[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Congressman Augustus Hawkins,the first African-American from California to serve in Congress, hasdied at the age of 100. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) laudedHawkins as "the author of some of the most significant legislation everpassed in the House ... particularly in the areas of education andlabor. He cared about poor and working people."

Governor Schwarzenegger is taking flack for undermining the state agencyin charge of oil spill response. A 2005 state audit shows that theOffice of Spill Prevention and Response was understaffed despite havinga funding surplus. "The tragedy we're seeing in the San Francisco Bayright now is the price we pay when the governor lets critical jobsstand empty – and lets polluters off the hook," said Senate Presidentpro tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).

A study by congressional Democrats estimates that the total cost for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistanhas totaled $1.5 trillion. The report, titled "The Hidden Costs of theIraq War," includes higher oil prices, care for wounded veterans, andinterest payments on money borrowed in its analysis.