Tag Archives: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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Did GOP Sen. Mike Lee accidentally make the Democrats’ point about Obamacare and shutdowns?


Sen. Mike Lee talks budget battles, 'phony scandal'

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Key Republican lawmaker on ‘Fox News Sunday‘
Chris Moody, Yahoo! News

                                 19 hours ago                        

        He probably didn’t mean for it to come out this way, but Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, a leader of an effort in Congress to use mandatory spending bills to defund Obamacare, may have handed over messaging ammunition to Democrats.

Surrounded by Republican House and Senate lawmakers at a Capitol Hill press conference Thursday, Lee and his colleagues called on Democrats to pass a bill that would fund the government but also defund the health care law. The federal government will temporarily shut down on Oct. 1 if Congress does not pass a bill extending funding.

While arguing that Democrats should accept the Republican path forward on Obamacare, however, Lee said that the law “is not worth causing a shutdown over.”

“A shutdown is too much. We don’t want a shutdown, we don’t need a shutdown. We should avoid a shutdown, and Obamacare is a law that’s going to harm people. It certainly is not a good idea to shut down the government in order to force through the implementation of Obamacare at a time when the president has said he’s not going to follow the law and he’s made substantial changes,” Lee said. “Shutdowns are bad, shutdowns are not worth it, this law is not worth causing a shutdown over.”

That last line will probably return to bite Lee and Republicans who continue to push to delay the 3-year-old law, even though he was trying to make the opposite point: That he thinks Obamacare is so bad that Democrats shouldn’t fight for it to the point of a shutdown. But it may prove difficult to convince the American people that the party seeking to fund a law that has been on the books for three years and has been found constitutional by the Supreme Court is responsible for a shutdown.

On Friday, the Republican-led House is planning to vote on a spending bill that would keep the government open but strip funding for the health care law, which will go on to the Democrat-led Senate. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that the Senate would approve nothing less than a government spending bill with Obamacare funding intact and he will likely return the bill to the House with the health care funding in it.

The impasse could lead to a traditional filibuster in the Senate. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday said he would be open to procedural maneuvers that would aim to block the government-funding bill.

“I will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund Obamacare,” Cruz said when asked about a filibuster. “Any procedural means necessary.”

Black History

the Senate S.1392/Energy – S.514/Saving Coal JObs – S.1497/ACA ~~ CONGRESS ~~ the House HR687 -HR1526 – HR3102/SNAP


matthew 25

The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:30am on Thursday, September 19, 2013. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in 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.1392, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act.

Senator McConnell asked unanimous consent to take up and pass Calendar #191, S.514, Saving Coal Jobs Act of 2013. Senator Reid objected.

Following morning business (approx. 10:50am), the Senate will resume consideration of Calendar #154, S.1392, Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013. Managers of the bill will continue to work on an agreement to consider amendments in order to complete action on the energy efficiency bill.

 Senators will be notified if any votes are scheduled.

Senator Vitter asked unanimous consent that on Wednesday, September 25 at 10:00am, the Senate Committee on Finance from further consideration of S.1497, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to apply the provisions of the Act to certain Congressional staff and members of the executive branch, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

That there be 60 minutes of debate on that bill, evenly divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and Senator Vitter, and that the bill not be subject to any amendments, points of order or motions to commit, and that after debate has expired, the bill be engrossed for third reading, read a third time, and the Senate immediately vote on passage.

That passage of the bill be subject to a 60-affirmative vote threshold.

 Senator Wyden objected

At 2:00pm today the Energy Committee will be discharged from further consideration of H.R.527, the Helium bill, and the Senate will proceed to its immediate consideration. The Wyden substitute amendment, the High Technology Jobs Preservation Act, will be agreed to. There will be 15 minutes for debate, equally divided between Senators Wyden and Cruz, prior to a vote on passage of H.R.527, as amended.

As a result of reaching this agreement at approximately 2:15pm today, the Senate will proceed to vote on passage of H.R.527, as amended.

The Senate is in a period of morning business until 2pm, with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

The Senate has reached an agreement that when H.J.Res.59, the continuing resolution, is received by the Senate from the House, it will be placed on the Calendar.  Additionally, a motion to proceed to the joint resolution will not be in order until Monday, September 23rd.

2:15pm The Senate began a 15-minute roll call vote on passage of H.R.527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act, as amended.

Passed: 97-2

There will be no further roll call votes today.  As previously announced, Monday will be a no-vote day.  Senators should expect the next roll call vote on Tuesday, September 24th prior to the weekly caucus meetings.

The Senate is in a period of morning business until 5pm with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

At 11:15am on Tuesday, September 24, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar  #203, the nomination of Todd M. Hughes, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit. There will be up to 30 minutes for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

If all time is used at approximately 11:45am on Tuesday the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1)      Passage of H.R.527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act, as amended; Passed: 97-2

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.246, recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of Latinos in the United States and the immense contributions of Latinos to the United States.

Adopted S.Res.247, designating the week of September 16 through September 20, 2013, as “National Health Information Technology Week” to recognize the value of health information technology in transforming and improving the healthcare system for all people in the United States.

Adopted S.Res.248, designating September 22, 2013, as “National Falls Prevention Awareness Day” to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of falls among older adults.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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

Last Floor Action:
12:49:21 P.M. -H. Res. 351
DEBATE –
The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 351.

« Previous Day

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Dumb And Dumber


By 

The federal government is hurtling toward two critical deadlines where a failure to act will be extraordinarily damaging to the US economy. But Republicans think it’s okay to play political games even if it means sabotaging our economy.

Deadline 1: To avoid government shutdown, Congress needs to pass a spending bill to fund the federal government by September 30.  Republicans have been engaged in a civil war for weeks over how best to use this deadline to manufacture a crisis. Those on the far right, led by Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, insist they shut down the government unless the budget fully defunds Obamacare, even touring the country to promote a shutdown. And now there are reports that House Republican leadership is following their lead in allowing such a bill to come to a vote.

The consequences of a government shutdown are severe: social security checks might not go out, our troops might not get paid, and the economy would take a huge hit.  Indeed, some fearful Republicans have warned their constituents as much.

A majority of Americans will blame Republicans if the government shuts down. But Republicans are still unable to let go of their obsession with repealing Obamacare, and are now barreling towards shutdown. That’s just dumb.

Deadline 2: The U.S. government will default on its obligations sometime in mid-to-late October unless Congress extends its borrowing limit. This would have catastrophic consequences for not just the United States economy; it could cause a worldwide crash even worse than we faced in 2008.  But House Republican leadership — that’s right, not just some of their crazier members — want to use the debt limit to force Congress to delay Obamacare for one year. Speaker John Boehner, who previously insisted he would not use the debt ceiling for political leverage, has promised “a whale of a fight.”

We’ve been down this road before. Paying our bills on time is non-negotiable.  Congress needs to pay the bills Congress itself racked up. Period.

Even among those that oppose the health care law, more than half want their elected officials to make it work as well as possible. So if Republicans truly think the American people support their threats of default instead of doing the hard work of governing, well…that’s dumber.

BOTTOM LINE: Americans are tired of the fighting and of having their economic security put on the line time and time again. Harming the economy to refight old political battles won’t help middle class families.

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10 Crazy Things the Right Did This Week


By  The summer may be over, but it’s never the end of crazy season when it comes to conservatives–from the silly to the serious.

1. Republicans Threaten To Push Nation Into Default Unless Obama Agrees To Delay Obamacare For One Year: Ironically, the proposition could actually increase the deficit by billions of dollars.
2. Secret Koch Fund Decries ‘Corporate Welfare’ And Stimulus But Funds Their Top Defender: A tax-exempt group claims to fight runaway stimulus spending and “corporate welfare” but gave millions to the Chamber of Commerce, perhaps the top backer of those programs.
3. GOP Tries To Sink Uncontroversial Energy Bill With An Obamacare Amendment: An energy efficiency bill would be the first major energy legislation passed in the Senate since 2007, but Republican amendments aiming to repeal Obamacare threaten to sink a long-awaited bill that has broad bipartisan support.
4. Heritage Puts Anti-Obamacare Billboard In Times Square After State Announces Huge Premium Drop: The message is just the latest political stunt from the organization that first developed the individual health care mandate and later touted Obamacare-like reforms in Massachusetts.
5. The Origins Of An Epidemic: How Right-Wing Religious Communities Give Measles A Chance To Spread: A recent measles outbreak in Texas was traced to an evangelical church that preached against vaccines. That’s not an isolated incident.
6. Five Reasons Congress Can’t Blame The Calendar For Delaying Immigration Reform: House Republicans are telling the media they simply don’t have time to pass immigration reform this year. They’re wrong.
7. Benghazi Conspiracy Rally On Capitol Hill Attracts Dozens Of People: It was meant to be a rallying moment for thousands of conservatives to demand the truth about Benghazi. Less than a hundred bothered to show up.
8. Conservatives Pressure Textbook Publishers To Downplay Existence Of Climate Change, Evolution: Prominent creationists with little scientific background or training are asking publishers include disclaimers about existing scientific theories.
9. Meet The Maryland Republicans Who Want To Secede:  The group, which calls itself the Western Maryland Initiative, is dissatisfied with the fact that, in a democracy, people with minority views are frequently outvoted by people with more common views.
10. Mitch McConnell Exploits Syria Conflict For Campaign Fundraising: The letter opened with the claim that Mitch McConnell “does not politicize issues of national security” but went on to argue that the senator’s opposition to the authorization for use of force is “a ringing example of why we need to keep Mitch fighting for us in the United States Senate.”