The POPVOX Blog

Bills before Congress: June 18-22

by rachna on June 17, 2012

From our Hill Sources: The House and Senate are both in this week. The Senate will continue trying to make progress on the farm bill, while the House will pass bills dealing with federal land policy and energy.

Bills before Congress: June 18-22

  • S 3240 The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act (Number one on POPVOX last week.) The Senate has already spent a week trying to reach an agreement on which amendments to this bill will receive a vote. Supporters of this bill, which include some Republicans, say the bill would impose spending reforms by ending direct payments to farmers, and save $23 billion.

      Several Republicans who oppose the bill, however, note that the bill spends nearly $1 trillion, $400 billion more than the last farm bill, and that "savings" in the bill are only compared to current levels, which includes billions of dollars in stimulus money. That GOP opposition is a likely signal that House Republicans will want to pursue a different farm bill altogether later in the year.

  • HR 2578 The Conservation and Economic Growth Act combines several bills dealing with federal land use, and is expected to be approved by Tuesday. Among other things, the bill would encourage target ranges on federal land, and alter environmental rules that limited Customs and Border Patrol access to certain border lands.
  • HR 4480 The Strategic Energy Production Act combines various energy-related proposals, including language that would require the government to assess how energy policies affect gas prices and jobs, and provisions aimed at increasing domestic energy development.

Several other bills will be considered and voted on throughout the week after just limited debate:

  • HRes 683 Expressing the regret of the House of Representatives for the passage of laws that adversely affected the Chinese in the United States, including the Chinese Exclusion Act. (Number 14 on POPVOX last week.) (From Rep. Judy Chu)
  • HR 1272 The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgment Fund Distribution Act.
  • HR 1556 to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to allow certain land to be used to generate income to provide funding for academic programs.
  • HR 2938 The Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act.
  • HR 3668 The Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act.
  • HR 4027 To clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah."
  • S 404 To modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior.
  • S 684 To provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Alta, Utah.
  • S 997 The East Bench Irrigation District Water Contract Extension Act.

Other bills of interest:

Several bills are still in congressional limbo, reflecting disputes between the House and Senate over whether or how to move them:

  • S 1789 The 21st Century Postal Service Act. The Senate approved this bill (number four on POPVOX) in April, but there has been no action in the House.
  • HR 10 The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act. The House approved this bill (number five on POPVOX) last December, but the Senate has not considered it.
  • HR 4348 The Federal Highway Bill. The House and Senate are still meeting on a multi-year highway spending bill. The Senate's bill would spend $109 billion over two years, which House Republicans have rejected as too expensive. House Republicans have indicated that another short-term extension might be needed. (Also in the Senate, S 1813)

(If you'd like this alert emailed to you directly once a week, please send me an email at rachna@popvox.com.)

Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system. 

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