Alaska senator calls for national volcano monitoring

As Alaska's Mount Redoubt sends a steady stream of ash skyward, the state's Republican senator is calling for a national volcano monitoring system to ensure early warnings of volcanic activity. Sen. Lisa Murkowski's proposal would set up a dedicated funding source for all five volcano observatories, including the David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Wash., and better coordinate volcano monitoring nationally. Murkowski said the Mount Redoubt eruptions, which have forced flight cancellations at Anchorage International Airport 100 miles away, underscore the need for more and better volcano observation. She also took a shot at fellow Republicans, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Arizona Sen. John McCain, who have criticized President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill for spending $140 million on volcano monitoring...AP

It's nice to see another Republican who wants to "nationalize" something and spend more money. Surely that's their path back to regaining a majority.