Opinion: Sen. Al Franken’s first legislative move is going to the dogs

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After announcing his support for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s Senate confirmation, newly minted Minnesota Democrat Al Franken has moved on to his next legislative issue: dogs.

Specifically, service dogs.

Franken (not pictured above) thinks the government should be more active in facilitating the connection of service dogs with wounded military veterans. Franken’s been very impressed with some canines he’s already seen on vet duty.

Franken wants to establish a three-year federal pilot program to study ways the animals can help the humans and measure those benefits. The estimated cost of the freshman Democrat’s pilot dog program: $15 billion.

Just kidding.

It’s only $7.4 billion.

No, not really. Our blogging buddy Tony Pierce has the real scoop over here at L.A. Unleashed.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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