TWICAUG3

The House and Senate passed separate versions expanding the Social Security program that provides health insurance to low-income children. The Senate added its bill, S1893, to a House-passed bill, HR 976, that provides tax breaks to small businesses to help them absorb the expense of the recent minimum wage increase.

Both bills aim to increase benefits and services and expand coverage to more people by projected yearly increases in the insurable populations and by raising the amount of money an applicant can earn and still qualify. Both bills raise revenue through lower payments to health plan providers and an increase in taxes on tobacco products.

The House bill, HR 3162, would spend an estimated $50 billion to cover the 8 to 12 million uninsured low-income children. The bill also modifies Medicare programs giving less money to the companies that provide insurance and prescription drug plans. The changes require more disclosure of plan details and allows participants more freedom to change prescription plans if their coverage is lowered or needed drugs are no longer provided.

House Minority Members took exception to the provision that simplified the process of establishing beneficiary eligibility. They held that undocumented workers and illegal aliens could receive the benefits. Another point of contention was language that allowed States to continue to provide coverage to parents of the children and adults without children. A provision in the House bill prohibits States from implementing any plan that covers non-children until it can certify that there are no children still without coverage.

The Senate would spend about $35 billion and does not make any changes to adult Medicare programs. The Senate bill, S1893, phases out coverage of adults an includes coverage for pregnant women and the unborn child. Under the Senate bill, States would have to insure coverage of all qualified children before extending the program to any other group. the Senate bill requires a thorough plan establishing children's healthcare standards.

Senate:

HR 976; Senate amendments to HR 976 and S 1893 with votes

House:

HR 3162 with votes

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT SPENDING COMPLETED

The bill increases funds for rural development, food safety and inspection, nutrition and health, bio-energy, conservation and targets waste, fraud and abuse in the Farm Credit Agency and crop insurance entities.

HR 3161 report with amendments and votes

$250 Million to Aid Minneapolis Bridge Rebuild

HR 3311

Senate Bill Creates Commission to Evaluate US Transportation and Other Infrastructure

S 775

Senate, House Agree on Ethics Bill

Sent to the President

S. 1

DEFENSE SPENDING

BUILDS FUTURE FORCE STRUCTURE

Photo Jennifer Wallis

$459 billion bill looks to financial incentives and family resources and services to attract recruits for a 'modular force' that is "more capable, flexible, and deployable"

HR 3222

ENERGY BILL COMBINES PREVIOUSLY PASSED PROVISIONS

Covers All Aspects of Production, Delivery, Market Needs and Environmental Concerns.

HR 3221

TAX PACKAGE

Removes Incentives for Oil, Gas Investment

Adds Incentives for Alternative Fuel and Energy Conservation

HR 2776

VOTE PROCEDURE TO BE INVESTIGATED

Dissention on the Outcome of the Vote on the Minority Motion to Recommit HR 3161 Resulted in Voice Vote Agreement to a Resolution Calling for an Investigation Into the Matter.

HRES 611

RESOLUTION QUESTIONS ABUSE OF AUTHORITY BY THE CHAIR
The Resolution takes exception to an exchange between a Member and the Acting Chair-Rep. Murtha. The Resolution was tabled.
HRES 612

PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION HRES 623

(Text not yet available)

The Resolution calls for an investigation into the allegation that there is a difference between floor remarks made by the Majority Leader in regard to HRES 612 (above) and the recording of the comments in the Congressional Record

The Resolution was table on a party-line vote of 216 to 182 RC 833

Bills Amend Surveillance Oversight; Seek Iraq Contingency Plan; Improve Troop R&R.

House Wire Tap Bill Fails - Senate Bill Prevails

The House provided amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act governing electronic surveillance of telecommunications. Court, not Attorney General, decides.

HR 3356

The Senate passed its own bill amending FISA that does allow the Attorney General to decide but with minimal court oversight. The House concurred.

S 1927

Contingence Plan Required for Iraq

Secretary of Defense and Joint Chief Chair would meet Congress with regular updates on contingency plan until US troops no longer needed in Iraq.

HR3087

Downtime for Troops

Bill requires increase in time between deployment of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan.

HR 3159

THE SENATE IS ADJOURNED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4TH

THE HOUSE CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF HR 3222 (DEFENSE)