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U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kenya Spratt points out the direction from which mortar fire was received at Jaghato, Afghanistan, May 1, 2010.Photo De'Yonte Mosley.

HOUSE APPROVES FUNDS FOR AFGHANISTAN WAR- REJECTS WITHDRAWAL RESOLUTION

TheWeekInCongress.com - July 27, 2010 - The House agreed 308 to 113 to HR 4899, a bill originally aiming to provide summer job funds, reduce interest on small business loans, and provide $5 billion for FEMA disaster relief. The $77.3 billion bill would also rescind approximately $700 million in previous appropriations. The Senate included $58,962,697,000 for the costs of overseas deployments and related activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to passage of HR 4899 the House rejected HCR 301 calling for immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. The resolution would have allowed delays in withdrawal completion until December 31, 2010 if the President certifies it would not be safe to withdraw troops sooner. The resolution failed 38 - 372, with 4 voting 'Present'.

HR 4899 (House) bill report, amendments and votes.

HR 4899 (Senate) bill report

Majority highlights of HR 4899.

HCR 301 bill report and votes

BILLS ADDRESS GULF OIL SPILL AND ENERGY MATTERS

The House agreed to HR 5156, a bill that would establish a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund administered through the International Trade Administration to ensure that U.S. clean energy technology firms have the information and assistance they need to be competitive.

HR 3534 would take steps to revise and modify the procedures for granting oil and gas exploration leases and extends the process to leases for the extract uranium and to collect wind energy on federal lands. Under the bill the federal royalty revenues are revised to maximize profits for the taxpayers, the bill explained. The bill also looks to maximizing revenues from the containment of methane gas found in coal mining operations. Upon passage of HR 5851 (below), the text of that bill is added to HR 3534.

In the mix is the President's Long-Term Restoration Plan for the Gulf of Mexico. In a memorandum the President ordered the establishment of a plan of Federal support for the long-term economic and environmental restoration of the Gulf Coast region, in coordination with States, local communities, tribes, people whose livelihoods depends on the Gulf, businesses, conservationists, scientists and other entities and persons he deems necessary.

The House also agreed to HR 5851, a bill that provides civil rights coverage for employees discharged or made to suffer other personnel actions because they blew the whistle on employer violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act or any order, rule, regulation, standard, or prohibition under that Act, or exercised any rights provided to employees under that Act. By agreeing to HR 3534 the House agrees to add to that bill the text of HR 5851.

HR 5156 bill report

HR 3534 bill report, amendments and votes

HR 3534 Majority highlights

President's Memo

HR 5851 bill report

HOUSE MOVES ON SEVERAL SPENDING BILLS

In addition to supplemental funds for Iraq and Afghanistan, the House this week passed two major appropriation bills and two other supplementals as it moves towards the six-week August break.

Military Construction, a $77 billion bill for fiscal year 2011 that provides $50 billion advanced funding for fiscal year 2012 was passed 411 to 6. The bill addresses worldwide needs for military construction, extensive veteran provisions, and funds for related agencies.

Funds for the Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies, HR 5850 reached $66.7 billion. The bill passed 251 to 167.

In addition to the supplemental war and emergency appropriations provided in HR 4899, the House also agreed by voice vote to send additional funds to border security efforts in HR 5875 and the Patent and Trademark office in HR 5874.

TRADE DEFICIT WOULD GET SCRUTINY

The House agreed by voice vote to HR 1875, a bill aiming to reduce the trade deficit by establishing the Emergency Commission to End the Trade Deficit that will look into all aspects of foreign trade and attempt to correct the 'positive net international asset position that the United States built up over 100 years was eliminated in the 1980s', the bill explains. The US has had 32 years of consecutive annual trade deficits.

HR 1875 Bill report.

SENATE ACTION BLOCKS CAMPAIGN FUNDING DISCLOSURE BILL, BUSINESS LENDING

The inability of the Senate to invoke cloture on S. 3628 has put in jeopardy the House-passed HR 5175, a bill aiming to require disclosure of the identity of corporations or major donors to corporate campaign ads. The House bill requires disclosure by corporations in a fashion similar to rules already in place for candidates; that they identify themselves and state that they approve the ad.

Cloture failed in the Senate on a 57 to 41 vote.

Another House-passed bill, HR 5927, found no sympathy from Senate Republicans in a 58 to 42 vote to limit debate and bring the bill to a final vote.

HR 5927 aims to create a $30 billion fund to be used to provide incentives for lenders to lend to small businesses. The benefit to lenders increases with implementation or improvement of small business lending policies and success rates.

HR 5175 bill report and votes.

HR 5927 bill report and votes.

TAX BILL AIMS AT CLOSING OFF-SHORE LOOPHOLES

The bill, HR 5893, would modify bond issues that would affect investments in certain areas and lead to job creation, allows mechanisms to avoid the Alternative Minimum Tax, and eliminates up to $11 billion in foreign tax credits.

HR 5893 was set aside and HR 5982 was brought to the floor and, requiring to thirds vote for passage failed 241 to154. Text of HR 5982 is not yet available.

HR 5893 bill report

SENATE - HOUSE COMPLETE BUSINESS WITH PASSAGE OF HR 1586

House Agrees and Provides More Funds for Border Security.

TheWeekInCongress.com August 10, 2010 - The Senate completed amending HR 1586, a bill that originated to fund Federal Aviation Administration activities, imposed additional taxes on executive bonuses under TARP, and ended up providing $26 billion to states to avoid cuts in teaching staff nationwide ($10 billion) and to help States meet increased spending for Medicaid ($16 billion). The Senate agreed 61 to 38 to send the amended bill to the House last week. The House agreed to the heavily amended bill 247 to 161.

HR 1586 raises revenue by reductions in some food stamp payments, revisions in the tax code regarding foreign tax credits and a $1.5 billion cut in a renewable energy program at the Energy Department.

The House also agreed by voice vote to HR 6080, a bill providing $601 million in supplemental funds for border security.

HR 1586 as FAA bill

HR 1586 as TARP bill

HR 6080 bill report and votes

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Bills Return funds to Treasury; Exempt firearms from Bankruptcy filings; Extend monitoring of sexual predators outside U.S; Create punishment for pointing lasers at planes; Aid seniors in combating fraud; and Increase care for World Trade Center/911 responders and others.

Funds Returned

$8 million in earmarks are returned to the Treasury to pay down the deficit.

HR 5730

Bankrupt Firearms

Certain weapons would be exempt from bankruptcy filings.

HR 5827

Predators

Registered sex offenders are further scrutinized when they travel abroad or into the US.

HR 1623

Lasers

Fines are increased for those who point lasers at airplanes.

HR 5810

Preventing Fraud

The FTC is required to disseminate to seniors, their families, and caregivers information on mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud that targets seniors as well a numbers to call if victimized.

HR 3040

911 Responder Aid

The Public Health Service Act is amended to establish a program to provide:
medical monitoring and treatment benefits to eligible emergency responders and recovery and cleanup workers who responded to the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The bill also provides evaluation, monitoring, and treatment benefits to residents and other building occupants and area workers.

HR 847

The House is adjourned until September 14th.

The Senate

is adjourned until September 13th..