Recently in Washington

Recently the House H.R. 2918, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY10, which includes the continuing resolution to fund the government through October 31, 2009.  The House also passed H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, to ensure that Medicare premiums do not go up if there is no COLA adjustment, and H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.

Simpson Pushes for House Vote on Required Review Period
Congressman Mike Simpson is pushing for a House vote on a resolution to require a 72-hour review period to read legislation before it is brought to the House floor for a vote. Simpson, who is one of 115 cosponsors of the resolution, has signed a discharge petition that would force House leadership to bring it to the House floor for consideration.

“There is no doubt that rushed legislation results in poor laws,” said Simpson. “When we bypass the committee process or bring legislation to the floor that we have not had an opportunity to thoroughly vet, we make mistakes that cost the American taxpayers time and money.  We must put an end to the practice of posting a bill in the dead of night and then bringing it to the floor only hours later. Members of Congress, staff, and the American people all deserve time to review bills before a vote is requested.”

This bipartisan resolution, H.Res. 554, amends House rules in order to guarantee that all Members of Congress and the American public can easily access, via the Internet, complete legislation and conference reports at least 72 hours before they are considered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays unless the House is in session on such a day.

Normally, each measure introduced in the House cannot receive floor consideration until leadership places it on the schedule.  The “discharge rule” allows a measure that is supported by a majority of House Members to come before the House, in spite of the unwillingness of majority leadership to schedule it.  In order to force H.Res. 554 to the floor, 218 Members must sign the discharge petition that is being held by the House Clerk.

“This is not a new concept, it is one that we’ve been advocating for years,” said Simpson. “Americans deserve to know what their representatives are voting on and how new laws will impact their lives. They are demanding more transparency, and it is our responsibility to deliver.”

House Legislative Business This Week 

Monday, September 28, 2009
On Monday, the House is not in session.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (12 Bills):

1. H.R. 685 - United States Civil Rights Trail System Act (Sponsored by Rep. Clay / Natural Resources Committee)
2. H.R. 2442 - Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act (Sponsored by Rep. George Miller / Natural Resources Committee)
3. H.R. 2950 - To allow for prepayment of repayment contracts between the United States and the Uintah Water Conservancy District (Sponsored by Rep. Matheson / Natural Resources Committee)
4. H.R. 3123 - Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel Remediation Act (Sponsored by Rep. Lamborn / Natural Resources Committee)
5. H.R. 905 - Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act (Sponsored by Rep. Stupak / Natural Resources Committee)
6. H.R. 1771 - Chesapeake Bay Science, Education, and Ecosystem Enhancement Act (Sponsored by Rep. Sarbanes / Natural Resources Committee)
7. H.R. 1053 - Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act (Sponsored by Rep. Wittman / Natural Resources Committee)
8. H.Res. 16 - Supporting the goals and ideals of National Life Insurance Awareness Month (Sponsored by Sponsored by Rep. Biggert / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
9. H.Res. 693 - Honoring the life and accomplishments of Jim Johnson (Sponsored by Rep. Brady (PA) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
10. H.Con.Res. 186 - Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month (Sponsored by Rep. Davis (IL) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
11. H.Res. 725 - Congratulating the Chula Vista Park View Little League team (Sponsored by Rep. Filner / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
12. H.Res. 734 - Expressing the support for and honoring September 17, 2009 as "Constitution Day" (Sponsored by Rep. Latta / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1, 2009
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (16 Bills):

1. H.Res. 731 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the employees of the Department of Homeland Security should be commended for their dedicated service on the Nation's front lines in the war against acts of terrorism (Sponsored by Rep. Clarke / Homeland Security Committee)
2. H.Res. 517 - Congratulating the University of Washington women's softball team (Sponsored by Rep. McDermott / Education and Labor Committee)
3. H.Res. 769 - Recognizing the benefits of service-learning as a teaching strategy (Sponsored by Rep. Platts / Education and Labor Committee)
4. H.Res. 487 - Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the State News at Michigan State University (Sponsored by Rep. Rogers (MI) / Education and Labor Committee)
5. H.Res. 90 - Supporting the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety Awareness Month (Sponsored by Rep. Sestak / Education and Labor Committee)
6. S.Con.Res. 41 - A concurrent resolution providing for the acceptance of a statue of Helen Keller (Sponsored by Sen. Sessions / House Administration Committee)
7. H.Res. 692 - Supporting the goals and ideals of Tay-Sachs Awareness Month (Sponsored by Rep. Arcuri / Energy and Commerce Committee)
8. H.Res. 314 - Honoring and saluting Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (Sponsored by Rep. Yarmuth / Energy and Commerce Committee)
9. S. 1289 - Foreign Evidence Request Efficiency Act (Sponsored by Sen. Whitehouse / Judiciary Committee)
10. H.R. 1727 - Managing Arson Through Criminal History Act (Sponsored by Rep. Bono Mack / Judiciary Committee)
11. H.Res. 757 - Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims (Sponsored by Rep. Edwards (MD) / Judiciary Committee)
12. H.R. 1333 - Exempts the transportation, shipment, receipt, or importation of explosive materials for delivery to a federally recognized Indian tribe or an agency of such a tribe from various Federal criminal prohibitions relating to explosives (Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva / Judiciary Committee)
13. H.Res. 739 - Honoring the life of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug (Sponsored by Rep. Boswell / Foreign Affairs Committee)
14. H.Con.Res. 151 - Expressing the sense of Congress that China release democratic activist Liu Xiaobo from imprisonment (Sponsored by Rep. Minnick / Foreign Affairs Committee)
15. H.Con.Res. 51 - Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty (Sponsored by Rep. Tiberi / Foreign Affairs Committee)
16. S. 1707 - Authorizing appropriations for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to promote an enhanced strategic partnership with Pakistan and its people (Sponsored by Sen. Kerry / Foreign Affairs Committee)

Conference Report on H.R. 3183 - Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Pastor / Appropriations Committee)

Friday, October 2, 2009
On Friday, no vote are expected in the House.

In the News

Idaho delegation right on ACORN
Idaho Press-Tribune, www.idahopress.com
Monday, September 21, 2009

Idaho's congressional delegation has served the state well in its stance on federal funding to the scandal-ridden community activist group ACORN.

U.S. Reps. Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick and Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have shown in their votes and statements that they want to break all financial ties between the federal government and the organization.

In the most recent stumble for the group, a video has been widely distributed that shows ACORN employees advising a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp to lie to get housing aid, and employees in other cities counseling the pair on tax, banking and immigration issues.

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."

Democrat Minnick voted in favor, with the 345-75 majority in the House, to cut all federal money to ACORN.

Risch spokesman Brad Hoaglun said the senator believes if investigations show the organization illegally used federal funds, there needs to be restitution and jail terms for those responsible.

Crapo noted that ACORN has received $53 million in federal funds since 1994 "Taxpayer funds should not be used for waste, fraud, or abuse," Crapo said.  "In addition to supporting an investigation into actions of ACORN, I am supporting legislation that prohibits any federal funds from going to ACORN."

ACORN's leaders assert that the misdeeds are limited to a few employees. But the pair who recorded the video found that the organization's workers in other locations also were willing to overlook violations of state or federal law.

And it's not the first time ACORN has come under scrutiny.

Crapo noted that past ACORN associates have also faced charges of falsified voter records and allegations of embezzlement of federal funds.

The Census Bureau has also severed its ties with ACORN, fearing negative publicity from the partnership would taint the 2010 head count.

It's clear this organization has some work to do to get its house in order. In the meantime, taxpayers can't trust it to handle public money.

Idaho's elected officials have wisely acted to limit further questionable behavior — or at least ensure it doesn't come at the expense of federal funds. It's also laudable that they want to continue to push for an investigation and full accounting of what ACORN has done.