A Reveiw and Preview of Congress for the week of June 15, 2009 from NWYC.com ...

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REVIEW

Health Care Overhaul Plan: The Senate Finance Committee’s version of health care legislation will include a public plan and is likely to call for a system of government-organized insurance “co-operatives” across the country, according to Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT).Lawmakers are also considering how to regulate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The measure has not yet been drafted, but a preliminary study by the Joint Committee on Taxation shows that taxing FSAs and HSAs would result in $68.6 billion for the federal government over 10 years.Tobacco Regulation Bill: The Senate has passed sweeping legislation to authorize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products. The measure would allow the FDA to regulate nicotine levels, bar flavor additives in tobacco products and require tough new warning labels on cigarette packages and advertising. The House is set to clear the bill and send it to the President’s desk for a signature. (H.R.1256)

Military Pay Raise: The Military Personnel Subcommittee approved a pay raise for military members that would exceed President Obama’s request for a 2.9 percent pay raise. The committee opted for a 3.4 percent pay raise. The measure would also authorize sufficient funding to increase the Army’s active duty strength to as many as 577,400 soldiers in fiscal 2010. The House is expected to consider the measure in the coming days.War Supplemental: Both chambers are continuing work on the conference report on the fiscal 2009 supplemental war spending bill. The measure would fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. Many Republicans have threatened to vote against the legislation because of a provision that would give $5 billion to the International Monetary Fund.After a telephone call from President Obama, conferees dropped a portion of the bill that would have prohibited release of photographs depicting abuse of U.S. detainees. The President assured lawmakers that he would take action to see that the photographs were not released in the near future. Appropriators estimated the measure would total $106 billion. (H.R.2346)

Military Aid to Pakistan: The House passed a bill that would provide military aid to Pakistan if the President determines Pakistan is cooperating in dismantling nuclear supply networks and fighting terrorist groups. It prohibits military assistance if the President determines that Pakistan is not taking such actions. It goes next to the Senate. (H.R.1886)

Voting By Mail: Legislation that would allow all eligible Americans to vote by mail in presidential and congressional elections was approved by a House committee. The measure would prohibit states from imposing special conditions or requirements on eligibility to vote by mail, except in regard to deadlines for requesting and returning the ballot. Those for the measure feel that mailing in ballots is the easiest way to vote. Those against it feel that an increase in voting by mail would lead to an increase in voter fraud. (H.R.1604)

Peace Corps Expansion: The House passed a State Department and Foreign Operations bill that would authorize the hiring of 1,500 new Foreign Service officers and 700 additional staff members at the U.S. Agency for International Development. It would also significantly expand the number of Peace Corps volunteers from the current figure of about 8,000. (H.R.2410)

High-Tech Businesses: A House Contracting and Technology Subcommittee approved four bills that would reauthorize and expand programs to help small, high-tech businesses that do innovative research. It would provide $27.5 million annually for various programs. (H.R.2767) (H.R.2747) (H.R.2769) (H.R.2772)

PREVIEW

The Senate will take up legislation (S.1023) to create a nonprofit corporation that would promote tourism to the U.S. To help pay for the nonprofit corporation, the legislation would impose a $10 fee on foreign travelers visiting the United States. The fee would match private industry contributions by up to $100 million a year. The House will take up a Homeland Security spending bill and a Commerce-Justice-Science bill.

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