IN: Lieberman was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Henry, who ran a liquor store, and Marcia (nee Manger) Lieberman. His family is Jewish; his paternal grandparents emigrated from Congress Poland and his maternal grandparents were from Austria-Hungary. He received a B.A. in both political science and economics from Yale University in 1964 and was the first member of his family to graduate from college. At Yale he was editor of the Yale Daily News and a member of the Elihu Club.

When control of the Senate switched from Republicans to Democrats in June 2001, Lieberman became Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, with oversight responsibilities for a broad range of government activities. He was also a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of its Subcommittee Clean Air, Wetlands and Private Property; the Armed Services Committee, where he chaired the Airland Subcommittee and sat on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities; and the Small Business Committee. When Republicans gained control of the Senate in January 2003, Lieberman resumed his role as ranking minority member of the committees he had once chaired.  In 2002, as Chairman of what was then known as the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Lieberman led the fight to create a new Department of Homeland Security. One month after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, he introduced legislation to reorganize the federal government to better protect the American people from terrorism and natural disasters and steered a bipartisan plan through his committee. After months of opposing the plan, the White House eventually endorsed the concept. Legislation that passed Congress in 2002 created a department incorporating key organizational elements Senator Lieberman advocated.  In 2006, Senators Lieberman and Collins drafted legislation to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency into an agency that would more effectively prepare for and respond to catastrophes, including natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The legislation elevated FEMA to special status within the Department of Homeland Security, much like the Coast Guard and designated the head of FEMA to be the President's point person during an emergency. The bill also called for the reunification of the preparedness and response functions within FEMA, giving it responsibility for all phases of emergency management. And the measure strengthened FEMA's regional offices, creating dedicated interagency "strike teams" to provide the initial federal response to a disaster in the region. The legislation passed Congress in September 2006. As the 2007 hurricane season approached, Lieberman held an oversight hearing on implementation of the FEMA reforms on May 22, 2007. He urged FEMA to implement the reforms at a quicker pace.  Lieberman actively oversaw the government response to the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) pandemic and held four hearings on the subject in 2009, including one in Connecticut. He has continually pressed the United States Department of Health and Human Services to distribute vaccines and antiviral medications at a quicker pace and to streamline the process.  In the 110th Congress, Lieberman was Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is responsible for assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal Government. In addition, he was a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee; Senate Armed Services Committee, where he was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Air Land Forces and sat on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities; and the Small Business Committee.

What was the result of this?

OUT: The bill also called for the reunification of the preparedness and response functions within FEMA, giving it responsibility for all phases of emergency management.


IN: David Jon Gilmour,  (born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter best known as a longtime member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He joined the group as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1968, effectively as a replacement for founder member Syd Barrett, who was dismissed from the band shortly afterwards. Pink Floyd subsequently achieved international success with the concept albums The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. By the early 1980s, they had become one of the most critically acclaimed and best-selling acts in the history of popular music; it was estimated that by 2012 the band had sold over 250 million records worldwide, including 75 million units sold in the United States.

Gilmour was responsible for bringing Kate Bush to public attention. While she was still at school, her family produced a demo tape with over 50 of her compositions, which was turned down by record labels. Gilmour received a copy of the demo from Ricky Hopper, a mutual friend of Gilmour and the Bush family. Impressed with what he heard, Gilmour helped the sixteen-year-old Bush get a more professional-sounding demo tape recorded that would be more saleable to the record companies. Three tracks in total were recorded and paid for by Gilmour. The tape was produced by Gilmour's friend Andrew Powell (who would go on to produce Bush's first two albums) and sound engineer Geoff Emerick. Gilmour then arranged for EMI executive Terry Slater to hear the tape. Slater was impressed by the tape and signed her.  Gilmour is credited as executive producer on two tracks on her debut album The Kick Inside, including her second single "The Man with the Child in His Eyes". He performs backing vocals on "Pull Out the Pin", on her fourth album, The Dreaming, and plays guitar on "Love and Anger" and "Rocket's Tail" on her sixth, The Sensual World.  In March 1987, Bush, notorious for the rarity of her live performances, sang "Running Up That Hill" at The Secret Policeman's Third Ball with Gilmour on guitar. A three DVD set of The Secret Policeman's Balls benefit concerts that includes their performance was released in 2009. In 2002, she performed "Comfortably Numb", singing the part of the doctor, at Gilmour's concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Did the album win any awards?

OUT: