This week in Congress: Update

Last night the House GOP unvield the short-term spending bill. The bill extends goverment funding through April 28. It appropriates $1.07 trillion, thus keeping the budget below the spending caps.

However, it appropriates an additional $8 billion dollars in “emergency” military funding.

The bill also appropriates $170 million for water safety grants and a lead exposure registry, as well as $4.1 billion in flood relief.

The bill also appropriates $872 million to fund the programs created by he 21st Century CURES Act.

The bill does not include any provisions related to the Export-Import Bank or any version of the National Internet Sales Tax Mandate. However, it is doubtful that this version of the bill has the votes to pass the Senate, so there will still be last minute deals struck before the bill is passed,

And supporters of the National Internet Sales Tax Mandate are continuing to try to make some last minute deal to include the sales tax in the Continuing Resolution.

Campaign for Liberty members should call their Representatives and Senators and tell them to oppose any effort to add the National Internet Sales Tax Mandate to the CR.

Therefore, we must  keep the pressure on Congress to make sure the National Internet Tax Mandate is not slipped into the CR.

The Senate may also approve adding Montenegro to NATO, this committing the US to take military actin to defend the country in event of an attack.  Even worse, I have heard they may try to do it by unanimous consent. That’s right, they may commit the US to going to war for Montenegro without even taking a roll-call vote. For more on why this is a bad idea see here, here, and here.

The House will also consider more bills on suspension including:

1. HR 5790– provides enhanced protection for FBI whistle blowers by creating a new system for whislteblowers to file grieves when they have suffered retribution.

2. S. 2971–  Rauthorizes  FEMA;s search and recuse program.

4. S. 2846— Authoresses Small Business Administration to crate new programs training small business in how to protect their intellectual property.

5.  HR 4919- Reauthorizes the missing Alzheimer;s patient alert program.

6. HR 6431– Subjects Department of Homeland Security personal stationed in Canada who commit acts in  that would be crimes if committed in the US subject to prosecution under US l;aw.

7. S. 2854–  Gives FBI and Justice Department permanence authority to investigate and prosecute violation of federal civil rights statues where a death occurred (previously that authority was limited to crimes occurring before 1970.)