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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2002

The Hart Senate Office Building finally reopened on Tuesday, more than three months after it was shut down when anthrax letters were received there.

The closure put 50 senators and numerous committees out of office. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee and its chairman, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), were among those without a home while the Environmental Protection Agency defumigated, to the cost of at least $15 million.

Also, Congress returns from its winter adjournment today to tackle a number of issues which failed to move during the last session and to push new ones.

Democrats in the Senate, including John Kerry of Massachusetts, are pushing their own energy plan as President Bush fights to keep his alive. The House last summer passed the president's energy policy but disputes in the Senate have held it up.

Democrats are also working on the economy, criticizing Bush his $1.3 trillion tax cut, while offering a slimmed down version of a stimulus bill.

A patients bill of rights, campaign finance reform and the environment are also top issues.

Bush will give his State of the Union Address next Tuesday, January 29. He will release his budget on February 4.

Get the Story:
'It's Good to Be Back': Senators Return to Hart (The Washington Post 1/23)
Staff back at Hart building (The Anchorage Daily News 1/23)
Hart Senate Office Building reopens three months after anthrax attack (AP 1/22)
Election Year Test for Congress (The Washington Post 1/23)
Bush Previews Theme Expected in State of the Union (The Washington Post 1/23)
Senator Attacks Oil Policy as Top Democrats Jockey (The New York Times 1/23)
Kennedy and Bush Negotiate on Patients' Rights, Alarming Their Allies (The New York Times 1/23)
Daschle Hopes to Lead Senate Toward an Economic Recovery Package (The New York Times 1/23)
Gephardt Wants U.S. to Take Strong Steps on a Polluting Lead Plant (AP 1/23)
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Relevant Links:
Senate Indian Affairs Commitee - http://indian.senate.gov

Related Stories:
Senate building set to reopen (1/21)
Inquiry focuses on Senate building (1/18)
Opening of Senate building put on hold (1/17)
Indian affairs building still closed (12/18)
Indian affairs panel still closed (11/28)
In The Hoop: Counsel, Code Talkers, Chlorine (11/6)
Fumigation tested for Senate building (11/2)
Indian committee not affected by anthrax (10/16)