The R&P Report from the NWYC for the week of Spetember 28, 2009 ...

Regrets on not posting too much lately, but I have been battling a bug, since Sunday morning. As we like to post weekly when there is news, here is this week's R&P Report on Congress ...

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responsible Americans to use their influence in government to preserve the
freedoms set forth by our Founding Fathers.

REVIEW

Senate Health Care Bill: The Senate Finance Committee's Health Care bill proposed by Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) would mandate health insurance coverage and create a network of nonprofit health insurance cooperatives. The bill strives to create competition against private insurers, which many lawmakers say would result from a public plan. The Senate bill, which is still in draft form, is a product of bipartisan talks among the six panel members but no Republicans have come out in strong support of it. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) has expressed tentative support based on the final price tag. House Bill (H.R.3200): House Democrats plan to send a single bill to the Congressional Budget Office to be scored soon. The bill will then be brought to the House floor for debate. Click here for a ballot on this issue.Click here to sign up for Bill Tracker updates on this issue.

Surface Transportation Extension Act: Despite GOP opposition, the House passed a three-month extension of the surface transportation law, overcoming the Republican leadership’s efforts to rally members against it. The bill would reauthorize the federal-aid highway, transit, boating safety, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund for the period beginning October 1, 2009. (H.R.3617)

Coast Guard Authorization: A House committee approved a $10 billion Coast Guard authorization bill that is expected to put important resources in the hands of the agency. The bill would authorize $200 million more for the Coast Guard in fiscal 2010 than President Obama requested. (H.R.3619)

Loan Program: The House cleared a bill authorizing $750 million for a new loan program for U.S. manufacturers providing products “critical to national security.” The new loan program was included in a bill reauthorizing the Defense Production Act through fiscal 2014. (S.1677)

Stopgap Spending Bills: House leaders are expected to attach a government-wide fiscal 2009 stopgap funding measure to the legislative branch annual spending bill. Republican lawmakers said the move would make it difficult to vote against what they view as wasteful government spending. (H.R.2918)

Medicare Premium Increase: The House passed a bill that would prevent Medicare premiums from rising sharply for about 11 million senior citizens. The bill would cost $2.8 billion and would be offset by reducing the Medicare Improvement Fund, which the Health and Human Services Department uses to make improvements to Medicare Part A and Part B. (H.R.3631) Click here to express your opinion on this issue.

Kennedy Interim Replacement: Paul G. Kirk Jr., a longtime Democratic Party insider and associate of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick as Kennedy’s interim replacement.

Extension of Small Business Act: The House passed a bill that would provide for a temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act. It would provide loans on a deferred basis to viable small business concerns. (H.R.3614)

House Passes FAA Extension: The House passed a bill to extend the Federal Aviation Administration’s authority to collect and spend the tax revenues fueling the aviation system through the end of the year. The Senate is expected to follow suit by week’s end. (H.R.3607)

PREVIEW

Health Care: The Senate Finance Committee will continue its markup of the health care overhaul bill. The bill would mandate health care coverage. Credit Card Law: House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D–MA) is backing a plan to move up the effective date of a new law aimed at curbing credit card billing practices deemed abusive by consumer advocates. Several provisions of the law are slated to take effect in February 2010, but Rep. Frank wants to move that date to Dec. 1, 2009.

Satellite TV Regulations: A Senate committee will mark up a bill that would reauthorize the law governing how satellite TV carriers distribute local broadcast signals. The bill would make it easier for major satellite carriers DirecTV and Dish Network to provide local “distant signals.” (S.1670)

Click here to view R&P Report as a PDF