~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What happened to Kelli

07/19/2013 Nativegrl77

We all have a health care story to tell. Just stand next to the office water cooler and you’ll hear the stories flow.
My co-worker Kelli shared this one with me:
“My older sister was diagnosed with lupus as a child. She spent much of her life in and out of hospitals and taking handfuls of expensive medications. Once diagnosed, no insurance plan would take her on. My family was stuck with our ‘major medical’ insurance, which only covered a percentage of hospitalizations but nothing else — none of her numerous prescription drugs or doctors’ visits were covered. This affected our whole family. It made it impossible for my parents to save money for our educations, their retirement, or anything else. We were always one illness away from financial disaster. If we’d had the health care law then, my family could’ve gotten better health insurance — because, under the new law, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children who have pre-existing conditions.”
Kelli told us her story. Will you share yours?
Maybe you have private insurance that fails to cover the services you need such as mental health care, maternity care, or prescription drug coverage. Maybe high co-payments and deductibles keep you from getting the health care you need. Maybe you’re uninsured simply because you can’t afford it or you’ve been turned down for health coverage after you got sick. Whatever your story may be, it matters.
Thanks to the health care law, change is on the way. Under the law, you won’t be denied health coverage because of a pre-existing condition. You won’t lose your health insurance when you get sick. You’ll soon have affordable insurance options through a new health care marketplace.
But right now, many women and their families are still struggling to pay for health coverage and get the care they need. Sadly, there are still families like Kelli’s. Please share your story today.
I love hearing from you. Thank you for fighting with us to advance the rights of women and their families.
Sincerely,

Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

These Folks Have Real-Life Superpowers

07/19/2013 Nativegrl77

The White House, Washington

These Folks Have Real-Life Superpowers

This week, as thousands of sci-fi and superhero enthusiasts gather in San Diego for Comic-Con, here at the White House we’ll be gathering some of the Nation’s top innovators who are designing materials to enable real-life superpowers—including invisibility and super-strength.

Join us tomorrow, July 19th at 12:00 pm ET for a “We the Geeks” Google+ Hangout on “The Stuff Superheroes Are Made Of” – where we’ll be talking about some of the most exciting new developments in materials science and how they can change our world for the better.

Click here to learn more about tomorrow’s Google+ Hangout

President Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man’s web as he greets Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office. Nicholas was trick-or-treating with his father, White House aide Nate Tamarin in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Senate Confirms Richard Cordray as Consumer Watchdog

Yesterday, President Obama thanked lawmakers from both parties for coming together to confirm Richard Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

READ MORE

Dive In To Ocean Exploration

This summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration and Research invites you to get involved in ocean exploration through two unique opportunities.

This week, President Obama welcomed the man who launched the modern service movement, President George H. W. Bush, back to the White House to honor the recipients of the 5,000th Daily Point of Light award.

Tara McGuinness, The White House – #ACA is good

07/19/2013 Nativegrl77

If you want tangible evidence of the way that the new health care law is already helping ordinary people, it’s worth having a conversation with one of the 8.5 million Americans who received rebates from their insurance companies this summer. Just ask the folks who got checks in the mail.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on medical care, instead of overhead like salaries or advertising. And if an insurance company doesn’t meet that standard, it has to provide a rebate to its customers.

It’s a really big deal, and we want to make sure everyone understands how it works.

Here’s a graphic that breaks things down. Will you share it to help answer questions in your community?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/health-care-rebate

Thanks! Tara

Tara McGuinness Senior Communications Advisor The White House

@HealthCareTara

Black History

Congress On break until 7/23

07/19/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate will convene at 10:00am on Tuesday, July 23, 2013.

Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized. It is expected he will renew his motion to proceed to S.1243, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The time until 12:00pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
The next roll call vote will be at 12:00pm on Tuesday, July 23^rd on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1243. Cloture was filed on that motion during Thursday’s session of the Senate. If cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time will be yielded back and the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to proceed to S.1243 (likely a voice vote). If the motion to proceed to S.1243 is adopted, the text of H.R.2610, as reported by the House Appropriations, will be deemed House passed text for the purposes of rule 16.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

************************************************************************************************************

Last Floor Action:7/19
9:53:37 A.M. -H.R. 5
DEBATE – Pursuant
to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20
minutes of debate on the George Miller (CA) substitute amendment No. 26.

9:00:21 A.M.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

9:00:25 A.M.

Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

9:01:22 A.M.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Wilson (SC) demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Wilson (SC) objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the approval of the Journal until a time to be announced.

9:01:53 A.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Welch to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

9:02:03 A.M.

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.

9:06:43 A.M.

H.R. 5

Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 5 — “To support State and local accountability for public education, protect State and local authority, inform parents of the performance of their children’s schools, and for other purposes.”

9:15:03 A.M.

H.R. 5

The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

9:15:47 A.M.

H.R. 5

An amendment, offered by Mr. Culberson, numbered 22 printed in House Report 113-158 to empower States by giving them the opportunity to accept or reject feder al grant money. Grant money rejected by State legislatures would be dedicated to paying off our outstanding national debt.

9:16:05 A.M.

H.R. 5

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Culberson amendment No. 22.

9:23:12 A.M.

H.R. 5

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Culberson amendment No. 22, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Tierney demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

9:23:49 A.M.

H.R. 5

An amendment, offered by Mr. Fitzpatrick, numbered 23 printed in House Report 113-158 to provide a funding condition for a state or local educational agency to be eligible for funds, agency personnel cannot facilitate the transfer of an employee if they know, or have probable cause to believe, that the employee has engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor. Agencies must also require employees be subjected to background checks in compliance with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.

9:24:09 A.M.

H.R. 5

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Fitzpatrick amendment No. 23.

9:29:51 A.M.

H.R. 5

On agreeing to the Fitzpatrick amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.

9:30:15 A.M.

H.R. 5

An amendment, offered by Ms. Jackson Lee, numbered 24 printed in House Report 113-158 to create a report containing recommendations regarding the advisability of authorizing a state education authority to close a school district over the opposition of a locally elected school board, and regarding best practices governing the exercise of authority by a state education agency in monitoring, supervising and controlling under-performing school districts with particular emphasis on rural and underserved school districts.

9:30:37 A.M.

H.R. 5

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee amendment No. 24.

9:37:10 A.M.

H.R. 5

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Jackson Lee amendment No. 24, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Jackson Lee demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

9:37:45 A.M.

H.R. 5

>An amendment, offered by Mr. Cantor, numbered 25 printed in House Report 113-158 to allow Title I funds to follow students to other public schools or charter schools, upon the state opting to allow it.

9:38:03 A.M.

H.R. 5

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cantor amendment No. 25.

9:53:19 A.M.

H.R. 5

On agreeing to the Cantor amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

9:53:30 A.M.

H.R. 5

An amendment, in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. Miller, George, An substitute amendment numbered 26 printed in House Report 113-158 to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to maintain the civil rights and equity focus of the law and to ensure all students have access to an education that prepares them for college and the workforce. Supports all students, and in particular those who are historically disadvantaged, through access to high quality state-developed standards, a meaningful but flexible accountability and school improvement system, improved and targeted professional development and working conditions for teachers and school leaders, additional learning time and after-school programs, and dedicated supports for wrap-around services for students and a well-rounded education.

9:53:37 A.M.

H.R. 5

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 303, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the George Miller (CA) substitute amendment No. 26.—————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

10:19:01 A.M.	H.R. 5	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the George Miller (CA) amendment No. 26, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. George Miller (CA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
10:46:53 A.M.	H.R. 5	On agreeing to the Culberson amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: 227 – 196 (Roll no. 370).
10:51:17 A.M.	H.R. 5	On agreeing to the Jackson Lee amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 186 – 237 (Roll no. 371).
10:55:58 A.M.	H.R. 5	On agreeing to the Miller, George amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 193 – 233 (Roll no. 372).
10:56:11 A.M.	H.R. 5	The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 5.
10:56:49 A.M.	H.R. 5	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
10:57:02 A.M.	H.R. 5	The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
10:58:01 A.M.	H.R. 5	Ms. Kuster moved to recommit with instructions to Education and the Workforce.
10:58:21 A.M.	H.R. 5	DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kuster motion to recommit with instructions pending a reservation of a point of order. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to prevent lowering standards for children with disabilities, including autistic children. It establishes safety standards for the use of seclusion and restraint in schools so children are not physically and mentally harmed. It also establishes standards for protecting student athletes from concussions. Lastly, it provides for criminal background checks of school and contractor employees who have contact with children. Subsequently, the reservation of a point of order was withdrawn.
11:06:52 A.M.	H.R. 5	The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
11:14:39 A.M.	H.R. 5	On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 196 – 231 (Roll no. 373).
11:20:51 A.M.	H.R. 5	On passage Passed by recorded vote: 221 – 207 (Roll no. 374).
11:20:52 A.M.	H.R. 5	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
11:21:06 A.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
11:21:07 A.M.	H.R. 5	The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 5.
11:58:55 A.M.		Mr. Cantor asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Friday, July 19, 2013, it adjourn to meet at 12 p.m. on Monday, July 22, 2013, for Morning-Hour Debate. Agreed to without objection.
11:59:06 A.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
12:10:09 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
1:18:23 P.M.		Mr. Wolf moved that the House do now adjourn.
1:18:35 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
1:18:36 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on July 22, 2013.