Well this Congress has accomplished a lot and will go down in history [perhaps wrong expression] as having conducted health care reform, various pieces of bailout legislation, and many other substantive items. But I am guessing that the period from Memorial Day (next Monday)until Labor Day or even the 2010 elections may be the session from hell. Basically appropriations must get through to fund the FY 2011 Department and Agency budgets. But in the meantime events are rapidly intervening that may disrupt any human efforts at organization that will allow thoughfulness. Most of the successes of this Congress required tooth and nail combat and no one will know much before 2012 if the Congressional effort paid off. In the meantime Congressional incumbents look like they may be hammered by events and the frustration of the voters. Resort to simple programmatic authorization extensions looks to me like the norm.
Thus willing to predict that for FEMA programs, functions, and activities mostly funding issues and little in the way of "reform" or change dictated by the 111th Congress. But I believe that the 112th Congress will end up the most significant Congress since the Cold War for a variety of reason that I will articulate over time. Goodby and good luck to members of the 11th and hoping the 3AM sessions can be kept to a minimum between now and elections this fall. Only the youthful lobbyists with infinite capabilty to monitor Congress 24/7 when in session will know what is up. And it will be a time of misery for WH and department and agency staffs working with what IMO is a largely dysfunctional organization. Hoping the 112th substantially reorganizes for efficiency and effectiveness and in particular to help truly frame Homeland Security and FEMA issues.
