Investigations on Capitol Hill have begun in the Secret Service scandal involving nearly a dozen agents and several Colombia hookers.
Republican Rep. Pete King of New York has assigned several investigators from the House Homeland Security Committee to examine the event, as has Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chair of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
It’s not clear whether hearings will begin this week, but with the GSA scandal already fading, oversight officials are anxious to look into the latest scandal engulfing the Obama administration.
l The must-watch hearing is set for Friday morning, when members of the House Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands confront top park officials on rules restricting recreation (see story here). House Republicans want to reverse those rules, which block beach access at the Outer Banks of North Carolina, horseback riding in some California parks, and threatens to limit fishing in Florida’s Biscayne Bay.
l Meanwhile, the full House is set to debate a series of cyber security measures that would encourage companies to take action against cyber threats. But President Obama says he won’t support the House measure, and endorsed a bill authored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) that puts Homeland Security officials in control of new standards.
l Senate Democrats will turn their attention to the contentious Arizona immigration law, holding a hearing Tuesday in the Judiciary Committee to examine the constitutionality of the law.
l Meanwhile, Republicans in the House Judiciary Committee will look at new federal disability rules that threaten to shut some pools this summer.