Congressional Dish

On February 7, President Obama signed the Farm Bill into law, which will govern our food policy for the next five years. In the new law are cuts to food stamps, an expansion of an extremely generous crop insurance program, bailouts for livestock producers, a big favor for chemical companies, and much more. Music in This Episode: Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito, Have You Had Enough by rotflmao I'm Farming and I Grow It by The Peterson Farm Bros Farming in the United States We often hear that most United States farms are "family farms", which is true; in 2011, 96 percent of U.S. crop farms were family farms, and they accounted for 87 percent of the value of crop production. The term is misleading, however, because family farms can be sole proprietorships, partnerships or corporations. Using the term 'family farm' implies a small farm like the one Auntie Em owned in the Wizard of Oz. In reality, family farms are often enormous and are owned by wealthy individuals; 86 percent of farms with at least 10,000 acres of cropland are family operations. The way these large farms qualify as 'family farms' but actually produce the products of giant corporations is through the use of contracts. The farms themselves are owned and operated by individuals, but their crops belong to and are sold by a corporation. For example, Dole Foods leases 14,000 acres in Arizona and California from landowners who purchased the land from Dole Foods. Most of that land is now farmed by independent growers, most of which are family operations, under contract arrangements with Dole. According to the USDA, larger operations are more likely to use contracts, which can reduce the price and marketing risks faced by farmers. Large farms now dominate crop production in the United States. From 1987-2007, consolidation lead to larger farms for every major crop except for cantaloupe and plums. Between 1950 and 1997, consolidation caused the number of farms in the U.S. to decline dramatically—from 5.4 million to 1.9 million. A report by the USDA in 2013 concluded that this consolidation is due in part to the expansion of crop insurance in the United States. By reducing risk to farmers, crop insurance encourages farmers to invest more in labor-reducing equipment and to specialize in specific crops instead of diversifying crops and livestock as had been traditional in the past. Crop insurance also guarantees a certain amount of income to farmers which allows the large farms with only one crop to survive even if their product is devastated by drought, fire, or other national disaster. This guaranteed financial return has allowed larger farms to gobble up smaller farms, leading to the rapid consolidation of the last 60 years. Wealthy farmers' ability to buy vast amounts of land and huge equipment has increased production so much that now very few people are needed to do the actual work. In 1945, it took 14 labor hours to produce 100 bushels of corn on 2 acres of land; in 2002, it took just 3 labor hours to produce the same amount of corn on less than half the amount of land. That increased productivity resulted from bigger, more powerful machines, commercial fertilizers, genetically modified seeds, and other technologies. As a consequence of the substitution of equipment and chemicals for human labor, fewer than 2 percent of Americans farm for a living today. H.R. 2642: The Farm Bill The Farm Bill was signed into law on Friday, February 7, 2014. It will govern food policy in the United States for the next five years. Cuts to SNAP: Food Assistance for Needy Families The farm bill cuts $8 billion from SNAP (which is less than the $40 billion in cuts the House Republicans originally planned); the cut will take about $90 per month away from a typical poor family. The law kept the mean, unnecessary, and probably unenforceable provision that prevents food stamp recipients from recycling for cash the bottles and cans they bought with food stamps (Section 4001). Stores and restaurants that accept food stamps will be forced to pay for 100% of the electronic equipment and supplies needed to process food stamp cards while the law also prohibits manual vouchers (Section 4002). Murderers and sex offenders will not be eligible for food stamps (Section 4008). Government sponsored advertisements for the food stamp program will be prohibited (Section 4018). Direct Payments Direct payments - tax money given to food manufacturers for each acre they owned, regardless of production - were eliminated (Section 1101). Direct payments had cost approximately $4.5 billion per year. The House version had kept direct payments to upland cotton growers until 2016; the law will not. Crop Insurance The farm bill shifted the gifts to Agribusiness from direct payments to crop insurance, a program that will cost $90 billion per year, an increase of $7 billion, likely more. The increase in crop insurance cancels out all savings generated by eliminating direct payments, and then some. $17 billion in taxpayer money was paid out for crop insurance due to the 2012 drought. No person or "legal entity" can receive more than $125,000 per year, but more than one person or entity can be paid per farm (Section 1603). Individuals who make over $900,000 a year are ineligible for commodity and conservation program money, but are still eligible for crop insurance payments (Section 1605). Food manufacturers who do not purchase insurance will be able to get payments equal to catastrophic insurance levels - also capped at $125,000 per year- if they back-pay premiums (Section 12305). The insurance program is managed by private insurance companies for a profit but claims will be paid with taxpayer money. Taxpayers reimburse private insurance companies for their costs (Section 11021). Private insurers have pocketed surplus premiums in all but two years since 1993; in that time, private insurers have made $10 billion in profit while the taxpayers have absorbed $70 million in losses. Any savings generated by renegotiating terms with the private insurance companies will be given to the insurance companies (Section 11012). Federal subsidies for premiums totaled $7.15 billion in 2012, and Federal support for insurance company expenses were $1.38 billion (USDA report from 2013). "But we are also telling private crop insurance companies, we are going to guarantee you a 14 percent profit margin. We are going to pay your entire administrative and operating expenses. And, by the way, you are going to bear very little risk in offering these policies. The American taxpayer will still bear that risk." - Rep. Ron Kind (WI), Congressional Record for January 29, 2014 We will also pay the food manufacturers' premiums. Taxpayers will pay 65% of insurance premiums in some cases (Section 11003). For beginning farmers and ranchers, we will pay 75% of their premiums (Section 11016). For the dairy program, the lowest level of coverage requires no premium payments (Section 1407). Organic farmers will be eligible for insurance no later than 2015 (Section 11023). "In case folks do not know, the fact of the matter is that Americans subsidize crop insurance. We pick up over 60 percent of the cost of the premiums on crop insurance. We pay 100 percent of the administrative costs in terms of crop insurance. We have 26 individuals who get at least $1 million in a crop insurance subsidy, and we can't find out who they are." -Rep. Rose DeLauro (CT), Congressional Record from January 29, 2013 Multiple insurance options - price loss coverage and agriculture risk coverage- are available only to food manufacturers with over 10 acres (Sections 1115-1117). Price loss coverage: Food manufacturers are paid with tax money when the real price of their crops is less than expected. Agriculture risk coverage: Food manufacturers are paid with tax money when they make less in revenue than they expected; it essentially pays their insurance deductibles. The Numbers Are Rigged Methods used to calculate average crops for the purpose of insurance payouts inflate the average crop size, which in turn will trigger larger taxpayer-funded insurance payouts. In determining the expected crop, any year in the previous five - which is used to determine the average- when the crop yield is less than 70% of the historical yield, that year will count as 70% (Section 1117). Food manufacturers can exclude years during which their yield was 50% below the average of the previous ten years (Section 11009). For the dairy program, the production history for the milk manufacturers' will be their highest production rate in the years 2011, 2012, or 2013 instead of an average (Section 1405). Bailouts for Food Manufacturers Unlimited tax money will be used to pay individuals and corporations for livestock losses caused by attacks by wolves and other Federally protected predator species, disease, and natural disasters such as drought, flood, blizzards, wildfires, and other climate-related disasters (Section 1501). We will pay the person or corporation 75% of the value of the dead animals. We will pay 60% of a livestock producers' feed costs in the case of drought, 80% if they disposed of livestock because of drought in one or both of the previous years. Drought payments will be multiplied by the severity of drought. D3 level drought will give the livestock producer three times the standard monthly payment, D4 level drought will give the livestock producer four times the standard monthly payment, and D4 level drought that lasts longer than four weeks will pay out five times the standard monthly payment. Assistance is capped at $125,000 per person or "legal entity" per year. We will also pay tree manufacturers for 65% of their replanting costs if more than 15% of their trees were destroyed due to a natural disaster, capped at $125,000 per year for no more than 500 acres. Research We will pay for research into improving the "digestibility, nutritional value, and efficiency of the use of corn, soybean meal, cereal grains, and grain byproducts for the poultry and food animal production industries" (Section 7209). Cows are not supposed to eat corn; the dietary change makes them unhealthier food for humans but changes their growth time from five years to 14 months, leading to faster profits for industry. Corn production in 2010 consumed 9 million tons of fertilizer & led to 42 million tons of CO2 greenhouse gas emission. The budget signed two weeks ago prohibits regulation of carbon dioxide and methane caused by livestock production. Due to their unhealthy diets, 80% of antibiotics in the United States are given to U.S. farm animals, according to Princeton University. The "Red Meat Safety Research Center" is repealed in this law (Section 7215). When publishing a final rule for "Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption", the Secretary of Health and Human Services must evaluate the economic impact on industry and develop a plan to respond to business concerns (Section 12311). Genetically Modified Food Plants that secrete poison - "plant-incorporated protectants" - can be imported into the United States without the knowledge of the government as long as that poison is registered in the United States or has received an experimental use permit (Section 10008). This section was slipped into the final version of the bill. Labeling Country of origin labeling was not prevented by this law; the law orders a study on the economic impact of the new regulations (Section 12104). Certified organic farm will have to keep records for five years detailing the substances they use in their fields, the name and address of the person who applied it, and the date, rate, and method of application for each substance (Section 10005). Penalties for mis-labeling a product will be capped at $10,000. Protection for Chemical Companies The EPA will be forced to exclude fluoride from studies assessing tolerances to pesticides (Section 10015). In 2011, the EPA recommends a phased withdrawal of the use of sulfuryl fluoride as a pesticide because the combination of pesticides on food when added to the exposure we get from drinking water and toothpaste exceed the legal limit. If they don't assess the tolerance level anymore, then fluoride can still be considered "safe" to use as a pesticide. Sulfuryl flouride is a product of Dow Chemical, which spent over $10 million lobbying in 2013. Marketing We will pay $25 million to "address the critical needs to the pulse crop industry" with an information campaign designed to get us to buy more dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas (Section 7209). We will also pay for research into "improving pulse crop productivity" using plant breeding, genetics, and genomics." We will pay $20 million per year to promote and expand production of maple syrup (Section 12306). Conservation Programs Overall, the law will consolidate 23 conservation programs into 13 programs and cut $6 billion from conservation over the next ten years. Food manufacturers will have to comply with conservation rules in order to get taxpayers to pay their insurance premiums (Section 2611). Payment in Peanuts Peanut producers are able to get loans from the Federal government by putting up physical peanuts for collateral. When they repay the loan, they are supposed to pay us back for the storage and handling; however, if the loan can not be re-paid, the taxpayer is on the hook for the storage, handling, and will be the proud owner of a warehouse(s) full of peanuts (Section 1201). Elimination of Mineral Rights The following section of current law, says if a landowner's mineral rights aren't included in the appraisal for a loan, the mineral rights can't be considered collateral. This section is eliminated which may mean that if a landowner's mineral rights are not included in the appraisal for a loan, those mineral rights CAN be seized as collateral on the loan (Section 5004). (d) Mineral rights as collateral With respect to a farm ownership loan made after December 23, 1985, unless appraised values of the rights to oil, gas, or other minerals are specifically included as part of the appraised value of collateral securing the loan, the rights to oil, gas, or other minerals located under the property shall not be considered part of the collateral securing the loan. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the inclusion of, as part of the collateral securing the loan, any payment or other compensation the borrower may receive for damages to the surface of the collateral real estate resulting from the exploration for or recovery of minerals. Marijuana Universities and States may grow hemp as part of a pilot program to research the growth, cultivation, or marketing of industrial hemp (Section 7606). Medical marijuana cannot be treated as a medical expense for a medical expense deduction (Section 4005). Animal Fighting It will now be illegal to attend an animal fight; doing so will be punishable by a fine and/or up to one year in prison. Deleted A provision in previous versions would have required members of Congress, their immediate families, and the President's Cabinet to report any payouts they receive from crop insurance; it was deleted from the bill.

This episode is a mash-up of the State of the Union and the 2014 budget. We compare the impression President Obama gave us about what to expect for this upcoming year with the reality of what was funded in the last-minute and little-examined budget which he signed into law just two weeks before the speech. Information Presented in this Episode The following quotes are from the 2014 State of the Union. Let's compare them to what was in the budget which he recently signed into law: The 2014 Budget (H.R. 3547) "Last month, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, Congress finally produced a budget that undoes some of last year's severe cuts to priorities like education. Nobody got every-thing they wanted, and we can still do more to invest in this country's future while bringing down our deficit in a balanced way, but the budget com-promise should leave us freer to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises." - President Obama The budget should have been done by September 30, 2013. This new law puts all 12 appropriations bills into one big monster law. The bill was put on the House's schedule on January 13th at 8pm and was passed on January 15. The budget is 1,582 pages long. The budget was attached as an amendment to H.R. 3547, the bill extending the insurance program for commercial space flight which was highlighted in episode CD058. The insurance program was originally extended for a year; the budget bill extended it until 2017.) Fossil Fuels "Now, one of the biggest factors in bringing more jobs back is our commitment to American energy. The all-of- the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we have been in decades. One of the reasons why is natural gas. If extracted safely, it is the bridge fuel that can power our economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Businesses plan to in-vest almost $100 billion in new factories that use natural gas. I will cut red tape to help States get those factories built and put folks to work, and this Congress can help by putting people to work building fueling stations that shift more cars and trucks from foreign oil to American natural gas." - President Obama (Division G - Section 108) The Interior Secretary will set up Internet program for oil and gas leasing. Lip Service to Fracking Water Poisoning "Meanwhile, my administration will keep working with the industry to sustain production and job growth while strengthening protection of our air, our water, and our communities." (Explanatory Statement) Prohibits more than $6 million for a joint research effort by the EPA and USGS into hydraulic fracturing that aims "to address the health, safety, and environmental risks of shale gas extraction." Solar "It is not just oil and natural gas pro-duction that's booming. We are becom-ing a global leader in solar, too. Every 4 minutes, another American home or business goes solar, every panel pounded into place by a worker whose job cannot be outsourced. Let's con-tinue that progress with a smarter tax policy that stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that don't need it so that we can invest more in fuels of the future that do." - President Obama Solar will receive $257 million in 2014. (Explanatory Statement) Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy = $1.7 billion, about half of what was requested (Wind & Solar = 20% of budget at $345 million) Fossil Fuel Research and Development will get $562 million, $142 million more than requested Only time the word 'solar' appears in the budget, the law prohibits the Department of Interior from processing a grant or lease for a commercial scale solar project on public land in the Mojave Desert (Division G - Section 116) Money is given to the Air Force to upgrade the heating at Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany and forces the little town to use United States coal as the power source, even though the power comes from German municipal sources. Climate Change - Flood Preparation [caption id="" align="alignright" width="340"] FEMA/Bill Brown[/caption] "Taken together, our energy policy is creating jobs and leading to a cleaner, safer planet. Over the past 8 years, the United States has reduced our total carbon pollution more than any other nation on Earth. But we have to act with more urgency because a changing climate is already harming Western communities struggling with drought and coastal cities dealing with floods." - President Obama Authorizes $1.6 billion for a maximum of 4 new Army Corps of Engineers construction projects. One has to be for environmental restoration, the other three are for navigation OR flood and storm damage reduction, which means that it is possible that none of these projects will be for storm damage reduction. (Division D) Authorizes $28 million for preparation for floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. (Division D) and $154 million for flood plain mapping and management. (Division F) Disaster Relief Fund will receive $6.2 billion. (Division E) Reduces money available for weatherization programs that were part of the stimulus bill and also changes eligibility to make it harder to get; the law prohibits the Department of Energy from paying employees who enforce the changes made by the stimulus. (Section 308, Division D) Prohibits enforcement of energy efficiency standards for light bulbs. (Section 322, Division D) Prohibits money to be used to pay the salary of the Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change (Section 621, Division E) New Carbon Standards "That's why I directed my administration to work with States, utilities, and others to set new standards on the amount of carbon pollution our power plants are allowed to dump into the air." -President Obama No money can go towards a regulation for, among other things, carbon dioxide and methane caused by livestock production.(Division G - Section 420) No money can go towards a rule requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions of manure management systems. (Division G - Section 421) No money can go towards implementing regulations on high-carbon intensity projects of the Export-Import bank that would prohibit any coal-fired or "other power-generation project" in USAID (poor, indebted countries) that would "provide affordable electricity" or increase US exports or jobs. (Division K - Section 7081) Immigration "Finally, if we are serious about economic growth, it is time to heed the call of business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement and fix our broken immigration system. Republicans and Democrats in the Sen-ate have acted. I know that Members of both parties in the House want to do the same." - President Obama Republicans discussed immigration on their three day " bayside retreat", specifically a border fence, but didn't mention immigration in their letter to President Obama. Detention: Must have at least 34,000 detention beds (Division F) Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated (UNICOR) has 83 factories, which pay their prisoner slaves between $0.23 and $1.15 per hour, which manufacture all kinds of things and provide services, including call center services than can be purchased by the private sector. (Division F - Section 558) No money can be spent on a public advocate in Immigration & Customs Enforcement. (Division F - Section 566) Prohibits a border crossing fee. Gun Control "Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day. I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and police officers all over this country who say ''we are not afraid,'' and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, in our shopping malls, or schools like Sandy Hook." - President Obama (Division H - Section 217) No money may be used to advocate or promote gun control. Afghanistan "With Afghan forces now in the lead for their own security, our troops have moved to a support role. Together with our allies, we will complete our mission there by the end of this year, and America's longest war will finally be over. - President Obama None of the money can be used to "establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of US Armed Forces in Afghanistan" (Division C - Section 9007) No money for new construction projects (Division C - Section 9016) "After 2014, we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future. If the Afghan Government signs a security agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counter-terrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al Qaeda. For while our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing will not: our resolve that terrorists do not launch attacks against our country." - President Obama Iraq "When I took office, nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, all our troops are out of Iraq." - President Obama None of the money can be used to "establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of US Armed Forces in Iraq" or "to exercise United States control of any oil resource of Iraq" (Division C - Section 9007) $209 million to support "United States government transition activities" (Division C - Section 9012) which includes security assistance, facilities renovation and construction, training of Iraqi troops and counter-terrorism personnel. Orders a report from DoD and the Secretary of State for their plan to transfer "training activities that they determine are needed after the end of fiscal year 2014 to existing or new contracts for the sale of defense articles or defense services" $250 million for "democracy programs" "Building Democracy" "From Tunisia to Burma, we are sup-porting those who are willing to do the hard work of building democracy." - President Obama No money can be used by the IRS to "target citizens of the US for exercising any right guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States." (Division E - Section 107) No money can be used by the IRS to "target groups for regulatory scrutiny based on their ideological beliefs." (Division E - Section 108) No money can be used to require any company with a government contract or requesting a government contract to disclose political contributions to candidates or committees (political action committees) or payments made towards political advertising. (Division E - Section 735) Syria "In Syria, we'll support the opposition that rejects the agenda of terrorist networks." - President Obama "None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of the War Powers Resolution." (Division C-Section 8117) which says the President needs to declare war within 60 days AFTER he starts one. He doesn't have to do this at all if he has an Authorization for the Use of Military Force. Funds for Iraq can be used in Syria "to support international efforts to promote regional security"(Division K - Section 7041) Funds for the State Department can be used to "establish governance in Syria that is representative, inclusive and accountable", and to "counter extremist ideologies" (Division K - Section 7041) Drones "America must move off a permanent war footing. That's why I have imposed prudent limits on the use of drones, for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence." - President Obama Latest drone strike was three days ago in Somalia. Guantanamo Bay "And with the Afghan war ending, this needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay." -President Obama Can't use money to transfer anyone into the United States from Guantanamo Bay, but can upgrade and repair Guantanamo Bay (Division C - Section 8110)(Division F -Section 537) Israel-Palestine "As we speak, American diplomacy is supporting Israelis and Palestinians as they engage in the difficult but necessary talks to end the conflict there; to achieve dignity and an independent state for Palestinians, and lasting peace and security for the State of Israel—a Jewish State that knows America will always be at their side." - President Obama $3.1 billion for Israel's military. (Division K) Prohibits money for Palestine, unless they become a state. (Section 7040 - Division K) 10th Deployment [caption id="" align="alignright" width="302"] U.S. Army Ranger Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg at the 2014 State of the Union Address[/caption] "I first met Cory Remsburg, a proud Army Ranger, at Omaha Beach on the 65th anniversary of D-day. Along with some of his fellow Rangers, he walked me through the program. He was a strong, impressive young man with an easy manner. He was sharp as a tack. We joked around and took pictures, and I told him to stay in touch. A few months later, on his 10th deployment, Cory was nearly killed by a massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan. His comrades found him in a canal, face down, under water, shrapnel in his brain." - President Obama The budget cancels the pension cut from December's budget agreement for people who are disabled, like Cory. The cut remains for anyone lucky enough to escape the military uninjured. The cuts start December 1, 2015. Procurement Over $92 is going toward procurement - the buying of stuff for the military. Every single category allowed our money to pay for expansion of private plants, including the land, to pay for equipment, appliances, and tools in those private plants and pay the layaway payments for contractor-owned equipment. (Division C) Air Force must spend the money it's given for the RQ-4B Global Hawk drones, the drones the Air Force wants to put into storage (Division C-Section 8118). RQ-4 Global Hawks drones are manufactured by Northrup Grumman; Northrup Grumman manufacturers the drones in Buck McKeon's district; Buck McKeon is Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; the House Armed Services Committee is in charge of Defense money. Northrup Grumman is Buck McKeon top contributor since the last election: Will Work Around Congress "What I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require congressional action, and I am eager to work with all of you; but America does not stand still, and neither will I, so wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that is what I am going to do." - President Obama Minimum Wage "Today, the Federal minimum wage is worth about 20 percent less than it was when Ronald Reagan first stood here. TOM HARKIN and GEORGE MILLER have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. It is easy to remember— 10, 10. This will help families. It will give businesses customers with more money to spend. It does not involve any new bureaucratic program. So join the rest of the country. Say ''yes.'' Give America a raise. Give them a raise." - President Obama Retirement "That is why tomorrow, I will direct the Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings: MyRA. It is a new savings bond that encourages folks to build a nest egg. MyRA guarantees a decent return with no risk of losing what you put in."- President Obama NSA Spying "That's why, working with this Congress, I will reform our surveil-lance programs, because the vital work of our intelligence community depends on public confidence, here and abroad, that the privacy of ordinary people is not being violated." -President Obama "Information pertaining to United States persons shall only be handled in accordance with protections provided in the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution as implemented through Executive Order 12333" (Division C- Section 8079). Executive Order 12333 was created during the Reagan administration and updated several times, notably by George W. Bush when his administration started his Total Information Awareness program. One way they appear to be authorizing and funding NSA spying: Money "shall be available for the inter-agency funding of national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications initiatives which benefit multiple Federal departments, agencies, or entities, as provided by Executive Order 13618" (Division E -Section 711). Executive Order 13618 orders the Defense Secretary to "provide, operate, and maintain communication services and facilities adequate to execute responsibilities consistent with Executive Order 12333 of December 4, 1981, as amended." "No money can be used by any Federal Agency to collect "personally identifiable information" relating to our access or use of any website. There are exceptions which include voluntary submissions of personally identifiable information, actions taken for law enforcement, regulatory, or supervisory purposes, in accordance with applicable law, and actions taken to protect the rights or property of the Internet provider. (Division E - Section 725) TPP "Over the past 5 years, my administration has made more loans to small business owners than any other, and when 98 percent of our exporters are small businesses, new trade partner-ships with Europe and the Asia-Pacific will help them create even more jobs." - President Obama Our tax money will be allowed to be used to advertise for "United States" corporations overseas. Prohibits the trade representative from seeking "the removal by any foreign country of restrictions on the marketing of tobacco or tobacco products" (Division B - Section 509). Prohibits the use of text from the US-Singapore, US-Australia, & Morocco Free Trade Agreement which granted strict patent rights to industry. The Morocco FTA forced both countries to allow patents on plants, animals, and surgical procedures and including that in the TPP is now illegal. (Division B - Section 519) Not Mentioned By President Obama But In The Budget Torture "None of the funds made available in this Act shall be used in any way whatsoever to support or justify the use of torture by any official or contract employee of the United States Government." (Division B - Section 516) Food Safety and Inspection Service Will get $1 billion for 148 full time inspectors... for the entire country. (Division A) Abortion Federal money can't pay for abortions unless the life of the mother is in danger or if she was the victim of rape and/or incest. (Division B - Section 202-103 )(Division E - Section 613-614)(Division H - Section 506-507)(Division K-Section 7018 ) This includes prisoners. Contraceptives Government health care that provides for prescription drugs must include birth control (Division E - Section 726) Propaganda Prohibits funding for propaganda inside the United States that isn't already authorized by Congress (Division B - Section 501) (Division E - Section 718)(Division K - Section 7055) Marijuana No money can be used to "enact or carry out and law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of… any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative" (Division E- Section 809) No money can be used to promote the legalization of any drug, except when there is "significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such drug" (Division H-Section 509 ) Public Health No money can go towards sterile needles for junkies. (Division H - Section 522) Music In This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) None of the Above by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

This week, a bill was introduced in both the House and the Senate that would hand Congress' power to negotiate trade deals, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, over to the President. We also look at the budget agreement to get an idea of what Congress is putting into their last-minute must-sign-by-next-week budget. Finally, thoughts on the golf swing. Information Presented in This Episode Fast Track for Trade Agreements On Thursday, January 9, Max Baucus, retiring Democrat in the Senate, and Orrin Hatch and Dave Camp, two shameless Republicans in the House, introduced a bill that would hand their power to negotiate and enter into trade agreements to the President. This bill would provide the President with so-called "fast track" authority to enter into both the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and a trade deal with the European Union. Fast track authority makes it much, much easier for these controversial deals to become law. Text of the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014" CD052: Episode detailing what we know about the secretive TPP CD053: Episode detailing the leaked Intellectual Property chapter of the TPP The bill starts off with Section 2, which lists a whole bunch of wonderful sounding goals - "objectives"- for the United States' trade agreements with other nations. Some of these lofty goals include opening up new markets, protecting the environment, protecting United States' family farms, encouraging foreign investment in the United States, protection of intellectual property rights, transparency, fair labor practices, and anti-corruption. Too bad none of these things are actually enforceable. The reason these goals are unenforceable is that regardless of whether any of these "objectives" are actually met by the trade agreement, page 35 authorizes the President of the United States, and only the President of the United States, to enter into trade agreements with foreign countries on or before July 1, 2018. There's some wiggle room with that date. The expiration date will be automatically extended until July 1, 2021 if the President asks for the extension as long as "neither House of Congress adopts an extension disapproval resolution" before July 1, 2018. If Congress does nothing; the extension is automatically approved. And doing nothing is one area where Congress performs extremely well. In order to enter into a trade agreement, the President merely has to inform Congress of his intentions to do so. He also has to let them pretend to have a say in "consultation" meetings, but there are no consequences if the majority of Congressional representatives disagree with the substance of the trade agreement, even if they can prove that the trade agreement does not meet the "objectives" listed in the beginning of the bill. In fact, Congress might not know the substance of the trade agreement because page 83 doesn't require the President to submit the final text to Congress until after he has entered into the agreement. From there, Congress will only be permitted to vote on whether or not to implement the President's trade agreement; no amendments to the agreement will be allowed. Congress did insert some language into the bill that is supposed to make us feel better about all this. First, page 87 says that Congress must be given the text of the trade agreement before the "implementing bill" comes up for a vote. What it doesn't say is how much time they'll get to read it. In theory, the President could give them the text of the trade agreement an hour before the vote and he will have fulfilled his obligations. Section 8 is the only source of real hope in the bill. It essentially says that trade agreement provisions that are different from or that change United States laws are not enforceable. It also says that any findings or recommendations of "dispute settlement panels" will have "no binding effect" on the law of the United States. Canada is being sued for $250 million in lost profits for their fracking ban thanks to NAFTA. The Budget Agreement On December 12th, 2013, the House of Representatives passed the budget agreement that was crafted by Democratic Senator Patty Murray and Republican Representative Paul Ryan. The budget agreement is the general rules they will follow while crafting the omnibus budget for 2014 and 2015. The omnibus budget is all twelve appropriations bills wrapped up into one monster bill, with all kinds of non-related gifts to campaign contributors attached to the must-sign legislation. The text of the omnibus legislation isn't finished yet. It must be signed into law next week to avoid another government shut down. One creepy provision (Section 203) in the budget agreement will restrict our access to the Death Master File for three years. The Death Master File lists the name, social security number, birthday, and date of death of everyone who dies in the United States. Currently the list is updated weekly and available both for a fee and for free on various websites. The budget agreement will prevent us from getting this information for three years after a person dies. Fees are steep for those who release this currently-public information; you will be charged $1,000 for each disclosure, capped at $250,000 a year if the disclosure is accidental. If the disclosure is on purpose, there is no cap. The provision also exempts the Death Master File from the Freedom of Information Act, effective immediately. Another infuriating provision (Section 303) approves the United States-Mexico agreement to open up oil and gas exploration in the center of the Gulf of Mexico, an area known as the Western Gap. As outlined in detail in Episode CD033, the majority of companies that have already claimed leases on the American side are not American companies, yet we are risking our coastlines for them anyway. A bill to approve this deal passed the House of Representatives earlier this year but the Senate did not approve it, so friends of the oil industry slipped it into the budget agreement. Hardly anyone has noticed. Some other provisions: Section 501: Lowers fee rates on student loan defaults to 16% from 18.5% Section 601: Changes TSA fees from $2.50 per plane, one-way, capped at $5 to a flat $5.60 each way, regardless of number of planes boarded. Section 702: Changes the compensation formula for Federal contractors and lowers the cap to $487,000/yr. For the rest of the provisions, we will have to wait for the text of the actual budget to see the details. It will likely already be law by the time we get a chance to read it. Music In This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Fast Lane by All Crazy (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Congress and President Obama worked together to fast-track a new & unexamined NDAA into law. The new law essentially makes NSA data collection legal, cuts military pensions, and spends an enormous amount of money making sure the United States is able to destroy the entire world at a moment's notice. Links to Information in This Episode H.R. 3304: The National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 *The title has been changed to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 since it was signed into law. Previously, it was titled "To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor to Bennie G. Adkins and Donald P. Sloat of the United States Army for acts of valor during the Vietnam Conflict and to authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to certain other veterans who were previously recommended for award of the Medal of Honor" The Cyber-security bill (Sections 932- 942) was added by Senator Jay Rockefeller. Section 1071 creates the "Conflicts Records Research Center" and allows states, foreign governments, and "any source in the private sector" to give money to the Department of Defense. Section 143 prohibits the military from retiring the RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk drones, which the Air Force doesn't want. Section 234 gives $15 million taxpayer dollars to "United States" companies so they can set up assembly lines for the Iron Dome missile defense system in Israel. No requirement for profit-sharing with the taxpayers was included. Section 242 says the United Stats shouldn't buy products that don't work unless the purchase is "to mainatin a warm line for the industrial base". Section 811 allows private contractors specializing in science, technology, engineering, math, medical, and cyber-security to be paid up to $625,000/year. The President of the United States makes $400,000/year. Section 813 makes it easier for the Department of Defense to hide their reasons for contracting with suspended or disbarred companies. Section 1011 extends the CIA/military program in Columbia for another year. Section 1013 expands the drug war to Chad, Libya, Mali, and Niger. Section 1033-1039 prevent prisoners from Guantanamo Bay prison from being transferred to prisons in the United States, but allows them to be transferred to their home countries if certain conditions are met. Section 1043 orders a report from the President regarding how he creates his kill lists. Section 1056 only allows the military to "prepare" to comply with the New Start Treaty, not to actually comply with the New Start Treaty. Section 1062 says that upgrading nuclear bombers "must remain a high budget priority." Sections 1701-1753 create new rules governing sexual assault in the military. The Congressional Research Service summary of the 2014 NDAA; note that the "Conference Report" numbers (H.R. 3304 is the conference report) are blank. The NDAA was passed via fast-track, which means no amendments were allowed. H.R. 1960: The National Defense Authorization Act version that passed the House of Representatives earlier this year; it is officially a dead bill. Congressional Dish episode CD031 highlighted the House's original version of the 2014 NDAA. Section 403 of the Budget Agreement - which has been signed into law - cuts the cost of living adjustments to pensions for military veteran's under age 62 by 1% per year. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's comments on the pension cuts. The NSA has full access to Apple iPhones Music in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Somebody's Watching Us by Skybridge (found on Music Alley by mevio)

During the first week of December, the House of Representatives passed bills to extend an insurance program that provides taxpayer bailouts to private space exploration companies, made changes to TSA policies, tried (again) to deregulate Wall Street gamblers, and tried to shut down patent trolls. Executive Producer: Brandon K. Lewis Information Presented in this Episode H.R. 3547: "Space Launch Liability Indemnification Extension Act" Extends an existing government insurance program for private companies that launch vehicles into space through 2014. The program has three tiers: The private companies buy insurance from a private insurance company for the "maximum probably loss" that would occur if there were an accident; the insurance is capped at $500 million. The "maximum probable loss" is determined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); the Government Accountability Office says that the FAA's method for calculating the risk is outdated. If the "maximum probably loss" is not actually the maximum loss, taxpayers will pay up to $2.8 billion (in 2013 dollars -this number increases with inflation) for damage caused by the private companies' accident. Any amount over the insurance payment plus the taxpayers' $2.8 billion must be paid by the private company who caused the accident. The insurance program extension has been requested by the private companies who stand to profit from launching vehicles into space. [caption id="attachment_1162" align="aligncenter" width="261"] Rep. Lamar Smith (TX), author of H.R. 3547[/caption] Rep. Lamar Smith (TX), author of H.R. 3547, has taken money for the 2014 election from companies requesting the insurance program. [caption id="attachment_1163" align="aligncenter" width="773"] Source: OpenSecrets.org on December 20, 2013[/caption] Passed the House of Representatives on December 2, 2013 [caption id="attachment_1165" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Source: Govtrack.us[/caption] H.R. 1095: "TSA Loose Change Act" Would divert approximately $500,000 per year in abandoned change from airports from TSA airport security, where it currently goes, to building areas of "rest and recuperation" for military families at airports. [caption id="attachment_1166" align="aligncenter" width="273"] Rep. Cedric Richmond (VA), December 3, 2013 Congressional Record[/caption] Passed the House of Representatives without a recorded vote on December 3, 2013. H.R. 2719: "Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act" TSA must develop and publicly publish a plan for what security technology they plan to buy. Bill is necessary because the TSA is "wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars by inefficiently deploying screening equipment and technology to commercial airports." Former Department of Homeland Security officials, including Michael Chertoff, have profited from airport body scanners since leaving their government jobs. The plan must identify "opportunities for public-private partnerships". Private sector suggestions must be included in the plan. The Obama administration must report "subcontracting goals" and why they haven't been met (if applicable). Passed the House of Representatives unanimously on December 3, 2013. H.R. 3626: Extends Undetectable Firearms Act for 10 Years Was signed into law on December 9, 2013. It is illegal to "manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive a firearm not detectable by metal detectors." Plastic Guns Made With 3-D Printers Pose New Security Concerns by Carrie Johnson, NPR, November 14, 2013. H.R. 1105: Deregulate Wall Street Gamblers Real name: "Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act" (hello, Orwell). Exempts private equity fund advisers from registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Passed largely along Party lines, getting almost unanimous Republican support. Unsurprisingly, the bill was supported by Democrat Jim Himes of Connecticut, a former Vice President of Goldman Sachs. [caption id="attachment_1169" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Rep. Jim Himes (CT), OpenSecrets.org as of 12/20/2013[/caption] Just a few weeks ago, the House passed H.R. 992, an even more offensive bill that would allow United States' government bailouts for domestic AND FOREIGN banks that participate in credit default swaps trading - the type of behavior that crashed the global economy. H.R. 3309: "Innovation Act" Requires more details when filing a lawsuit for patent infringement. Losers of lawsuits must pay expenses and fees of the winners, but the court can intervene. Limits discovery requests; they must be specific. Patent claims must be available on a searchable, public website. Limits lawsuits down the supply chain (for example, patent trolls have been suing coffee shops and hotels for offering Wifi and have sued podcasters, including Adam Corrolla, claiming they own the technology The bill passed on December 5, 2013 with 91 Representatives voting against it because they say the bill was rushed and not examined closely enough for unintended consequences. Representatives Quoted in This Episode (In Order of Appearance) Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts Rep. Robert Hurt of Virginia Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut Music & Other Audio in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) National Geographic's Seconds from Disaster - Challenger Explosion

Hudson Hollister, Executive Director of the Data Transparency Coalition, schools Jen on the DATA Act, the bill from episode CD054. Turns out, the bill is not so bad; In fact, the bill could be really, really good. Links to Information Presented in This Episode CD054: The Hidden DATA Act episode with a detailed summary of the bill. Status and text of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) Act USASpending.gov is the website that would be improved by the DATA Act. Follow @hudsonhollister on Twitter The Data Transparency Coalition's website DATA Act informational YouTube video by the Data Transparency Coalition Music Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Thank You by Bill Willmott (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Jen's husband loses his job; in this episode, the political situation that doomed his solar power company. Then we make a rough plan for the future, for ourselves and Congressional Dish. Joe Briney co-hosts. Links to Information in This Episode A solar farm seen from an airplane[/caption] *Correction: Jen said that the sun shines in Western Oregon; it does not. She meant Eastern Oregon. Representatives Discussed in This Episode Rep. Greg Walden - Oregon, District 2 Greg Walden's Legal Bribes Campaign Contributions [caption id="attachment_1151" align="aligncenter" width="946"] OpenSecrets.org, Dec. 6, 2013.[/caption] Music Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Before going home for Thanksgiving, the House passed three bills designed to fast-track permits for oil and natural gas drilling. This episode highlights the Congressmen who pushed these bills through the House. Bill Summaries H.R. 1965: "The Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act of 2013" passed the House of Representatives 228-192 on Wednesday, November 20, 2013. H.R. 1965 will not become law; President Obama would veto the bill. TITLE I, Subtitle A: Speeds Up Oil and Gas Permitting ("Streamlining Permitting of American Energy Act of 2013") Introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5) The government will have 30 days to decide on a drilling permit: If the government does not decide whether or not to issue a drilling permit in 60 days, the permit is automatically approved: It will cost $5,000 to challenge a drilling permit in court: Lawsuits that challenge a drilling permit must be filed within 90 days: If a citizen wins a lawsuit challenging a drilling permit, they cannot be reimbursed for their attorney's fees and court costs: American taxpayers will pay $50 million to map our oil and gas resources for the fossil fuel companies: TITLE I, Subtitle B: Hand Our Land to Fossil Fuel Companies ("Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2013") Introduced by Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6) Every year, we must lease at least 25% of our available land; these leases cannot be challenged in court: Once we lease the land to the energy companies, we can't change our minds: Protests against lease sales that are not settled in 60 days are automatically denied: The Bureau of Land Management Instruction Memorandum 2010-117 - a process that examines environmental concerns and involves the public in oil and gas leasing decisions - will have "no force or effect". TITLE I, Subtitle C: Bring Back Bush Administration Regulations for Oil Shale Development ("Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act" or the "PIONEERS Act") Introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5) Oil Shale is a technology - that still doesn't work - which involves melting rocks to access the oil inside of them: Regulations for oil shale will return to the regulations issued by the George W. Bush administration: The Bush administration regulations - would would come back - require fewer environmental studies and allows oil companies decide which new regulations to obey: We would have to lease at least 125,000 additional acres to the oil companies for oil shale experimentation: TITLE III: "The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act" Introduced by Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-4) The national policy of the United States will be to drill, baby, drill in Alaska; we must give the oil companies at least 10 leases by 2023: We will throw out a completed Environmental Impact Statement and replace it with one designed to "promote efficient and maximum development of oil and natural gas resources" of the Alaska Petroleum Reserve: TITLE V: Prevent Native American Anti-Drilling Lawsuits ("Native American Energy Act") Introduced by Rep. Don Young (Alaska) Appraisals that determine the market value of Native American land will be automatically approved after 60 days: Environmental reviews of projects on Native American lands will not be available to the public; only Native Americans and local residents can get access: Native Americans can not file a lawsuit against a drilling lease after 60 days; they cannot file lawsuits locally, only in Washington D.C.: If Native Americans win a lawsuit against the United State government challenging a drilling decision, they cannot be paid for their court costs: If Native Americans lose a lawsuit against a drilling lease, they must pay the oil companies' court costs: Current law says the Secretary of the Interior needs to approve drilling projects on Navajo Nation land; Section 5008 reverses the law and extends the length of drilling leases by making the following edits: (e) Leases of restricted lands for the Navajo Nation (1) Any leases by the Navajo Nation for purposes authorized under subsection (a) of this section, and any amendments thereto, except a lease for including leases for the exploration, development, or extraction of any mineral resources, shall not require the approval of the Secretary if the lease is executed under the tribal regulations approved by the Secretary under this subsection and the term of the lease does not exceed - (A) in the case of a business or agricultural lease, 25 99 years, except that any such lease may include an option to renew for up to two additional terms, each of which may not exceed 25 years;... Federal regulations governing fracking will not automatically apply to Native American land: H.R. 2728: "Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act" passed the House of Representatives 235-187 on Wednesday, November 20, 2013. H.R. 2728 will not become law, President Obama would veto the bill. TITLE I: Only States Can Regulate Fracking Introduced by Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17) If a State has any regulations in place, the Federal government cannot enforce any additional regulations: The Federal government can't enforce fracking regulations on land held in trust for Indians: The government would create a rigged study that examines only the benefits of fracking (added by amendment): TITLE II: "EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement Act" Introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-21) Adds extra work to Environmental Protection Agency studies of fracking chemicals in drinking water by requiring the studies to be peer reviewed and held to a higher standard: EPA studies on fracking chemicals in drinking water need to point out their own weaknesses: H.R. 1900: "Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act" Introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-4) passed the House of Representatives 252-165 on Thursday, November 21, 2013. H.R. 1900 will not become law; President Obama would veto the bill. Permits for natural gas pipelines must be decided in under 1 year: Agencies responsible for determining if a natural gas pipeline is in the public interest will have 90 days to decide after the environmental review is complete: If the agency does not decide within 90 days, the permit will be automatically issued on the 120th day: Representatives Discussed in This Episode Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5) The "tar baby" quote. He voted against re-opening the government and raising the debt ceiling. KOAA video: Residents of the Colorado 5th are fighting fracking in their city. Drilling in Fast-Growing Areas Ushers In New Era of Tension by Kirk Johnson, New York Times, October 24, 2011. Rep. Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming) Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6) Mike Coffman Wikipedia page Mike Coffman, 6th Congressional District, interview with The Denver Post. Aurora Residents Protest Proposed Fracking Site, CBS Denver, June 5, 2012. Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-4) Doc Hastings Wikipedia page Rep. Don Young (Alaska) Alaska's Young, Stevens Face Inquiry by John R. Wilke, Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2007. Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17) Bill Flores Wikipedia Page Exclusive: Bankruptcy of Edwards challenger Bill Flores' business cost taxpayers $7.5 million by Dave Michaels, The Dallas Morning News, October 9, 2010. Bill Flores' employment history Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-21) SOPA: The Stop Online Piracy Act was introduced by Lamar Smith He's against marijuana legalization. Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-4) GOP freshman Pompeo turned to Koch for money for business, then politics by Dan Eggen, Washington Post, March 20, 2011. Koch brothers now at heart of GOP power by Tom Hamburger & others, The Los Angeles Times, February 6, 2011. Representatives Quoted in This Episode Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah Rep. Pete DeFazio of Oregon Rep. Don Young of Alaska Rep. Doc Hastings of Washington Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Rep. Bill Flores of Texas Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida Rep. Henry Waxman of California Music Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) The Fracking Song Music by David Holmes and Andrew Bean Vocals and Lyrics by David Holmes and Niel Bekker Animation by Adam Sakellarides and Lisa Rucker Which Side Are You On by Pete Seeger Additional Information As Environmentalists Walk Out of UN Talks, Top US Envoy Says No to Reparations for Climate Damage, Democracy Now!, November 22, 2013. Exemption for hydraulic fracturing under United States Federal law, Wikipedia CBO: H.R. 1965 would bring in $325 million over 10 years in revenue. CBS local video: San Bruno Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion, September 10, 2010. San Bruno pipeline explosion Wikipedia page

A bill marketed as for "transparency" appears to keep information secret from the public and gut an oversight board. Taxpayers treat a group of Representatives to an expensive Summer getaway. Cocaine. HR 2061: "The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) of 2013" passed the House of Representatives 388-1 on Monday, November 12, 2013. Section 3: The following information would be published on the USASpending.gov website: A "pilot program" will "consolidate reports" that agencies and companies who receive Federal money must turn in: The agencies and companies allowed into the pilot program must be worth at least $1 billion total; there's no limit to the number of participants. The Recovery Board would start investigating the Inspectors General: Section 5: Expands the amount of information that can be kept secret: Section 3 of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 says: Section 5 of the DATA Act changes it to say: The "information protected" under the Freedom of Information Act which the DATA Act would keep secret from the public is: Some information from the Privacy Act of 1974 that the DATA Act would keep secret from the public is: The information from the US Tax Code that the DATA Act would keep secret from the public is: The Recovery Board investigates companies that are given government money - "recipients". [caption id="attachment_1065" align="aligncenter" width="336"] Quote by Rep. Darrell Issa, House Floor, November 18, 2013.[/caption] The DATA Act extends the Recovery Board but lets its functions and website expire six weeks from now: H.R. 313- which passed the House in May 2013- is attached to the end of the DATA Act. Limits spending on conferences to $500,000. Extraordinarily detailed reports required for conferences over $10,000. Cuts agencies' travel budget by at least 30%. Congressional Travel Expenses Five Representatives and two staffers took a $179,938 six-day all expense paid-by-taxpayers trip to Singapore and Australia in Summer 2013. Representatives Discussed in This Episode Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey was the only Representative to vote against the DATA Act. As a scientist, I know firsthand how important scientific conferences and meetings are. I opposed H.R. 2061, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, because it would cut by 30 percent the amount of travel federal employees could undertake for conferences, meetings, and other crucial events. - Rep. Rush Holt Rep. Henry "Trey" Radel of Florida is on a leave of absence due to his proven cocaine habit. [caption id="attachment_1049" align="alignright" width="300"] Rep. Darrell Issa represents California's 49th district[/caption] Rep. Darrell Issa of California was the main author of the DATA Act. Darrell Issa is the richest person in Congress in 2013. He has at least $430 million; he made $135 million in 2012 on Wall Street. Darrell Issa does the bidding of Big Business. Representatives Quoted in this Episode Rep. Darrell Issa of California Additional Information Sunlight Foundation blog in support of HR 2061 Music Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Dirty Little Secret by 54 Seconds (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cocaine by Eric Clapton Homework Watch Chasing Ice

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an international treaty being negotiated in almost total secrecy by the United States and eleven other nations. This week, Wikileaks published one of the twenty-nine chapters, the chapter on Intellectual Property. In this episode, we highlight the details of the patent and copyright laws contained in the leaked TPP chapter and then we quickly look at the bills that passed the House of Representatives this week. Music in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) The English and Japanese versions of "Lets Stop the TPP" produced by Consumers International. I Don't Need a Doctor by David Pannozzo (found on Music Alley by mevio) Links to Information in This Episode The leaked chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, released on November 13, 2013 by Wikileaks . PDF and web version available CD052: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Congressional Dish episode that presented an overview of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Genetically modified corn has pesticides in the corn itself Information sheet from the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Aereo gives you access to basic cable stations for about $8/month (if available in your city). S. 252: PREEMIE Reauthorization Act Funds research into premature births and funds the care of chimpanzees at the National Institutes of Health. Funds these things at a lower rate than they were funded from 2007-2011. S. 330: "HIV Organ Policy Equity Act" Allows organs taken from people with HIV to be transplanted into people with HIV. S. 893: "Veteran's Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013" Gives a cost of living increase to disabled veterans. H.R. 2922: Supreme Court Security Allows the Supreme Court to have personal security outside of the Supreme Court H.R. 982: "Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013" Requires public publication of the names and diseases of any person who makes a claim from the asbestos trust fund. H.R. 2655: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013 Imposes mandatory financial penalties for filing "frivolous" lawsuits. Eliminates the 21-day grace period to withdraw a lawsuit without financial penalty. H.R. 3350: Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013 Allows insurance companies to sell insurance plans that don't meet the minimum standards set by the Affordable Care Act during 2014. Presidential Message to Congress: Continuation of the National Emergency in Respect to Iran Continues the National Emergency begun during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. Continues Executive Order 12170, which blocks property of the Iranian Government and Central Bank