This Week in the People's House
August 2, 2010
By Bobby Frederick

The House blazed into the six-week August/September District Work Period after passing a $58.8 billion emergency war supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan, a $141.1 billion Military-Veterans Administration appropriations bill, a $126.1 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development appropriations measure and energy legislation in response to the Gulf Oil Spill.

Convening on Monday, July 26th, (first votes at 6:02 p.m.) and adjourning on Friday, July 30th (last vote at 6:30 p.m.), the House worked a rare five-day week. The House was in session for a total of 56 hours and 47 minutes and registered 48 votes for the week.

Current Balance of the House stands at 433 members : 255 Democrats, 178 Republicans and 2 vacancies (NY-29 & IN-3). If all members are present and voting, the magic number to pass legislation under regular order is 217.

Big Bills

7/27/10

H.R. 4899- The Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010 introduced by Congressman David Obey (D-WI).

Quick Summary: Despite a warning from Secretary Gates back in June that "we [the Pentagon] begin to have to do stupid things if the supplemental is not passed by July 4th," Congress was unable to meet this deadline until last week. The bulk of this nearly $60 billion bill ($37.1 billion) went to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where the U.S. has now spent more than $1 trillion.
This measure also included $13 billion for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, $5.1 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund and almost $3 billion for relief in Haiti.

The House bowed to the Senate, passing that chamber's version of the war funding bill via suspension of the rules by a vote of 308-114 (Voting YES- 148 D's & 160 R's : Voting NO- 102 D's & 12 R's). President Obama signed this measure into law on Thursday, July 29th.

7/28/10

H.R. 5822, the FY 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act introduced by Congressman Chet Edwards (D-TX).

Quick Summary: This $141.1 billion spending measure represents a 5% increase from last year's bill. Eighty five percent of the funds, or $120 billion, go towards veteran's health programs and compensation and pension benefits. The bill devotes $18.7 billion to military construction and housing. Finally, $1.3 billion would go towards emergency construction projects for the war in Afghanistan. This bill also contains more than 600 earmarks (special projects for members).

This bill passed by a vote of 411-6 (Voting Yes- 247 D's & 164 R's : Voting No- 0 D's & 6 R's). To move forward in the legislative process, the Senate must now act on this measure.

7/29/10

H.R. 5850- The FY 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act introduced by Congressman John Olver (D-MA).

Quick Summary: This $126.1 billion measure funds the Department of Transportation's highway programs at $45.2 billion. It also includes $16.5 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration and $1.4 billion in grants for high speed rail. The bill also contains $46.6 billion for housing programs. There are more than 400 earmarks for this bill.

This bill passed 251-167 (Voting Yes- 237 D's & 14 R's : Voting No- 13 D's & 154 R's). This bill has now been referred to the Senate.

7/30/10

H.R. 5851 the Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower Protection Act of 2010 introduced by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) & H.R. 3534 the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources Act of 2009 introduced by Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV).

Quick Summary: The impetus for the House to push these two bills before getting out of town was the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. H.R. 5851 would protect offshore energy employees who report safety violations or refuse to do their job over safety concerns from discrimination by their employer. Such protections already exist for onshore energy production workers. H.R. 5851 passed 315-93 (Voting Yes- 247 D's & 68 R's : Voting No- 1 D & 92 R's).

Meanwhile, H.R. 3534 would get rid of the $75 million liability cap for offshore oil spills. It also breaks up the controversial Minerals Management Services and gives its oil spill responsibilities to three other agencies. It creates layers of new safety regulations aimed at preventing future blowouts and prevents new oil leases from being granted to companies who currently hold a lease they do not pay royalties on (Such leases were given in 1998-99 as a way to boost production in response to very low oil prices).

During debate, Democrats argued that something needed to be done to address the safety concerns in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill. Republicans argued that regulations would kill jobs in the industry and ultimately raise taxes. H.R. 3534 passed 209-193 (Voting Yes- 207 D's & 2 R's : Voting No- 39 D's & 154 R's).

This measure now moves to the Senate where the road to 60 votes looks improbable.

Other Big News

What's the biggest issue for the 2010 election? It's the economy, stupid and ours is recovering slower than expected. July 2010 jobs numbers will be released this Friday.

-In what was a very bad news week for Afghanistan, 92,000 pages of secret documents about the war were released in the Wikileaks controversy & to make matters worse July 2010 was the deadliest month in the nearly nine-year war. Despite these grim stories, the war is not the first thing on the minds of American voters.

-The jury is still deliberating the fate of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Blago's reluctance to testify and the shorter than anticipated trial may be good news for Democrats, but if found guilty, the timing of the sentencing could help Republicans.

-Sometimes you "drain the swamp"; sometimes the swamp drains you. With the possibility of ethics trials for two house Democrats (Charlie Rangel & Maxine Waters) near the election, Republicans have a chance to highlight how they will be different.

The People's House Political Extra

Kansas, Michigan and Missouri all go to the primary polls this Tuesday, August 3rd.

Former Reagan speechwriter, Peggy Noonan, has some advice for those on the trail : "Try a little tenderness". The virtue of being nice.

There are 92 days until the 2010 midterm elections.

The Future of the People's House

The House is in recess until Tuesday, September 14th. There is plenty of work left to do including finishing work on FY 2011 appropriations measures, determining the fate of the Bush tax cuts as well as other long lapsed tax credits. Further attempts at an energy policy, possible action on a child nutrition reauthorization and revisiting food safety could also happen. Any way you slice it, there is much to do - or not do- and only 16 legislative days left to do it (plus a lame duck session).

*Note: While the People's House may be in recess, THIS People's House will not rest. Please continue coming back for an examination of the top five votes heading into the 2010 midterm elections.