Capital Hill Review
Senate
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691)
The Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691; Full text of legislation ) was approved by the Senate by a 78-19 vote (To view how your senators voted visit: 00032) on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The measure extends unemployment benefits another month to jobless Americans in danger of exhausting their benefits .
Article :Senator Relents, and Jobless Bill Passes
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2847 With an Amendment (No. 3310); Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
The Senate approved H.R. 2847 (Full text of legislation ) on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, by a 70-28 vote (To view how your senators voted visit: 00025 ) . The bill provides $15 billion to continue funding highway construction and offers tax breaks for businesses that hire new workers.
Article: Senate breaks rule, OKs jobs bill
USA Patriot Act
Senate Democrats lacked the necessary 60-vote supermajority to pass new privacy protections to the primary U.S counterterrorism law. As a result a one-year extension of key parts of the USA Patriot Act was passed without debate by a voice vote.
The three sections that would stay in force of the Patriot Act:
· Authorize roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones that are court-approved.
· In anti-terrorism operations, allow court-approved seizure of records and property.
· Against a so-called "lone wolf," a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group-permit surveillance.
Article: Senate votes to extend Patriot Act
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Confirmation Ben S. Bernanke To Be Chairman Of The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
The Senate on Thursday, January 28, 2010, voted 70-30 (To view how your senators voted visit: 00016 )
to reappoint Ben S. Bernanke, of New Jersey, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a term of four years.
Article: Senate reluctantly confirms Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke
House of Representatives
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (Concurring with an Amendment to the Senate Amendment to the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment (H.R. 2847)
The Hiring Incentives to
Restore Employment Act 2010(H.R. 2847; Full text of
legislation ) was passed by a 217-201 vote (To view how your
representative voted visit: 90
) on Thursday, March 4, 2010. The bill offers a temporary
tax break to companies that hire people who have been out of work at least 60
days. For each new employee the measure appropriates $13 billion to offer
companies a one-year holiday from paying the 6.2 percent Social Security
payroll tax. To help state and local governments issue bonds to pay for
construction projects, the bill provides $4.5 billion. The option of receiving a
payment from the Treasury equal to the amount of tax credit they would normally
offer investors would be given to issuers of qualified school construction
bonds, zone academy bonds, clean renewable energy bonds and energy conservation
bonds. And small businesses would be given more power to write off investment
costs and would transfer general tax revenue into the government’s
cash-strapped highway fund by other provisions.
The plan was approved last month by the Senate but must be voted on again before it goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
Article: House Approves $15B Jobs Bill; Sends Back to Senate ; House Approves $18 Billion Job Bill, Returns It to U.S. Senate
Friday, February 26, 2010
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 2701)
The House of Representatives on Friday, February 26, 2010, passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 2701; Full text of legislation) by a 235-168 vote (To view how your representative voted visit: 73 ). House leaders delayed action on the bill late on Thursday, February 25, 2010, because of opposition to the provision that would establish penalties for intelligence personnel who used harsh interrogation techniques. CIA agents who used these techniques could have been jailed for up to 15 years. Leaders completed work on the measure after this controversial provision was removed from the bill.
Article: House clears intel bill after snafu.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
An Act to extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 until February 28, 2011. (H.R.3961)
On Thursday, February 25, 2010, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3961 ( Full text of legislation ) by a 315-97 vote (To view how your representative voted visit: 67 ). If one searches the original Roll Call vote of the House of Representatives on this date they will not find the above title for the bill but will instead found the title Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act . One must assume that the Democrat leadership of the House of Representatives gave the bill this title because they wanted to hide the way they voted from the American people. However, once this was noted on the internet they changed it back to its original bill title.
After Democrats retreated from adding new privacy protections, the nation's primary counterterrorism law was extended for a year under the bill. On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, the Senate approved by a voice vote the extension. When Senate Democrats lacked the necessary 60-vote supermajority the privacy protections were cast aside. Restrictions and greater scrutiny on the government's authority to spy on Americans and seize their records were cast aside.
The three sections that would stay in force of the Patriot Act:
· Authorize roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones that are court-approved.
· In anti-terrorism operations, allow court-approved seizure of records and property.
· Against a so-called "lone wolf," a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group-permit surveillance.
Articles: House Sends Extension Of Patriot Act To Obama ; Patriot Act Without Reforms Passes House
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act 2010 (H.R. 4626)
On Thursday, February 24, 2010, the House of Representatives passed by a 406 to 19 vote (To view how your representative voted visit: 64 ) Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act 2010 (H.R. 4626; Full text of legislation ). The bill would remove the longstanding federal anti-trust exemption for health insurance companies. Also, the measure would outlaw existing, anti-competitive health insurance practices like price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation.
Articles: Markey bill to remove anti-trust exemption for health insurance industry passes House ;House Passes Bill That Would Create More Uncertainty for Insurance Industry ;Barack Obama supports H.R. 4626 — health insurance industry fair competition act
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
To express the policy of the United States regarding the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity (H.R. 2314)
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, passed H.R. 2314 (Full text of legislation ) by a 245-164 vote (To view how your representative voted visit: 59 ). The measure popularly known as the Akaka bill for its original Senate architect, 85-year-old Hawaii Democrat Daniel Akaka, would effectively designate native Hawaiians as a sovereign nation comparable to American-Indian tribes, allowing them to form a governing body that would launch negotiations with federal and state officials over land claims, resource rights, jurisdictional matters, taxing authority, and other issues.
Articles: Akaka Bill passes House 245-164 ; Aloha Segregation ; Trouble in Paradise
What Can You Do?
If your representative or senators have or have not reflected your views, let them know how you feel.
Contact Information:
US House of Representatives:
Capitol Hill Switchboard Numbers: 202-224-3121 (Those numbers will direct you to the Capitol Hill operator. Ask for representative or senator's office.)
To go to your representative's website, find his E-mail or to find out who your representatives are... http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html.
To electronically mail your U.S. House of Representative, go to https://writerep.house.gov.
Addressing Correspondence:
The Honorable (full name)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative (last name):
US Senate:
Contact Information:
To go to your senators' websites, find their E-mail or to find out who your senators are... http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index_by_state.cfm
Addressing Correspondence:
The Honorable (full name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (last name):