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Federal Legislative Update

For the week of January 31

 

Highlights

 

  • Senator DeMint (R-S.C.) deferred to Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) who has used Rule 14 to hold the House-passed ObamaCare repeal (H.R. 2) at the desk.  The Senate vote will likely be this week via the amendment process to the FAA reauthorization bill, see below. 

 

  • I am now using our new Blackbaud interface to list all of the federal bills we are endorsing or key voting.  Follow this link.  Click on each bill for a profile of the legislation, cosponsors and a link to our letter of support.

 

U.S. House

 

  • The House is not in session this week.

 

U.S. Senate

 

  • Starting today, Tuesday, the Senate will begin debate on an FAA reauthorization bill.  This bill passed 93-0 this past March; however it was a short term fix and needs to be passed again.

 

  • Leader Reid has indicated he will allow an open process on this bill, meaning anyone can offer amendments.  In the Senate there are no filing requirements, any senator can walk to the floor and offer his or her amendment.  This makes it challenging for us because we do not know for sure what will be offered. 

 

  • The Republican Steering Committee has said that the ObamaCare repeal will be offered during this process.  We are obviously already key voting this and have a live action alert as well.  Now is your chance to weigh in with senators.

 

 

  • Anyone on the floor can object to these amendments being added to the FAA bill and overcoming that objection is a 60-vote threshold.  It is also possible, although unlikely, that no one will object and we will see a straight up-or-down vote on these amendments.

 

  • My guess is that Reid wants some of these tough issues to go away and knows that McConnell and DeMint have procedural maneuvers to get a vote anyway.

 

  • Remember, because these are amendments to another bill, if something squeaks through that the majority does not like, they can always tank the bill on final passage.

 

  • Additionally, two Obama recess appointments, Donald Berwick (CMS) and Craig Becker (NLRB), have been officially re-nominated.  I do not expect either to gain any traction.   

 

Recently Passed

 

  • Senate passed S.Res. 28, a bill to change the standing rules of the Senate to require public disclosure when a Senator intends to object to unanimous consent.  This ends the so-called “secret hold.”  92-4, only Sens. DeMint, Ensign, Lee and Paul opposed, 4 Sens. not voting.

 

  • Senate efforts to change the filibuster rules failed.

 

  • House passed H.Res. 38, a non-binding resolution instructing the Budget Committee to offer a continuing resolution for the remainder of FY2011 at FY2008 levels or below.  256-165, with 17 Ds joining all the Rs, 13 Members not voting.

 

  • House passed H.R. 359, a bill to reduce Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions.  239-160, with 10 Ds joining all but 1 R, 35 Members not voting.

 

Legislation to Watch

 

  • Senator Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has introduced a bill (S.228) that will broadly block federal climate rules under the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act and prohibit public nuisance litigation related to climate change.  This is an important marker in the 112th Congress as it will lay out the right flank of the debate.  Our letter of support.
  • Senator DeMint (R-S.C.) has introduced S. 192, a bill to repeal ObamaCare. 
  • Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Rep. Tom McClintock (R.-Ca.) have both introduced the Full Faith and Credit Act, which will require the Treasury to prioritize servicing the federal debt above all other spending: House version and Senate version.  This bill is in response to the hysteria claiming that if the debt ceiling is not raised we will default on our debt.  Phil Kerpen has a piece on NRO on this issue.  
  • Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will introduce the Senate companion to Rep. Davis’s REINS Act, H.R. 10 by the end of the week.
  • The House Republican Study Committee introduced the Spending Reduction Act, a package that includes:
    • Senator DeMint (R-S.C.) will introduce the Senate companion legislation to this bill. 
    • Replacing the current CR with one that reduces CR spending levels to FY08 for non-defense/security discretionary spending.
    • Establishes a discretionary cap at FY06 levels for the 10-year budget window.
    • Ends automatic pay increases for federal workers for 5 years (Obama’s proposal is for 2 years).
    • 15% cut in the federal workforce, achieved through attrition
    • Repeals all unspent stimulus funds
    • 100 other small programmatic reductions offered during You Cut or from the Sunset Caucus
    • Estimated savings: $2.5 trillion over ten years.
    • Reps. Nunes, Ryan and Issa are introducing the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.  State public employee pensions are a big issue for a lot of you and so this should be a good piece to support.  Here is our letter of support from last Congress. 
    •  

Important Dates

  • Week of Feb 14: House vote on FY2011 CR
  • Week of Feb 14: President Obama’s FY 2012 Budget Proposal
  • Feb. 28: Patriot Act expires, House will begin work on extending it soon.
  • March 4: The current continuing resolution expires
  • March: The exact date of a vote to increase the federal debt ceiling will depend on how fast the country spends money.  Treasury Secretary Geithner suggested the date will be between mid-March and late-April.
  • April: Rep. Paul Ryan will lead the introduction of the House GOP budget.
  • Early-Mid June: The Congressional Review Act’s privileged status expires regarding the FCC’s Net Neutrality rules

 

Work Schedule

 

House in session: Feb. 8-17, 28-Mar. 17

Senate in session: Feb. 1-21  

 

AFP Key Votes and Letters of Support (Full List)

 

 

Current Action Alerts

 

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