Congressional Dish

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: 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! New Congressman of Mississippi's 1st district was sworn into office Emergency the national emergency declared in on June 16, 2006 with respect to Belarus : Prospects for Belarus' Membership in the WTO by Anna Maria Dyner, The Polish Institute of International Affairs, July 31, 2013. Laws : USA Freedom Act Outlined and discussed in Congressional Dish : United States Cotton Futures Act : House Agriculture Committee, June 17, 2015. cotton from foreign companies from , which . on the futures exchange. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by of Georgia's 13th district , (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 for the last Congressional election. In the last election cycle, ICE Group gave , and over the years, the company has given Rep. David Scott : DHS IT Duplication Reduction Act Makes the DHS about the department's technology and gives them to complete it. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. Will Hurd of Texas's 23rd district Bills : National Defense Authorization Act Passed the House of Representatives The version passed by the House of Representatives received a by President Obama Passed the Senate with changes Sponsored by Rep. Mac Thorneberry of Texas's 13th district Weird advertisement for the NDAA : Department of Defense Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey's 11th district : Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California's 22nd district : Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. John Culberson of Texas's 7th district : Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida's 25th district : Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act : House Rules Committee, May 19, 2015. for management of an overfished fishery so that there is no hard deadline () to replenish the fishery and adds exceptions, including one that . the amount of time an emergency regulation can adjust a fishery management plan. to the list of factors that need to be considered when creating catch limits and for some fish with short life spans. Regional Fishery Management Council meetings will have to be All requirements of the the National Environmental Policy Act and all related implementing regulations will be if the Regional Fishery Management Council completes a fishery impact statement. a pilot program for using electronic monitoring at fisheries. independent peer-reviewed analysis' of the quality of statistics collected on fishing populations and a requirement for for Gulf of Mexico red snapper for recreational and commercial fishermen that this law will trump the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Endangered Species Act the government from factoring in red snapper killer during the removal of offshore oil rigs when determining catch limits. the government from factoring fish caught by foreign vessels in the U.S. economic zone when determining catch limits. new guidelines be issued that will use nongovernmental sources for fisheries management decisions. Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Don Young of Alaska ; he has taken $9,000 from them for this election cycle as of 9/11/15. : Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 : House Rules Committee, June 23, 2015. Prohibits from being enforced 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 Passed the House of Representatives Received a 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; as of 9/11/15. Over the course of his Congressional career, he has taken . : Commodity End-User Relief Act : House Rules Committee, June 2, 2015. operations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that can be enacted on futures commissions merchants seven more considerations (including alternatives to regulation) to the requirements of cost-benefit analysis of regulations. the CFTC cost benefit analysis to be reviewed by a judge. 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. the subpoena power of the CFTC the that the CFTC be immune from lawsuits that arise from sharing data about swaps with domestic and foreign authorities and this change to July 21, 2010, the effective date of Dodd Frank Financial Reform. "a utility operations-related swap" to the list of swaps that can be traded, which gambling on the future of natural gas or electric generation, purchases, sales, supplies or delivery. traders from being classified and regulated as a "swaps dealer" if they trade less than $8 billion (). 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 Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district His top contributor for the upcoming election is , which is a swaps clearing house; he received . His top 5 contributors over the course of his career are, in this order, the an international association of accountants, , a multinational corporation specializing in auditing and regulation compliance, , and even larger multinational corporation specializing in regulation compliance, , a portfolio of energy companies, and , the self-proclaimed "" multinational corporation that specializes in auditing and risk management. From these five companies, Conaway has taken . : Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015 : House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. the , which is designed to suggest solutions if Medicare costs get out of control. funding for the , , which is a 61% cut. Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee's 1st district ; he has taken $435,088 as of 9/11/15. : Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 : House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. the The effects of this repeal on the budget that this will increase the budget deficit by $24.4 billion Passed the House of Representatives Received a from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota's 3rd district ; he has taken at least $654,929. His #4 contributing industry has been Health Professionals; from them, he has taken $622,645. : CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015 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. the Department of Homeland Security to share information related to terrorist attacks with the public. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. of Arizona's 2nd district : DOTCOM Act of 2015 : NTIA Announces Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions, March 14, 2014. the transition of NTIA's functions in Internet domain name registry until 30 days after a report is submitted. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district : TSCA Modernization Act a requirement that EPA use the "least burdensome requirements" when regulating toxic chemicals the EPA to do risk evaluations on chemicals used, stored, sold or disposed of by commercial companies. The risk evaluations consider cost If the risk evaluation is requested by a manufacturer, the for the risk assessment The EPA to do at least 10 risk assessments per year "subject to the availability of appropriations". for "replacement parts" from the EPA rules prohibiting chemicals unless the replacement parts "contribute significantly to the identified risk". the requirement that any rules created "shall provide for a reasonable transition period." the requirement for an informal hearing when making rules about toxic chemicals. if the requirement is , if it would The exemption would be valid for The exemption on the use of the toxic chemical data to be shared with State, local, or tribal governments and with health care professionals to assist with diagnosis or treatment. 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. caps of fees that can be collected and creates a to collect, store, and disperse the funds to pay for the EPA's costs for regulating chemicals. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district : DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015 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. the Chief FOIA Officer to identify the total annual cost of implementing the FOIA within 90 days. the Chief FOIA Officer to identify unnecessary actions taken in the course of processing requests and eliminate them within a year of identifying them. the Chief FOIA Officer to develop a plan to to process requests electronically. 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 Sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia's 1st district : Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act 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 : Water Resources Research Amendments Act a requirement for additional research into new water treatments into the Water Resources Research Act an evaluation of water resource research projects every three years and withdraws funds from projects that do not qualify based on the evaluation. $13.5 million per year through 2020. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland : United States Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 the Department of Agriculture's process for grain inspections until September 30, 2020. 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 is defined to specifically include "a sever weather incident causing a region-wide interruption of government services". the location of export inspections to specifically "export elevators" at export port locations. 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 every five years, and my be renewed. before the Secretary can delegate inspection responsibility to a State and in the Federal Register announcing if the State was approved and the rational for the decision. The State would have to give at least advanced notice in writing to the Dept. of Agriculture if they want to stop performing grain inspections, unless there has been a major disaster. 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 ; he has taken at least $646,470. : Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2015 mandatory price reporting requirements for livestock until September 30, 2020. 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". transactions between pork packers and producers to take place using a new pricing formula. the definition of an importer of lamb to include anyone who imports an average of 1,000 metric tons per year; importers have to comply with regulations if they import and average of 2,500 metric tons of lamb per year. 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; 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 : National Forest Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2015 and $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 the previous funding. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania's 5th district : Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act : Internet tax moratorium extended again by Grant Gross, IDG News Service, December 15, 2014. Makes the moratorium on Internet access taxes . Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia's 6th district : Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act 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 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 and : Native American Children’s Safety Act criminal background checks of any person who lives in a house applying to provide foster care to an Indian child and placement if anyone in the home is found to have committed certain crimes. This 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: H.R. 1168: : Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children. All 11 members 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 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 after they submit their report. , but does not appropriate, $2 million. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota : Authorizing early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska 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 : Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act the State Department to designate an existing employee to coordinate efforts to protect art around the world from being stolen and/or destroyed. 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". importation of "archaeological or ethnological material of Syria" starting 120 days after the bills enactment. The import restrictions 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 : Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act a public report every two years on competition, availability of services, and regulatory barriers to entry into the communications services business. an on privatization of the communications services industry, which includes public comments. an on foreign and domestic competition in the communications satellite market. an on the "status of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming". the requirement that a report on cable industry price be completed annually. the requirement that a report on regulatory barriers be reviewed every three years. an "of whether any of such competitors have a dominant share of the market" Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by of Nevada : Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act 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 : VBID for Better Care Act a three year demonstration project to test 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 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 : Increasing Regulatory Fairness Act the amount of time between proposed Medicare rate changes are announced and when they can go into effect from 60 days to 90 days. 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 : Medicare Advantage Coverage Transparency Act 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 : Securing Seniors' Health Care Act 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 : DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015 : Administrative Leave Restrictions at DHS Backed, FedWeek, July 8, 2015. 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 : Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act 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 : Federally Funded Research and Development Sunshine Act of 2015 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 : Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act 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 June Hearings Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: , June 4, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: , June 16, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: , June 16, 2015. House Committee on Financial Services: , June 17, 2015. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: , June 17, 2015. House Committee on Energy and Commerce: , June 18, 2015. House Committee on Foreign Affairs: , June 18, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: , June 23, 2015. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: , June 24, 2015. House Committee on , June 24, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: , June 24, 2015 House Committee on Ways and Means: , June 24, 2015 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: , June 25, 2015 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: , June 25, 2015. Jen's Podcast Appearances of American Workers Radio Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)

Do you want to know where your food comes from? Well, Congress is in the process of repealing our Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law because the World Trade Organization says our meat labels are internationally illegal. In this special episode, we take a look at the World Trade Organization: What is it? Where did it come from? How is it possible that it is determining our laws? Executive Producer: Stephen McMahan Executive Producer: Leslie Behan  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! Please Support Upcoming Meet-Ups Orinda, September 2, 2015 6:30pm - 8:00pm: Orinda Library Auditorium 8:15pm - ?: The Bills : Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels. from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels. for labeling the country of origin of beef. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district : Voluntary Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and Trade Enhancement Act of 2015 from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels. from the list of items that must have mandatory country of origin labels. for packers who want to include country of origin labels for beef, pork, or chicken. Has not passed the House of Representatives or the Senate Sponsored by Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota Information Presented in This Episode Country of Origin Labels on the country of origin labels related to the case the United States lost regarding our country of origin labels. Panel Members for the country of origin label WTO case: Chairman: of Switzerland Was a trade negotiator for Switzerland during the Uruguay round and has been a WTO panelist since 1996 of Pakistan He’s a Senior Executive at for , the self-proclaimed “world’s largest consulting firm”, Joao Magalhaes of Portugal World Trade Organization has 161 member countries The House of Representatives voted to create the World Trade Organization on November 29, 1994. The U.S. Senate voted to create the World Trade Organization on December 1, 1994. The World Trade Organization's creation became law when on December 8, 1994. Additional Information on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) : Frequently asked questions regarding Greece wants Greece to sell of their banks, rails, ports, utilities and airports in return for loans. Article: , EurActiv.com, August 19, 2015. Article: by Drew Desilver, Pew Research Center, October 9, 2014. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Singapore Management University, November 2012 () Article: by Josh Eidelson of Bloomberg, July 30, 2015. Sound Clip Sources Panel Discussion: , C-SPAN, April 15, 1994 Ralph Nader, founder of James Sheehan, analyst for the Hearing: , Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, October 18, 1994 Laurence Tribe, Professor at Harvard Law School Ralph Nader, founder of Panel Discussion: , , April 20, 1994. Arthur Dunkel Former Director General of the United Nations Wrote the in 1991, a 500 page general outline of what became the WTO 3 years later “Retired” from GATT in 1993, became a “trade consultant”, and served on the board of Nestle Was a registered Alejandro Orfila of the Organization of American States 1953: Director of Information at the Organization of American States right after it was formed 1962: Created a lobbying firm, specializing in the interests of U.S. firms investing in or trading with Latin America 1964: Political advisor to the Director of the Adela Investment Company, the largest multinational development corporation in Latin America 1975: Became Secretary General of the Organization of American States until 1984 James Callaghan Former Prime Minister of the UK Andreas von Agt Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Press Conference: , U.S. Capitol, January 7, 2004 Former Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota Tom Buis, Vice President of the National Farmers Union Hearing: , House Rules Committee, June 9, 2015. Rep. Michael Conway of Texas Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio)

Lots of new laws! Hear all about the final version of fast track and other trade related dingleberries, new measures to combat human trafficking, and new benefits for veterans. In this episode, you'll also learn about the bills that passed at least one branch of Congress in May, which include a poisonous scientific research funding bill, an anti-abortion bill, lots of bills to funnel taxpayer money into private pockets, bills that benefit veterans' families, and more. After the break, get the details for the Chicago and Miami meet-ups, an update on the Congressional Dish Arms Race, and hear a indisputable argument for why train travel is superior to plane travel. 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! Meet Up Times & Locations Chicago: Wednesday, August 5th 6:30pm: 225 Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 698-7111 Co-Hosted by Kevin and Loren, hosts of Miami: Tuesday, August 18th 7pm: 6pm: Meet and Greet 7pm: Meeting begins 5505 NE 2nd Ave. Miami, FL 33137 (786) 693-9309 8:30pm: 188 NE 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33132 (305) 358-5222 Laws : Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act Became the vehicle for to become law Federal law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers with 20 years experience to avoid a 10% tax penalty if they withdraw from their retirement plans after age 50, instead of 59.5 years old. The effects of this on the budget . Passed Sponsored by Rep. David Reichert of Washington Did Your Rep & Senators Vote for Fast Track? : Trade Preferences Extension Act Title I: Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Original African Growth and Opportunity Act was signed into law by President Clinton in 2000. Allows certain products from some African countries to be imported tax-free. Oil accounted for 68% of these imports in 2014; "despite remaining the top U.S. import under AGOA, U.S. oil imports from the region have fallen by 80% or nearly $40 billion since 2011." Clothes and vehicles from South Africa are the other main products imported tax-free under this law The law was going to expire on September 30, 2015. The assistance is intended to "encourage governments to Liberalize trade policy Harmonize laws and regulations with WTO membership commitments Engage in financial and fiscal restructuring Promote greater agribusiness linkages. Reauthorization Highlights Extends the AGOA until the President's ability to terminate an African country's eligibility for the program without notifying Congress and the country 60 days before. an annual public comment period regarding whether the African countries are meeting their eligibility requirements. the number of people employed full time to make sure African food exports meet U.S. food safety standards from 20 to 30. estimates that extending this program will cost us $2.8 billion in lost tax revenue by 2025 Title II: Extension of Generalized System of Preferences A bigger program for allowing products to be imported tax-free into the United States, which was first created in 1974. President Obama terminated Russia's status as a Generalized System of Preferences country in October 2014, after the invasion of Crimea. Extension Highlights the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program until December, 2017. to July 31, 2013, when the program expired. The estimates this extension will cost us over $2.5 billion in lost tax revenue. that are eligible for tax-free import eligible for tax-free import Title III: Extension of preferential duty treatment program for Haiti tax-free import status for products from Haiti until December 19, 2025. estimates this will cost us $520 million in lost tax revenue Title IV: Extension of trade adjustment assistance trade adjustment assistance until June 30, 2021 Specifically . Brings back a for workers who lose their jobs due to trade agreements or due to failed pension plans until , which are for health insurance on the ObamaCare exchange websites. The estimates that this will cost us $2.8 billion, with the most money needed from 2017 to 2021. : Tariff classification of recreational performance outerwear Contains a modified version of the Affordable Footwear Act, which on some athletic footwear. Contains part of the OUTDOORS Act, which was Senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and Senator Kelly Ayote of New Hampshire, which lowers or eliminates tariffs that for of REI, Amazon, Nordstrom, Brooks Sports, and Eddie Bauer. of Timberland The American Apparel and Footwear Association, the Outdoor Industry Association, Eastern Mountain Sports, Kamik Boots, NEMO Equipment, and New Balance, and the Washington Council on International Trade have all voiced support for this language, with the it's because it "would save consumers money while improving profits for our retailers and apparel companies that do their manufacturing overseas". The Outdoor Industry Association lobbying Congress on the US OUTDOOR ACT and the Affordable Footwear Act in 2014. Title VI: Offsets Extends customs charges for some imports from September 30, 2024 to July 7, 2025 and then for two and a half months in the Summer 2025, after the expiration. According to the , this will cause the revenue from those fees to spike from a little under a billion in 2024, to $4.6 billion in 2025. This is the biggest single source of money that will pay for this law. taxes on corporations that make more than $1 billion in 2019 by 8% for the months of July, August, or September of 2020. The corporation's next payment will . On the estimate, this makes it seem as though there is much more revenue for the 2015-2020 period than there actually is. If the numbers weren't cooked like this, the report would show an additional $5.7 billion budget deficit from 2015-2020. Beginning in 2016, the law from students from their school. estimates this will save almost half a billion dollars. the fines for failing to file tax returns on time or including incorrect information on a return, for example from $100 to $250 and raises the caps on these kinds of fees, . this will bring in an additional $136 million by 2025. people who choose to exclude foreign earned income from their tax returns from claiming the child tax credit, effective this year. this will save $293 million by 2025. Somehow the way Medicare pays for dialysis services in a way that . Passed the Senate and the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. George Holding of North Carolina : Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Through , a person convicted of a human trafficking related offense will have to pay an extra $5,000 fine. The money will go to a "Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund, controlled by the Attorney General. The money will be used for , to States, tribes, local government and non-profit NGO's, and . grant money specifically for victims of child pornography. the property that can been seized by the government from people convicted of human trafficking crimes. the "range of conduct punished as sex trafficking." adds "patronized, or solicited" to the list of of things punishable by a fine and at least 10 years in prison. : "Whoever knowingly" in the United States "recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, patronizes, or solicits" anything of value that arises out of forcing someone under 18 to "engage in a commercial sex act", which means "any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person." crime victims the right to be informed of any plea bargains or deferred prosecution agreements. that officers in anti-human trafficking programs operated by the Justice Department will have training on methods for investigating and prosecuting human traffickers and for getting proper physical and mental health care for the victims. that Federal prosecutors request restitution for the victims whether or not the victims request it. Creates an to analyze human trafficking laws every year until September 30, 2020. The members will except for travel reimbursement and per diem allowances. missing children reports to include a recent photo audits of human trafficking grants the Attorney General from giving a grant to a nonprofit that has offshore tax havens. Includes the which makes advertising the services of prostitutes who are under 18 or are forced into prostitution punishable by ten years in prison. a website for accessing victims' services the statute of limitations on civil actions by child trafficking survivors to 10 years after they turn 18. a "cyber crimes center" within the Customs and Immigration section of the Department of Homeland Security to "provide investigative assistance, training, and equipment to support United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's domestic and international investigations of cyber-related crimes." The cyber crimes center will have a in it. The cyber crimes center will have a which will train and support Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and help "Federal, State, local, tribal, military, and foreign law enforcement agency personnel engaged in the investigation of crimes" The cyber crimes center will have a , which will "enhance" Immigration and Customs ability to "combat criminal enterprises operating on or through the Internet, with specific focus in the areas of cyber economic crime, digital theft of intellectual property, illicit e-e-commerce (including hidden marketplaces), Internet- facilitated proliferation of arms and strategic technology, and cyber enable smuggling and money laundering" and will also help "Federal, State, local, tribal, military, and foreign law enforcement agency personnel engaged in the investigation of crimes" The cyber crimes center will be allowed to coordinate with the Defense Department to . Temporarily by 10% the amount of money a State can get from Federal grants if the State has a law that allows the mother of a child to eliminate the parental rights of her rapist and authorizes $5 million for the increases (only currently have such laws). people convicted in the military justice system to the National Sex Offender Registry. a hotline for sex trafficking victims to speak with service providers starting in 2017. sex trafficking victims automatically eligible for the jobs corps. human trafficking survivors to move to vacate any arrest or conviction records for crimes that they committed as a direct result of human trafficking. Passed the Senate and the House Sponsored by Senator John Cornyn of Texas : Girls Count Act the Secretary of State and Administrator of USAID to coordinate with the World Bank, UN nations agencies and "relevant organizations" to "enact, implement, and enforce laws" in other countries to register births of baby girls. Sunsets in June 2020. Passed the House and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida : Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act Clarifies the effective date of a , which will effectively pay them less, as . Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep Will Hurd of Texas : Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act and additional $900 million for a Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Denver, CO. Passed the House and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado : Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act money paid to the families of law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty from counting as taxable income. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota : Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act the President to give Congress any agreements with Iran within 5 days of reaching the agreement, along with a report by the Secretary of State on the effectiveness of the agreement. the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee to hold hearings on the agreement within 30 days - if it would interfere with their August vacation. the President from altering sanctions on Iran during the Congressional review period. the President from altering sanctions on Iran if a joint resolution of disapproval passes both the House and the Senate for 12 days after passage. If the President vetoes the joint resolution of disapproval, the law him from altering Iran's sanctions within 10 days of the veto. the agreement to go into effect if Congress does nothing an expedited process for Congress to bring back the sanctions if Iran violates the agreement. Passed the Senate and the House of Representatives . Sponsored by Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania : Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 Clean extension of Federal transportation programs until July 31, 2015. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bill Schuster of Pennsylvania : Veteran's I.D. Card Act 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. Final version passed the Senate by a voice vote and the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan Bills : America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 Funds the National Science Foundation, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Institute f Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy - Science, the Department of Energy - Applied Research and Development, and the Department of Energy - Technology Transfer. Contains that in the U.S. - to the new inventions - as long as to their systems. Continues to It would of current nuclear power plants Creates a which, in part, develops "small modular reactors". , small modular reactors are factory-made mini-nuclear power plants that can be shipped to places that don't have the infrastructure or money for large nuclear power plants. The idea is to create these for to sell around the world. So far, none of these have been designed, licensed, or constructed and DOE wants them deployed within the next decade. research into hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle technology and on-site renewable energy generation for buildings. research into fish friendly turbines for hydropower Allows "energy efficiency" money to be (). Makes the Secretary perform for renewable energy projects. a and other renewable power on State or local government buildings. the objective of from energy research, research money from being used for Fossil Energy Environmental Restoration, the amount of fossil fuel research money that can be used in universities, and government research into fossil fuels from being used for regulatory assessments by the government. more taxpayer money in coal energy research. Passed the House of Representatives President Obama would the bill. The veto threat is because the bill funds much less than requested for many areas of research; for example, it provides less than half of what was requested for clean energy research and grid modernizations. Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Passed the House and the Senate (with changes) Sponsored by Rep. Mac Thorneberry of Texas : Gold Star Fathers Act hiring advantages for Federal jobs to fathers of people killed in military service (). Passed the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon : Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA to withdraw a that would expand protection of waterways in the United States. a new proposed rule to be crafted using studies - including an economic impact study - hand picked by the bill authors. the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA to consult with "public and private stakeholders" that would be effected by the rule any additional money for the extra work. the Federal government's classification of waterways from voiding State permits for two years. Passed the House of Representatives President Obama would the bill. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, who has taken from the Oil and Gas industry, with of that for the most recent election. : Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2015 An immediate family member of a deceased fire fighter, law enforcement officer, member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew who died in the line of duty can request and be free of charge by their Congressional Representative. Caps the amount to be spent on this at . Passed the House of Representatives by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter King of New York : Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Makes it for someone to perform an abortion unless: The fetus is The abortion is performed in a way that : If the mother's life is in danger due to a physical illness or injury Incest that has been reported to the government The pregnancy is the result of a rape The mother must have gotten rape counseling or medical treatment for the rape, which in the mother's medical file The rape counseling or report be provided by a non-hospital facility that performs abortions. The penalty for performing an abortion illegally can be The who performed her abortion illegally The mother be prosecuted Passed the House of Representatives President Obama would the bill Sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona : Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 the Secretary of State to report to Congress "the activities of all satellite, broadcast, Internet, or other providers that knowingly provide material support to and any affiliates" and the status of sanctions against them as on September 23, 2001. financial institutions that process transactions for Hezbollah from opening or maintaining accounts in the United States. for facilitating Hezbollah transactions the greater of $250,000 or twice the transaction amount in addition to a criminal penalty of up to $1 million and up to 20 years in prison. This in 180 day intervals if the Treasury Secretary says it's in the "national security interests of the United States" These rules to intelligence activities Passed by Sponsored by Rep. Ed Royce of California : Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorized a program for homeless veterans . that veterans being released from prison are eligible for benefits. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio : Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act the Department of Veterans Affairs to keep a copy of all official reprimands or admonishments in the employee's permanent record as long as they work at the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Costello : Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act the business that was owned by a disabled veteran to keep it's veteran perks if the spouse takes over the business for three years, if the veterans did not die as a result of a service related disability (if the veteran did die of service related injuries, the spouse can keep the benefits for 10 years or until she remarries). Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. Jerry McNerney : BRAVE Act the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs to give preferential treatment to companies that hire veterans in their choice in awarding procurement contracts. A company that lies about the veteran status of its employees will be from contracting with the Department of Veteran's Affairs for five years. Passed the House of Representatives Sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Rice : Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2015 monthly pension payments from counting as income for veterans who become permanently or totally disabled from non-service related injuries. the total amount of bonus money allowed to be issued to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada : American Super Computing Leadership Act the definition of to include organizations that exist to benefit the Department of Energy to partner with universities, National Laboratories, and industry. the Department of Energy's High End Software Development Center and replaces it with a partnerships with universities, National Laboratories, and industry to do research. Part of this program outreach to domestic industries, including manufacturing so they can use the technology developed. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois : Science Prize Competitions Act private for-profit entities to be given grants and contract so administer government prize competitions. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Donald Beyer of Virginia : Research and Development Efficiency Act a working group to make recommendations on how to streamline Federal regulations and to "minimize the regulatory burden" on universities performing federally funded research. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Comstock of Virginia : International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2015 a working group to coordinate international science and technology cooperation, designed in part to "support United States foreign policy goals". Will be by officials from the Office of Science and Technology and the Department of State. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Daniel Lipinski of Illinois : Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015 a program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to improving weather knowledge, understand how the public reacts to warnings, and develop radar and other weather forecasting technologies. ) of the money for the program will go to universities, private entities, and NGO's to further their research. a tornado warning improvement program with the goal of predicting tornadoes more than an hour in advance. No budget listed. a Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program with the goal of extending hurricane forecasts. No budget listed. the government to pay commercial providers up to for weather data which makes NOAA contract with a private sector entity for weather data by October 1, 2016. (but doesn't appropriate) about $100 million per year through 2017. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma : Department of Energy Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act of 2015 an assessment and report on the Department of Energy's ability to host and oversee "privately funded fusion and non-light water reactor prototypes and related demonstration facilities at Department-owned sites" the Energy Department to carry out a pilot program research at National Laboratories. Projects with the private sector. the pilot program until October 31, 2017. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois : American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 a corporate tax credit for research and development the expired at the end of 2014 The effects of this on the budget estimates this would increase the Federal deficits by $182 billion in the next ten years. President Obama the bill. Passed the House of Representatives President Obama would the bill. Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas Hearings Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing: , June 9, 2014. House Committee on Science, Space and Techonology Markup Hearing: , April 22, 2015 Additional Information Federation of American Scientists: Federaation of American Scientists/Washington and Lee University Study: U.S. Department of Transportation Factsheet: Associated Press Article: by Joan Lowy, July 29, 2015 Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by by

In this special 100th episode of Congressional Dish, Jen interviews , the most famous lobbyist in the world. After spending 3.5 years in prison, Jack has been speaking out against the systemic corruption he participated in during his time in Washington D.C. and in this episode, he tells us Washington's secrets. Jack Abramoff's book: 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! Information Presented in This Episode Fact Check: by Steve Contorno OpenSecrets.org: August 18th Meet Up: 7pm: website 8:30pm: Jen's Recent Appearances July 7, 2015 episode: July 1, 2015 episode: : The Mike Herrera Hour Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)

Medicare, cybersecurity, favors for banks, mortgages, IRS bullying, a tax cut for the rich, and a couple of good ideas are highlighted from the law and bills that passed Congress in April. 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 : Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR): Enacted in 1997, the SGR paid doctors for Medicare patients based on the growth in gross domestic product (GDP). If Medicare costs increased more than GDP, doctors payments were cut across the board. , this formula for payment has meant that the Medicare payment rate to doctors is essentially the same as it was in 2001 and cuts have been postponed so many times that doctors' payments if this bill was not signed into law by April 1. This new law: the Sustainable Growth Rate formula for Medicare payments to doctors. while the payment rate transitions away from a pay-per-service model. The new system will be based on scores assessed by a "Merit-based Incentive Payment System" which which will go into effect on . A list of and doctors can choose which one's will be used in their performance assessments. Doctors will be rated and paid , which will starting in the second year of the program. The GAO will report on the effectiveness of the system . An advisory committee will be created , which will be to group practices and medical homes. Sets a goal for Medicare records to be electronic nation-wide . a bunch of existing Medicare programs, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (which covers low income kids whose parents make too much for Medicaid) . from five to ten years. a prior authorization requirement for "repetitive scheduled non-emergent ambulance transport" the printing of social security numbers on Medicare cards Pays for the new system by... to policies with to people who enter Medicare after January 1, 2020. For all future beneficiaries, they will have to pay (the cost of the Medicare Part B deductible). for relatively high income individuals. who have a gross income between $133,501 and $160,000 ($267,000 and $320,000 for a couple) will pay a 65% premium instead of 50%, and people above that will pay an 80% premium rate. This would beginning in 2020. Has a huge increase in the levy that the Treasury Department can impose on tax delinquent service providers, increasing it , effective on October 16, 2015. Will have auditors to help reduce the number of them. Creates , saving mail fees. The effect this bill will have on the budget . The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this bill will . Passed and Sponsored by Rep. Michael Burgess of Texas Bills : 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 : Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 to mobile home retailers who take mortgage loan applications, negotiate loans, or advise consumers on loan terms (including rates, fees, and other costs) This licensing, registry, a law prohibiting payment based on the terms of the loan, regulations prohibiting steering customers towards loans they can't repay or with excessive fees, regulations prohibiting mischaracterizing a customer's credit history, regulations prohibiting the mischaracterization of the appraised value of the home, or steering a customer towards a loan that's more expensive than others that they qualify for. banks can charge people buying a home for under $75,000 without the loan being labeled as "high-cost", which subjects the loans to . The regulations this would exempt the loans from: Ban , which is an oversized payment due at the end of a mortgage Prohibit banks from charging prepayment penalties and fees Restrict late fees to four percent of the payment that is past due Bans fees for loan modification Require banks make sure the loan can be repaid before offering it Prohibit banks from recommending that a customer default on a loan Require that banks receive a confirmation that the customer has received homeownership counseling before they accept a high-cost mortgage. Would allow banks to charge $3,000 or 5% in fees for loans under $75,000, . says banks can charge 5% for loans over $20,000, so the $3,000 fee option would hit the smaller loans the hardest. Passed the House . Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote. The bill by President Obama. Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee , his #4 donor and . Jeb Hensarling, the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee , giving him $8,750. : Mortgage Choice Act of 2015 By changing the definition of what charges count as "points and fees", this bill... that charges for title insurance be counted as points and fees if they're paid to an affiliate of the bank/creditor that issued the loan. Currently, , which include fees charged by affiliated settlement providers. Every thing that gets exempted from counting as "points and fees" therefore becomes additional charges the lender is allowed to tack on to a mortgage. Exempts money held in for , which exempt insurance charges from the fee caps. The change in definition allows more fees to be charged to mortgages, while keeping those mortgages from being classified as "high-cost" and being subject to greater restrictions. This is ; it passed by voice vote on June 9, 2014. Passed the House . Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan are - in this order - Insurance ($273,265), Real Estate ($218,175), and Commercial Banks ($193,000). : Capital Access for Small Community Financial Institutions Act of 2015 Federal Home Loan Banks are privately owned cooperatives, funded by the global credit market, which provide money to local banks. There are twelve of them around the country and they are owned by the member banks. Most local banks are members of least one Federal Home Loan Bank. if they are FDIC eligible or are certified by the State. If the State doesn't get to it in under 6 months, Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Steve Stivers of Ohio over the course of his four year Congressional career have been Insurance ($898,858), Commercial Banks ($534,622), and Securities and Investment ($502,098). : Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities Act Orders the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to create an application process for people or companies This would allow residents to become eligible for certain mortgages and exempt lenders from regulations intended for urban areas, after 2 years. Passed the House . Nydia Valazquez of New York was the only no vote. Sponsored by Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky during his 3 years in Congress. : Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act Creates advisory boards for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Places for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Passed the House , with 4 Democrat Ayes and 5 Republican Nays President Obama the bill Sponsored by Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina His #4 and #5 contributing industries are Securities & Investment and Commercial Banks; he's taken a during his 3 years in Congress : Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act Became the vehicle for Trade Promotion Authority in the Senate for organizations that are denied tax-exempt status Would apply to decisions made on or after . Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania : Taxpayer Knowledge of IRS Investigations Act Gives the Treasury Secretary of telling organizations if they are investigating a claim of unauthorized information disclosure by a government, if the investigation substantiated their claim, and if any action, including prosecution, is planned. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania : Prevent Targeting at the IRS Act Allows the IRS to fire employees who steer and audit for a political purpose or for personal gain. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. James Renacci of Ohio : Fair Treatment for All Gifts Act Makes gifts made to tax exempt. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois : Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act Tells the IRS Commissioner to "ensure" that IRS employees are "familiar with and act in accord" with including The right to be informed The right to quality service The right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax The right to challenge the position of the Internal Revenue Service and be heard The right to appeal a decision of the Internal Revenue Service in an independent forum The right to finality The right to privacy The right to confidentiality The right to retain representation The right to a fair and just tax system Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois : IRS Email Transparency Act Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas : Death Tax Repeal Act for anyone who dies after the bill is signed , which is a tax on gifts and transfers of wealth to unrelated people who are more than 37.5 years younger than the donor, or to related people who are one generation younger. Would the top gift tax rate from 40 to 35 percent. The effects of this on the budget . The CBO says this would over the next 10 years President Obama the bill. Passed by Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas : State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act the law that allows taxpayers who itemize their claims to deduct their state's sales taxes instead of getting a deduction for their state's income taxes. The effect of this bill on the budget . CBO says this would increase the Federal deficit over the next ten years. President Obama the bill. Passed the House . Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas : Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2015 Stops Federal agencies from contracting with companies that are tax delinquent A waiver can be issued and the contract granted if a report is submitted to Congress saying that the contract Passed the House Sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah : Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act Makes the Attorney General that a drug company is accused of violating in their notices to the companies regarding the possible suspension of their drug's registration. Allows drug companies to submit a when their drug registration may be suspended Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania His top contributing industry for the last election was the pharmaceutical industry; they gave him $55,250. : Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act Increases the length of Medicare contracts for at-home care from 3 years to 5 years Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon : Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act Clarifies that search and rescue volunteers and are . for allowing search and rescue teams onto Federal land so that they won't have to get insurance. The government as to approve or deny a request for a search and rescue mission . Passed the House Sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada Rep. Heck introduced the bill in response to the ; the search for his body in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area was delayed because the search team needed a special use permit and a $1 million insurance policy. It took 10 months to get the insurance; his body was found 3 hours after their search began. The National Association for Search and Rescue and the National Park Service, however, . : Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act who provide information relating to motor vehicle defects or other dangerous safety problems. Allows the government to give from a car company that breaks the law to the whistleblower whose information lead to the conviction. The whistleblower is to be represented by a lawyer. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator John Thune of South Dakota Senator Thune has taken from the automotive industry : Steve Gleason Act of 2015 Starting in 2016, Medicare would cover . Allows people to (as opposed to renting them) if purchased between October 1, 2015 and October 1, 2018. Named after former NFL football player , who played for the New Orleans Saints before being diagnosed with ALS Passed the Senate of a voice vote Sponsored by Senator David Vitter of Louisiana Hearings : April 13 on HR 650 and HR 685, about housing bills. : April 21 on HR 1731 and HR 1560 on Cybersecurity : March 18 hearing on deregulation for banks titled "Preserving Consumer Choice and Financial Independence" Information Presented in This Episode Article: by Paul Demko, Modern Healthcare, April 14, 2015. Article: by Mike Baker and Daniel Wagner, The Seattle Times, April 2, 2015. Article: by Fowler Williams, National Mortgage Professional Magazine, June 11, 2015. Article: by Robin Sidel and Saabira Chaudhuri, Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2014 Article: by Anjeanette Damon, USA Today, March 8, 2014. Webpage: , Department of Homeland Security. Webpage: Press Release: Additional Information Kickstarter: by Soloman Kahn. Jen's Podcast Appearances : Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria : Podcast Junkies with Harry Duran Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)

It's law! The USA Freedom Act, which reauthorizes and privatizes portions of the Patriot Act, is being called a victory for privacy... but it's not. In this episode, find out all the details of the bill that was signed into law just hours after this episode was recorded, including how it continues bulk data collection and lets the most powerful men in the United States get away with breaking the law. Executive Producer: Brandon K. Lewis 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! : USA Freedom Act of 2015 : FISA business records reforms The government will need to provide for the data being collected , unless that telecom is under investigation The term can't be a ", including the United States, a city, a county, a State, a zip code, or an area code" The term must be something that The government will have after the bill is signed into law Limits ongoing phone call record collection to unless extended Orders the telecoms the order from the government to turn over call records if he/she informs a judge and applies for the warrant within 7 days. , nothing collected under the Attorney General's emergency power will be admissible in court, "except with the approval of the Attorney General if the information indicates a threat of death or serious bodily harm to any person." will be in charge of determining if the standards above are met. a clause that lets a a protest from a company fighting a FISA order to any company that hands over information under a FISA order or an emergency order from the Attorney General for "expenses incurred" producing the information or assisting the government with FISA or emergency orders will not include the contents of the call, the person's name, address or financial information, or the cell phone's GPS location. The bill expressly says that , as authorized in by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 : FISA pen register and trap and trace device reform for the use of tracing devices installed to track phone numbers dialed in monitor Internet communications. : FISA acquisitions targeting person outside the United States reforms can be waived if the government fixes whatever illegal thing they were doing, which Within 180 days after enactment, FISA court judges will pick at least five people - "friends of the court" - to . for the amicus curiae participation. if the amicus curiae's participation is appropriate The Director of National Intelligence "to the greatest extent practicable" any FISA court decision that includes "a significant construction or interpretation of any provision of law" The decision, order, or opinion can be released to the public The Director of National Intelligence to make FISA decisions, orders, and opinions public as long as they say it's "necessary to protect the national security of the United States or properly classified intelligence sources or methods". : National Security Letter reform Letters served by the FBI to telecoms that allow the FBI to secretly demand data. There is a gag order on anyone who receives these letters, guaranteeing that the public is not told and that there is no judicial review. if the order "specifically identifies a person, entity, telephone number, or account as the basis for a request". There , preventing companies from telling anyone that the FBI is requesting the information, as long as the order also has a notification of the telecoms and if the : "A danger to the national security of the United States" "Interference with a criminal, counterterrorism or counterintelligence investigation" "Interference with diplomatic relations" (new) "Danger to the life or physical safety of any person" : FISA transparency and reporting requirements Orders the government to submit a bunch of new reports to Congress Allows companies served with National Security Letters to approximately how many NSLs they've received They can only report the number of FISA orders and NSLs subject to a gag order They can only report the number of FISA orders and NSLs not subject to a gag order . They can report twice a year on the total number of orders, directives, and NSLs served These reports are only allowed to cover NSLs Once a year, they can report on the total number of orders, directives, and NSLs they were required to comply with to the The FISA court, if their ruling , will have to submit their decision or denial of disclosure petition to Congress within 45 days : Enhanced national security provisions Emergency monitoring of a person outside the United States is Extends PATRIOT Act and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 provisions . : Safety of Maritime Navigation and Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation of people suspected of trying to harm a United States ship Gives a to a person who with intent to damage people or property or . Sound Clip Sources : House Judiciary Committee Markup of H.R. 2048 from April 28, 2015 : May 20, 2015 : May 31, 2015, Part 1 : May 31, 2015, Part 2 : President George W. Bush speaks at Kansas State University, January 23, 2006. : President Barack Obama on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, August 6, 2013. : Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies to Congress, March 12, 2013. : HBO, October 5, 2014 Information Presented in This Episode USA Freedom Act Article: by Ellen Nakashima and Mike DeBonis, Washington Post, May 11, 2015. Article: by Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times, May 13, 2015. Article: by Associated Press, April 30, 2015. Article: by Thomas Fox-Brewster, Forbes, May 14, 2015. Article: by Spencer Ackerman and Sabrina Siddiqui, The Guardian, May 13, 2015. Patriot Act Expiring Provisions Legal Summary: by Mary DeRosa, American Bar Association. Legal Summary: by Mary DeRosa, American Bar Association. Legal Summary: by Mary DeRosa, American Bar Association. NSA Surveillance System Article: by James Risen and Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, December 16, 2005. Article: by James Bamford, Wired, March 15, 2012. Article: by Aliya Sternstein, Defense One, July 25, 2013. Article: by Barton Gellman, Julie Tate, and Ashkan Soltani, Washington Post, July 5, 2014. Editorial: by John Napier Tye, Washington Post, July 18, 2014. Podcast Appearance : Effective NON-Marketing Ways to Grow Your Podcast - Interview with Jen Briney Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by Rhythm, Rhyme, and Results by (found on by mevio)

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

Time-sensitive episode! Congress is rushing to pass a bill that would grant the President Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which hands Congress' power to negotiate international treaties to the Executive Branch. In this episode, we look at the details of the Trade Promotion Authority bill. Is giving the Executive Branch this power a good idea? Please Contact Your Representative in the House Please Contact Your Two Senators 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! Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or Fast Track The following links are to the text of H.R. 1890, as introduced in the the House Ways and Means Committee. The Senate, as of April 26, has not sent the text of their version to the Government Publishing Office to be released to the public. [caption id="attachment_1743" align="aligncenter" width="968"] Despite having been introduced on April 16 and passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on April 22, the text of Trade Promotion Authority had still not been submitted for public publishing on April 26[/caption] that keep multinational corporations out of foreign countries Allow multinational corporations Get other countries that companies have to pay to sell their products in other countries (tariffs) that prevent businesses from operating in other countries Agriculture unless an approved international scientific organization says the concerns are legit. for their own industries for food that "affect" biotechnology (for example, genetically modified foods) and making labeling requirements Prohibits restrictions Foreign Investment into and out of the country for opening and operating a business in a foreign country Create laws that for law that reclaim their land from corporations for the Investor State Dispute System Ensure that Investor State Dispute System rulings , that hearings are open to the public, and that businesses, unions, and NGO's have a way to make their opinions heard in Investor State Dispute System cases, even if those businesses, unions and NGOs are not a part of the case. Intellectual Property Make sure that companies have the legal and technological means Regulatory Practices Have countries Government-Owned Industries Localization Labor and Environment Require countries to Ensure that Anti-Corruption anti-corruption and anti-bribery initiatives Section 3: Trade Promotion Authority for the President before That can (and likely will) be extended until July 1, 2021. The President has to in writing and submit reports to Congress and . Procedures for the President to Enter International Agreements The President must notify Congress of his intention to begin negotiations they start , the President must publish a summary of the negotiation objectives on a publicly available website. Before entering into an agreement, and inform them of the At least , the President must submit a report to Congress of the proposals that "may be" in the final agreement. At least entering the agreement, the President must provide the International Trade Commission - which is not a part of Congress - with details of the agreement as it exists at that time and request an assessment of the agreement. At least entering the agreement, the President must publish his intention to enter the agreement in the Federal Register. entering into the agreement, the President must publish the text of the agreement on a publicly available Internet website of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. entering the agreement, the President must give Congress the final text and a plan for implementing and enforcing it. Any agreement with a foreign government is introduced will have no force or effect. Congressional Involvement in Negotiations The U.S. Trade Representative who requests a meeting The U.S. Trade Representative The United States Trade Representative must with various committees at various stages of negotiations. The U.S. Trade Representative - not Congress - will and the USTR can . The U.S. Trade Representative . It's unclear if they will be able to participate in the actual negotiations. If the Senate Finance Committee meets to pass the implementing bill, , a "disapproval resolution" will be passed and sent to the Senate floor. of the House or Senate can introduce a "disapproval resolution" , the resolution goes to the Committee on Ways and Means AND the Committee on Rules If the Committee on Ways and Means does not pass the resolution in 6 legislative days, . In the Senate, the resolution goes to the Committee on Finance. Information for the Public The U.S. Trade Representative to information regarding agreements, which he can revise at any time. Creates a new position in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative - the Chief Transparency Officer - who will "consult" with Congress on transparency policy, "assist' the public, and "advise" the U.S. Trade Representative Sovereignty Hearings Discussed in This Episode , Senate Finance Committee, April 16, 2015. [caption id="attachment_1745" align="aligncenter" width="314"] People available for questions during the April 16 surprise hearing in the Senate Finance Committee about Trade Promotion Authority[/caption] , Senate Finance Committee, April 21, 2015. [caption id="attachment_1746" align="aligncenter" width="303"] People available for questions during the April 22 Senate Finance Committee hearing on Trade Promotion Authority [/caption] (the Trade Promotion Authority bill), Senate Finance Committee, April 22, 2015. (the Trade Promotion Authority bill), House Ways and Means Committee, April 22, 2015. Additional Information , Center for Responsive Politics , Center for Responsive Politics , ucbiotech.org - University of California, February 2012. on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio)

In this special episode, we prepare for the Senate's upcoming push to fast-track multiple "free trade" agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). We also look into the January 2015 draft text of the leaked TPP Investment Chapter. 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! Information Discussed in this Episode Leaked Trans-Pacific Partnership Chapters Wikileaks: Wikileaks: Wikileaks: Wikileaks: Additional Information Hearing: , Senate Finance Committee, January 27, 2015. Video: Fox 10 Pheonix via YouTube. April 6, 2015. Article: . Politico. April 2, 2015. Article: New York Times. April 6, 2015. Congressional Research Service Paper: , March 20, 2015. Monsanto Press Release: Report from Public Citizen: , March 2015. who have been given access to the TPP text Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)

A summary of all the bills that passed at least one branch of Congress in February, including six bills destined for a veto and one new 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! Information Discussed in this Episode Read Jennifer Briney's . Check out , written by Paul and David DiGiovanni. [caption id="attachment_1731" align="aligncenter" width="266"] This is the tool I used to help my AMA raise to #1 on Reddit's front page[/caption] Follow and , the on Twitter Listen to the details of Jen's front-page of Reddit experience on [caption id="attachment_1732" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Listen to this episode to find out what it's like to have your first reddit AMA end up at #1 on the front page[/caption] February Laws Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act Requires of Veteran's Administration mental health programs Requires the Veteran's Administration to that needs to be updated at least every 90 days. Creates a to repay psychiatrists' loans () if they work for at least two years at the Veteran's Health Administration. to get this done. Written by Democrat Rep. Timothy Walz of Minnesota February Bills : Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act Forces all challenges in court . Orders the Department of Energy to to coordinate Federal assistance for making schools energy efficient Expresses a that Congress should tax bitumen as oil for the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Requires the General Services Administration to that encourage tenants to invest in energy and water efficiency Requires the EPA to develop a program to recognize commercial tenants who achieve high standards of energy efficiency. for people to tamper with grid-enabled water heaters Passed in the Senate, with nine Democrats joining all Republicans. It passed in the House, with all but Justin Amash of Michigan voting yes on the Republican side and with 29 Democratic yes votes. Sponsored by Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, whose top contributing industry is Oil and Gas, which has given him and the Senate failed to over-ride that veto by the two-thirds majority they would need to do so. : To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , effective 6 months after it would become law. The effects this would have on the budget . Would require three House Committees . There is no deadline. Written by new Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama, whose ) in his first election was Blue Cross/Blue Shield, who gave him over $30,000 that we know of. In total, he took over $180,000 from the Insurance and Health industries. and : Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 Forces the government to consult with the private sector when creating regulations. Sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina in the House and Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska. : Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2015 Would make creating regulations harder and make the government analyze a regulations effect on businesses finances. Blog: by Amit Narang. The Hill. February 2015. Passed in the House. Written by Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio : Fighting Hunger Incentive Act of 2015 Makes permanent a tax deduction for businesses that donated food inventory to charity Increases the amount corporations can deduct for food inventory they donate to charity Passed , with 39 Democrats joining all but one Republican (Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina). because it would over the next 10 years. Written by Rep. Tom Reed of New York : America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 a tax credit for depreciable business property, and increases the credit every year with inflation. Expands the eligible business property to include computer software, actual property, air conditioning and heating units. , from 10 years to 5 years. The effects of this on the budget . The bill would Passed , with all but one Republican (Walter Jones of North Carolina) voting yes, along with 33 Democrats. because it would over the next 10 years. Sponsored by Rep. Pat Tiberi of Ohio : Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act Allows and money to be . Written by Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida; he has taken . : Social Media Working Group Act of 2015 Authorizes a group within the Department of Homeland Security, made up of government officials and private sector employees, to report on how to use social media during emergencies. The group from the , which requires meetings and transcripts be available to the public. Passed in the House, with most no votes coming from Republicans, along with Democratic Rep. Jared Polis. Written by Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana : Drinking Water Protection Act Orders the EPA to make a plan to study algae in drinking water supplies Passed with Written by Rep. Robert Latta of Ohio : To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve 529 plans. Allows computers and Internet access to be paid for with tax-advantaged college savings plan funds Changes the way taxes are calculated Would . Passed Written by Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas : Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications 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. Written by Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey : STEM Education Act of 2015 Changes definition of STEM education to include computer science Creates one-year grants for math and science teachers to get master's degrees Passed Written by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas : TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015 Changes the job classification standards of criminal investigators in the TSA to make them tougher, which would theoretically result in less people being paid the higher wages associated with that title Passed Sponsored by Rep. John Katko of New York : Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to review the effectiveness of the transportation security card program, which are biometric identification cards for maritime DHS workers. Prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security from requiring the use of security card readers until the assessment is finished and a card reader is identified that will work with existing security cards Appropriates no additional money Passed without a recorded vote Sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas : Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act Consolidates FCC reports into one assessment to be done every two years Passed Written by Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana : Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act of 2015 Expands the definition of "full amount of the victim's losses" to include medical services, rehabilitation, and loss of income for the victim's lifetime. Passed 98-0 Sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio) by (found on by mevio)