We'd heard the swamptown know as Washington, DC gives off a stench every once in a while, but we figured it was coming from those scumbags that call themselves Congress. According to Senate bigwig Harry Reid, though, it's the tourists who stink up the place:

The Capitol Visitors Center, which opened [Tuesday], may have tripled its original budget and fallen years behind schedule, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid found a silver lining for members of Congress: Tourists won't offend them with their B.O. anymore.

"My staff tells me not to say this, but I'm going to say it anyway," said Reid in his remarks. "In the summer because of the heat and high humidity, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol. It may be descriptive but it's true."

But it's no longer going to be true, noted Reid, thanks to the air conditioned, indoor space.

Glad to hear we're not offending you with our underarms anymore, Mr. Leader! Good luck with that whole populist appeal thing.

Related Stories:
· Reid: We Won't Smell the Tourists Anymore [Washington Examiner]
· The Capitol Visitor Center [Official Site]
· Poltiical Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: The Capitol Visitor Center]]]> BS 2008-12-03T09:20:23-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/17/102050/050

US Senator and majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) unveiled what he's calling an anti-oil speculation bill on Wednesday, winning applause from the airline industry and even some scant praise from Republican senators. Reid's bill, which he hopes to put to a vote before Congress' August recess, would limit the number of oil futures an investor could hold as well as demand greater transparency from foreign markets and US traders who do business abroad.

Reid admits his legislation won't completely end speculative investing--isn't all investing speculative?--but his idea is to distinguish between investors actually in the market for oil to burn (like airlines) and those in the market for profits, with no intention of actually taking delivery (like hedge funds and investment banks).

While Republicans are also eager to score some points on the oil price issue this election season, they may have a chance to kill Reid's pro-regulation bill by tacking on drilling provisions. House minority leader John Boehner (R-OH) says just stopping speculation isn't enough:

It's just another excuse not to drill. Without speculators, you have no liquidity in these markets.

Related Stories:
· Reid Offers Speculation Bill, Drawing Mixed GOP Reaction [National Journal]
· US Senate Oil Speculator Bill Drops Higher Margins [Reuters]
· ATA Applauds Sen. Reid [MarketWatch]
· Oil Prices coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Clinton Steeds]]]> pbb 2008-07-17T10:30:18-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/