This Week in the People's HouseAugust 29, 2010
By Bobby Frederick
There is a long list of outstanding business that raises many questions:
Q: What is the House to do with the ten remaining appropriations measures it has yet to pass?
Likely A: The House and Senate will pass a continuing resolution to cover appropriations between the beginning of Fiscal Year 2011 (October 1, 2010) through some date in November when Congress returns for a lame duck. They will also likely roll up any outstanding appropriations bills into a single omnibus package.
Q: What will Congress do about the Estate Tax?
A: Die this year and pay no taxes on your estate. Die next year and the government will tax your estate up to 55%. Politicians, reporters and sports fans alike pointed this out after the death of George Steinbrenner.
Search for "estate tax" on thomas.loc.gov and you'll see that Congress has introduced 63 pieces of legislation that address the estate tax issue. On one extreme, Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would repeal the estate (or death) tax outright. Meanwhile, on the other extreme, Senator Sanders (I-VT) has a bill that would maintain that 55% tax rate and make the estate tax retroactive to 2010. Somewhere in the middle, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) have a bill that sets the estate tax rate at 35% with a $5 million exemption.
Some believe this will happen before the November Election while others think this is more likely lame duck session material. I side with the latter and think the reform will look similar to Lincoln/Kyl.
Q. What's this I hear about the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization?
A. Normally, the House is waiting on the Senate to pass legislation, but in the case of the Child Nutrition Act, the ball is in the House's court. Operating under the premise that healthy foods foster healthy minds, the CNA began as a complement to the National School Lunch Program in 1966. However, without further action by the House, the CNA will expire at the end of September.
Before leaving for recess, the Senate passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, a 10-year, $4.5 billion increased reauthorization of the CNA by unanimous consent. This bill aims to address our obesity problem by putting healthier food in schools. President Obama had asked for $10 billion in additional funds, while the House Bill currently boosts funding by $8 billion. House action is likely in September.
-More bad news on the economic home front as housing prices declined more than 27 percent and the actual 2nd quarter GDP growth was downgraded to 1.6 percent putting a damper on the "Recovery Summer".
-President Obama visited New Orleans today to mark the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Archived coverage here.
-Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, (the man who would be Speaker) took his talents to Cleveland to discuss Republican ideas on the economy and suggest that the White House fire its economic team. Meanwhile, Vice President Biden hit back by criticizing President Bush and House Republicans when they ran the majority.
-It was a weekend of rallies in our Nation's Capital. Glenn Beck hosted his "Restoring Honor" event at the Lincoln Memorial which featured the likes of, Sarah Palin, Tony Larussa and Albert Pujols. -Meanwhile, Reverend Al Sharpton hosted his "Reclaim the Dream" event, honoring the 47th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. -Photos here and here.
Editors Note: Whether it's a Presidential Inauguration, rally, or protest, I do my best to experience big events in D.C. with my own two eyes. This past Saturday, I took a run down the National Mall towards the World War II Memorial and caught a glimpse of the "Restoring Honor" rally. I couldn't put a number on it, but the place was packed, with much enthusiasm (to the point of traveling to Washington during the hottest month of the year, and when Congress is out of session) on display. You couldn't hear much of the speech near the WWII Memorial (due to the awesome crashing water of the fountains), but it seemed as though people wanted to be there for the experience, playing the part of a group thirsty for change. This type of enthusiasm could bring a new brand of Republican to the Congress in 2011.
The People's House Politics Extra - 65 days until the 2010 Midterm Election
-There is evidence that even some democrats fear the House may already be lost.
-Democrat and Republican incumbents alike are avoiding party labels while campaigning.
-Biggest incumbent upset of the season may have occurred in Alaska with Tea Party candidate Joe Miller currently ahead of Senator Lisa Murkowski.
-No primaries this week.
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