CD063: 2013 The Year in Review

In this episode, Jen and Joe recap all the bills that passed the House of Representatives and were covered on Congressional Dish in 2013. Also, an update on the debt ceiling. Music in This Episode: Intro and Exit Music: by , by , Debt Ceiling  See how your representative voted on until March 16, 2015, which passed the House on February 11 and the Senate on February 12. If we don't suspend the debt ceiling, we probably will not default on our debt as . However, the only way that we would avoid a default would involve a scenario along the lines of the one , which involved slashing the Federal government and even eliminating whole departments. The debt ceiling either needs to be raised or suspended or the government drastically slashed by February 27. Bills Covered by Congressional Dish in 2013 (In Chronological Order) (Agreed to 1/3/13) Highlighted in episode Members can take private jets using government money (CD016) Speaker John Boehner , but this promise wasn't put in the official House rules. (112th Congress) (Passed House & Senate 1/1, LAW 1/2) Highlighted in episode Extended unemployment insurance Extended Farm bill until September 2013 Extended the Bush tax cuts Increased capital gains taxes from 15% to 20% Extended the college and child tax credits Multinationals -including banks- don't have to pay taxes on income from foreign subsidiaries (Passed House 1/15, Senate 1/28, LAW 1/29) Highlighted in episode Sandy was on 10/29/12, funding for the recovery was finally provided on 1/15/13 All Reps from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas voted against it (Passed Senate 2/27, House 3/4, LAW 3/13) Highlighted in episode Loosened the definition of an "emergency" to include "threat justifying emergency authorized use" of unapproved medical devices (Passed House 1/23, Senate 1/31, LAW 2/4) Highlighted in episode Suspended the debt ceiling until May 18, 2013 House & Senate both have to pass budgets by April 15, 2013 (which they did). Would have paid Congress no matter whether or not they passed their budgets; they would have been back paid. Highlighted in episode Public & private non-profits need to help CDC with surveillance systems in order to get pediatric research grants but provided no money. (Passed House 2/6) Highlighted in episode President would have to submit a second budget if his first budget wasn't balanced. (Passed House 2/12) Highlighted in episode Gives grants to States to streamline requirements for veteran EMTs to become civilian EMTs (Passed House 2/13) Highlighted in episode The first amendment to the Constitution prohibits direct funding of religious buildings [caption id="attachment_419" align="alignright" width="150"] A small conduit hydro-electric project[/caption] (Passed House 2/13, Senate 8/1, LAW 8/9) Highlighted in episode Fast tracks hydro-power projects on existing dams. (Passed House 2/15) Highlighted in episode (Passed Senate 2/12, House 2/28, LAW 3/7) Highlighted in episode Adds stalking and date rape to list of punishable offenses Cyber stalking counts as stalking Most of the funding decreased from previous levels (Passed House 3/12) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 3/13) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 3/15, S. 1911 introduced in Senate committee 1/9/2014) Highlighted in episode Would effectively put decisions on welfare-to-work training programs in corporate control by changing the make-up of local boards. Would have required layoffs of Federal workers by consolidating 35 programs into one. (Passed Senate 3/20, House 3/21, LAW 3/26) Highlighted in episodes , , , and Funded the government until September 30, 2013 Included the   (passed House 4/10, Senate 8/1, LAW 8/9) Highlighted in episode Authorizes small hydro-power projects and determines who is first in line for the power (passed 4/12) Highlighted in episode Board would have had to stop all work & not enforce decisions make after 1/4/2012 Could have restarted if recess appointments were ruled Constitutional or at start of second session of 113th All about which may have been unconstitutional S. 716: Gut the STOCK Act (Passed Senate, 4/11, House 4/12, LAW 4/15 - Passed Congress with no recorded votes) Highlighted in episode Exempted Congressional staff and executive branch employees from financial reporting. Eliminated the searchable website for financial reports. (passed House 4/15) Highlighted in episode Can be waived (Passed House 4/16 by 416-0) Highlighted in episode Provides a framework for the coordination of information security between civilian, national security, and law enforcement communities. Focuses on automated and continuous monitoring of information systems. Acknowledges “market solutions for the protection of critical information systems important to the national defense and economic security of the National that are designed, built, and operated by the private sector.” Authorizes "secure facilities" for storing information Authorizes having enough staff with classified clearance to analyze that information (Passed House 4/16) Highlighted in episode Trains cyber-security professionals with taxpayer money & creates a strategy for buying private sector cloud services (Passed House 4/18) Highlighted in episode Director of National Intelligence would create procedures for giving "cyber threat information" to private companies and utilities Information can be passed from private companies to DHS and DOJ Information given by the private companies to the government will be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act A company that shares cyber intelligence with the government will be exempt from civil or criminal liability if they act "in good faith" The military and intelligence communities can't control, change or direct in any way the cyber-security efforts of a private company. Says US citizens can not be targets for surveillance (Passed House 4/26, Senate 9/26, LAW 10/2) Highlighted in episode Changes the way we sell our stockpile of helium so we get a fairer price & end the global helium shortage by allowing the government to sell our helium (Passed House 5/9) Highlighted in episode Tells Treasury to make interest payments and social security payments when we hit the debt ceiling (Passed House 5/8, S. 1623 Introduced in Senate committee 10/30) Highlighted in episode Allows time and a half in paid time off instead of time and a half pay for overtime, if the employee chooses that option (Passed House 5/16) Highlighted in episode Introduced by Michelle Bachmann (Passed House 5/17) Highlighted in episode Forces SEC to do a cost-benefit analysis on their regulations of Wall Street SEC must explain why they didn't include suggestions made by the financial industry SEC must review all existing regulations every five years (Passed House 5/20, Senate 5/22, LAW 6/2) Highlighted in episode The Bush Administration version was ruled unconstitutional for violating the First Amendment This changes it so that you get busted for fraud if you fake having a medal for financial gain (Passed House 5/20) Highlighted in episode Penalties that currently apply when a US ship or ship in US territory is attacked would be applied worldwide and would include attacks on corporate ships. (Passed House 5/22) Highlighted in episode [caption id="attachment_580" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tar sands oil next to a home in Mayflower, Arkansas. Source: EPA[/caption] Bill by Lee Terry of Nebraska Would exempt Keystone XL from the law requiring a Presidental permit Government can waive any law or regulation in order to issue the Keystone XL permit (Passed Senate 7/24, Passed House 7/31, LAW 8/9) Highlighted in episodes and Caps student loan interest rates at 8.25% for undergrads and 9.5% for graduate level students (Passed Senate 8/1, House 8/2, LAW 8/9) Highlighted in episode Creates procedures for expediting and private TSA screenings for injured and disabled veterans (Passed House 6/4) Highlighted in episode Never went to conference with the Senate & was funded via Jan 2014 omnibus budget (Passed Senate 5/8, house 6/3, LAW 6/13) Highlighted in episode Reauthorizes a fee system for accelerating testing or distribution of animal antibiotics Caps the amount of revenue the fees can bring into the government (Passed House 6/3) Highlighted in episode Allows so much time for implementation that the soonest the system would exist is 2028 Prohibits states from enacting stricter standards (Passed House 6/12 by 420-2) Highlighted in episode Makes SEC (Wall Street Police) liable for lawsuits that arise from them sharing information with other regulators. (Passed House 6/12 by 411-12) Highlighted in episode (Passed 6/12) Highlighted in episode The Commodity Futures Trading Commission and SEC would have to issue the exact same rules. Would exempt the biggest foreign swap gamblers from United States swaps regulations. "This really just gives banks permission to go around the world regulator shopping." (Passed 6/14, Final version LAW 12/26) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 6/18, S. 1670 introduced to Senate committee 11/7) Highlighted in episode Doctors can't perform an abortion on a fetus that is 20 weeks or older. Doctors can be fined and sentenced to five years in prison. The mother can't be prosecuted. Exceptions: Life of the  mother in danger, rape, or incest. (Passed House 6/27) Highlighted in episode Approves the treaty with Mexico allowing drilling the Western Gap - in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Slipped into the 2014 budget and is now LAW (Passed House 6/28) Highlighted in episode Forces Federal government to lease at least 50% of the unleased Outer Continental Shelf with the most fossil fuel resources Increase oil and gas production Forces leases off of the east coast and southern California Limited the content of environmental impact studies (Passed House 7/10) Highlighted in episode Shorted renewable energy by $1.9 billion Shorted power grid upgrades, fuel efficiency, energy efficient buildings, geothermal energy, wind energy, energy assistance for the poor, environmental clean ups, and natural gas. Gave more than requested for nuclear energy and fossil fuels. (Passed House 7/30, Senate 10/31, LAW 11/13) Highlighted in episode Public schools will be allowed to stockpile epinephrine for students with food allergies and train staff to administer it (Passed House 7/25) Highlighted in episode Coal industry will have 10 years of meet groundwater protection standards EPA cannot categorize waste from burning coal, oil, natural gas, and tar sands as ‘hazardous waste’. (Passed House 8/1) Highlighted in episode EPA is not allowed to issue a regulation costing over $1 billion The social cost of carbon – climate change, cancer rates, etc. – can’t be used in a cost-benefit analysis (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode Authored by Forces Federal agencies to get Congressional approval for all major rules that cost over $100 million, affect the finances of businesses, or create a carbon tax If Congress does nothing for 70 working days, the rule can’t be enacted None of this is subject to judicial review Monetary policy by the Federal Reserve is exempted (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode Government conferences capped at $500,000 but private companies can make up the rest. All conference materials must be posed online. (Passed House 8/1) Highlighted in episode Makes it easier to fire high level Federal employees Caps some Federal worker bonuses and prohibits any bonus at all for others. (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode Each agency must establish customer service standards but will get no extra funding to do so.  (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode  (Passed House 7/31) Highlighted in episode and (Passed House 8/2) Highlighted in episode IRS prohibited from enforcing tax provisions of Affordable Care Act (Passed House 7/19) Highlighted in episode Expands the number of charter schools Gives charter schools as much taxpayer money as real public schools Charter school programs can be provided by for-profit businesses Public money will go to private schools and tutoring Sex education must teach abstinence to get Federal funds High schools students contact information must be given to military recruiters (Passed House 6/6) Highlighted in episode Never went to conference & was funding in the omnibus budget in January 2014. (Passed Senate 7/19, House 9/10, LAW 9/18) Highlighted in episode Allows permits for small hydroelectric projects and a natural gas pipeline to cut through an Alaska national park. (Passed House 9/9) Highlighted in episode FCC does a 25 country comparison of data transmission speeds and price; this bill repeals that report. (Passed House 9/12, passed House & Senate 10/16, LAW 10/17) Highlighted in episode and The bill was the "vehicle" to end the shutdown. The text was completely changed Prevents Americans from getting subsidies until the Secretary of Health and Human Services has a subsidy verification system in place. Funded government until 1/15/14 Suspended debt ceiling until 2/7/14 Killed the Monsanto Protection Act (Passed House 9/19) Highlighted in episode Was Titled the "Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act" (Passed House 9/17) Highlighted in episode Done on behalf of wealthy casino-owning tribes in Arizona that don't want the competition (Passed House 9/17, Senate 9/25, LAW 10/2) Highlighted in episode South American wants us out of their business; we're saying we're not going away. (Passed House 9/18) Highlighted in episode Exempts mining projects from environmental regulations. (Passed House 9/25) Highlighted in episode Exempts an old wooden boat from fire safety standards for 10 years so it can carry passengers overnight The Shutdown Bills The House CR that didn’t really defund the Affordable Care Act () The Senate CR that has not had a vote yet in the House () The House CR that delays the Affordable Care Act for year () The House CR that delays the Affordable Care Act & kills employer-paid health benefits for Congress and their staff. The House bill that requests a conference committee with Senate Funds National Parks and some museums Funds operations in Washington D.C. Funds veterans benefits Funds the National Institutes of Health Funds the National Guard and reserves H.R. 2275 finally ended the shutdown (see above) Back to Work (Passed House 10/23, Passed Senate with changes 10/31) Highlighted in episode Speeds up and consolidates studies Speeds up permitting by letting utilities and natural gas companies pay the Army Speeds up environmental reviews Prohibits lawsuits after five months Privatizes maintenance and management of public water infrastructure (Passed House 10/30) Highlighted in episode Bill written mostly by Citigroup lobbyists Makes foreign banks eligible for a bailout Allows bailout-eligible banks to trade in credit default swaps (Passed House 10/29) Highlighted in episode Prevents a Department of Labor regulation forcing brokers to do what is best for their customers, not themselves (Passed House 11/12, Senate 11/14, LAW 11/27) (Passed Senate 6/17, House 11/12, LAW 11/21) Highlighted in episode (Passed Senate 10/28, House 11/12, LAW 11/21) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 11/12, Senate 12/10, LAW 12/20) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 11/13) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 11/14) Highlighted in episode Imposes mandatory financial penalties for filing “frivolous” lawsuits. Eliminates the 21-day grace period to withdraw a lawsuit without financial penalty. (Passed House 11/15) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 11/12) Highlighted in episodes and Streamline reporting standards and publish spending data on USAspending.gov (Passed House 11/20) Highlighted in episode Speeds up oil and gas permitting Forces us to lease our land to fossil fuel companies Leases land for oil shale development - a technology that still doesn't exist Limits Americans' access to the courts to stop drilling Severely limit Native Americans' access to the courts to stop drilling (Passed House 11/20) Highlighted in episode Prevents Federal regulation of fracking Rigs studies to only examine benefits of fracking, not the costs (Passed House 11/21) Highlighted in episode Automatically permits pipelines that are not permitted in under 120 days (Passed House 12/2, served as the vehicle for the 2014 budget, LAW 1/17/14) Highlighted in episode Taxpayers will pay for private space accidents starting at $500 million and up to $2.8 billion (Passed House 12/3, S. 1893 referred to Senate committee 12/20) Highlighted in episode TSA must publicly publish a plan for the security technology they intend to buy Private sector must be included and plan must identify "public private partnership" opportunities (Passed House 12/3, Senate 12/9, LAW 12/9) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 12/4) Highlighted in episode (Passed House 12/5) Highlighted in episode Claims must be available on a public, searchable website Limits lawsuits down the supply chain Lawsuit losers must pay expenses and fees of the winners (Passed House 10/28, Senate 11/19, LAW 12/26) Highlighted in episode A cyber-security section was added last minute by Jay Rockefeller Creates a "Conflict Records Research Center" and allows states, foreign governments, and “any source in the private sector” to give money to the Department of Defense. Allows contractors to make more than the President of the United States. Expands the drug war to Chad, Libya, Mali, & Niger.