Inside the Beltway

By John McCaslin (Contact) | Monday, August 4, 2008

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Snail mail

With the apparent suicide last week of Army scientist Bruce E. Ivins, the federal government will soon decide whether to close its lengthy anthrax-poisoning investigation, which came on the heels of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

An additional question to be answered is whether U.S. mail destined for the White House, Congress and federal agencies in specific ZIP codes will continue to undergo irradiation.

This columnist has just finished reading a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report dated July 31, 2008, showing that about 1.2 million containers of federal mail, each weighing up to 20 pounds, were irradiated from November 2001 through April 2008. The cost for the irradiation: about $75 million.

In January 2008, the U.S. Postal Service abandoned its plans to build an irradiation facility in Washington, citing costs and other considerations, and will continue contracting for the services.

One positive note from the GAO: mail volume and delivery is decreasing with the advance of electronic correspondence.

Bygones

Perhaps it's the depressed economy. Or maybe because it's an election year. And don't forget it's August, too.

Whatever the reason, tempers are flaring on Capitol Hill — to the extent that apologies are being issued left and right.

"Madam Speaker, yesterday the House voted on a motion to censure the gentleman from New York, Mr. Rangel," Rep. Lamar Smith, Texas Republican, stood up to say last Friday, referring to Democratic Rep. Charles B. Rangel.