Congressional Dish

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 Division A: Agriculture Section 754: Prohibits the FDA from clarifying foods with partially hydrogenated oils as unsafe before June 18, 2018. Section 759: Repeals Country of Origin Labels for beef and pork products Section 761: 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. Section 763: Prohibits the government from prohibiting the transportation, processing, sale, or use of industrial hemp Division B: Commerce, Justice, Science Section 202: 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 Section 204: The Director of the Bureau of Prisons will have to provide escort services to female names to get an abortion outside the Federal facility. Section 516: "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" Section 520: A national security letter can't be used by the Executive branch to stop the FBI from issuing national security letters Section 527: Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States Section 539: Prohibits the transfer of Internet domain name system functions during fiscal year 2016 Section 542: Prohibits Dept. of Justice money from being used to prevent States from implementing their medical marijuana laws. Division C: Defense Section 8002: Puts no limit on the compensation for foreign people working at the Department of Defense in the Republic of Turkey Section 8018: Prevents demilitarization and disposal of certain guns Section 8067: A "buy local" requirement for military purchases of beer and wine Section 8079: Says information pertaining to US citizens will only be handled according to the 4th amendment "as implemented through Executive Order No. 12333" Section 8087: Prohibits the retirement, divestment, realignment, or transfer of RQ-4B Global Hawk aircraft Section 8103: Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States Section 8114: 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" Section 8116: 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 Section 8123: Prohibits retirement of A-10 aircraft Section 8129: Prohibits retirement of KC-10 aircraft Section 8130: Prohibits retirement of EC-130 H aircraft Section 8132: Prohibits any base closures War on Terror Section 9002: Allows the Defense Department to transfer an additional $4.5 billion to the War on Terror fund Section 9006: Department of Defense "operation and maintenance" money can be used in Afghanistan and to counter ISIL Section 9007: Prohibits permanent bases in Iraq, control of Iraqi oil, permanent bases in Afghanistan Section 9012: $600 million for Jordan Section 9014: $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" Section 9019: 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 Division D: Energy and Water Section 105: Prohibits any changes to the "fill material" in waterways definition Section 110: Prohibits permits from being required for discharges of "fill material" Section 312: Prohibits implementation of energy efficient lightbulb regulations Division E: Financial Services Section 117: Can't redesign the $1 bill Section 127: 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)" Section 613: 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 Section 622: 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 Section 627: Prohibits the government from requiring a telecom from turning over data it is storing Section 629: Prohibits implementation of safety standards for recreational off-highway vehicles Division F: Homeland Security Section 526: Customs and Border Protection can't stop an individual from importing prescription drugs from Canada if they are carrying 90 day supply or less Section 532: Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States Division G: Environment & Dept. of Interior Section 117: Prohibits listing of the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act Doesn't say "for fiscal year 2016" Section 404: Prohibits acceptance of patents for mining sites Some patents are grandfathered Section 408: Prevents mining within National Monuments Section 417: No money can be used to require permits for emitting carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions from livestock production. Section 418: Prohibits regulations requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems. Section 420: Prohibits regulation of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle Division H: Labor, Health, and Education Section 110: Prohibits implementation of a regulation for minimum wages for seasonal workers Section 114: Prohibits enforcement of regulations designed to audit companies that use foreign workers Section 210: Prohibits the promotion of gun control Section 301: Prohibits bussing of kids to overcome racial imbalances Section 303: Forces public schools to allow voluntary prayer and meditation programs Section 508: Prohibits funding for research that creates, destroys, or injures human embryos Section 522: Prohibits funds for ACORN Division J: Military Construction and Veterans Section 412: Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States Division K: Dept. of State $4.7 billion for the "Foreign Military Financing Program", $3.1 billion to Isreal, $1.3 billion to Egypt, $1.27 billion for Jordan, $658 million for Ukraine Section 7007: No money can be given directly to Cuba, North Korea, Iran, or Syria Section 7008: Rules for financing governments after military coups Syria: Money can be used to "establish governance in Syria that is representative, inclusive, and accountable" War on Terror: State Dept. Section 9002: Increased US quota of the IMF fund to 40.8 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), about $55 billion as of 12/17 exchange rates Division L: Transportation and Housing Section 133: Continues the suspension of a regulation limiting commercial truck drivers to 60 or 70 hours per week. Division M: Intelligence Section 305: Limits the information the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board will have access to Section 601: Prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prison inmates to the United States Division N: Cybersecurity Act of 2015 Outline Coming Soon (CD113) Division O: Other Matters Section 101: Repeals the oil export ban Title II: "Terrorist Travel Prevention and Visa Waiver Program Reform" Section 202: 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 Section 203: 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 Title III: Reauthorizes health program for 9/11 WTC responders through October 1, 2090 Section 402: Reauthorizes and expands 9/11 victim fund to include damages to business and employment opportunities Does not include mental health care Section 411: 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 biometric entry and exit data system", which will keep track of everyone's exit and entry data electronically Section 404: 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 Decisions of the Special Master 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 Over $1 billion 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 Section 702: Has something to do with exemptions and Wall Street Section 707: "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" Section 708: 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 Section 1001: The budgetary effects of the "Other Matters" division and the Division P tax provisions will not be counted in the PayGo budget Division P: Tax Related Provisions Section 101: Delays the excise tax on high cost employer health plans until 2019. Section 201: Puts a moratorium on a fee on health insurance providers Section 301: Extends until 2020 and fades out tax credits for wind facilities Section 303: Extends until 2022 and fades out tax credits for solar energy Votes Passed the House of Representatives 316- 113 Passed the Senate 65-33 Audio Sources House Rules Committee Hearing: H.R. 2029 - Omnibus, December 16, 2015. Additional Information Article: The big new budget deal, explained by Ezra Klein, Vox, December 18, 2015. Article: Obama Signs $1.8 Trillion Tax and Spending Bill Into Law by Bill Chappell, NPR, December 18, 2015. Article: Congress Just Put Iranian-Americans and Others at Risk for Becoming Second Class Citizens by Murtaza Hussain, The Intercept, December 18, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 @JenBriney House Ways and Means Committee: Trading Views: TPP Hearing - Environment Chapter, 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: Trading Views: Real Debates on Key Issues in TPP, 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: Outside Views on the Strategy for Iraq and Syria Witnesses: John McLaughlin, Former Acting Direction of Central Intelligence Ambassador Ryan Crocker, former Ambassador to Syria and Iraq House Committee on Foreign Affairs: Charting the Arctic: Security, Economic, and Resource Opportunities, 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: The Future of Warfare, November 4, 2015. Witnesses: Keith B. Alexander 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: American Agriculture and Our National Security, November 4, 2015. Witnesses John Negroponte, Vice-Chairman, McLarty Associates Dr. Tammy Beckham: Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Examining Law Enforcement Use of Cell Phone Tracking Devices, October 21, 2015 House Committee on Energy and Commerce: Update on Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Issues, 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: Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Energy Security, October 6, 2015. House Committee on Armed Services: Countering Adversarial Propaganda: Charting an Effective Course in the Contested Information Environment, October 22, 2015. Committee on Energy & Commerce: Broadcasting Ownership in the 21st Century, September 25, 2015. National Emergencies Extended National Emergency in respect to Sudan, originally declared in November 1997 National Emergency in respect to the attacks of September 11, 2001, originally declared on September 14, 2001 National Emergency in respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, originally declared in October 2006. Links to Laws, Bills, & Hearings November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 Campaign Contribution Info Rep. Garland "Andy" Barr of Kentucky Rep. French Hill of Arkansas Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania Rep. Don Young of Alaska Rep. Joe Barton of Texas Additional Reading IMF document: Republic of Congo: Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, International Monetary Fund, June 29, 2006. Article: Ward in Congo: U.S. Military will Continue Supporting Security Assistance Activities by Kenneth Fidler, US AFRICOM Public Affairs, April 27, 2009. Article: Joseph Kabila and Where the Election in Congo Went Wrong by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Foreign Affairs Magazine, November 28, 2011. Research Paper: Toward Comprehensive Reform of America's Emergency Law Regime by Patrick Thronson, University of Michigan's Journal of Law Reform, March 23, 2013. Article: NSA Snooping Was Only the Beginning. Meet the Spy Chief Leading Us Into CyberWar by James Bamford, Wired Magazine, June 12, 2013. Article: U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News to Americans by John Hudson, Foreign Policy Magazine, July 14, 2013. Article: Special Report: America's perpetual state of emergency by Gregory Korte, USA Today, October 23, 2014. Article: Tiger Resources' Congo copper mine gets $160 million investment Reuters, October 23, 2015. Article: Congress Acts to Avoid Commuter Rail Shutdown by Daniel Vock, Governing, October 29, 2015. Article: The Best Way to Prevent Drunk Driving? That's Debatable by Daniel Vock, Governing, November 17, 2015. Article: Congress approves $305B highway bill by Bart Jansen, USA Today, December 3, 2015. Article: After a Decade, Congress Passes Transportation Funding by Daniel Vock, GovTech.com, December 3, 2015. Article: Cyber bill's final language likely to anger privacy advocates by Cory Bennett, The Hill, December 7, 2015. Website: Private, For-Profit Demo Project for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 H.R. 1314: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Budget Enforcement Cancelled the sequester for 2016 and 2017 Spending levels 2016: $548 billion for security, $518 billion for non-security 2017: $551 billion for security, $518 billion for non-security War spending levels ("Overseas Contingency Operations") 2016 & 2017 $59 billion for "National Defense" $15 billion for "International Affairs" Agriculture Caps the rate of return for private insurance providers at 8.9% of the premium through 2026. For context, please listen to CD062: The Farm Bill Commerce Allows robo-calls to cell phones for collecting US government debts Strategic Petroleum Reserve Orders the sale of oil 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 Increases pension fund premiums that employers must pay starting in 2017. Health Care Reduces 2016 premiums for Medicare Part B by adding a $3 surcharge for future years. Charges 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 pay the same rate for services provided in a hospital and services provided outside the hospital. Facilities that were billing as hosptitals before the enactment of this law are exempt. Repeals the automatic enrollment of employees in employer provided health insurance plans. Judicial Increases penalties for health care providers accused of fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid system. Permanently cancels $1.5 billion in the Crime Victims Fund Eliminated $746 million in civil forfeiture money from the Justice Department piggy bank. Social Security Expands "disability investigation units" with partner with local law enforcement to ensure they exist in all 50 states and all territories. Increases penalties for social security fraud Eliminates the "file and suspend" option for social security benefits Temporary extension of public debt limit Suspends the debt ceiling until March 16, 2017. Spectrum Pipeline Creates a plan for auctioning federal wireless spectrum to telecommunications corporations by January 2022. Revenue provisions related to tax compliance Changes the IRS audit rules for large corporations, hedge funds, and private equity funds. Audio Sources Hearing: Rules Committee Hearing Senate amendment to H.R. 1314, House Rules Committee, October 27, 2015. Additional Reading Article: Congress avoids government shutdown by Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh, CNN, September 30, 2015. Article: Budget Pact Raids Victims Fund by Devlin Barrett, The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2016. Article: Federal budget clears crop insurance hurdle by Wes Wolfe, The Free Press, November 3, 2015. Article: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changes audit rules for private equity and hedge funds by Karl Fryzel and Michael Conroy, Lock Lord LLP, November 3, 2015. Article: Budget Deal Gives Debt Collectors Authority to 'Robocall' Cellphones by John Schoen, CNBC, November 5, 2015. Article: Budget deal raises stakes for false claims, civil monetary penalties by Lisa Schencker, Modern Healthcare, November 9, 2015. Article: Social Security, Medicare changes are coming with new budget law by Robert Powell, USA Today, November 28, 2015. Article: Pelosi spurns Ryan's opening bid, mulls counteroffer by Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan, Politico, December 2, 2015. Sources Report: Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Congressional Budget Office, October 28, 2015. Report: How the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Changes Social Security Claiming Strategies Social Security Solutions, November 5, 2015. Report: What's in Store for Medicare's Part B Premiums and Deductible in 2016, and Why? by Juliette Cubanski and Tricia Neuman, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, November 11, 2015. Newsletter: Congress Takes Step Toward Site-Neutral Medicare Payments in Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, McDermott, Will & Emery, October 29, 2105. Webpage: Budget Functions Webpage: American Crossroads/Crossroads GPS by Zachary Paiker, FactCheck,org, February 7, 2014. Webpage: Priorties USA/Priorties USA Action by Rachel Finkel, FactCheck.org, March 3, 2014. Webpage: Telecom Services & Equipment: Long-Term Contribution Trends, Opensecrets.org Jen's Podcast Appearance Lions of Liberty Podcast: December 7, 2015 episode Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

Cara Santa Maria 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: @CaraSantaMaria Like Cara on Facebook: ScienceCara Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 H.R. 1599: Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 Allows 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. Prohibits 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. Requires 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. Applies to imported food Defines "non-regulated genetically engineered plant" as one contains genetic material from a different species or has been modified through DNA altering techniques. Prohibits States from creating or continuing "any requirement" that is different from the regulations created by this bill. Allows private companies to certify whether genetically modified plants are present in food products. Creates a voluntary program for labeling genetically modified foods. To qualify as Non-GMO, 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 cannot imply that Non-GMO foods are safer or better than GMO foods. Anyone who uses the Non-GMO label on GMO foods will be fined $10,000 or less. Each day the violation occurs will be considered a separate violation. Passed the House of Representatives 275-150 Sponsored by Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas 37 Pages House Rules Committee hearing on HR 1599 Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Labeling Genetically Modified Foods, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, June 18, 2015. Witnesses: Rick Blasgen: President and CEO Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Gregory Jaffe: Director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Biotechnology Project YouTube: What's a GMO? from Jimmy Kimmel Live, October 9, 2014. Additional Information Joe Rogan Experience #655 with GMO scientist Kevin Folta Download the episode on iTunes Upcoming Meet-Up Hang out with Jen at the Purple Onion at Kells on December 3rd Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 Congressional Dish episode CD041: Why Attack Syria?, from August 2013. Audio Sources Hearing: U.S. Policy and Russian Involvement in Syria, House Foreign Affairs Committee, November 4, 2015. Video: Paris Attacks: 'Terrorists mentioned Syria and Iraq during Bataclan negotiations' YouTube: Obama Says Assad must to to end Syria war, PressTV News Video, November 19, 2015. YouTube: Obama No boots on the ground in Syria by USLAWnationalcoord YouTube: Leaked Call Between Victoria Nuland and Geoffrey Pyatt Planning Ukrainian Government, late January 2014 Additional Information Syria Map: U.S. Department of Energy Report, June 24, 2015. Map: Syria Selected Energy Infrastructure, U.S. Department of Energy, updated June 24, 2015. Article: This map show where ISIS overlaps with major oil refineries by Elena Holodny, Business Insider, September 29, 2015. Map: ISIS' footprint across Iraq and Syria featuring oil infrastructure, Business Insider, September 29, 2015 Article: Your Official Mission Creep Timeline of the U.S. War in Syria by Micah Zenko, The Foreign Policy Group, October 19, 2015. Paris Attacks Article: France more active than rest of the west in tackling Syria by Ian Black, The Guardian, November 14, 2015. Article: What is France Doing in Syria? 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: France Strikes ISIS Targets in Syria in Retaliation for Attacks by Alissa Rubin and Anne Barnard, November 15, 2015. Anne Patterson Biography Wikipedia: Anne W. Patterson Article: Ambassador Anne Patterson, the Controversial Face of America's Egypt Policy by Josh Rogin and Eli Lake, The Daily Beast, July 10, 2013. Article: U.S. Pilots Fight Coca in Columbia by Juan Forero, New York Times, August 17, 2001. Victoria Nuland Biography Wikipedia: Victoria Nuland Essay: Toward a Neo-Reaganite Foreign Policy 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: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 H.R. 91: Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 US Department of Veterans' Affairs Info Sheet: What is a Veteran Identification Card (VIC) and how do I get one? Discussed in CD101: Trade Away May Allows 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 five years. The cards would be available 60 days after the bill would be signed into law. Passed the House of Representatives 411-0. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida 3 Pages H.R. 615: Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Discussed in episode CD094: A Damage-Free February 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 379-0. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. Sponsored by Rep. Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey 3 Pages S. 971: Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act of 2015 Discussed in episode CD099: April Takes a Turn 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 Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon 1 Page H.R. 1531: Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent Creates a process for temporary employees at Federal land management agencies to become permanent employees Waives age requirements for eligibility for temporary employees seeking to become permanent employees. Sponsored by Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia 3 Pages S. 1359: E-Warranty Act of 2015 Allows manufacturers to provide warranty information online, as long as 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 388-2 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 Sen. Deb Fischer 2 Pages H.R. 2499: Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 Passed the House of Representatives 410-1. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of Representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. Prohibits the Small Business Administration from charging a guarantee fee on loans made to veterans or their spouses. Exception: 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. Increases the amount of money than can be spent on business loans by $4.75 billion. Prohibits loan guarantees from being used by banks to get around their legal lending limits. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio 3 Pages H.R. 1138: Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act Protects land in Idaho as wilderness areas. Allows grazing that was already taking place to continue. Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. Sponsored by Rep Mike Simpson of Idaho 9 Pages H.R. 3236: Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 Transportion Extends Federal highway funding until October 29, 2015. Reduces the tax rate for liquified petroleum gas starting in 2016. Banking Requires the banks to report more information about the status of mortgages starting in 2017. Ties the value of a deceased person's estate to the estimate on the deceased person's most recent tax return. Adjusts the tax return due date for partnerships and S corporations Veterans Orders 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". Adds money to the fund for private health care for veterans, including $500 million for hepatitis C drugs Includes the text of the original Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, 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 385-34. Passed the Senate 91-4. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania 25 Pages Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Veterans Affairs Health Care and Budget, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, July 22, 2015. Additional Reading Letter from Senators Ron Wyden and Charles Grassley to the Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences for justification of high Sovaldi price. Article: Obama Signs Alternative Fuel Tax Fix into Law by Joseph Bebon, Next-Gen Transportation News, July 31, 2015. Article: The VA's Hepatitis C Problem by Gerard Flynn, Newsweek, May 9, 2015. Article: VA to Outsource Care for 180,000 Vets With Hepatitis C by Dennis Wagner of the Arizona Republic (re-posted on USA Today), June 21, 2015. Article: Maker of Costly Hepatitis C Drug Sovaldi Strikes Deal on Generics for Poor Countries by Gardiner Harris, New York Times, September 15, 2014. Article: $1,000 Hepatitis Pill Shows Why Fixing Health Costs Is So Hard by Margot Sanger-Katz, New York Times, August 2, 2104. Article: Gilead's 2014 profit margin nears 50%, fueled by hep C drugs by Jaimy Lee, Modern Healthcare, February 3, 2015. Article: Gilead Profit Tops Estimates as Hepatitis C Drug Sales Surge by Caroline Chen, Bloomberg Business, July 28, 2015. Article: Gilead Sciences: A Profile in Congressionally Guaranteed Profiteering by David Belk, Huffington Post, February 9, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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! S. 754: Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 Passed the Senate 74-21 on October 27, 2015. Sponsored by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina 118 pages Outline of the Bill Definitions: "Agency" = "Any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the Government (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 "Cybersecurity threat" = 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. "Cyber threat indicator" = Information that is needed to 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 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" "Entity" = "Any private entity, 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", which means a foreign government or a foreign based political organization. Sharing of Information by the Federal Government Executive branch officials will write procedures for sharing classified and unclassified "cyber threat indicators" and Federal government information 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 shared in real time Include notification procedures for false alarms Include requirements for the Federal government agencies to protect against unauthorized access to the information Requires a Federal entity sharing information to remove personal information Include notification procedures for people whose personal information is shared by the government. Their procedures will be due 60 days after CISA becomes law. Monitoring Authorizations Private companies can monitor 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 any other entity or the Federal government. Before sharing information, it must be reviewed 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 "preventing, investigating, or prosecuting"...* An "imminent threat of death, serious bodily harm, or serious economic harm" Identity theft, transfers of stolen identification, possession of false identification, Unauthorized use of any card, plate, code, account number, or any equipment that can be used to transfer funds (fraud), Use of a "telecommunication instrument" that's been altered to obtain unauthorized use of telecommunications services", Hacking and releasing government or banking information, Extortion Harboring a criminal, Collection and/or communication of information about United States defense activities and infrastructure, or failure to report a defense data breach Disclosure of classified information Violations, or attempted violations, of NASA regulations Unauthorized use of trade secrets The information shared with the government as a "cyber threat indicator" will be except from public disclosure under any State, tribal or local law. Companies will not be punished under antitrust laws 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 will write the policies and procedures governing receipt of information from private entities and local governments. The policies must include... An automated system for sharing information with "all of the appropriate Federal entities" as quickly as possible Rules governing "the retention, use, and dissemination" of the information received by the Federal Government. Audit capabilities "Sanctions" for Federal employees who break the law The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland will publicly publish guidelines explaining what qualifies as a cyber threat indicator The Attorney General, with help from "private entities", will have 180 days to create guidelines for privacy and civil liberties 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 Department of Homeland Security will receive and distribute all of the cyber threat indicators shared with the government. Information shared will be withheld from the public 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... "Prevent or mitigate a serious threat to a minor, including sexual exploitation and threats to their physical safety" Protection from Liability No private entity can be successfully sued in court 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 report every two years. The report may include recommendations for improvement Other Rules This bill does not permit price-fixing, 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 create a plan 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 can be privatized The private contractor would not be allowed to disclose any of the information they access without permission from the government The private contractor will have immunity from prosecution Internet service providers can not use their immunity to break a user agreement with a customer without their customer's consent The activities carried out in this new monitoring plan need to be "reasonably necessary" to protect agency information systems from cybersecurity risks Federal Cybersecurity Requirements Agencies will have to encrypt or render indecipherable 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 will not apply to the Department of Defense, a national security system, or elements of the intelligence community. Emergencies The Secretary of Homeland Security can authorize "intrusion detection and prevention capabilities" on another agency's information systems in the case of an "imminent threat" Study on Mobile Device Security The Secretary of Homeland Security will study threats caused by the shift of technology from desktops to mobile in the Federal Government Health Care Industry Sharing Creates a task force to create a plan for sharing with private health care entities specifically Strategy for Protecting Critical Infrastructure The Secretary of Homeland Security will have 180 days to develop a strategy 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 expire 10 years after enactment H.R. 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015 For reference, here's the text as of March 2015 of the Homeland Security Act, which is amended by this bill. This bill: Adds "private entities" to the list of groups 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 will coordinate with all sizes of businesses. Expands the type of information 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 share information internationally. Requires the government and businesses to use existing technology to "rapidly advance" implementation of "automated mechanisms" for sharing between the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center and Federal agencies. Participation by non-Federal entities will be voluntary. Agreements that exist before this bill is signed into law will be deemed compliant with this law. All participating entities need to take "reasonable efforts to remove information that can be used to identity specific persons". There's no listed punishments if they don't. The Under Secretary for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection will create policies for governing the use of information shared with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center 180 days AFTER the bill becomes law. He/she will also be responsible for creating "sanctions" for government employees who disregard his/her privacy policies. Private entities that share information will have immunity from lawsuits, if they share information according to this law. If the Federal government breaks this law, it will have to pay the person actual damages or $1,000, whichever is higher, plus attorneys fees. There is a two year statute of limitations. This law will trump state laws that limit information sharing. The law would sunset 7 years after enactment. Passed 355-63 in the House Sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas 60 pages H.R. 1560: Protecting Cyber Networks Act Contains the text of H.R. 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act Within 90 days of enactment, the Director of National Intelligence must develop procedures for sharing classified "cyber threat indicators" with "non-Federal entities" Allows cybersecurity monitoring of government systems to be privatized Allows "non-Federal entities" to share information to with anyone other than the Defense Department. The entity sharing information must "take reasonable efforts" to remove personally identifiable information on people "not directly related" to the cybersecurity threat. The President will develop polices governing what happens to information received by the Federal Government, within 90 days of the bill becoming law. The Attorney General will create policies relating to privacy and civil liberties, within 90 days of the bill becoming law. A new branch, with 50 or less employees, will be created within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence called the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, which will "serve as the primary organization within the Federal Government for analyzing and integrating all intelligence possessed or acquired by the United States pertaining to cyber threats." Information shared with the government is exempt from public disclosure. Information given to the government "shall not be subject to a rule of any Federal department or agency or any judicial doctrine regarding ex parte communications with a decision-making official." The government can keep and use information given to it 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. The information can also be used to prevent, investigation, disrupt, or prosecute fraud, unauthorized access to computers and transmission of information taken from it, "serious violent felonies" including murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, extortion, firearms use, firearms possession, or attempt to commit any of these crimes, espionage including photographing or sketching defense installations, and theft of trade secrets. Passed 307-116 in the House Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California 121 pages Audio Sources Senate Floor Proceeding CISA debate, October 27, 2015 (Transcript) House Rules Committee: Hearing about HR 1731 and HR 1560, the House cybersecurity bills, April 21, 2015 Additional Information Article: The fight over CISA is far from over by Eric Geller, The Daily Dot, October 28, 2015. Webpage: About the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, Department of Homeland Security. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley 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: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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 H.R. 1300: First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act Summary: Republican Policy Committee Legislative Digest for Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Creates a program for distributing anthrax vaccines that will soon expire to emergency responders who volunteer to accept them. Creates a program for tracking the vaccines. Creates a two year pilot program, in at least two states, for distributing the vaccines. Passed the House of Representatives 424-0 Sponsored by Rep. Peter King of New York 6 Pages Additional Reading Anthrax Vaccine Website: What is BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), Emergent BioSolutions. Article: Experimental Drugs Linked to Gulf War Veteran's Ills by Warren Leary, New York Times, May 7, 1994. Article: The Anthrax Vaccine Scandal by Laura Rozen, Salon, October 14, 2001. Report: Biological Warfare and Anthrax Vaccine by Barbara Loe Fisher, National Vaccine Information Center, December 2001. Article: Gulf War Vaccine Still a Problem, Leading Scientist Tells Inquiry by Michael Smith, The Telegraph, August 12, 2004. FDA Document: The safety and efficacy of anthrax vaccine have not been estabilished, and the preponderance of the world's literature show the vaccine is unsafe, and a contributor to Gulf War Syndrome as acknowledged in the vaccine's package insert by Meryl Nass MD, December 29, 2004. Report: Anthrax Vaccine and Public Health Policy by Martin Meyer Weiss, MD, Peter D. Weiss, MD, and Joseph B. Weiss, MD, American Journal of Public Health, November 2007. Article: Gulf War Illness: Thousands Still Report Symptoms by Diana Washington Valdez, El Paso Times (republished on Military.com), April 21, 2014. Report: The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 113th Congress by Frank Gottron, Congressional Research Service, June 18, 2014. Report: Emergent BioSolutions 2014 Annual Report Website: Emergent BioSolutions Lobbying, OpenSecrets.org Website: Emergent BioSolutions Lobbyists, OpenSecrets.org 2001 Anthrax Attacks Article: U.S. Germ Warfare Research Pushes Treaty Limits by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg, and William J. Broad, New York Times, September 4, 2001. Article: The Anthrax War by the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal and R. James Woolsey (reprinted by Free Republic), October 17, 2001. Article: Public Enemy No. 2 by Richard Cohen, Washington Post, October 18, 2001. Article: Who Made the Anthrax? by Richard Butler, New York Times, October 18, 2001. Article: Anthrax Bacteria Likely to be US Military Strain by Debora MacKenzie, New Scientist, October 24, 2001. Article: F.B.I. Presents Anthrax Case, Saying Scientist Acted Alone by Scott Shane and Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, August 6, 2008. Article: Scientist Officially Exonerated in Anthrax Attacks by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, August 8, 2008. Department of Justice Report: Amerithrax Investigative Summary, U.S. Department of Justice, February 19, 2010. Press Release: Justice Department and FBI Announce Formal Conclusion of Investigation into 2001 Anthrax Attacks, U.S. Department of Justice, February 19, 2010. F.B.I. Document Directory: Amerithrax or Anthrax Investigation Article: Timeline: How the Anthrax Terror Unfolded, NPR, February 15, 2011. Article: Anthrax Redux: Did the Feds Nab the Wrong Guy? by Noah Shachtman, Wired, March 24, 2011. Article: The Anthrax Scare: Not a Germ of Truth by Nicholaus Mills, The Guardian, September 15, 2011. Article: New Evidence Adds Doubt to FBI's Case Against Anthrax Suspect by Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica, Greg Gordon of McClatchy, Jim Gilmore and Mike Wiser of PBS Frontline, October 10, 2011. Article: Did Bruce Ivins Hide Attack Anthrax From the FBI? by Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica, Greg Gordon of McClatchy, Jim Gilmore and Mike Wiser of PBS Frontline, October 10, 2011. GAO Report: Agency Approaches to Validation and Statistical Analyses Could be Improved, Government Accountability Office, December 2014. Article: FBI's 2001 Anthrax Attack Probe Was Seriously Flawed by Rebecca Trager, Scientific American, December 29, 2014. Article: Anthrax Fast Facts, CNN, May 23, 2015. The Patriot Act Article: Anti-Terrorism Bill Hits Snag on the Hill by John Lancaster, The Washington Post, October 3, 2001. Article: Congress Had No Time to Read the USA Patriot Act by Paul Blumenthal, Sunlight Foundation, March 2, 2009. Live Anthrax Shipments Article: Our Bad: Pentagon Mails Live Anthrax in Error by Paul Shinkman, US News & World Report, May 27, 2015. Article: Pentagon Now Says Army Mistakenly Sent Live Anthrax to All 50 States by Richard Sisk, Military.com, September 1, 2015. Audio/Video Sources Press Conference: Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, Department of Defense, (broadcast on C-SPAN), June 28, 2002. Press Conference with Dr. Steven Hatfill: Anthrax Investigation, C-SPAN, August 25, 2002. United Nations Security Council Meeting: Iraqi Weapons Compliance Debate, United Nations Security Council (broadcast on C-SPAN), February 5, 2003. Hearing: Federal Bureau of Investigation Oversight, House Judiciary Committee (broadcast on C-SPAN), September 16, 2008. Hearing: Federal Bureau of Investigation Oversight, Senate Judiciary Committee (broadcast on C-SPAN), September 17, 2008. YouTube: Ron Paul Patriot Act NOBODY READ IT!, uploaded July 7, 2009. Press Conference: Report on 2001 Anthrax Letters, National Academy of Sciences (broadcast on C-SPAN), February 15, 2011. Television Episode: The Anthrax Files by PBS Frontline, October 11, 2011. Hearing: Defense Department Anthrax Shipments, House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (broadcast on C-SPAN), July 28, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

A special announcement about the future of Congressional Dish; good things are coming soon!

More bills than anyone could possible read were passed by a branch of Congress in June, including the 994 page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), four government funding bills, and thirty bills governing a wide range of topics, including Wall Street, MediCare, fishing, carbon dioxide emissions, stolen art, chemical storage, taxes, and more. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here 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! New Congressman Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi's 1st district was sworn into office Emergency The Obama Administration continued the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405 on June 16, 2006 with respect to Belarus Bulletin: Prospects for Belarus' Membership in the WTO by Anna Maria Dyner, The Polish Institute of International Affairs, July 31, 2013. Laws H.R. 2048: USA Freedom Act Outlined and discussed in Congressional Dish Episode 98: The USA Freedom Act H.R. 2620: United States Cotton Futures Act Hearing: House Agriculture Committee, June 17, 2015. Exempts cotton from foreign companies from part of the United Sates Cotton Futures Act, which will allow foreign cotton companies to participate in cotton futures trading. Current law only allows 100% U.S. cotton to be traded on the futures exchange. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. David Scott of Georgia's 13th district His #2 contributor is ICE Group, (stands for Intercontinental Exchange) which is a network of financial exchanges and clearing houses; it operates eleven exchanges, including three in the United States, Canada, and Europe that deal with agriculture futures. The company has ten lobbyists and has spent over $1.3 million lobbying for the last Congressional election. In the last election cycle, ICE Group gave more to Rep. David Scott than to any other politician, and over the years, the company has given Rep. David Scott at least $73,850. 1 page H.R. 1626: DHS IT Duplication Reduction Act Makes the DHS submit a report about the department's technology and gives them no additional money to complete it. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. Will Hurd of Texas's 23rd district 2 pages Bills H.R. 1735: National Defense Authorization Act Passed the House of Representatives 269-151 The version passed by the House of Representatives received a veto threat by President Obama Passed the Senate with changes 71-25 Sponsored by Rep. Mac Thorneberry of Texas's 13th district 994 pages Weird advertisement for the NDAA H.R. 2685: Department of Defense Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives 278-149 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey's 11th district 170 pages H.R. 2596: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Passed the House of Representatives 247-178 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California's 22nd district 63 pages H.R. 2578: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Passed the House of Representatives 242-183 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. John Culberson of Texas's 7th district 218 pages H.R. 2577: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives 216-210 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida's 25th district 354 pages H.R. 1335: Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Hearing: House Rules Committee, May 19, 2015. Changes the rules for management of an overfished fishery so that there is no hard deadline (currently 10 years) to replenish the fishery and adds exceptions, including one that allows the overfishing to continue if replenishment can't be done "without significant economic harm to the fishery". Doubles the amount of time an emergency regulation can adjust a fishery management plan. Adds economic impact to "fishing communities" to the list of factors that need to be considered when creating catch limits and exempts for some fish with short life spans. Regional Fishery Management Council meetings will have to be posted online All requirements of the the National Environmental Policy Act and all related implementing regulations will be deemed approved if the Regional Fishery Management Council completes a fishery impact statement. Creates a pilot program for using electronic monitoring at fisheries. Repeals independent peer-reviewed analysis' of the quality of statistics collected on fishing populations and a requirement for catch limits for Gulf of Mexico red snapper for recreational and commercial fishermen Ensures that this law will trump the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Endangered Species Act Prohibits the government from factoring in red snapper killer during the removal of offshore oil rigs when determining catch limits. Prohibits the government from factoring fish caught by foreign vessels in the U.S. economic zone when determining catch limits. Requires new guidelines be issued that will use nongovernmental sources for fisheries management decisions. Passed the House of Representatives 225-152 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Don Young of Alaska His #4 contributing industry for the upcoming election is Fisheries and Wildlife; he has taken $9,000 from them for this election cycle as of 9/11/15. 57 pages H.R. 2042: Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 23, 2015. Prohibits any final rule to address carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil-fuel powered electric utilities from being enforced until all lawsuits and appeals filed within 60 days of the final rule's publication are complete. Exempts states from complying with a final rule addressing carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel powered plants if the Governor informs the EPA that the rule would increase rates or have a significant adverse effect on the reliability of the State's electricity system. Hydropower will be counted as renewable energy Passed the House of Representatives 247-180 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky's 1st district His #1 and #2 industries for the upcoming election are Oil and Gas and Electric Utilities; he's taken $46,100 from Oil and Gas and $38,500 from Electric Utilities as of 9/11/15. Over the course of his Congressional career, he has taken at least $771,315 from Electric Utilities and $562,097 from Oil and Gas. 6 pages H.R. 2289: Commodity End-User Relief Act Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 2, 2015. Extends operations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Limits the rules and regulations that can be enacted on futures commissions merchants Adds seven more considerations (including alternatives to regulation) to the requirements of cost-benefit analysis of regulations. Orders the CFTC cost benefit analysis to be reviewed by a judge. Allows the traders to be regulated to challenge new CFTC rules directly to the US Court of Appeals, the second most powerful court in the country. Limits the subpoena power of the CFTC Removes the requirement that the CFTC be immune from lawsuits that arise from sharing data about swaps with domestic and foreign authorities and backdates this change to July 21, 2010, the effective date of Dodd Frank Financial Reform. Adds "a utility operations-related swap" to the list of swaps that can be traded, which allows gambling on the future of natural gas or electric generation, purchases, sales, supplies or delivery. Exempts traders from being classified and regulated as a "swaps dealer" if they trade less than $8 billion (current CFTC rule exemption limit is $3 billion). Expands the number of financial models swaps dealers will be allowed to use to determine how much actual money they need to hold onto. Passed the House of Representatives 246-171 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district His top contributor for the upcoming election is Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which is a swaps clearing house; he received $15,000. His top 5 contributors over the course of his career are, in this order, the American Institute of CPA's an international association of accountants, KPMG LLP, a multinational corporation specializing in auditing and regulation compliance, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and even larger multinational corporation specializing in regulation compliance, Energy Future Holdings Corp, a portfolio of energy companies, and Deloitte LLP, the self-proclaimed "world's largest" multinational corporation that specializes in auditing and risk management. From these five companies, Conaway has taken at least $319,873. 80 pages H.R. 1190: Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. Repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which is designed to suggest solutions if Medicare costs get out of control. Drastically cuts funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund, cutting it by a total of $8.8 billion by 2026, which is a 61% cut. Passed the House of Representatives 244-154 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee's 1st district His #1 contributing industry over the course of his career is Health Professionals; he has taken $435,088 as of 9/11/15. 3 pages H.R. 160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. Repeals the medical device excise tax The effects of this repeal on the budget will not be counted The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that this will increase the budget deficit by $24.4 billion Passed the House of Representatives 280-140 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota's 3rd district His #3 contributing industry over the course of his career has been Pharmaceuticals/Health Products; he has taken at least $654,929. His #4 contributing industry has been Health Professionals; from them, he has taken $622,645. 4 pages H.R. 2200: CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015 Allows the Office of Intelligence an Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security to share information and work with the Intelligence community to analyze possible chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks. Allows the Department of Homeland Security to share information related to terrorist attacks with the public. Passed the House of Representatives 420-2 Sponsored by Rep. Martha McSally of Arizona's 2nd district 6 pages H.R. 805: DOTCOM Act of 2015 Press Release: NTIA Announces Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions, March 14, 2014. Prohibits the transition of NTIA's functions in Internet domain name registry until 30 days after a report is submitted. Passed the House of Representatives 378-25 Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district 4 pages H.R. 2576: TSCA Modernization Act Eliminates a requirement that EPA use the "least burdensome requirements" when regulating toxic chemicals Orders the EPA to do risk evaluations on chemicals used, stored, sold or disposed of by commercial companies. The risk evaluations will not consider cost If the risk evaluation is requested by a manufacturer, the manufacturer will pay for the risk assessment The EPA will be required to do at least 10 risk assessments per year "subject to the availability of appropriations". Adds an exemption for "replacement parts" from the EPA rules prohibiting chemicals unless the replacement parts "contribute significantly to the identified risk". Adds the requirement that any rules created "shall provide for a reasonable transition period." Eliminates the requirement for an informal hearing when making rules about toxic chemicals. Creates a "critical use exemption" option for the EPA if the requirement is not "cost-effective", if it would "significantly disrupt the national economy, national security, or critical infrastructure" The exemption would be valid for 5 years at a time The exemption will include conditions on the use of the toxic chemical Allows data to be shared with State, local, or tribal governments and with health care professionals to assist with diagnosis or treatment. Forces companies that want to keep information confidential to explain their reasons and automatically releases the information to the public in 10 years, unless the company justifies the confidentiality again in writing. Eliminates caps of fees that can be collected and creates a "TSCA Service Fee Fund" to collect, store, and disperse the funds to pay for the EPA's costs for regulating chemicals. Passed the House of Representatives 398-1 Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district 48 pages H.R. 1615: DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015 Orders the Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer of the Department of Homeland Security to update Freedom of Information Act regulations within 90 days of the bill's passage. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to identify the total annual cost of implementing the FOIA within 90 days. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to identify unnecessary actions taken in the course of processing requests and eliminate them within a year of identifying them. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to develop a plan to to process requests electronically. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to issue guidance to the necessary people to reach the goal of reducing the FOIA request backlog by 50 percent by 2018. Passed the House of Representatives 423-0 Sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia's 1st district 7 pages S.611: Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act Authorizes $15 million per year until 2020 to provide technical assistance to small public water systems. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi 5 pages S. 653: Water Resources Research Amendments Act Adds a requirement for additional research into new water treatments into the Water Resources Research Act Requires an evaluation of water resource research projects every three years and withdraws funds from projects that do not qualify based on the evaluation. Authorizes $13.5 million per year through 2020. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland 5 pages H.R. 2088: United States Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorizes the Department of Agriculture's process for grain inspections until September 30, 2020. Forces the Secretary of Agriculture to waive weighting and inspections of grain in an "emergency, a major disaster"; currently, the Secretary has the option to do so, but does not have to. A "major disaster" is defined to specifically include "a sever weather incident causing a region-wide interruption of government services". Changes the location of export inspections to specifically "export elevators" at export port locations. Widens the criteria for who is qualified to perform official inspections by deleting a list of requirements. Delegations of authority to conduct grain inspections to a State will expire every five years, and my be renewed. Adds a public comment period before the Secretary can delegate inspection responsibility to a State and requires a notice in the Federal Register announcing if the State was approved and the rational for the decision. The State would have to give at least 90 days notice advanced notice in writing to the Dept. of Agriculture if they want to stop performing grain inspections, unless there has been a major disaster. The public must be given online a list of the States delegated to perform official inspections, which needs to be updated at least twice a year. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district His #2 contributing industry over the course of his career has been Crop Production and Basic Processing; he has taken at least $646,470. 18 pages H.R. 2051: Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2015 Extends mandatory price reporting requirements for livestock until September 30, 2020. Clarifies that reports are expected on days the Dept. of Agriculture is open for business, including days when the government is "on shutdown or emergency furlough as a result of a lapse in appropriations". Allows transactions between pork packers and producers to take place using a new pricing formula. Changes the definition of an importer of lamb to include anyone who imports an average of 1,000 metric tons per year; currently importers have to comply with regulations if they import and average of 2,500 metric tons of lamb per year. Changes the definition of a lamb packer to someone who owns 50% or more of a facility and slaughters an average of 35,000 heads of lambs per year; currently if they slaughter 75,000 lambs per year. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district 8 pages H.R. 2394: National Forest Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorizes and appropriates $3 million per year until 2018 for the National Forest Foundation Act, which established a partnership with a non-profit to study and restore national forests. This is triple the previous funding. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania's 5th district 3 pages H.R. 235: Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act Article: Internet tax moratorium extended again by Grant Gross, IDG News Service, December 15, 2014. Makes the moratorium on Internet access taxes permanent. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia's 6th district 2 pages H.R. 889: Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act Prohibits art imported into the United States to be temporarily displayed from being seized by the United States, even if that art is discovered to have been stolen. This immunity does not apply to art stolen by the Nazis. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio's 1st district 5 pages S. 184 and H.R. 1168: Native American Children's Safety Act Requires criminal background checks of any person who lives in a house applying to provide foster care to an Indian child and prohibits placement if anyone in the home is found to have committed certain crimes. This will not apply to emergency foster care placement Both bills passed the Senate and the House of Representatives by voice votes S. 184 was sponsored by Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota and H.R. 1168 was sponsored by Kevin Cramer of North Dakota S. 184: 12 pages H.R. 1168: 10 pages S. 246: Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act Establishes the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children. All 11 members will be appointed by the President and Congressional leaders and their appointments will be for the entire duration of the commission. The Commission's job will be to complete a study on the effectiveness of programs aimed at the health and education of native children and to make recommendations for fixing the inadequacies. The Commission will terminate 90 days after they submit their report. Authorizes, but does not appropriate, $2 million. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota 27 pages H.R. 404: Authorizing early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska Allows Nebraska landowners to repay construction debts at any time. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith of Nebraska's 3rd district 3 pages H.R. 1493: Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act Directs the State Department to designate an existing employee to coordinate efforts to protect art around the world from being stolen and/or destroyed. Establishes a committee, which will meet once a year and be made up of representatives from various Federal agencies, who will "coordinate and inform Federal efforts to protect international cultural property". Blocks importation of "archaeological or ethnological material of Syria" starting 120 days after the bills enactment. The import restrictions will expire in five years, but can be extended. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Eliot Engel of New York's 16th district 19 pages S. 253: Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act Orders a public report every two years on competition, availability of services, and regulatory barriers to entry into the communications services business. Repeals an annual public report on privatization of the communications services industry, which includes public comments. Repeals an annual report on foreign and domestic competition in the communications satellite market. Eliminates an annual report on the "status of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming". Eliminates the requirement that a report on cable industry price be completed annually. Eliminates the requirement that a report on regulatory barriers be reviewed every three years. Eliminates an FCC analysis "of whether any of such competitors have a dominant share of the market" Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada 16 pages S. 565: Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act Encourages Federal agencies to use remanufactured vehicle parts to maintain Federal vehicles. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan 4 pages H.R. 2570: VBID for Better Care Act Establishes a three year demonstration project to test "value-based insurance" for Medicare patients at two Medicare Advantage sites. Value based insurance allows insurance companies flexibility with co-payments, allowing them to lower co-payments for services deemed to be "high value" preventative services and increasing rates for services with uncertain value. It's designed to "create financial disincentives for poor health choices". The demonstration projects would not allow increases in co-payments to discourage the use of services. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Diane Black of Tennessee's 6th district 17 pages H.R. 2507: Increasing Regulatory Fairness Act Extends the amount of time between proposed Medicare rate changes are announced and when they can go into effect from 60 days to 90 days. Requires more information about why the changes are being implemented. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas's 8th district 4 pages H.R. 2505: Medicare Advantage Coverage Transparency Act Requires an annual report to Congress detailing the location and number of people enrolled in Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania's 3rd district 4 pages H.R. 2582: Securing Seniors' Health Care Act Prohibits the government from terminating a contract for a Medicare Advantage organization because it fails to meet minimum quality standards until the end of 2018. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida's 16th district 10 pages H.R. 1633: DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015 Article: Administrative Leave Restrictions at DHS Backed, FedWeek, July 8, 2015. Orders a report to be completed by the Department of Homeland Security four times per year on the number of people on paid administrative leave for more than six months and the cost associated. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia's 11th district 7 pages H.R. 1646: Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act Orders a report on how commercially available small and medium sized drones could be used to commit terrorist attacks and what the Department of Homeland Security could do to stop this type of attack. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey's 12th district 4 pages H.R. 1637: Federally Funded Research and Development Sunshine Act of 2015 Orders an annual report on the Federally funded research projects being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas's 4th district 3 pages H.R. 2390: Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act Orders an annual report on the effectiveness of using universities to conduct Department of Homeland Security research. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi's 2nd district 5 pages June Hearings Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Security Assistance in Africa, June 4, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Trade Promotion and Capacity Building in the Asia-Pacific Region, June 16, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Western Hemisphere Drug Interdiction Efforts, June 16, 2015. House Committee on Financial Services: The Impact of the International Monetary Fund: Economic Stability or Moral Hazard?, June 17, 2015. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Drones: The Next Generation of Commerce?, June 17, 2015. House Committee on Energy and Commerce: A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food, June 18, 2015. House Committee on Foreign Affairs: The Future of Property Rights in Cuba, June 18, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: American Energy Exports, June 23, 2015. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: Cannabidiol, June 24, 2015. House Committee on Homeland Security: DHS' Efforts to Secure .Gov, June 24, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: The State of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States, June 24, 2015 House Committee on Ways and Means: Repatriation of Foreign Earnings as a Source of Funding for the Highway Trust Fund, June 24, 2015 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Country of Origin Labeling, June 25, 2015 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Global Impact of a Greek Default, June 25, 2015. Jen's Podcast Appearances September 9, 2015 episode of American Workers Radio Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Money, Money, Money by The Undercover Hippy (found on Music Alley by mevio)