Maine: United States

Here is a gem from H R 2346, the $96 billion off-budget war supplemental passed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives. Yep, $400 million for a full-throated covert war in Pakistan with all of the accouterments:

Pakistan counterinsurgency capability fund
(including transfer of funds)
There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a special account to be known as the `Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund'. For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of chapter 8 of part I and chapters 2, 5, 6, and 8 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act for counterinsurgency activities in Pakistan, $400,000,000, which shall become available on September 30, 2009, and remain available until September 30, 2010: Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of providing assistance for Pakistan to build and maintain the counterinsurgency capability of Pakistani security forces, and, on an exceptional basis, irregular security forces, to include program management and the provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, and facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, and construction: Provided further, That these funds may be transferred by the Secretary of State to the Department of Defense or other Federal departments or agencies to support counterinsurgency operations and may be merged with and be available for the same purposes and for the same time period as the appropriation or fund to which transferred, or may be transferred pursuant to the authorities contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961: Provided further, That the Secretary of State shall, not fewer than 15 days prior to making transfers from this appropriation, notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the congressional defense and foreign affairs committees, in writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided further, That the Secretary of State shall submit not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report summarizing, on a project-by-project basis, the transfer of funds from this appropriation: Provided further, That upon determination by the Secretary of Defense or head of other Federal department or agency, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, that all or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the purposes herein, such amounts may be transferred by the head of the relevant Federal department or agency back to this appropriation and shall be available for the same purposes and for the same time period as originally appropriated: Provided further, That any required notification or report may be submitted in classified or unclassified form.

I'll let this brief statement speak for itself:

The United States supports the UN Statement on "Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity," and is pleased to join the other 66 UN member states who have declared their support of this Statement that condemns human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity wherever they occur.

The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world. As such, we join with the other supporters of this Statement and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora.

President Barack Obama issued this memorandum today which outlines the four principles he will use regarding the use of signing statements. It also includes an order that all departments and agencies of the Federal government are to seek guidance from the Attorney General before using previous signing statements in how they enforce the law. Accroding to this article in the NYTimes, George W. Bush issued more signing statements than all the other presidents combined.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 9, 2009

March 9, 2009

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Presidential Signing Statements

For nearly two centuries, Presidents have issued statements addressing constitutional or other legal questions upon signing bills into law (signing statements).

You'll recall that I wrote about this story by Eric Lipton that appeared in the NYTimes, about Mike Cantrell and his kickback scheme that involved our nation's missile defense system. From it:
Mr. Cantrell worked in a division that was a small part of the national missile defense program. Determined to save his job, he often bypassed his bosses and broke department rules to make his case on Capitol Hill. He enlisted contractors to pitch projects that would keep the dollars flowing and paid lobbyists to ease them through. He cultivated lawmakers, who were eager to send money back home or to favored contractors and did not ask many questions.