PODCAST: Hill Update from Max Pappas, 4/5/2011

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1.       FreedomWorks: We handed out two letters on the Hill today, one supporting the ratification of the pending free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama, and South Korea, and the other asking for co-sponsors on Rep. Tom Price’s Decrease Spending Now Act (H.R.1111). See here and here.
 
2.       House/Senate Schedule: The House and Senate will be in session for the next two weeks and then they will go on break for the following two weeks, unless there is a government shutdown on Friday due to the Senate not passing a Continuing Resolution.
 
3.       Senate/Agenda: Instead of working on a Continuing Resolution (CR)/H.R.1, the Senate is set to vote on the House passed 1099 Repeal bill (H.R.4) on Tuesday and then spend the rest of the week working on the Small Business Innovation Research Reauthorization Act (S.493). There are several pending amendments to the SBIR Bill, but the Senate Republicans are unsure whether or not Harry Reid will bring them up for vote. Click here for the list of pending amendments we are supporting.

4.       House/Regulation: There will likely be a House floor vote on Thursday on the resolution of disapproval of net neutrality (H.J.Res.37) . The bill disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices. Note: this bill would only need 51 votes in the Senate in order to pass.
 
5.       House/Energy: There will likely be a vote this week on the Energy Tax Prevention Act (H.R.910). The bill amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning the emission of a greenhouse gas. We will key vote this and have said nice things here.

6.       House/Budget: The 2012 Republican Budget (Rep. Paul Ryan’s) will be introduced on Tuesday and the bill will be marked up in committee on Wednesday with a possible vote next week.
 
7.       Committee/Energy and Commerce: Some mandatory spending cuts in ObamaCare went through subcommittee last week and will be in full committee on Tuesday. FreedomWorks has written a letter supporting these cuts.

8.       Member Initiative: Rep. Hensarling has introduced the GSE Bailout Elimination and Taxpayer Protection Act (H.R.1182), which would end conservatorship for government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (The Senate companion for this bill is being introduced by Senator McCain.) Click for FreedomWorks letter of support for this legislation.

9.       Member Initiative: Freshman Rep. Mo Brooks will be introducing a bill that suspends the implementation of ObamaCare until a Supreme Court ruling.
 
10.   Member Initiative: Rep. Burgess has introduced the Flat Tax Bill (H.R.1040). The bill is currently in committee, and Rep. Burgess is looking for co-sponsors and support from outside organization. We will be issuing a letter of support.
 
11.   RSC: The RSC is looking for support for their Welfare Reform Bill (H.R.1167), which will combine the budget of all 77 welfare programs into one-line item on the budget and then cap total welfare spending at 2007 levels.
 
12.   Other Organization: CATO has come out with a study on Entitlements and NTU has come out with their Congressional Ratings for 2010.


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