Bayh in the Hotline

Sen. Edwards was seen as a populist last time around and it looks like Sen. Bayh is beginning to step up the populist fight.

Evan is making his mark in the National Journal Hotline:
#12 BAYH: Every Day A New Piece Of Populist Legislation...
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) introduced 3/15 "legislation to eliminate the Patriot Penalty, a pay cut many National Guard and Reserve members face when they are called to duty and lose their civilian salaries." The Patriot Penalty Elimination Act "would fully compensate 99 percent of Guard and Reserve members who have suffered a pay cut while serving their country and help ensure that no one serving will face a pay cut in the future." It "would provide a tax credit of up to $15,000 a year for companies that are already making up the salary difference for their Guard member-employees and would offer a direct payment of up to $50,000 a year to Reservists whose companies cannot or will not make up the difference." Bayh: "The Patriot Penalty is hurting the heroes of our country and threatening the strength of our military. Our Guard and Reserve families make countless sacrifices when a loved one is deployed -- financial hardship because of their service should not be one of them" (release, 3/15).

Seriously, Check Out These Recent Bayh Hits Since Jan. 2005
-- For Labor, Hotline, 3/14: Bayh is "teaming" with other lawmakers to introduce the Stopping Overseas Subsidies Act. Bayh explained that he has met with "many Hoosier manufacturers during my trips home who tell me about products they've seen from Chinese companies that cost less than the materials used to make them."
-- For Values Democrats, Hotline, 3/9: Bayh "continued his work to promote responsible fatherhood" by urging Senate Finance Cmte leaders to include mandatory funding for the Responsible Fatherhood Act. Bayh sent a letter to Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT) requesting funding to "target fatherlessness" and emphasize the bipartisan support for the Act.
--For Iowa Democats, Hotline, 3/3: Bayh will participate in a press conference at Union Station today to announce the Indy Racing League (IRL)'s decision to use ethanol in its IndyCars.
--For liberal bloggers/anti-war folks, Hotline, 1/26: Bayh announced his opposition "elevating" NSA Condoleezza Rice to sec/state because Pres. Bush "has to be held accountable for mistakes" in Iraq.