Thursday Links

• As we noted on Tuesday, it has been reported that the federal Office of Women's Health has recently had more than one-quarter of this year's $4 million operating budget quietly removed. Today, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) called on the FDA Commissioner to stop the removal of this money and ensure that the Office is fully funded.

• As the controversy surrounding the appaling conditions at Walter Reed Hospital continues, news surfaced today that top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.

• According to an AP investigation, Bush administration regulators approved children's lunch boxes that were laden with more than 10 times hazardous levels of lead, then lied about it and refused to release details of their tests. Bush believes the children are our future.

• Representative Marty Meehan (D-MA), will re-introduce The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a Congressional bill to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel.

• Democrats in Congress have included the extension of union protection to 43,000 federal airport security workers to broad antiterrorism legislation. This proposal, predictably, has provoked opposition from Senate Republicans and the Bush administration. At the same time, despite the fact that the Democratic-led House today passed the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to start unions away from employer intimidation, Senate Republicans have pledged to block the bill and the White House says President Bush'will veto the measure if it reaches his desk. Why is it that Bush and the GOP oppose any kind of legislation that would help unions? Is it because they're bought and paid for by large corporations?