Legislative Briefing for Week of 4.17.17
In Congress This Week: Congress on Two Week Easter Recess
Health Care– 45 is threatening to take away subsidies for ACA–destabilizing insurance markets–to get Dems to come to the table. Stay away Dems! Warren Davidson, a Freedom Caucus member, asked voters to give the GOP a 60-vote Senate in 2018 so they can “get things done.” Let’s all have an angry laugh about that. YEAH RIGHT BOZOS!
Keep an eye on Georgia– This Tuesday, there is a special election in Georgia’s District 6. Jon Ossoff is doing surprisingly well in a very Republican district. There are 19 Indivisible groups in District 6 alone–GO TEAM GO! We lost the recent Kansas District 4 special election BUT it was close–this in a district where Trump won 27% of vote. Momentum is building for 2018–keep up the good work!
Equal Rights Amendment– The amendment was never ratified! 134 nations contain constitutional protections for equality based on gender. Issue may be being revived by votes to remove the deadline for ratification (1982). SJ Res 5, which would do so, is on the table in the Senate.
Issa’s activities: (Local section)
THIS MONDAY 4/17 6pm: Telephone Town Hall w/ Issa You must sign up on his website to be a part of the discussion. He said he will be taking live questions. (We’ll see.) Issa lucked out (read: ducked out) and during recess, went to the Middle East as part of a delegation. The purpose of the delegation was “to strengthen relationships with strategic partners and foster cooperation in the fight against ISIS.” He met with leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon along with three other members of Congress. Issa is under fire for voting for the bill that repealed the Obama FCC regulations that would have protected consumers’ online data from internet providers, after years of being a “staunch advocate for digital privacy.”
Monitoring Closely:
HR 354 Defund Planned Parenthood Act
HR 1021/S361 To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deem specified terrorist activities as a renunciation of nationality
S 295/276 Divide Ninth Circuit into two and add more federal judges for Trump to appoint
HR 781 Allow charitable organizations (churches) to make political statements
HR 727 To prohibit federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting after 2019
HR 861 Eliminate EPA
HR 1510 Elimination of Department of Education
HR 1431/1430 Both interfering with EPA and scientific process. Passed House. On to Senate.
HR 1718 Another bill to repeal the ACA
HR 352 State Health Flexibility Act- Block Grants
HR 2090 Require Voter ID law NEW BILL! BAD BILL!
HR 2086 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to waive the individual mandate for health insurance in areas with no Exchange plans NEW BILL!
HR 1975 To protect civilians from cluster munitions NEW BILL! ISSA CO-SPONSOR!
Recommended Action: Flood Issa’s/Your Rep’s offices with phone calls/in-person meetings to insist that Congress stand up for the health of constituents and not back any bill that benefits the wealthy over the sick.
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