CD097: Nothing Horrible in March

A resignation, renewed "national emergencies", help for a (very) few veterans, screwing over of VA employees and Native Americans, favors for drug companies, changes to Amtrak, a veto threat and more are highlighted from a relatively calm March in Congress. In the second half of this episode, Jen discusses her plan to keep producing Congressional Dish full time, extends an invitation to hang out, reads some of your letters, and answers your questions. Please support Congressional Dish: to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Resignation of Illinois's 18th district resigned on March 17th, 2015 after it was discovered that he overcharged taxpayers and his campaign for miles driven on his personal car. Article: by Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer and John Bresnahan of Politico, March 17, 2015. Article: by Donna Cassata of AP, March 17, 2015. Article: by Jake Sherman, John Bresnahan, and Anna Palmer of Poltico, February 9, 2015. Article: by Paul Singer of USA Today, February 3, 2015. Article: by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun Times, May 6, 2015. Executive Orders , March 6, 2014, Ukraine , March 6, 2003, Zimbabwe March Laws : Slain Officer Family Support Act Allows contributions made to funds set up for to be , instead of 2015. Sponsored by Hakeem Jefferies of New York : Energy Efficiency Improvement Act Requires the Administrator of General Services to that . The model provision will be published publicly to . The EPA will create a program to "recognize" energy efficiency by tenants in commercial buildings. Grid enabled water heaters will have or company that operates the grid. Grid enabled water heaters will have . It for anyone to activate a grid-enabled water heater that is not part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program. Creates for researching the energy use of commercial and multifamily buildings. Sponsored by Rob Portman of Ohio March Bills : "Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act" , starting on October 1, 2015, the Veteran's administration can place veterans who can not live independently but want a family setting into may have their "medical foster home" care paid for by the government the amount that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs can award According to on Veteran's Day 2014, there are . Sponsored by Rep. Jeff MIller of Florida Passed : Authorizes the government to take back Department of Veterans Affairs employees' bonuses Allows the government to force an employee of the Department of Veteran's Affairs they previously received. The employees can be ordered to give back their bonus if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that it's that the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs . The employee will be given a notice and be allowed an opportunity for . The decision to order a bonus repayment will be final and . The Senior Executives Association (SEA), which represents Federal executives, wrote Rep. Jeff Miller to this bill. Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida Passed by voice vote : Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act Requires the Veteran's Administration to create Creates a position to do the reports for the Veterans Department to use for the extra work Sponsored by Corrine Brown of Florida Passed by : "Improving Regulatory Transparency for New Medical Therapies Act" Article: , Alexander Gaffney, Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, March 17, 2015. Fact Sheet: , Drug Enforcement Agency of drugs until after the Department of Justice issues a final rule for the drug. Forces the Department of Justice to schedule the drug of the final rule Allows drugs that are to be Makes it in clinical trials by forcing the government to rule on an application within 180 days. Creates a path for Sponsored by of Pennsylvania, who has taken over $928,000 from "health professionals" and $634,000 from the pharmaceutical industry. Passed by voice vote Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act annual grants to trauma centers, but that the money be used for Indian trauma centers Sponsored Michael Burgess of Texas Passed : Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act for trauma centers, Grants can only to to regional burn centers . Sponsored by Rep. Michael Burgess of Texas Passed with all no votes coming from Republicans : Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act For two years, 2017 -2019, a company that wants to bid for a Medicare equipment contract has to buy a that costs between $50,000 and $100,000. The companies will forfeit the bid bond Contracts to companies that don't meet state licensure requirements. Sponsored by Rep. Pat Tiberi of Ohio Passed by voice vote : Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act volunteer firefighters and EMT's from counting towards the Affordable Care Act employer mandate. Sponsored by Rep. Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania Passed 415-0 Was the vehicle for : Tenant Income Verification Relief Act Landlords would only have to verify income for fixed-income families in subsidized housing once , instead of every year. Sponsored by of Colorado Passed by voice vote : Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act If the amount of Federal funds, excluding grants, is under 49%, housing projects on Indian land . Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development . low income Indian housing grants to $650 million per year through 2019 (). that is more than three times their annual grant amount as of January 2016 A will allow tribes to partner with private investors for housing development projects. Grant money can be used to ensure a for the investors Grants for Native Hawaiian homes will go until 2019. Sponsored by of New Mexico. Passed , with most no votes coming from Republicans : "Secret Science Reform Act of 2015" Prohibits the EPA from proposing or finalizing a regulation unless the research used is publicly available online and can be reproduced Sponsored by , who has taken over $610,000 from the Oil and Gas industry Passed : Amtrak Amtrak will will be funded with , for the next four years. In order to receive grant money, Amtrak will need to , including establishing new routes, eliminating routes, and frequency of service. The that own our rail infrastructure will have to be taken into account Creates a pilot program instead of Amtrak on desired routes for 5 years Gives the private company an equal to 90% of what Amtrak receives Requires the private company's This program will only be available on a intercity passenger rail routes The private company will be required to run the route The private company will be to Amtrak's reservation system, stations, and facilities. Requires Amtrak to within five years and . Requires Amtrak for telecommunications systems, energy distribution, and "other activities" and Amtrak will share the revenue. Creates a pilot program to within a year of enactment Pets must be in a kennel and stored as carry-on baggage Pet owners will pay an extra fee Larger pets will be allowed in the temperature controlled cargo hold The program will be paid for 100% through pet owner fees Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania Passed , with every Democrat voting yes Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by 54 Seconds (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)