Last week was a good one for the 10 vulnerable House GOP lawmakers who were chosen to participate in this cycle’s Retain Our Majority Program, which funnels contributions from Members to their colleagues who need it most. [IMGCAP(1)]

Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Chief Deputy Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of ROMP, announced that the program has raised $1.62 million so far this cycle, surpassing last cycle’s haul of $1.3 million.

The 10 beneficiaries this time around are Republican Reps. Charles Boustany (La.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Chris Chocola (Ind.), Charlie Dent (Pa.), Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.), Robin Hayes (N.C.), Randy Kuhl (N.Y.), Mike Rogers (Ala.), Joe Schwarz (Mich.) and Heather Wilson (N.M.).

FOIA Revisited. The Senate “hotlined” a bill last week that would ensure that future statutory exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act be explicitly voted on instead of tucked into lengthy authorization and appropriations legislation without being labeled as such, as is often the current practice.

The measure, sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), is part of package of reforms designed to strengthen FOIA. This provision, which requires exemptions for federal agencies from FOIA requirements be explicit within the text of the bill, was separated out to increase its chances of swift passage.

The bill, S.1181, has been sent to the House, where it is championed by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

Moving On. Laura Flippin, most recently a special assistant to President Bush, has joined the Washington, D.C., litigation department of the law firm Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker LLP.

Earlier, at the Justice Department, Flippin served as deputy assistant attorney general and oversaw the Office of Immigration Litigation and the Office of Consumer Litigation.

She has also served in the White House Counsel’s office, handling presidential appointments and nominations.

— Ben Pershing, Suzanne Nelson and Louis Jacobson