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Articles By marci, page 4

  1. POPVOX Update: December 28, 2012

    by marci on December 28, 2012

    Yesterday was the first time Congress held a recorded vote between Christmas and New Years since 1970, according to the New York Times.

    According to our own Hill source, that historic vote yesterday was on S. 3667 — to rename a section of U.S. tax code after retiring Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-Texas). The section gives non-working spouses the ability to contribute the same amount of money to retirement accounts on a tax-free basis as their working spouses.

    Senator Hutchinson mentioned this gesture in her farewell speech earlier this month.

  2. What happens to bills after Congress adjourns? (Updated)

    by marci on December 28, 2012

    The 112th Congress will soon adjourn

    Some time next week, whether there is a deal on the fiscal cliff or not, the 112th Congress will adjourn “sine die,” or “without day,” and not reconvene until the new Congress starts on January 3, 2013.

    The slate will be wiped clean; there will be no business pending. All of the "H.R." and "S." numbered titles that have been discussed and debated for the past two years will be archived.

    When Congress reconvenes on January 3, 2013, the process will start all over again. Bills will be introduced and given a chronological number.  Expect a flurry of activity in the first few weeks.  In 2009, over 400 bills were introduced on the first day of the Congressional session, in 2011 the number was 239.  (Source www.THOMAS.gov.)

    Some Members of Congress are methodical about bill reintroduction. For example, Rep John Conyers [D, MI-14] waits every session to introduce his single-payer health care plan in a way that guarantees him the same bill number - H.R. 676.  

    Not all bills get reintroduced. Some bills that were sponsored by Members who are not returning are essentially orphans, waiting for someone to take them up and commit to introducing them. In some cases, sponsors who know they are not returning will hand over a bill to a colleague to champion and sponsor in future sessions.  

    Even for bills with returning sponsors, the RE-introduction process can take a while. Most offices plan out their legislative agenda ahead of time, and will want plenty of time to build support and plan a press strategy for reintroduction. Some bills may not be reintroduced for many months, or even until the second session (the second year) of the new Congress. This slow process is frustrating for individuals and organizations trying to build support for a particular issue.  The main vehicle for making progress on an issue is showing support in the form of co-sponsorships by other Members of Congress. Organizations rally their lists and volunteers to ask their legislators to sign on to this or that bill.  They arrange phone-banking, fly-ins, and district office visits; but all of this needs to be focused around a specific bill.

    On POPVOX, all bills from the 112th -- and the user and organization comments on those bills -- will be archived and available at the same URL. When the 112th Congress is over, you will no longer be able to send a message to Congress for or against the archived bill, but you will be able to advocate for its re-introduction.

    By advocating for bill reintroduction you will be able to help rally original cosposors and build momentum for a bill's new life in the 113th Congress. For orphan bills, this will provide an opportunity for supporters to catch the eye of potential sponsors.  For new Members looking for issues to take on, POPVOX provides a metric for those issues that have notable support.  For organizations, it is an opportunity to demonstrate real support when making the pitch for reintroduction. 

     

     

  3. The Hill 101: A "Blue-Slip" Problem

    by marci on December 21, 2012

    In a recent press conference regarding last night's cancelled vote on the Permanent Tax Relief for Families & Small Businesses Act (Plan B), Speaker John Boehner was asked about bringing the Senate-passed Middle Class Tax Cuts Act up for a vote on the House Floor. This bill has been the subject of efforts by House Democrats to force a vote, gathering signatures for a discharge petition.

    Speaker Boehner responded to the question by saying that the bill has a "blue-slip problem."

    So what is a blue-slip?

    Article 1 , Section 7 of the Constitution (sometimes referred to as the “Origination Clause”) states, “All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives."  That little sentence is the basis for the formation of the House Committee on Ways and Means , the oldest Congressional committee.  

    According to Wikipedia , the Origination Clause "originates" with the English parliamentary system, to ensure that the “power of the purse” remained with the House of Commons, that body closest to the people.  The specific clause was part of the Great “ Connecticut Compromise ” of the 1787 Constitutional Convention between big and small states.

    If a law passes with a “revenue raising measure,” that did not “originate in the House,” it can be “Blue-Slipped” by any House Member.  The name "blue-slip" comes from the blue piece of paper that is attached to the offending Senate bill and volleyed back across the Capitol.

    See: The Origination Clause of the U.S. Constitution: Interpretation and Enforcement, from the Congressional Research Service.

    Review a list of proposals on the table to address the Fiscal Cliff.

  4. POPVOX Evening Update: December 20, 2012

    by marci on December 21, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    the House called up two bills on Thursday related to the fiscal cliff:

    • HR 6684Spending Reduction Act, which would replace planned defense spending cuts with cuts to entitlement programs. The House passed this 215-209.
    • HJR66APermanent Tax Relief for Families & Small Businesses Act (Plan B), a bill maintaining current tax levels for income below $1 million. This was House Speaker John Boehner's original plan to extend most tax levels, but Republicans rebelled against what they saw as a tax hike on the rich, and the GOP pulled the bill from consideration late Thursday.

      The failure of the House to pass both bills raises several questions about how the House, Senate and White House will handle the fiscal cliff. Boehner left saying it is now up to the Senate and White House to think of a way around the planned tax hikes and spending cuts in January, although House Republicans are expected to be part of continuing negotiations.

    • The House approved a final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill in a 315-107 vote. The bill sets policy guidelines for the Defense Department in 2013, and authorizes $633 billion in spending. The Senate is expected to pass this bill Friday.

    The Senate passed two bills before adjourning:

     

  5. POPVOX Evening Update: December 18, 2012

    by marci on December 18, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    The House passed several suspension bills throughout the day:

    The Senate passed two resolutions related to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who passed away Monday at the age of 88.

    • SRs 624 honoring the life of Inouye, and
    • SCres 64 allowing Inouye to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda this week.

  6. POPVOX Evening Update: December 17, 2012

    by marci on December 17, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    Activity in Congress centered on memorials for the vitims of last week's tragic shooting in Newtown, CT that killed 28 people, including 20 elementary school children. Both the House and Senate passed resolutions condemning the violence. The House version was H.Res. 833 and the Senate version was S.Res. 621.

    The death of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) prompted the Senate to pass S.Res. 619, which recognizes Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) as president pro-temp of the Senate, the third in line of succession to the presidency behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner.

    The Senate passed a handful of other bills late Monday by unanimous consent:

    Aside from the Newtown resolution, the House passed two bills Monday:

  7. POPVOX Evening Update: December 13, 2012

    by marci on December 13, 2012

    Talks continue on the "Fiscal Cliff" -- check out the new POPVOX Fiscal Cliff hub to weigh in on proposals.

    According to our Hill Sources:

    Today, the Senate passed two bills by roll-call vote:

    • S 3637extending the Transaction Account Guarantee program, a federal guarantee for certain bank accounts that was created during the financial crisis. Republicans raised a budget point of order against this bill, which required 60 votes to waive. It failed 50-42.
    • S 3313the Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvement Act, which would allow Veterans Affairs to cover in vitro fertilization services for veterans. The Senate approved this by voice vote.
    • HR 6116allowing the U.S. Supreme Court to review decisions made by the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. The Senate approved this by voice vote.
    • S 2405requiring judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans to live close to the District of Columbia.

    In the House:

  8. POPVOX Evening Update: December 12, 2012

    by marci on December 12, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    Today the House approved a rule allowing the House to consider non-controversial suspension bills for the rest of December. House Republicans expect to take up several of these bills over the next few weeks while both the House and Senate await a final agreement on the fiscal cliff.

    Several other bills passed in the House today:

    • HR 3452the No-Hassle Flying Act, allowing TSA to exempt bags from further screening upon entering the United States, if they are from countries with acceptable screening protocols. Members approved this bill by voice vote.
    • HR 5817the Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act, ending a required annual notification banks must make to customers about data privacy policy. This was approved by voice.
    • HR 6190the Asthma Inhalers Relief Act, which allows remaining stocks of Primatene Mist to be sold in the United States. This product was banned in 2011 to comply with a clean air treaty, but several members said people with asthma should have access to the remaining stock. The House voted 229-182 in favor of the bill, but it needed a two-thirds vote, so it failed.
    • HR 6364Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act The measure was approved by voice vote.
    • S 1998the DART Act, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to obtain an unqualified audit in 2013. Members approved this bill by voice vote.

    In the Senate:

    The Senate re-approved the National Defense Authorization Act to make a small change that allowed the House and Senate to hold a conference on the bill. The conference is expected to sort out the differences between the two bills by next week.

    Also in the Senate:

    • HR 2828reauthorizing the Coast Guard for two years. The Senate approved this bill by voice vote, sending it to President Obama for his signature.
    • HR 3783the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act, which calls on the government to develop a plan to counter Iran's activities in the Western Hemisphere. This was approved by voice vote.

  9. POPVOX Evening Update: December 11, 2012

    by marci on December 11, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    The following bills passed in the Senate:

    No bills passed in the House today.

       

  10. PRESS CLIP: The ‘Vox’ of the People and the Vanguard of Lobby Technology

    by marci on December 11, 2012

    The ‘Vox’ of the People and the Vanguard of Lobby Technology in Lobby Blog

  11. POPVOX Evening Update: December 10, 2012

    by marci on December 10, 2012

    According to our Hill sources:

    It was a slow news day on Capitol Hill. The House was not in session, the Senate postponed votes because many Members could not make it back to DC due to the fog, with one exception:

    Photo credit: The Weather Channel

    Tomorrow, the Senate will work on:

    Also tomorrow, the House returns and will vote on a Motion to go to Conference on the National Defense Authorization Act (HR 4310), along with a Democratic Motion to Instruct Conferees.

    Updated at 10:32 AM ET to reflect Senate passage of H.R. 3187.

  12. POPVOX Evening Update: December 6, 2012

    by marci on December 6, 2012

    According to our Hill sources:

    The House was out Thursday. The Senate was in session and approved several bills that the House passed earlier in the week. The bills now go to the White House for the President's signature.

    This bill grants permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status to Russia, which entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in August. By a vote of 92-4, the Senate approved the bill, which passed the House on November 16, 2012.

    The Obama Administration issued a statement supporting the bill, "in order for American businesses, workers, farmers and ranchers to reap the same economic benefits in Russia's markets that other WTO members receive." The bill also includes the "Magnitsky Rule", named for the 37-year old Russian tax accountant, Sergei Magnitsky, who discovered and reported fraud in Russia and was jailed, tortured, and killed. The new rule directs the Secretary of State to identify those involved in extrajudicial killings, torture, or other human rights violations in Russia. It revokes any U.S. visa held by those persons and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to freeze and prohibit their U.S. property transactions. (Source: CRS summary, Thomas.gov)

    • HR 6634 - to delay a transparency requirement established by the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, or the STOCK Act. That law requires the online publication of the financial disclosure reports of about 28,000 senior government officials. Some government officials oppose to the requirement, arguing that it could lead to national security issues. The legislation delays the implementation of the measure until April 15, 2013, while a study of the provision is underway.

     

     

  13. POPVOX Evening Update: December 5, 2012

    by marci on December 6, 2012

    On Wednesday, the Senate passed the following bills:

    The Senate also began consideration of:

    The House finished up its votes for the week with the following bills:

    • HR 6602 (technical update to U.S. Code on Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations)
    • SCR 50"expressing the sense of Congress regarding actions to preserve and advance the multistakeholder governance model under which the Internet has thrived."The resolution passed both the House and Senate. Resolutions express the "sense of Congress" and are not signed by the President. They do not have the force of law.
    • S 2367 the 21st Century Language Act, striking the word “lunatic” from Federal law.
    • HR 6634 changing the effective date for the Internet publication of certain financial disclosure forms.
    • HR 6620 the Former Presidents Protection Act, eliminating certain limitations on the length of Secret Service Protection for former Presidents and for the children of former Presidents.
    • HR 6605 eliminating an unnecessary reporting requirement for an unfunded DNA Identification grant program.
    • HR 6623 clarifying that a period of employment abroad by the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator, interpreter, or in a security-related position in an executive or managerial capacity is to be counted as a period of residence and physical presence in the United States for purposes of qualifying for naturalization

  14. POPVOX Evening Update: December 4, 2012

    by marci on December 4, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources

    The following bills passed in the Senate:

    • HR 3254National Defense Authorization Act, authorizing DOD activities for fiscal year 2013.

      The bill was approved after the Senate spent several days working on it, during which time senators considered dozens of amendments. On Tuesday, the Senate approved amendments that would require a report on U.S. military action in Syria, and require the administration to brief Congress about strategic plans to control nuclear weapons by the U.S. or Russia.

      While a formal conference with the House may not be needed, some work between the House and Senate will be required to reconcile the Senate- and House-passed versions before it can be signed into law.

    • S 1947the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would prohibit attendance at animal fighting events.
    • UNThe Senate also voted on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a United Nations treaty meant to boost the rights and accessibility of people with disabilities in signatory countries. The Senate failed to ratify this treaty — a two-thirds vote was needed, but the final vote was 61-38.

    In the House:

    The House also approved seven "private" bills that grant granting citizenship or permanent residency to foreign nationals:

    • S 285 A bill for the relief of Sopuruchi Chukwueke.
    • HR 316 A bill for the relief of Esther Karinge.
    • HR 357 A bill for the relief of Corina de Chalup Turcinovic.
    • HR 794 A bill for the relief of Allan Bolor Kelley.
    • HR 823 A bill for the relief of Maria Carmen Castro Ramirez and J. Refugio Carreno Rojas.
    • HR 824 A bill for the relief of Daniel Wachira.
    • HR 1857 A bill for the relief of Bartosz Kumor.

       

  15. PRESS CLIP: Transforming Democracy Through Digital Technology

    by marci on December 3, 2012

    Transforming Democracy Through Digital Technology in Stanford Social Innovation Review

  16. The Week Ahead for Congress: Dec. 3 - 7

    by marci on December 2, 2012

    Bills before Congress: December 3

    From our Hill Sources: Congress returns for the first of two scheduled work weeks in December. With no deal in sight to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," both the House and Senate are set to focus on other topics:

    The Senate

    The Senate is in session beginning Monday. It will take up:

    • S 3354The National Defense Authorization Act: According to Hill Sources, The Senate made significant progress on this bill last week, by disposing of dozens of amendments. On Monday, the Senate will hold a vote to end debate on the bill, and could pass the bill by the end of the week.)
    • UNThe Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Last week, the Senate debated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On Tuesday, the Senate is expected to vote on this treaty, which commits signatories to ensuring equal rights and accessibility for people with disabilities. The UN treaty vote requires a two-thirds majority. 

    The House

    The House has a short week, and will only work until Wednesday on up to eight suspension bills:

    • HR 5817The Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act, which eases annual privacy policy notice requirements for banks that take certain steps to ensure customer privacy. This bill would eliminate a requirement that bank notify their customers each year about their privacy policies. Under the bill, banks would only have to notify changes in these policies to their customers.
    • HR 6223 Amending current law so that time served abroad by certain U.S. officials will be counted as time served in the United States for purposes of qualifying for naturalization.
    • HR 6582 Amending the American Energy Manufacturing Act to allow manufacturers to use alternative technology to meet energy efficiency goals.
    • HR 6602 Making technical changes to U.S. code dealing patriotic and national observances and ceremonies.
    • HR 6605 Eliminating a reporting requirement for an unfunded DNA identification grant program.
    • HR 6620 Eliminating some limitations on the length of Secret Service Protection for former Presidents and for the children of former Presidents.
    • S 2367The 21st Century Language Act, which eliminates the word "lunatic" from US code.
    • S 3486The Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act, which amends patent law to implement the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, and the Patent Law Treaty. Both treaties were ratified by the Senate in 2007.

    Dec. 3, 2012 9:20 AM ET: This post was updated to add a description for H.R. 5817 and to correct the votes required to ratify the UN treaty. (An earlier post incorrectly stated that 60 votes were needed.)

  17. POPVOX Evening Update: November 30, 2012

    by marci on November 30, 2012

    Good evening! According to our Hill Sources, today in Congress:

    In the Senate:

    By unanimous consent the Senate passed S. 2170, the Hatch Modernization Act, which allows state or local officers run for elective office unless their salary is paid by the federal government, and creates other exemptions to the rule preventing runs for elective office by local office holders.

    In the House:

    By a vote of 245-139, the House passed H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act. This bill would eliminate the diversity visa program and create a new program for foreign students with science-related degrees.

     

  18. POPVOX Evening Update: November 29, 2012

    by marci on November 29, 2012

    Good evening! According to our Hill Sources, today in Congress:

    In the Senate:

    The Senate continued work on amendments to S. 3254, the National Defense Authorization Act. A vote on final passage may come on Friday.

    Also last night, the Senate passed S. 3542, the No-Hassle Flying Act, which modifies luggage screening requirements for international arriving passengers from foreign airports with an aviation security preclearance agreements. The bill now moves to the House.

    In the House:

    The House debated and passed a rule for consideration of H.R. 6429 the STEM Jobs Act. Final vote on that bill is scheduled for tomorrow.

     

    This post was updated on 11/30/12 at 8:10 ET to reflect the timing of the Senate vote on S. 3254 and add passage of S. 3542.

  19. POPVOX Evening Update: November 28, 2012

    by marci on November 28, 2012

    According to our Hill Sources:

    In the Senate:

    The Senate took up S. 3254, the National Defense Authorization Act, and was debating and holding votes on amendments to that bill on Wednesday. It was unclear whether the Senate would finish work on the bill this week.

    The Senate also passed S. 1998, the DART Act, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to report on how it will manage internal finances.

    In the House:

    The House was in briefly Wednesday to consider eight bills naming federal buildings. One of these, H.R. 6604, named a building in Washington DC after former House Speaker Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts.

    Other bills named post offices or other buildings in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington state.

     

    This post was updated 11/29/12 at 10:11 AM ET to reflect the Senate passage of the DART Act.

  20. ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: Immigration (II)

    by marci on November 28, 2012

    In June, we posted an issue spotlight on Immigration. The issue continues to be the subject of significant debate and new proposals have been introduced in Congress. Given this attention, we wanted to update our list and highlight pending immigration bills that are in the news or getting attention on POPVOX.

    We hope you'll share this Issue Spotlight with your friends and networks and weigh in on these and other immigration bills.

    Issue Spotlight: Immigration

    New Bills:

    • HR 6429 The STEM Jobs Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote innovation, investment, and research in the United States, to eliminate the diversity immigrant program..." House vote this week.
    • S 3639 The ACHIEVE Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to "provide secure borders and to give long-term resident youth the ability to contribute to the safety and economic growth of the United States..." Just introduced.
    • HR 6412 The Attracting the Best and Brightest Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act "to provide for immigrant visas for certain advanced STEM graduates..." Just introduced.

    Previously Listed Bills:

    (listed in order of activity on POPVOX)

    • HR 3012 The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants. (Also, S 1857)
      (1,802 users have weighed in so far: 71% supporting | 29% opposing)
    • HR 140 The Birthright Citizenship Act amends section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify those classes of individuals born in the United States who are nationals and citizens of the United States at birth. (Also, S 723)
      (1,522 users have weighed in so far: 70% supporting | 30% opposing)
    • HR 43 Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the diversity immigrant program and to re-allocate those visas to certain employment-based immigrants who obtain an advanced degree in the United States.
      (1,299 users have weighed in so far: 77% supporting | 23% opposing)
    • HR 45 The Criminal Alien Accountability Act amends section 276 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to impose mandatory sentencing ranges with respect to aliens who reenter the United States after having been removed.
      (1,147 users have weighed in so far: 81% supporting | 19% opposing)
    • HR 3166 The Enemy Expatriation Act adds engaging in or supporting hostilities against the United States to the list of acts for which United States nationals would lose their nationality. (Also, S 1698)
      (1,072 users have weighed in so far: 13% supporting | 87% opposing)
    • S 565 The StartUp Visa Act establishes an employment-based immigrant visa for alien entrepreneurs who have received significant capital from investors to establish a business in the United States. (Also, HR 1114)
      (713 users have weighed in so far: 50% supporting | 50% opposing)
    • S 952 The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act authorizes the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children. (Also, HR 1842)
      (757 users have weighed in so far: 40% supporting | 60% opposing)

    See previous Issue Spotlights.

    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.

(For media inquiries, please contact Marci Harris, POPVOX’s CEO, at info@popvox.com.)

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