JAMES R. CARROLL'S NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
McConnell, Lugar are listed high in congressional 'Power Rankings'

Washington, like the rest of America, loves its lists, and one came out last week that members of Congress either loved or hated.

Knowlegis, a firm that sells information and software to lobbyists, issued its "Power Rankings." The company examined criteria such as tenure, leadership position, how legislators influenced the agenda on Capitol Hill through everything from media attention to campaign fundraising, and lawmakers' abilities to pass or amend significant legislation.

Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., ranked seventh in the Senate in overall power.

Next year, if he becomes majority leader, that would certainly change -- current Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is ranked most powerful in the Senate.

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., ranked 62nd.

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was listed 14th, while Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., a presidential hopeful, ranked 89th.

In the House, Rep. Hal Rogers, R-5th District, who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's homeland security subcommittee, ranked 20th.

Rep. Anne Northup, R-3rd District, a member of the House appropriations panel, came in 192nd, with Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-1st District, just ahead of her at No. 191.

Rep. Geoff Davis, R-4th District, came in at 169; Rep. Ron Lewis, R-2nd District, was ranked 237th; and Rep. Ben Chandler, D-6th District, a relative newcomer and in the minority party, ranked 412th.

Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th District, Indiana, was No. 270.

You can check out all the rankings at www.congress.org.

One way Sen. McConnell is likely to show his power and influence, as he has in the past, is to ensure that the money keeps flowing to the Blue Grass Army Depot's chemical weapons destruction project.

Last week, the House appropriations panel's subcommittee on military quality of life and veterans affairs lopped $40 million out of construction money for chemical weapons destruction facilities in the fiscal 2007 budget.

Blue Grass and a similar facility in Pueblo, Colo., would be affected by the cut.

The Bush administration had asked for $131 million.

The House on Friday approved the overall bill, with the cut, 395-0.

McConnell issued a statement calling the earlier House panel's action "a slap in the face to the people of Madison County."

"This is unacceptable," the senator said.

"My friends in Madison County have my word that I will do all I am able to do to restore this foolish cut."

Chandler also criticized the cut, pointing out that the United States already has acknowledged it will miss the 2012 international treaty deadline for getting rid of the chemical weapons.

"We must get this program off the ground and running," Chandler said in a statement. "Therefore, it is imperative that the funding is returned to its previous level during conference committee."

Chandler voted for the overall bill when it came before the House because it contained so much that benefits service members and veterans, said spokeswoman Jennifer Spalding. The congressman remains hopeful the Blue Grass cut will be fixed in the House-Senate negotiations, she said.

Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, based in Berea, Ky., said in a statement that "cutting construction funds for next year will negatively impact the progress towards disposal" and would boost costs over the life of the project.