Congressional Dish

Cybersecurity or surveillance? What does the language attached at the last minute to the 2,009 page omnibus government funding bill actually authorize? In this episode, we take a close look at what just became law.   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! The Cybersecurity Act of 2015 was attached at the last minute to the "omnibus" government funding bill, which was 2,009 pages long and available to read for less than three days before it became law. This is and outline of what became law: "": "Any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of Government" Does NOT include the Government Accountability Office, Federal Election Commission, or Government-owned contractor-operated facilities "": An action that "may result in an unauthorized effort to adversely impact the security, availability, confidentiality, or integrity of an information system or information that is stored on, processed by, or transiting an information system". "": "Information that is necessary to describe or identify"... Spying, including strange patterns of communications that appear to be collecting technical information Security breaches Security vulnerabilities A legitimate user being used to defeat a security system Malicious cyber command and control "The actual or potential harm caused by an incident, including a description of the information exfiltrated as a result of a particular cybersecurity threat" "Any other attribute of a cybersecurity threat, if disclosure of such attribute is not otherwise prohibited by law" "": "Any , non-Federal government agency or department, or State, tribal, or local government (including a political subdivision, department, or component thereof)" Does not include a foreign power, Procedures for sharing information both within and outside the Federal government will be created by: Director of National Intelligence Secretary of Homeland Security Secretary of Defense Attorney General ... Allow real time sharing of information Include requirements for the government to protect the information from unauthorized access Require Federal entities to review cyber threat indicators for information not directly related to the threat that contains information that identifies a specific individual and remove the information Include procedures for notifying "any United States person" whose information has been shared by the Federal government Non-Federal entities sharing information mush "review" the information for "personal information of a specific individual" and "remove such information" OR have a technical way of removing the information it "knows at the time of sharing" to be personal information. and can use the information they receive for... Cybersecurity Preventing a specific threat of death, serious bodily harm, or specific threat of serious economic harm Investigating, prosecuting, and preventing serious threats to minors, including sexual exploitation and threats to physical safety ... , , , , Information shared will be Policies will be written by... Attorney General Secretary of Homeland Security Policies must create a way to share information "" Dept. of Commerce Dept. of Defense Dept. of Energy Dept. of Homeland Security Dept. of Justice Dept. of Treasury Office of the Director of National Intelligence Information ... Attorney General Secretary of Homeland Security In consultation with the "Private entities with industry expertise as the Attorney General and the Secretary consider relevant" Information shared with the Federal government The courts must dismiss any lawsuits against "any private entity" for monitoring information systems or sharing/receiving "cyber threat indicators" Heads of "appropriate Federal entities" will submit a report Inspectors General of the "appropriate Federal entities" will submit reports every two years The Comptroller General of the United States will submit a report on actions taken by the Federal Government to remove personal information. Report will be due in three years. Unclassified portions of the reports will be available to the public. Lists what this bill is not intended to do Report will be submitted by the Director of National Intelligence NEW Specifically allows the Secretary of Defense to share information These provisions expire on September 30, 2015. The will for sharing information that are created by Title I (view this mark-up of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to see changes made by this provision) including... "Engaging with international partners... to collaborate on cyber threat indicators, defensive measures, and information related to cybersecurity risks and incidents" "Sharing cyber threat indicators, defensive measures, and other information related to cybersecurity risks and incidents with Federal and non-Federal entities... and with State and major urban area fusion centers" Participating in national exercises run by DHS Evaluating cyber threats to public safety communication systems to the list of entities that will have representatives in the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center Adds protection from information to list of the Center's Orders the Center to work with the to make sure the Center follows the policies and procedures created by the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security. The Center will be in charge of for information sharing. The Center for the purpose of sharing "cyber threat indicators" Orders the Center to with the Center within 60 days of enactment : Reports that will Subtitle B: Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to to proactively detect, identify, and remove intruders in agency information systems. The plan will not apply to the Department of Defense, a "national security system" or an element of the intelligence community In implementing the plan, the Secretary of Homeland Security The operation of the technology needed to implement the plan The actions taken need to be It is for the private entity operating the system to use the information for anything other than protecting the system but the The Secretary of Homeland Security will issue binding operational directives for agencies to secure their networks within a year. Agencies will have to... Identify sensitive and mission critical data stored by the agency Assess the need to store that data and determine which individuals need access to it Encrypt the data Implement a single sign-on platform for people using the agency website that requires user authentication Require multi-factor authentication for remote access Agencies will not have to comply if they say it's "overly burdensome to implement" or that it's not necessary. These binding operational directives to the Defense Department, a "national security system", or the intelligence community. The directives and reports on them will expire in 7 years, December 2022. The Secretary of Homeland Security can order the head of other agencies to take "lawful actions" in response to security threats. Requires an assessment of all Federal positions that have cyber-related functions Orders a study on the security of mobile devices of the Federal Government Orders a State Department report on threats from foreign sources and cooperation strategies within 90 days. The Secretary of State must consult with government officials in countries where we don't have an extradition treaty to determine what actions they've taken to catch "cyber criminals" with arrest warrant issued by US judges or Interpol. Orders the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to create a process for information sharing with Statewide Interoperability Coordinators Requires a report that will so that "the Federal Government and health care industry stakeholders may in real time, share actionable cyber threat indicators and defensive measures" Additional Reading Article: by Steve Horn, DeSmogBlog, December 16, 2015. Article: by Tom Cahill, U.S. Uncut, December 19, 2015. Article: by Eric Lipton and Liz Moyer, New York Times, December 20, 2015. Article: by Mike Gault, Wired, December 20, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

Available for less than 3 days before the votes, the 2,009 page "omnibus" government funding bill was signed into law. History will not look kindly upon provisions that give private companies immunity for forwarding data to the government, make policing political contributions illegal, repeal a food labeling law, restrict international travel, and allow environmental damage. 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! Omnibus Outline   Prohibits the FDA from clarifying foods with partially hydrogenated oils as unsafe before June 18, 2018.    Repeals Country of Origin Labels for beef and pork products    Prohibits the sale of genetically engineered salmon until the FDA publishes final labeling guidelines and sets aside at least $150,000 for the labeling program.    Prohibits the government from prohibiting the transportation, processing, sale, or use of industrial hemp     Department of Justice money can’t be used to pay for an abortion unless the life of the mother is in danger - this is valid unless declared unconstitutional The Director of the Bureau of Prisons will have to provide escort services to female names to get an abortion outside the Federal facility.   “None of the funds made available in this Act shall be used in any way whatsoever to support or justify the use of toruture by any official or contract employee of the United States Government”   A national security letter can’t be used by the Executive branch to stop the FBI from issuing national security letters    Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States   : Prohibits the transfer of Internet domain name system functions during fiscal year 2016   Prohibits Dept. of Justice money from being used to prevent States from implementing their medical marijuana laws.     : Puts no limit on the compensation for foreign people working at the Department of Defense in the Republic of Turkey   Prevents demilitarization and disposal of certain guns   A “buy local” requirement for military purchases of beer and wine   : Says information pertaining to US citizens will only be handled according to the 4th amendment “as implemented through Executive Order No. 12333”    Prohibits the retirement, divestment, realignment, or transfer of RQ-4B Global Hawk aircraft    Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States   Prohibits realignment of forces at Lajes Air Force Base in Azores, Portugal unless determined that it is not “an optimal location for the Joint Intelligence Analysis Complex”   Prohibits the NSA from conducting “an acquisition” using FISA 702 “for the purpose of targeting a United States person” or from acquiring, monitoring or storing the contents of “any electronic communication” of a US person from a provider of electronic communication services to the public, as determined by FISA 501   Prohibits retirement of A-10 aircraft Prohibits retirement of KC-10 aircraft Prohibits retirement of EC-130 H aircraft   Prohibits any base closures     Allows the Defense Department to transfer an additional $4.5 billion to the War on Terror fund   Department of Defense “operation and maintenance” money can be used in Afghanistan and to counter ISIL   Prohibits permanent bases in Iraq, control of Iraqi oil, permanent bases in Afghanistan   $600 million for Jordan   $250 million for Ukraine for “assistance, including training, equipment, lethal weapons of a defensive nature… and intelligence support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine and for the replacement of any weapons or defensive articles provided to the Government of Ukraine from the inventory of the United States"   Money can’t be used in Syria in contravention of the War Powers Resolution including the introduction of United States armed or military forces into hostilities in Syria without consulting and reporting to Congress     Prohibits any changes to the “fill material” in waterways definition   : Prohibits permits from being required for discharges of “fill material”   ection 312: Prohibits implementation of energy efficient lightbulb regulations     : Can’t redesign the $1 bill   Prohibits any change to regulations and standards used by the IRS "to determine whether an organization is operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare for the purposes of section 501(c)(4)”    Prohibits money paying for any health plans for Federal employees that cover abortions Section 614: Unless the life of the mother is at risk or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest   Defunds White House positions Director, White House Office of Health Reform Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury assigned to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry and Senior Counselor for Manufacturing Policy White House Direction of Urban Affairs   Prohibits the government from requiring a telecom from turning over data it is storing   : Prohibits implementation of safety standards for recreational off-highway vehicles     Customs and Border Protection can’t stop an individual from importing prescription drugs  from Canada if they are carrying 90 day supply or less     Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States     Prohibits listing of the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act  Doesn’t say “for fiscal year 2016”    Prohibits acceptance of patents for mining sites Some patents are grandfathered   Prevents mining within National Monuments    No money can be used to require permits for emitting carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions from livestock production.    Prohibits regulations requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.   Prohibits regulation of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle     Prohibits implementation of a regulation for minimum wages for seasonal workers   : Prohibits enforcement of regulations designed to audit companies that use foreign workers   Prohibits the promotion of gun control   : Prohibits bussing of kids to overcome racial imbalances   Forces public schools to allow voluntary prayer and meditation programs   : Prohibits funding for research that creates, destroys, or injures human embryos   : Prohibits funds for ACORN   Military Construction and Veterans     Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States   : Dept. of State    for the “Foreign Military Financing Program”, $3.1 billion to Isreal, to Egypt, for Jordan, for Ukraine   : No money can be given directly to Cuba, North Korea, Iran, or Syria   Rules for financing governments after military coups   Money can be used to “establish governance in Syria that is representative, inclusive, and accountable”     Increased US quota of the IMF fund to 40.8 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), about $55 billion as of 12/17 exchange rates     Continues of a regulation limiting commercial truck drivers to 60 or 70 hours per week.     Limits the information the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board will have access to     Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States   Outline Coming Soon (CD113)      Repeals the oil export ban    “Terrorist Travel Prevention and Visa Waiver Program Reform” Requires people from countries participating in our visa waiver program to have machine readable, electronic passports to enter the US by April 1, 2016. Should have been available since 2005, but people with older passports didn’t need new ones. Now they will : Visas will be required from anyone who traveled to Iraq or Syria and possibly other countries since March 2011 Doesn’t apply to military members or government employees   Reauthorizes health program for 9/11 WTC responders through   Reauthorizes and expands 9/11 victim fund to include damages to business and employment opportunities Does include mental health care   Increases visa fees until September 30, 2025 for businesses who bring in foreign employees by about $4,000 $1 billion will be used to “implement the ”, which will keep track of everyone’s exit and entry data electronically   Creates a new program to give money to some victims of terrorism Money will be handed out by a “Special Master” appointed by the Attorney General will be “final” and “not subject to administrative or judicial review” Eligible people are US “persons” who won a court case against a “state sponsor of terrorism” Victims of the Iran Hostage Crisis will get $10,000 per day they were held, and their spouses and kids will get a lump sum of $600,000, with a maximum payment of $20 million per person and $35 million per family. The President will demand the payment from the offending country before sanctions can be lifted will be given out during 2017, and the fund will close on January 2, 2026. Attorneys can get 25% of the payments Act of international terrorism = torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, or hostage taking   Has something to do with exemptions and Wall Street    : “None of the funds made available by any division of this Act shall bemused by the Securities and Exchange Commission to finalize, issue, or implement any rule, regulation, or order regarding the disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax exempt organization, or dues paid to trade associations”    : Repeals an exemption for the SEC from the Right to Financial Privacy Act, which allowed them to get financial records from banks without the customer’s knowledge   The budgetary effects of the “Other Matters” division and the Division P tax provisions will not be counted in the PayGo budget      Delays the excise tax on high cost employer health plans until 2019.   Puts a moratorium on a fee on health insurance providers   Extends until 2020 and fades out tax credits for wind facilities   Extends until 2022 and fades out tax credits for solar energy  Votes Passed the House of Representatives Passed the Senate Audio Sources House Rules Committee Hearing: , December 16, 2015. Additional Information Article: by Ezra Klein, Vox, December 18, 2015. Article: by Bill Chappell, NPR, December 18, 2015. Article: by Murtaza Hussain, The Intercept, December 18, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

Three months of Congress condensed into under one hour. In this episode, we take a look at our new laws, some controversial bills, and the most interesting hearings from September, October, and November. This episode is also a call for feedback: Which hearings sound most interesting to you?   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! Hearings Worth Watching Please email your top 2 hearing requests to Jen at congressional dish dot com or Tweet them to House Ways and Means Committee: , November 17, 2015. Witnesses Dr. Joshua Meltzer, Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institution Alexander von Bismarck, Executive Director, Environmental Investigation Agency Ilana Solomon, Responsible Trade Program Director, Sierra Club Dr. Rashid Sumaila, Professor, Fisheries Economics Unit of the University of British Columbia House Ways and Means Committee: , December 2, 2015 Witnesses: Matt Porterfield, Deputy Director and Adjunct Professor, Harrison Institute, Georgetown University Law Center Ted Posner, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Michael Smart, Vice President, Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC Thea Lee, Deputy Chief of Staff, AFL-CIO House Committee on Armed Services: Witnesses: John McLaughlin, Former Acting Direction of Central Intelligence Ambassador Ryan Crocker, former Ambassador to Syria and Iraq House Committee on Foreign Affairs: , November 17, 2015 Witnesses Admiral Robert Papp, Jr., USCG, Retired: U.S. Special Representative for the Arctic, U.S. Department of State Rear Admiral Timothy C. Gallaudet, USN: Oceanographer and NavigatorU.S. Department of Defense Vice Admiral Charles D. Michel, USCG: Vice CommandantU.S. Department of Homeland Security Senate Armed Services Committee: , November 4, 2015. Witnesses: Director (Former) National Security Agency Bryan Clark Senior Fellow Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Paul Scharre Senior Fellow and Director Center for a New American Security->20YY Warfare Initiative Peter W. Singer Senior Fellow New America House Committee on Agriculture: , November 4, 2015. Witnesses , Vice-Chairman, Dr. Tammy Beckham: Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: , October 21, 2015 House Committee on Energy and Commerce: , October 28, 2015. Witnesses: The Honorable Michael Lumpkin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict The Honorable Matthew Armstrong, Broadcasting Board of Governors Brigadier General Charles Moore, Joint Staff, J-39 House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: , October 6, 2015. House Committee on Armed Services: , October 22, 2015. Committee on Energy & Commerce: , September 25, 2015. National Emergencies Extended National Emergency in respect to Sudan, National Emergency in respect to the attacks of September 11, 2001, National Emergency in respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, . Links to Laws, Bills, & Hearings Campaign Contribution Info Additional Reading IMF document: , International Monetary Fund, June 29, 2006. Article: by Kenneth Fidler, US AFRICOM Public Affairs, April 27, 2009. Article: by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Foreign Affairs Magazine, November 28, 2011. Research Paper: by Patrick Thronson, University of Michigan's Journal of Law Reform, March 23, 2013. Article: by James Bamford, Wired Magazine, June 12, 2013. Article: by John Hudson, Foreign Policy Magazine, July 14, 2013. Article: by Gregory Korte, USA Today, October 23, 2014. Article: Reuters, October 23, 2015. Article: by Daniel Vock, Governing, October 29, 2015. Article: by Daniel Vock, Governing, November 17, 2015. Article: by Bart Jansen, USA Today, December 3, 2015. Article: by Daniel Vock, GovTech.com, December 3, 2015. Article: by Cory Bennett, The Hill, December 7, 2015. Website: , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

Government shutdown ahead! On December 11th, the government is scheduled to run out of money. In this episode, hear the story of how we ended up on the brink of a shutdown (again) and what you can expect in the next few weeks (hint: A huge must-sign bill that includes lots of corporate favors). We also take a look at the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, signed into law in November, which raised the debt ceiling and set the overall budget amount for the giant government funding bill to come. 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! Bipartisan Budget Act Outline : The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Budget Enforcement 2016: $548 billion for security, $518 billion for non-security 2017: $551 billion for security, $518 billion for non-security 2016 & 2017 for for Agriculture for private insurance providers at 8.9% of the premium through 2026. For context, please listen to Commerce to cell phones for collecting US government debts Strategic Petroleum Reserve from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. 5 million barrels a year through 2022 8 million barrels in 2022 10 million barrels a year from 2023 through 2025 Pensions pension fund premiums that employers must pay starting in 2017. Health Care 2016 premiums for Medicare Part B by adding a $3 surcharge for future years. drug manufacturers a rebate if they increase their prices for generic drugs more than the rate of inflation. Starting on January 1, 2017, Medicare will for services provided in a hospital and services provided outside the hospital. Facilities that were billing as hosptitals before the enactment of this law . the automatic enrollment of employees in employer provided health insurance plans. Judicial penalties for health care providers accused of fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid system. in the Crime Victims Fund $746 million in civil forfeiture money from the Justice Department piggy bank. Social Security "disability investigation units" with partner with local law enforcement to ensure they exist in all 50 states and all territories. penalties for social security fraud the "file and suspend" option for social security benefits Temporary extension of public debt limit the debt ceiling until March 16, 2017. Spectrum Pipeline Creates a plan for federal wireless spectrum to telecommunications corporations by January 2022. Revenue provisions related to tax compliance for large corporations, hedge funds, and private equity funds. Audio Sources Hearing: , House Rules Committee, October 27, 2015. Additional Reading Article: by Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh, CNN, September 30, 2015. Article: by Devlin Barrett, The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2016. Article: by Wes Wolfe, The Free Press, November 3, 2015. Article: by Karl Fryzel and Michael Conroy, Lock Lord LLP, November 3, 2015. Article: by John Schoen, CNBC, November 5, 2015. Article: by Lisa Schencker, Modern Healthcare, November 9, 2015. Article: by Robert Powell, USA Today, November 28, 2015. Article: by Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan, Politico, December 2, 2015. Sources Report: , Congressional Budget Office, October 28, 2015. Report: Social Security Solutions, November 5, 2015. Report: by Juliette Cubanski and Tricia Neuman, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, November 11, 2015. Newsletter: , McDermott, Will & Emery, October 29, 2105. Webpage: Webpage: by Zachary Paiker, FactCheck,org, February 7, 2014. Webpage: by Rachel Finkel, FactCheck.org, March 3, 2014. Webpage: , Opensecrets.org Jen's Podcast Appearance : December 7, 2015 episode Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

joins Jen to discuss a House of Representatives passed bill which creates a national system for labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and prohibits states from enacting their own GMO labeling laws.   Follow Cara on Twitter: Like Cara on Facebook: 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! The Bill : Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 the Federal government to require labels for genetically modified plants if the government determines there is a difference in nutrition, allergic reactions, or to protect public health. the sale of non-regulated genetically modified plants unless the Secretary of Heath and Human Services certifies that the food is safe for humans and animals. the Secretary of Agriculture to publish a list of and information discovered about each non-regulated genetically modified plant that has been approved for sale on a public website. to imported food "non-regulated genetically engineered plant" as one contains genetic material from a different species or has been modified through DNA altering techniques. States from creating or continuing "any requirement" that is different from the regulations created by this bill. private companies to certify whether genetically modified plants are present in food products. a voluntary program for labeling genetically modified foods. , the seed must not be genetically modified and the crop must be separated during growth, harvesting, storage, and transportation. For livestock, the food fed to the livestock must not have contained any genetically modified products. The labels that Non-GMO foods are safer or better than GMO foods. Anyone who uses the Non-GMO label on GMO foods will be . Each day the violation occurs will be considered a separate violation. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by of Kansas Sound Clip Sources Hearing: , House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, June 18, 2015. Witnesses: : President and CEO Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals : Director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Biotechnology Project YouTube: from Jimmy Kimmel Live, October 9, 2014. Additional Information Joe Rogan Experience #655 with GMO scientist Kevin Folta Upcoming Meet-Up Hang out with Jen at the Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

Syria: We're told we're at war to fight ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State but in a Congressional hearing that took place the week before the Paris attacks, State Department officials were talking about a different goal. In this episode, highlights from that House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. What are we really doing in Syria? Executive Producer: Anonymous 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! The Syria War For context and background, please listen to , from August 2013. Audio Sources Hearing: , House Foreign Affairs Committee, November 4, 2015. Video: YouTube: , PressTV News Video, November 19, 2015. YouTube: by YouTube: , Additional Information Syria Map: , June 24, 2015. Map: , U.S. Department of Energy, updated June 24, 2015. Article: by Elena Holodny, Business Insider, September 29, 2015. Map: , Business Insider, September 29, 2015 Article: by Micah Zenko, The Foreign Policy Group, October 19, 2015. Paris Attacks Article: by Ian Black, The Guardian, November 14, 2015. Article: by David Graham, The Atlantic, November 15, 2015. ISIS Message about Paris Attacks: "Let France and those who walk in its path know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State, and that the smell of death will never leave their noses as long as they lead the convoy of the Crusader campaign, and dare to curse our Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and are proud of fighting Islam in France and striking the Muslims in the land of the Caliphate with their planes, which did not help them at all in the streets of Paris and its rotten alleys" Article: by Alissa Rubin and Anne Barnard, November 15, 2015. Anne Patterson Biography Wikipedia: Article: by Josh Rogin and Eli Lake, The Daily Beast, July 10, 2013. Article: by Juan Forero, New York Times, August 17, 2001. Victoria Nuland Biography Wikipedia: Essay: by William Kristol and Robert Kagan, Foreign Affairs Magazine (published by The Council on Foreign Relations), July/August 1996 Issue Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

Good news can be found in this episode! In July, eight bills were signed into law and none of them will make you want to flee the country. Topics covered include veterans and their health care, product warranties, transportation funding, and more. At the end of the episode, Jen shares some happy news. 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! Laws : Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 US Department of Veterans' Affairs Info Sheet: Discussed in veterans who have honorably completed their service but who didn't "retire" or receive a medically-related discharge to request and pay for an ID card proving their veteran status. The fee for the card will be reassessed every . The cards would be available the bill would be signed into law. Passed the House of Representatives . Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent Sponsored by of Florida : Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Discussed in episode Gives the Under Secretary of Management of the Department of Homeland Security the job of making sure that DHS departments can communicate with each other in emergencies. Passed the House of Representatives . Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. Sponsored by of New Jersey : Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act of 2015 Discussed in episode Increases the length of Medicare contracts for at-home care from 3 years to 5 years Passed the Senate and House of Representatives by Voice Votes. Sponsored by of Oregon : Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent a process for temporary employees at Federal land management agencies to become permanent employees age requirements for eligibility for temporary employees seeking to become permanent employees. Sponsored by of Virginia : E-Warranty Act of 2015 manufacturers to provide warranty information online, the warranty information is available at the location of the sale so people can see it before they buy. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of Representatives The two no votes were Rep. Dan Benishek of Michigan's 1st district and Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina's 3rd district. Sponsored by : Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 Passed the House of Representatives . Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of Representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. the Small Business Administration from charging a guarantee fee on loans made to veterans or their spouses. When the program doesn't pay for itself in the President's budget proposal, the fee can be charged to veteran's and their spouses the next year. the amount of money than can be spent on business loans by $4.75 billion. loan guarantees from being used by banks to get around their legal lending limits. Sponsored by of Ohio : Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act land in Idaho as wilderness areas. that was already taking place to continue. Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. Sponsored by of Idaho : Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 Transportion Federal highway funding until October 29, 2015. the tax rate for liquified petroleum gas . Banking the banks to report more information about the status of mortgages starting in 2017. the value of a deceased person's estate to the estimate on the deceased person's most recent tax return. the tax return due date for partnerships and S corporations Veterans the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs to develop a plan to consolidate all non-Department of Veteran's Affairs provider programs into one program called the "Veteran's Choice Program". money to the fund for private health care for veterans, including $500 million for hepatitis C drugs the text of the , which said that veterans with government health care will not count towards the 50 employee Affordable Care Act threshold, which triggers a company's obligation to give employees health insurance. Passed the House of Representatives . Passed the Senate . Sponsored by of Pennsylvania Sound Clip Sources Hearing: , House Veterans' Affairs Committee, July 22, 2015. Additional Reading from Senators Ron Wyden and Charles Grassley to the Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences for justification of high Sovaldi price. Article: by Joseph Bebon, Next-Gen Transportation News, July 31, 2015. Article: by Gerard Flynn, Newsweek, May 9, 2015. Article: by Dennis Wagner of the Arizona Republic (re-posted on USA Today), June 21, 2015. Article: by Gardiner Harris, New York Times, September 15, 2014. Article: by Margot Sanger-Katz, New York Times, August 2, 2104. Article: by Jaimy Lee, Modern Healthcare, February 3, 2015. Article: by Caroline Chen, Bloomberg Business, July 28, 2015. Article: by David Belk, Huffington Post, February 9, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) Cover Art Design by

CISA - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act - has officially passed the Senate. While Congress is busy merging CISA with two other so-called cybersecurity bills that passed the House of Representatives, in this episode, by taking an in-depth look at the contents of all three bills, we discover that these bills are not what you're being lead to believe. 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! : Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 Passed the Senate on October 27, 2015. Sponsored by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina Outline of the Bill Definitions: = "Any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency, but does not include — The Government Accountability Office Federal Election Commission The governments of the District of Columbia and of the territories and possessions of the United States, and their various subdivisions Government-owned contractor-operated facilities, including laboratories engaged in national defense research and production activities = An action "not protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution" that "may result in an unauthorized effort to adversely impact the security, availability, confidentiality, or integrity of an information system or information that is stored on, processed by, or transiting an information system." A "cybersecurity threat" does not include "any action that soley involves a violation of a consumer term of service or a consumer licensing agreement. = Information that is needed to identify - , including strange patterns of communications that appear to be collecting technical information Security breaches Security vulnerabilities A legitimate user being used to defeat a security system The harm caused by a cybersecurity incident, including the information taken as a result "Any other attribute of a cybersecurity threat, if disclosure of such attribute is not otherwise prohibited by law" = "Any , non-Federal government agency or department, or State, tribal, or local government (including a political subdivision, department, or component thereof) Does not include "a "foreign power", a foreign government or a foreign based political organization. Sharing of Information by the Federal Government will write procedures for sharing and "cyber threat indicators" and that would help the "entities" to prevent cybersecurity threats. The officials writing the rules will be the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, and the Attorney General. The rules they write have to: Ensure "cyber threat indicators" can be Include notification procedures for false alarms Include requirements for the Federal government agencies to to the information Requires a Federal entity sharing information to Include for people whose personal information is shared by the government. Their procedures 60 days after CISA becomes law. Monitoring Authorizations Private companies their own information systems, other private information systems or Federal information systems with permission, and monitor "information that is stored on, processed by, or transiting these information systems" Entities can share with and receive information from . Before sharing information, it and information known to be personal information "at the time of the sharing" must be removed. With the written consent of the sharing entity, information shared with a State, tribal, or local government may be used for ...* , , , , The information shared with the government as a "cyber threat indicator" will be . for sharing information with each other "for cybersecurity purposes" Sharing of Information by "Entities" with the Federal Government The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security governing receipt of information from private entities and local governments. The policies must include... for sharing information with "all of the appropriate Federal entities" Rules governing of the information received by the Federal Government. for Federal employees who break the law The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland will explaining what qualifies as a cyber threat indicator The Attorney General, with help from "private entities", will have 180 days that will govern how the Federal Government uses the information it receives The privacy guidelines will be reviewed every two years The Attorney General will determine how long the information will be kept by the government The shared with the government. Information shared under the Freedom of Information Act and all State, tribal, and local laws. In addition to the items of the list of allowed uses of information by State, tribal, and local governments (see Monitoring Authorizations section), the Federal Government can also use the information to... Protection from Liability for sharing information with the government under CISA regulations. The only way a private entity can be sued is in the cast of "gross negligence or willful misconduct" Oversight of Government Activities Federal Inspectors General will complete a . The report may include recommendations for improvement Other Rules , attempting to monopolize a market, boycotting, or exchanges of price or cost information, customer lists, or information regarding future competitive planning. Intrusion Assessment Plan The Secretary of Homeland Security will to identify and remove intruders on agency information systems. The plan will not apply to the Department of Defense, a national security system or an element of the intelligence community. The deployment and operation of the new monitoring system The private contractor would not be allowed to disclose any of the information they access The private contractor will have Internet service providers with a customer without their customer's consent The activities carried out in this new monitoring plan need to be to protect agency information systems from cybersecurity risks Federal Cybersecurity Requirements Agencies will have to information that is stored or transmitted by their information systems, create a single sign-in method for individuals accessing their websites, and implement identity management systems for remote access for each user account. This to the Department of Defense, a national security system, or elements of the intelligence community. Emergencies The Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of an "imminent threat" Study on Mobile Device Security The Secretary of Homeland Security in the Federal Government Health Care Industry Sharing to create a plan for sharing with private health care entities specifically Strategy for Protecting Critical Infrastructure ensuring that cyber security incidents would probably not be catastrophic for public health or safety, economic security, or national security. The strategy must include... An assessment of whether each entity should be required to report cyber security incidents A description of security gaps Additional power needed Some of this report can be classified. Sunset The provisions of this bill would : National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015 For reference, here's the of the Homeland Security Act, which is amended by this bill. This bill: to the that will be part of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, which coordinates information sharing between the Federal government and other entities. Adds new groups to the list of who will be included in the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center who . that the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center will share between the Federal government, local governments, and private sector. Authorizes the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to . Requires the government and businesses to use existing technology between the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center and Federal agencies. Participation by non-Federal entities . Agreements that exist before this bill is signed into law with this law. All participating entities need to take . There's no listed punishments if they don't. for governing the use of information shared with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center . He/she will also be responsible for for government employees who disregard his/her privacy policies. entities that share information , if they share information according to this law. If the Federal government breaks this law, it will have to pay the person . There is a two year statute of limitations. This law that limit information sharing. The law would after enactment. Passed Sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas : Protecting Cyber Networks Act Contains the text of H.R. 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act Within of enactment, the for sharing classified "cyber threat indicators" with "non-Federal entities" Allows cybersecurity monitoring of government systems Allows "non-Federal entities" to other than the Defense Department. The entity sharing information must to remove personally identifiable information on people "not directly related" to the cybersecurity threat. governing what happens to information received by the Federal Government, of the bill becoming law. relating to privacy and civil liberties, within of the bill becoming law. A new branch, with , will be created within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence called the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, which will Information shared with the government is . Information given to the government to investigate, prosecute, prevent or mitigate a threat of "death or serious bodily harm or an offense arising out of such a threat" and to investigate, prosecute, prevent or mitigate a threat to a minor. to prevent, investigation, disrupt, or prosecute , , including murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, extortion, firearms use, firearms possession, or attempt to commit any of these crimes, including photographing or sketching defense installations, and . Passed Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California Audio Sources CISA debate, October 27, 2015 () : Hearing about HR 1731 and HR 1560, the House cybersecurity bills, April 21, 2015 Additional Information Article: by Eric Geller, The Daily Dot, October 28, 2015. Webpage: , Department of Homeland Security. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio)

In July, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would allow expiring anthrax vaccines to be given to civilian emergency responders within the United States. The question: Is that vaccine safe? In this episode, we look at the history of the anthrax vaccine and the results of the investigation into the only anthrax attack on the United States: The anthrax laced letters which were mailed to members of the mainstream media and Congress in September and October 2001. Last, an update on the current security of the United States' anthrax supplies. Warning: This episode contains disturbing information. Executive Producer: Brandon Shipley 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! The Bill : First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act Summary: . for distributing anthrax vaccines that will soon expire to emergency responders who volunteer to accept them. a program for tracking the vaccines. a two year pilot program, in at least two states, for distributing the vaccines. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by of New York Additional Reading Anthrax Vaccine Website: , Emergent BioSolutions. Article: by Warren Leary, New York Times, May 7, 1994. Article: by Laura Rozen, Salon, October 14, 2001. Report: by Barbara Loe Fisher, National Vaccine Information Center, December 2001. Article: by Michael Smith, The Telegraph, August 12, 2004. FDA Document: by Meryl Nass MD, December 29, 2004. Report: by Martin Meyer Weiss, MD, Peter D. Weiss, MD, and Joseph B. Weiss, MD, American Journal of Public Health, November 2007. Article: by Diana Washington Valdez, El Paso Times (republished on Military.com), April 21, 2014. Report: by Frank Gottron, Congressional Research Service, June 18, 2014. Report: Website: , OpenSecrets.org Website: , OpenSecrets.org 2001 Anthrax Attacks Article: by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg, and William J. Broad, New York Times, September 4, 2001. Article: by the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal and R. James Woolsey (reprinted by Free Republic), October 17, 2001. Article: by Richard Cohen, Washington Post, October 18, 2001. Article: by Richard Butler, New York Times, October 18, 2001. Article: by Debora MacKenzie, New Scientist, October 24, 2001. Article: by Scott Shane and Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, August 6, 2008. Article: by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, August 8, 2008. Department of Justice Report: , U.S. Department of Justice, February 19, 2010. Press Release: , U.S. Department of Justice, February 19, 2010. F.B.I. Document Directory: Article: , NPR, February 15, 2011. Article: by Noah Shachtman, Wired, March 24, 2011. Article: by Nicholaus Mills, The Guardian, September 15, 2011. Article: by Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica, Greg Gordon of McClatchy, Jim Gilmore and Mike Wiser of PBS Frontline, October 10, 2011. Article: by Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica, Greg Gordon of McClatchy, Jim Gilmore and Mike Wiser of PBS Frontline, October 10, 2011. GAO Report: , Government Accountability Office, December 2014. Article: by Rebecca Trager, Scientific American, December 29, 2014. Article: , CNN, May 23, 2015. The Patriot Act Article: by John Lancaster, The Washington Post, October 3, 2001. Article: by Paul Blumenthal, Sunlight Foundation, March 2, 2009. Live Anthrax Shipments Article: by Paul Shinkman, US News & World Report, May 27, 2015. Article: by Richard Sisk, Military.com, September 1, 2015. Audio/Video Sources Press Conference: , Department of Defense, (broadcast on C-SPAN), June 28, 2002. Press Conference with Dr. Steven Hatfill: , C-SPAN, August 25, 2002. United Nations Security Council Meeting: , United Nations Security Council (broadcast on C-SPAN), February 5, 2003. Hearing: , House Judiciary Committee (broadcast on C-SPAN), September 16, 2008. Hearing: , Senate Judiciary Committee (broadcast on C-SPAN), September 17, 2008. YouTube: , uploaded July 7, 2009. Press Conference: , National Academy of Sciences (broadcast on C-SPAN), February 15, 2011. Television Episode: by PBS Frontline, October 11, 2011. Hearing: , House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (broadcast on C-SPAN), July 28, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio)

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