Natural disasters: They just keep coming. In this episode, learn about the disaster relief bill that will soon be law, get an update from Puerto Rico from a member of the Coast Guard, and look into a few new laws that included disaster relief provisions with special guests Jessica Rhodes and Margy Feldhuhn. Also, get the scoop on the existential crisis that Congressional Dish has been experiencing and get a preview of exciting new changes coming soon to your favorite Congress-focused podcast. Please support Congressional Dish to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin 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! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Bills Outline funding for Federal Aviation Administration projects and operations through March 31, 2018 Funds public and private that provide graduate medical education programs and a until March 31 a Medicare program providing in-home treatment of immune diseases until the end of 2020 the Medicare Improvement Fund, by $50 million per year. If people affected by the hurricanes want to withdraw up to $100,000 before January 1, 2019 from their retirement accounts, the 10% tax on early withdrawals from retirement plans . The money can be repaid People with employer plans from the retirement funds for up to $100,000 (double the usual amount) until December 31, 2018. They will get an extra year to pay it back. Allows employers whose employees were affected by the hurricanes to get a who couldn't work up to $6,000 per person Current law allows tax deductions for charitable contributions to churches, private organizations, hospitals, & other organizations as long as these don't make up more than 50% of that person's charitable donations for the year. This is for donations made for Harvey, Irma, and Maria relief. This will if the donation is to a private foundation or to a new fund Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico The Secretary of the Treasury will give the US Virgin Islands money from the hurricane. The government of the US Virgin Islands will determine the amount Puerto Rico will be given money based on for what Puerto Rico would have been given if they had the same tax code. Puerto Rico will not be given the money until Puerto Rico submits a plan that is approved by the Secretary of the Treasury for distributing the payments to the residents. for universities & higher education schools that were affected by the hurricanes or have students affected by the hurricanes. Gives money (Project School Emergency Response to Violence, which helps schools recover from traumatic events) on a $18.67 billion to the DHS and FEMA for their disaster relief fund will be for loans to local governments to provide essential services needed as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria $526.5 million to the Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service for fire suppression $16 billion of National Flood Insurance Program debt $1.27 billion for food for Puerto Rico Changes how bankruptcy court judges are appointed and raises some fees. Passed the House of Representatives on October 12, 2017 by a vote of Additional Reading Article: by The Editors, Bloomberg, October 13, 2017. Article: by christopher Flavelle, Insurance Journal, October 13, 2017. Article: by Niv Elis and Cristina Marcos, The Hill, October 12, 2017 Article: by Alexa Liautaud, Vice News, October 12, 2017. Article: by Aaron Rupar, ThinkProgress, October 12, 2017. Article: by David Dayen, The Intercept, October 11, 2017. Article: by Mike Ward and Kevin Diaz, Houston Chronicle, October 11, 2017. Article: by Catherine E. Murray, AccountingWeb, October 11, 2017. Article: by Aurelie Corinthios and Liz McNeil, People, October 6, 2017. Article: , Fox News, October 5, 2017. Commentary: by Peter Morrison, Lexocology, October 3, 2017. Commentary: by Mary Plotkin, The Hill, January 17, 2017. Article: by Jen Wieczner, Fortune, January 11, 2017. Commentary: by David Dayen, New Republic, November 30, 2016. Article: by David Dayen, New Republic, May 9, 2016. Article: by Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, February 26, 2015. Article: by A.R. Sanders, E.R. Martin, G.W. Beecham, S. Guo, Cambridge University Press, November 17, 2014. References Bethenny Frankel's Disaster Relief Site: Broad Defense: iab Tech Lab: Twitter: Young Turks Appearance: Young Turks Appearance: Young Turks Appearance: Young Turks Appearance: Young Turks Appearance: Sound Clip Sources Interview: , October 12, 2017. Press Briefing: , CNN Politics, October 3, 2017. Podcast: , Libsyn's The Feed, September 30, 2017. Press Briefing: , September 27, 2017. YouTube Live Stream: , The Broad-Cast, September 27, 2017. Song: , For the Love of Money, lyrics by The Ojays. Music Presented in this Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by