Recently in Washington

Recently the House passed H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009, as well as H.R. 3246, the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009.

House Votes to Cut All ACORN Funding
On Thursday, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined House colleagues in supporting a legislative procedure that would immediately end any financial ties between ACORN (Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now) and the United States Government. The legislative procedure, known formally as a Motion to Recommit with Instructions, was approved by a vote of 345-75 during consideration of legislation reforming higher education loan programs.  Simpson is an original cosponsor of similar legislation, H.R. 3571, the Defund ACORN Act.

“Today, Americans can know with certainty that their voices were heard and that ACORN’s manipulation of federal funding is coming to an end,” said Simpson. “There can be no doubt that ACORN is a partisan, political organization engaged in specific and willful acts to defraud the United States Government and circumvent the law, and I am pleased the House today showed overwhelming opposition to any more taxpayer funding of this undeserving group.”

Simpson said simply stopping the supply of federal funding to ACORN is not enough, “I strongly believe the Internal Revenue Service needs to examine the tax-exempt status ACORN now enjoys and the Department of Justice needs to investigate federal criminal charges against the organization and its leadership.”

ACORN has been the subject of numerous allegations of impropriety, including providing repeated advice for getting around federal laws and voter fraud during 2008 Presidential Election.

Recent media reports have disclosed several instances of ACORN staffers assisting people engaged in illegal activities with how they can subvert federal law, including efforts to launder the proceeds from a prostitution ring. These reports follow widespread evidence of voter fraud by ACORN during the 2008 Presidential Election and the U.S. Census Bureau’s termination of contracts with ACORN on September 11 of this year.

Simpson has also sent a letter to conferees on the Transportation and HUD appropriations bill asking them to include a Senate-passed provision to de-fund ACORN.

Simpson Opposes One-Payer Student Loan Bill
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson last week opposed H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009.  This bill does away with the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, which has been providing subsidized loans to students for more than 40 years and has over 2,000 lenders participating. Instead, it shifts all student loans to the taxpayer financed, government-run Direct Loan program, resulting in the loss of an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 jobs in the student lending industry.

“This bill limits choices for students and parents seeking educational loans at a time when the current economic environment has made it especially difficult to obtain the financing necessary to continue their education,” said Simpson. “My Democrat colleagues continue to believe that increasing spending and expanding the reach of government into the lives of ordinary citizens is the answer to the problems facing our nation. I couldn’t disagree more.”

Simpson supported the Republican substitute to the bill, which would have extended the FFEL program through 2014 and created a commission to develop a new private sector model for student lending to streamline and modernize the system. Unfortunately, the Republican proposal was defeated.

H.R. 3221 passed the House of Representatives with a final vote of 253-171.  It now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Simpson Takes Action against Czars 
Congressman Mike Simpson is cosponsoring two bills to provide greater oversight into the role of czars in the Obama Administration and require the confirmation of these high-level special policy advisors by the United States Senate. Simpson is an outspoken critic of the designation of dozens of czars who have been appointed since Obama took office and is concerned about this growing inclination by the Administration to by-pass the confirmation process laid out by the Constitution.

“Like many of my constituents, I am deeply concerned that the Administration has, in its first eight months in office, appointed over thirty czars to positions of immense authority on key public policies,” said Simpson.  “If these czars are so important to policy formulation, they should be nominated as cabinet secretaries and subjected to background checks and the other rigors of our Constitution’s system of checks and balances.  Instead, it appears that the President has chosen to surround himself with high-level advisors who could not otherwise withstand the scrutiny of the Senate confirmation process.”

Simpson has signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 3226, authored by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA). Under the provisions of the bill, all funding would be eliminated for czars who hold non-interim senior positions in the Administration after bypassing the Senate confirmation process.  The bill will subject czars to a public confirmation process, allowing the Congress and the general public a chance to approve or disapprove of their appointment.

Simpson has also signed onto a House Resolution offered by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would require the President to report to Congress on the responsibilities and qualifications of appointed czars and certify that czars will not act outside their legal authority.

“The Constitution sets out a system of checks and balances that ensures one branch of government does not accumulate too much power,” said Simpson.  “The legislation I am supporting would restore those checks and balances that are so important to our system of government and shine some light on the way in which these czars are appointed.”

Simpson’s Statement about Pelosi Demanding Additional Apologies from Rep. Wilson
Last week, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats brought to the floor a Resolution of Disapproval in order to condemn Rep. Joe Wilson for his comments during the President’s speech. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson released the following statement regarding this resolution:

 “Rep. Wilson has already apologized directly to President Obama and the President has accepted that apology. Speaker Pelosi’s insistence on seeking additional apologies has less to do with Rep. Wilson and more to do with her own attempts to undermine the arguments of those who oppose her health care agenda. I strongly opposed her resolution attacking Rep. Wilson, believed it was entirely unnecessary, and have called on her to move on to more important things.”


House Legislative Business This Week 

Monday, September 21, 2009
On Monday, the House will meet at 4:00 p.m. in pro forma session.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for Morning Hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (15 Bills):

1. H.R. 860 - Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and Enhancement Amendments of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Bordallo / Natural Resources Committee)
2. H.R. 1080 - Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Bordallo / Natural Resources Committee)
3. H.R. 2802 - To provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams and his legacy (Sponsored by Rep. Delahunt / Natural Resources Committee)
4. H.R. 3113 - Upper Elk River Wild and Scenic Study Act (Sponsored by Rep. Rahall / Natural Resources Committee)
5. H.R. 2265 - Magna Water District Water Reuse and Groundwater Recharge Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Chaffetz / Natural Resources Committee)
6. H.Res. 670 - Congratulating and saluting the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for celebrating its 75th anniversary (Sponsored by Rep. Dent / Natural Resources Committee)
7. H.Res. 599 - Honoring the Minute Man National Historical Park on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary (Sponsored by Rep. Markey (MA) / Natural Resources Committee)
8. H.Res. 688 - Expressing support for the goals and ideals of the first annual National Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Day taking place on September 26, 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Titus / Natural Resources Committee)
9. H.R. 2522 - To raise the ceiling on the Federal share of the cost of the Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling Project (Sponsored by Rep. Gallegly / Natural Resources Committee)
10. H.R. 2741 - To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the City of Hermiston, Oregon, water recycling and reuse project (Sponsored by Rep. Walden / Natural Resources Committee)
11. H.R. 2971 - The “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Post Office" Designation Act (Sponsored by Rep. Blumenauer / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
12. H.Res. 441 - Honoring the historical contributions of Catholic sisters in the United States (Sponsored by Rep. Kaptur / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
13. H.R. 2215 - The "John J. Shivnen Post Office Building" Designation Act (Sponsored by Rep. McCotter / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
14. H.Con.Res. 163 - Expressing support for designation of September 23, 2009, as "National Job Corps Day" (Sponsored by Rep. Moran (KS) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
15. H.R. 3548 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (Sponsored by Rep. McDermott / Ways and Means Committee)

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 and the Balance of the Week
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (13 Bills):

1. S. 1677 - Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009 (Sponsored by Sen. Dodd / Financial Services Committee)
2. H.Res. 733 - Expressing condolences to the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (Sponsored by Rep. Gingrey / Foreign Affairs Committee)
3. H.R. 3593 - To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to extend by one year the operation of Radio Free Asia (Sponsored by Rep. Royce / Foreign Affairs Committee)
4. H.Con.Res. 178 - Expressing the sense of the Congress that we honor, commemorate and celebrate the historic ties of the United States and the Netherlands (Sponsored by Rep. Van Hollen / Foreign Affairs Committee)
5. H.R. 2131 - To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (Sponsored by Rep. Watson / Foreign Affairs Committee)
6. H.Con.Res. 74 - Supporting the goals and ideals of a decade of action for road safety with a global target to reduce by 50 percent the predicted increase in global road deaths between 2010 and 2020 (Sponsored by Rep. Wexler / Foreign Affairs Committee)
7. H.Res. 491 - Encouraging each institution of higher education in the country to seek membership in the Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium (Sponsored by Rep. Adler / Education and Labor Committee)
8. H.Res. 684 - Recognizing and honoring Howard University School of Law's 140-year legacy of social justice (Sponsored by Rep. Kilpatrick / Education and Labor Committee)
9. H.Res. 696 - Acknowledging and congratulating Western Wyoming Community College in Southwest Wyoming on the occasion of its 50th anniversary of service to the students and citizens of the State of Wyoming (Sponsored by Rep. Lummis / Education and Labor Committee)
10. H.Res. 455 - Congratulating the Wichita State University men's and women's bowling teams (Sponsored by Rep. Tiahrt / Education and Labor Committee)
11. H.R. __ - To provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (Sponsored by Rep. Velazquez / Small Business Committee)
12. H.R. ___ - Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act (Sponsored by Rep. Oberstar / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
13. H.R. ___ - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Oberstar / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)

H.R. 324 - Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva / Natural Resources Committee)

H.J.Res. __ - Making Continuing Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2010, and for other purposes (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Obey / Appropriations Committee)