely on grocery delivery and curbside pickup services their orders now come in heavy-duty reusable shopping bags — lots and lots of them, week after week.” The law of unintended consequences strikes again.

Senators Return to Work for Final Legislative Push Before Midterms. WSJ.com article. Senate comes back to Washington this week (House next week). Pull quote: “Lawmakers will need to pass a government-funding bill before the end of September to avoid a partial shutdown. Most lawmakers anticipate leadership will agree to punt on finalizing appropriations bills, and instead settle on a continuing resolution that will maintain funding levels to an agreed-upon date, likely until December, according to several aides.”

The Biden Administration Asks Congress for a Continuing Resolution With $47 Billion for Ukraine, COVID, Monkeypox and Natural Disasters. GovExec.com article. Early call for CR. Pull quote: “As part of the CR, we are also calling on Congress to provide funding to meet four critical needs: support for Ukraine, COVID-19, monkeypox, and natural disaster recovery.” Not even pretending that there is a chance that Congress can pass spending bill(s) before the end of the month.