Sunday, June 4, 2006 | 7:32 a.m.
The new Interior secretary derived his appointment, in part, from the support of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
The Nevada Democrat said he voted to give Dirk Kempthorne the post after the White House pledged not to try to keep the revenue from the sale of federal lands in Nevada.
Instead, the money would continue to flow to Nevada, where it goes primarily to environmental and wildlife preservation.
But last week, days into his new job, Kempthorne couldn't quite make the same guarantee. When asked about the Bush administration's commitment to leaving the funds alone, he said it was an issue he would be looking into.
"There are some of those issues out there that we still just may need to work on," Kempthorne said in a meeting with reporters. "Sen. Reid and I have always had a good working relationship. And I think that's probably one of the first things that we can confirm - that we will go forward and have a good working relationship."
The land issue outraged Clark County officials last year when President Bush proposed taking 70 percent of the proceeds for his budget. Land sales have brought in $2.7 billion since 1998, and with skyrocketing real estate prices, the pot is projected to grow. The administration ultimately backed down, and released this year's $1 billion allocation to Nevada .
Kempthorne, who gave up the Idaho governorship to head Interior, replaces Gale Norton, who was passionately opposed by many in the environmental community. Kempthorne said Bush told him to "build bridges" - something he'll have a chance to do this week when Nevada outdoors activists visit his office to push for stronger law enforcement of off-roaders and vandals in Nevada's open spaces.
Kempthorne also wants to revisit the Endangered Species Act - an issue he tackled as a senator in the 1990s with his then-colleague, one Harry Reid.
State Democrats continue trying to nab the political spotlight in 2008 by moving the date of Nevada's political caucus to early in the primary season.
The state is among 12 that want to be considered for early primary or caucus meetings, potentially positioning the Silver State just after Iowa's caucus, which is an early test for many presidential hopefuls.
The Democratic National Committee is considering adding as many as two caucuses after Iowa, as well as two primaries after New Hampshire .
"Not only would we have campaign staff checking into hotels all around the state and a general economic boost, but it also means we would push issues important to Nevadans out on the national spectrum," said state Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer.
"It would give us a much bigger voice in shaping the issues that are important in the 2008 primary."
The Republicans, meanwhile, have not decided whether they will change their primary schedule too.
"While Democrats are certainly free to change their primary dates as early as they would like, they will not be able to change the fact that their inability to lead, offer substantive ideas or identify with Nevadans will be rejected by voters," said Tucker Bounds, spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
Nevada is up against Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina and West Virginia in seeking the early date.
Congress gets back to work this week, after adjourning for recess May 26 for the long Memorial Day holiday.
Or, as the House puts it, the "Memorial Day District Work Period."
Now it's true that most members use the time in their home states, meeting with party members and otherwise discussing issues with constituents.
But so far this year, Congress also has taken time off for a Presidents Day District Work Period, a St. Patrick's Day District Work Period and the Spring District Work Period. And there's the upcoming Summer District Work Period, also known as the August recess.
That's on top of a Washington work schedule that usually runs Tuesday to Thursday .
In all, the House has met 47 days - or 9.4 days a month - this year. At that rate, members are on track to work 112 days this year .
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