Back from the holiday break, the Senate will consider S. 510: The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Senators also are expected to vote this week on four separate amendments, according to "Food Safety News." The first two will address paperwork requirement issues stemming from the previously passed healthcare reform legislation, while the last two include a less ambitious food safety bill put forward by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). Another Coburn amendment will ban earmarks through 2013.

On a similar note, while the Republican Senate caucus plans to block the upcoming omnibus spending bill, "The Hill" reports that states with Republican senators stand to lose $2 billion worth of project money if this plan comes to fruition. For this reason, Democratic Senate leaders hope to find a handful of Republican votes when the omnibus spending bill comes forward in the Senate later in the lame-duck session.

Congressman Pence Backs Flat Tax

When Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) resigned from his position in the House Republican leadership soon after the GOP posted large electoral gains on November 2, he fueled speculation that he was considering a presidential run in 2012. His speech on Monday at the Detroit Economic Club has only added further evidence he is seriously considering doing so. In the speech, Pence came out in favor of replacing the current income tax system with a flat tax. "The best option, the most pro-growth option is a flat tax. I believe it is time that America adopted a flat tax and scrapped the current system once and for all," Pence said, according to "Politico."

Many conservatives have long supported a flat tax, in which all Americans would pay the same income tax rate, because they believe that such a system would reduce inefficiency in the tax system and thus foster economic growth. Conservatives have also argued that such a proposal would lead to reduced federal spending. Liberal and progressive critics, however, have opposed the idea, calling it unworkable in practice; they fear it would become watered down while going through the legislative process, which would undermine its potential to increase tax-system efficiency and put a greater economic burden on the middle and working classes.

Despite the flat tax's popularity among conservative economic thinkers and the Republican base, past presidential contenders who have seized onto the flat tax as a core component of their economic messages have not seen success. Senator Phil Gramm lost the 1996 primary to Senator Bob Dole despite embracing the flat tax. Fellow flat-tax supporter Steven Forbes lost both the 1996 primary, as well as the 2000 primary. It will remain to be seen whether the current economic climate will help elevate Pence in what promises to be a crowded 2012 GOP field.

Obama Issues Two-Year Freeze on Federal Salaries

With the deadline for the president to request federal pay increases set for Tuesday, President Obama has decided to request just the opposite. "Politico" reports that President Obama has called for a two-year freeze on federal employee salary increases, which could save $2 billion in the coming year and a total of $60 billion over the next 10-year budget window.

Federal employee salaries emerged as a partisan issue this past election cycle, because many conservatives believe that civil servants and other public employees are overpaid relative to private sector workers. Echoing a similar theme, the president according to "The Hill," said "Small businesses and families are tightening their belts. Their government should, too." Such a proposal would need to pass in Congress before coming into effect.

Critics of the move point out that the $2 billion this proposal would save this coming fiscal year is dwarfed by the $1 trillion budget deficit the federal government is facing. In addition, conservatives point out that forthcoming Republican proposals to reduce the pay of the federal workforce would likely involve bigger cuts than the president's plan.