This Week in Congress

The House is in session Tuesday through Friday. The big event of the week is tomorrow’s mark-up of the USA FREEDOM Act extension in the House Judiciary Committee. If you have not yet, please sign your Stop the Surveillance State Petition letting your Representatives know you oppose renewal of the misnamed FREEDOM Act.

The only rule bill the House will consider is H.R. 2339. This bill expands federal power to regulate tobacco by codifying the national 21  smoking age contained in last year’s spending bill, banning flavored cigarettes, requiring new warning labels on tobacco products, prohibits selling tobacco products online, increases “user fees” (taxes) on tobacco products, and funding public education campaigns about tobacco use.

The bill also violates the First Amendment by outlawing advertising of e-cigarettes that “appeals” to individuals under 21. There is no requirement the government prove the ad was intended to appeal to young people, all a bureaucrat simply needs to do is find one person under 18 that likes the ad and it is banned.

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

1. H.R. 35—Extends federal hate crime laws to include lynching.

2. H.R. 561—Limits the amount a veteran-owned small business with a contract with the Veteran’s Administration may spend on subcontractors to 50%.

The House will also consider a number of suspension bills expanding federal control of lands by declaring them part of a national monument.