The US Senate Agrees that Badgers Rock

GovTrack is an awesome website, a nonpartisan attempt by citizens to keep an eye on the goings-on of Congress. You can sign up to have updates sent to you about particular legislation or legislators. I receive a weekly update about housing/homelessness initiatives, Senator Russ Feingold (he's dreamy), Senator Barak Obama, Representative Peter DeFazio (he's a very passionate, idealistic Democrat from Oregon), Representative Barney Frank (MA - his mother was one of my organization's founders), and Senator Joseph Biden.

Newly introduced legislation I will now follow (introduced by DeFazio): A Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (it has to do with realistic cost of living for elders, since their health care costs are far greater, on average, than other age groups, and their income is generally far less).
I'm also going to start tracking Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat from Minnesota (first African-American elected from Minnesota into Congress and also the first Muslim Congressman in the country). I think he's going to have an interesting career, and I'm going to watch it all!

Normally my updates are pretty routine, with legislation floundering in community or being passionately argued for/against. And then there are the really routine daily statements.

Last week's update - which I'm just getting around to this morning - mentioned unanimous approval for two resolutions in the Senate, both submitted by Feingold and seconded by Herb Kohl (the other WI Senator - also a Democrat. He's been in the Senate forever, and is, in that sense, sort of a Wisconsin version of Ted Kennedy).

So what are these topics that are so universally agreed upon from Alaska to Georgia? What resolutions can be introduced and passed on the same day? Why, those pertaining to WI dominance in college sports, of course.

(What, you thought it would be something important?)

Oh yes, the United States Senate, while battling (or not battling) major issues such as health care, housing, the war, and the death sentence, took the time to congratulate the University of Wisconsin Women's Hockey Team for winning the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Ice Hockey Championship. And if that wasn't enough. They also unanimously passed a resolution congratulating the University of Wisconsin Men's Indoor Track and Field Team on becoming the 2006-2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Indoor Track and Field Champions.

The silver lining of this fluff? That the entire country can unite around the Wisconsin Badgers. Perhaps Senator Feingold should have pursued his presidential ambitions further and ran on a pro-Badger platform.

He'd get my vote.