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Obsessed


By ThinkProgress War Room

37th Time’s the Charm?

Tomorrow, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will once again vote to repeal Obamacare. If this sounds familiar it is because it is the 37th time — yes, that’s 3-7 — that House Republicans have tried to repeal Obamacare.

This obsession has not come for free, either in terms of time nor money. One estimate pegs the cost to taxpayers of these 37 repeal attempts at some $55 MILLION. What could we do with that same $55 MILLION? Here’s four ideas:

1. Restore cuts from sequestration to Title X family planning programs and Title V maternal and child health services. The National Women’s Law Center calculates that a 5 percent cut to the budgets of each program will reduce them by $15 million and $32.5 million, respectively. Rather than voting to repeal a bill that expands women’s access to preventative services, the House could use the money to expand them.

2. Double the Department of Justice’s budget for sexual assault services, which has currently been authorized a $50 million budget. The program gives money to states so that they can support rape crisis centers and other nongovernmental organizations that provide direct intervention, core services, and other assistance to the victims of sexual assault. Current funding is inadequate, as some states receive less than $300,000 and many programs lack the resources to meet victims’ needs.

3. Grant a request for $50 million to train 5,000 new mental health professionals as part of a new initiative to expand mental health treatment and prevention services. This proposal came in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting to address gaps in the mental health system.

4. Help states implement paid leave policies. President Obama included a $50 million State Paid Leave Fund in his 2011 budget to provide start-up support for states that want to enact paid leave for workers. More than 40 percent of workers don’t have access to paid sick leave, heading to work when they or their family members experience an illness, but this funding could help give them a better option.

In terms of time, this calculation from the New York Times shows why this is one of the most unproductive Congresses in history:

That means that since 2011, Republicans have spent no less than 15 percent of their time on the House floor on repeal in some way.

The real cost, of course, comes in terms of the more than 100 MILLION Americans who would be harmed by the GOP’s obsession with taking away their health care benefits, including:

  • 129 MILLION Americans with pre-existing conditions who will once again be at the mercy of the insurance companies.
  • 105 MILLION Americans would see lifetime limits on what their insurance company has to cover, which Obamacare banned, put back in place.
  • 71 MILLION Americans, including 34 MILLION seniors, who are currently eligible for no-cost preventive care, including mammograms and birth control.
  • 18 MILLION middle-class Americans who will receive a tax credit averaging $4,000 a year starting next year.
  • 17 MILLION children with pre-existing conditions who today, as we speak, cannot be denied coverage.
  • 13 MILLION consumers who received more than $1 BILLION in rebates last year because of an Obamacare rule requiring insurers to spend 80 percent of premiums on actual medical care would no longer be eligible for such rebates because insurers would no longer be held to such a standard.
  • 6 MILLION young adults who are currently able to stay on their parents’ insurance — 3.1 MILLION of whom were previously uninsured.
  • 6 MILLION seniors who are receiving discounts — more than $6 BILLION worth so far — on their prescription drugs thanks to Obamacare.

In addition, repealing Obamacare would increase the deficit by more than $100 BILLION over the next ten years and eliminate new resources to fight fraud. These fraud fighting efforts have recouped $4.2 BILLION just this past fiscal year from those seeking to defraud seniors and taxpayers.

BOTTOM LINE: The GOP’s obsession with taking away health care benefits from more than 100 MILLION Americans is a waste of time, a waste of money, and harmful to the tens of millions of Americans already benefiting from Obamacare.

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CONGRESS


capitol30

The Senate stands in adjournment until 2:00pm on Monday, May 13, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  • During Thursday’s session, cloture was filed on S.601, the Water Resources Development Act.  As a result, the filing deadline for all first degree amendments to S.601 is 4:00pm Monday.
  • As previously announced, there will be no roll call votes on Monday.  The next roll call vote will be at approximately 12:00pm on the motion to invoke cloture on S.601, the Water Resources Development Act.
  • As a reminder, there is a 4pm filing deadline for first degree amendments to S.601, Water Resources Development Act. If your senator has a germane first degree amendment and would like to protect the right to offer, please send a signed copy of the amendment to the cloakroom prior to the deadline so that we may file it at the desk for you. If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.Senator Reid said on the floor this afternoon that the managers are close to reaching an agreement to complete action of the WRDA bill. If an agreement can be reached, we could be in a position to vote in relation to amendments and passage of the bill Tuesday and/or Wednesday.
  • However, if an agreement cannot be reached, the cloture vote on the bill would occur at approximately 12:00 noon tomorrow, Tuesday, May 14.
  • This afternoon Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to go to conference on the
    concurrent resolution on the Budget.
  • Senator Cruz was unavailable to be on the
    floor at this time to object.
  • Out of respect for the long tradition of comity in
    the Senate, Senator Reid withdrew his request.
  • WRAP UP
  • No ROLL CALL VOTESNo LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

     

    No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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  • Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity
  • Last Floor Action:5/9
    1:32:26 P.M. – The House adjourned
    pursuant to a previous special order.
  • The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00
    p.m. on May 13, 2013.
Black History

Congress


capitolphonelines

The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:30am on Thursday, May 9, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act. We will continue to work through amendments to the bill. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled.

The following amendments are pending to S.601, the Water Resources Development Act:

The following amendments have been considered to S.601:

  • Coburn amendment #805 (Army Corps land/guns) Not Agreed to: 56-43 (60-vote threshold)
  • Whitehouse amendment #803 (oceans) Agreed to: 68-31 (60-vote threshold)
  • Boxer-Vitter substitute amendment #799 Agreed to by UC
  • Brown amendment #813, as modified (Asian carp) Agreed to: 95-0
  • Pryor amendment #801, as modified (farms) Agreed to by UC
  • Pryor amendment #806 (work-in-kind) Agreed to by UC
  • Inhofe amendment #835, with a modification to the instruction lines (rural water infrastructure projects) Agreed to by UC
  • McCain amendment #833 (levee safety programs) Agreed to by UC
  • Murray amendment #832 (cargo noncontainer) Agreed to by UC
  • Senator Reid Murray unanimous consent that the Senate go to conference on the Budget resolution.Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes tax increases or reconciliation instructions to increase taxes or raise the debt ceiling.Senator Murray objected to modifying the request.

    Senator McConnell then objected to the original request.

  • At 1:30pm today, the Senate will turn to Executive Session to consider the nominations of Shelly Decker Dick and Nelson Stephen Roman. Under the previous order, there will be up to 30 minutes for debate equally divided and controlled prior to votes on confirmation of the nominations. We expect to consider one by voice vote and the other by a roll call vote, but Republicans have not indicated which one will require the roll call vote.Up to 2 roll call votes at approximately 2:00pm:

    Upon disposition of the nominations, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601, Water Resources Development Act. As a reminder, we reached an agreement yesterday that the next amendment in order is the Blunt amendment #800 (resilient construction techniques for extreme weather). The managers of the bill are working on moving the bill forward.

  • WRAP UP
  • ROLL CALL VOTES1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #41, the nomination of Nelson Stephen Roman, of New York, to be District Judge for the Southern District of New York Confirmed: 97-0

    LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

    Passed H.R.360, to award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley to commemorate the lives they lost 50 years ago in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.

    Adopted S.Res.136, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, and congratulating Park Geun-Hye on her election to the Presidency of the Republic of Korea.

    Adopted S.Res.137, designating May 2013 as “Older Americans Month”.

    Adopted S.Res.138, Congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administration of charter schools across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education, and supporting the ideals and goals of the 14th annual National Charter Schools Week, to be celebrated the week of May 5 through May 11, 2013.

    EXECUTIVE ITEMS

    Confirmed Executive Calendar #39, the nomination of Shelly Decker Dick, of Louisiana, to be a District Judge for the Middle District of Louisiana by voice vote.

This afternoon Senator Reid filed cloture on S.601, Water Resources Development Act of 2013.

 

The filing deadline for first degree amendments is 4:00pm on Monday, May 13. If your senator have a germane first degree amendment and would like to preserve the right to offer, please send a signed copy of the amendment to the cloakroom prior to the deadline so that we may file it at the desk for you. If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.

 

The cloture vote will occur at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, May 14.

 The managers of the bill will work over the weekend on an agreement to complete action of the WRDA bill. If an agreement can be reached, we would seek to vitiate the cloture vote.

  • At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, there will be up to 60 minutes for debate equally divided and controlled prior to a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #40, the nomination of William H. Orrick, III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California.
     
     

The Senate reached the following agreement to consider the Moniz nomination. At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will consider Executive Calendar #91, the nomination of Ernest J. Moniz, of Massachusetts, to be Secretary of Energy. There will be up to 3 hours for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

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Watch Live House Floor Proceedings

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Black History

CONGRESS


visitors-memorials-eve

The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:30am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 10:00am with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
  • At 10:00am, the Senate will recess to allow for the Joint Meeting of Congress with Her Excellency Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea until 11:30am. Senators should plan to gather in the Senate Chamber at 10:00am in order to proceed as a body to the House of Representatives.
  • When the Senate reconvenes, we will resume consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act. The following amendments are the first amendments in order to the Boxer-Vitter substitute amendment #799:
  • The time until 2:00pm will be equally divided between the two Leaders or their designees for debate on the amendments with Senator Coburn controlling 40 minutes of the Republican time.  At 2:00pm, there will be 3 roll call votes in relation to the amendments in the order above.  All 3 amendments will require 60-affirmative votes and no second degree amendments will be order to the amendments. The first vote will be a 15-minute vote and the subsequent votes will be 10 minutes in duration.

Upon disposition of the Coburn and Whitehouse amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, will be agreed to and considered original text for the purposes of further amendment.

Senator Coburn has indicated he will not offer amendment #804. As a result, there will only be 2 roll call votes at 2pm.

–          Coburn amendment #805 (Army Corps lands/guns); and

–          Whitehouse amendment #803 (oceans).

2:00pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Coburn amendment #805 (Army Corps land/guns) (60-vote threshold);

Not Agreed to: 56-43

2:26pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Whitehouse amendment #803 (Oceans);

Agreed To: 68-31 (60-affirmative vote threshsold)

The next amendments in order to S.601, Water Resources Development Act, are the following:

  • Blunt #800 (resilient construction techniques for extreme weather)
  • Pryor #806 (provide work-in-kind credit)
  • Inhofe #835 (rural water infrastructure projects)

No second degree amendments are in order prior to votes in relation to the amendments. We will work on time agreements on the amendments. Senators will be notified when any votes are scheduled.

  • Senator Warner asked consent that the Senate go to conference on the Budget
    resolution. Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified so that it not
    be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes tax
    increases or reconciliation instructions to increase taxes or raise the debt
    ceiling. Senator Murray objected to modifying the request. Senator McConnell
    then objected to the original request.

This afternoon, Senator Lee asked consent to adopt a Senate Resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress and the States should investigate and correct abusive, unsanitary, and illegal abortion practices.

Senator Blumenthal then asked consent to adopt an alternative resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that all incidents of abusive, unsanitary, or illegal health care practices should be condemned and prevented and the perpetrators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Senator Lee objected to Senator Blumenthal’s request and Senator Blumenthal objected to Senator Lee’s request.

  • At 5:45pm today, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote in relation to the
    Brown amendment #813, as modified (Asian Carp).
    No amendments are in order to the amendment prior to the vote.

5:45pm the Senate began a roll call vote on Brown amendment #813, as modified (Asian Carp);

Agreed To: 95-0

  • There will be no further roll call votes tonight.
  • The following amendments to S.601, WRDA, were agreed to by unanimous consent:-          Pryor #801, as modified with the changes that are at the desk (farms);

    –          Pryor #806 (work-in-kind);

    –          Inhofe #835, with a modification to the instruction lines (rural water infrastructure projects);

    McCain #833 (levee safety programs);

  • WRAP UP
  • ROLL CALL VOTES1)      Coburn amendment #805 (Army Corps land/guns) to S.601, the Water Resources Development Act; Not Agreed to: 56-43 (60-vote threshold)

    2)      Whitehouse amendment #803 (oceans); Agreed to: 68-31 (60-vote threshold)

    3)      Brown amendment #813, as modified (Asian carp); Agreed to: 95-0

    LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

    Passed S.622, an original bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize user fee programs relating to new animal drugs and generic new animal drugs.

    Adopted H.Con.Res.32, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.

    Discharged the HELP committee and adopted S.Res.126, recognizing the teachers of the United States for their contributions to the development and progress of our country.

    Completed the Rule 14 process of S.888, the End User Exemptions from provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. (Johanns)

    No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

  • The Senate has reached an agreement to consider the nominations of Shelly Dick (District Judge LA) and Nelson Roman (Southern District NY).At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations:

    –          Executive Calendar # 39 Shelly Deckert Dick, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Louisiana, and

    –          Executive Calendar #41 Nelson Stephen Roman, of New York, to be District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

    There will be 30 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form. Upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate will proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order listed.

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  • Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity
  • Last Floor Action:
    7:05:07 P.M. – The House adjourned. 5/7
  • The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on May 8, 2013.
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Black History

CONGRESS


State Capitol 047-DSC_4955And5more_fused
State Capitol 047-DSC_4955And5more_fused (Photo credit: Digidave)
  • The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.
  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11:00am with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board with up to one hour of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
  • Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 12:00pm), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Medine nomination.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
  • At 2:15pm, the Senate will begin consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act.
  • 12:01pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board;Confirmed: 53-45
  • Senator Murray asked consent to go to conference on the Budget resolution. Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes tax increases or reconciliation instructions to increase taxes or raise the debt ceiling.Senator Murray declined to modify her request. Senator McConnell then objected to the request.The Senate stands in recess until 2:15pm.
  • The Senate has begun consideration of S.601, Water Resources Development Act.
    Senator Boxer withdrew the committee reported substitute amendment and called up
    Boxer-Vitter substitute #799. The managers are now giving
    their opening statements. We are working on lining up the first amendments in
    order to the bill.
  • The Senate is in a period for debate only until 6:30pm on S.601, WRDA, while we figure out the first
    amendments to be considered to the bill.
  • The Senate has reached an agreement that provides for the consideration of the first 3 amendments to the WRDA legislation. At 11:30am tomorrow, Wednesday, May 8th, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601 and the following amendments will be the first amendments in order to the pending Boxer-Vitter substitute amendment #799:-          Coburn #804 (ammunition);-          Coburn #805 (Army Corps lands/guns); and

    –          Whitehouse #803 (oceans).

    No second degree amendments are in order to any of these amendments prior to votes in relation to the amendments. The Coburn and Whitehouse amendments are subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold. The time until 2pm, will be equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, for debate on the amendments. Senator Coburn controls 40 minutes of the Republican time.

    At 2:00pm the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed. There will be 2 minutes equally divided between the votes and all after the first vote will be 10 minute votes.

    Upon disposition of the Coburn and Whitehouse amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, will be agreed to and be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment.

  • WRAP UP
  • ROLL CALL VOTE1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #42, the nomination of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman and Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; Confirmed: 53-45LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

    Passed H.R.1071, a bill to specify the size of the precious-metal blanks that will be used in the production of the National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins.

    Discharged the Judiciary committee and adopted S.Res.127, Commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the loss of the State symbol of New Hampshire, the Old Man of the Mountain.

    Adopted S.Res.130, designating the week of May 1 through May 7, 2013, as “National Physical Education and Sport Week”.

    Began the Rule 14 process of S.888, the End User Exemptions from provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. (Johanns)

    No additional EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Last Floor Action:
10:00:15 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The
next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on May 7, 2013

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