This Week in Congress

The Senate will be considering immigration reform. Senate Majority Leader McConnell filed cloture on the Immigration bill last Friday immediately after passage of the budget. McConnell is using a House-passed bill (H.R. 2579) as a shell and members will offer amendments.

McConnell has said that whatever bill gets the most votes will be sent to the House, and at least one of the amendments contains mandatory E-Verify. Campaign for Liberty members should call their Senators and tell them to oppose any amendment that expands E-Verify or any other national system.

The House is in session Tuesday through Thursday.

Among the legislation the House will consider is H.R. 620. H.R. 620 amends the Americans with Disabilities Act to require the Justice Department to provide training to state and local governments and private business on how to comply with the law. It also provides litigation for violations of the law unless the plaintiff first submits in writing an explanation of why the potential defendant is in violation of the law and the defenders fail to respond. The Bill also orders the Judicial Conference of the United States to establish a model alternative dispute resolution system.

This is a good bill that should help reduce the costs of the ADA.

The House will also consider a number of bills under suspension of the rules, including:

1. H.R. 3542– States that it is US policy to condemn the use of human shields by Hamas and act against those using human shields (in other words more war making).

The bill creates new sanctions and urges the U.N. ambassador to set multilateral sanctions against Hamas

2. H.R. 4378– directs the Energy Department to constrict a versatile reactor-based fast neutron source. Cause that’s a proper function of government in a free society.

3. H.R. 4675– Creates a low-does radiation based research program. Again how is this a proper function of government?