This Week On The Hill

Here's what's happening this week:

Congress will begin its July 4 recess at the close of business on Friday -- don't we all wish we could do the same? -- but before it does, it will attempt to make some headway on health care legislation.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee continues to markup its version of the bill, while according to the New York Times the Senate Finance Committee will be engaged in "intense back-room negotiations". In the House, three committees -- Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor -- will take up the 852-page draft of their joint health care bill.

Look for many in the GOP -- and too many timid Dems -- to try to kill the public plan option by citing a CBO report that estimated the HELP plan would cover "only 16 million people".

It's bunk.

As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities notes, "The CBO analysis covers only a part of the HELP plan… and does not include major elements... that would further substantially reduce the number of uninsured." Democrats in need of a little spine should check out the latest New York Times/CBS News poll that finds 72 percent of Americans support a public plan option that would compete with private insurers. On Thursday, Health Care for America Now (HCAN) will hold a large rally and lobbying day at the Capitol.

The House will vote on the mammoth $680.4 billion FY10 defense authorization bill. According to CongressDaily, Rep. James McGovern will once again offer his good amendment demanding an Afghanistan exit strategy -- something President Obama himself has said is needed but is still inexplicably missing from his Af-Pak strategy. The House and Senate will also take up the FY10 Homeland Security bill (approximately $45 billion). The House will also take up the $32.3 billion Interior-Environment spending bill.

The Senate is expected to sign a tourism promotion bill. That's not too exciting in itself, but the battle around the amendments is of interest. So far, the GOP has blocked an amendment from Senator Bernie Sanders that would take on oil speculation.

Senator Frank Lautenberg continues to push commonsense gun regulation even as many of his Democratic colleagues turn weak-kneed on the issue. Today, he will introduce legislation that would allow the Attorney General to block gun sales to people on terror watch lists. That's right -- as things stand now, people on the list can't board a plane but they can load up on guns and ammo, no problem.

Congress also begins its work on a financial regulatory reform bill. This morning, the Senate Banking Committee looks at regulating over-the-counter derivatives -- a weakness in the Obama proposal. House Financial Services, on the other hand, takes a look Wednesday at one of the stronger aspects of Obama's proposal -- enhancing consumer protection. Obama proposes creating a Consumer Finance Protection Agency.

The White House is scheduled to have one of its bipartisan, let's see what we agree on, meetings this Thursday -- this one on immigration reform. It's been postponed twice already.

Notable hearings -- all taking place on a busy Thursday: Attorney General Eric Holder appears before Senate Judiciary regarding proposed changes to "The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009"…. House Financial Services looks at preserving federal and state affordable housing…. Fed Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Bank of America's acquisition of Merrill Lynch and the subsequent government bailout…. and the Joint Economic Committee looks at predatory lending and reverse redlining.

Comments (13)

1. "Senator Frank Lautenberg continues to push commonsense gun regulation even as many of his Democratic colleagues turn weak-kneed on the issue. Today, he will introduce legislation that would allow the Attorney General to block gun sales to people on terror watch lists. That's right -- as things stand now, people on the list can't board a plane but they can load up on guns and ammo, no problem."

   Airplanes aren't the worry...

   clinics and museums are.

   Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 12:24pm

2. Airplanes aren't the worry...

   clinics and museums are.

   Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 12:24pm

   Yeah but those folks are not on the list.

   There are some pretty serious issues with the terror watch list. My brother in laws' name is on the list. Its not him but someone else, but because he shares the name he is detained everytime he flies. So now he plans an extra 3 hours everytime he flies. What now he can't but a gun either?

   SO, While I would support not letting terrorists buy guns. The problem remains that we don't know who is a terrorist, or what the process is for being put on the "watch list".

   Posted by Extraneous at 06/22/2009 @ 12:53pm

3. Yeah well kinda like not wanting to face the reality of extremists of all stripes we're confronted with. But then again the GOPees will continue to whine about the socialists wanting to control everything-- especially given the GOPees inability to lift every toilet seat they always piss on-- Nor will the seemingly incontinent GOPees ever willingly pay for the clean up of the long long trail of soiled-on commodes they never learned how to use correctly.

   Yeah as long as the GOPees relieve themselves 'freely', they know somebody else will have to eventually clean it all up for them.

   Oh, but of course-- those damn socialists!

   Posted by hsuBfools at 06/22/2009 @ 1:06pm

4. Posted by Extraneous at 06/22/2009 @ 12:53pm

   Stupid overkill (the watch lists), but end them and the Right will scream "He's opening us upto terrorists!!!!"

   Plus it's a joke, ever since Ted Kennedy's name got put on it. Sardonic quips from the conservatives aside ...it proved the lists are useless.

   Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 1:33pm

5. Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 1:33pm

   Right.

   Cat Stevens, and Ted Kennedy. Would be scared if I was on the same flight as those two...

   With the crazy politization of federal agencies under the last admin (Julie Macdonald, A. Gonzales, Mark Rey, etc) making policy decisions based off purely ideological reasons makes one wonder who was in charge of the watch list, and how names were added?

   Posted by Extraneous at 06/22/2009 @ 2:57pm

6. Posted by Extraneous at 06/22/2009 @ 2:57pm

   In fairness, I think Larry/antisoc would be onboard for putting radical "pro-lifers" like Randall Terry on a watch list....he's often principled over political, even if such principles are wackadoodle.

   Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 3:15pm

7. Posted by Mask at 06/22/2009 @ 3:15pm

   Hmmm... but would he support putting Limbaugh on that list? Protesting Obama's speech at Notre Dame is one thing, but hoping and activley working for a president to fail when our country is facing a severe recession, two wars, North Korea and Iran, global warming, etc etc etc. Is another thing altogether, and in my oppinion far more dangerous.

   Hmmm, but then again maybe it is a little wrong to be discussing Anti's views on a thread he is not even active on... but then maybe not.

   Posted by snowball666 at 06/22/2009 @ 3:33pm

   Lol

   Posted by Extraneous at 06/22/2009 @ 3:42pm

8. Has the Nation abandoned all coverage of Waxman-Markey? This is the beginning of Energy Week and you've said nothing. No mention of Ag Committee Chairman holding the bill hostage to the interests of Agribiz. I never see any reporting on Climate and Energy in this publication. You are as bad as the NY Times in this area. Is this a Manhattan disease or what? This magazine is growing increasingly irrelevant.

   Posted by nmahkno at 06/22/2009 @ 9:09pm

9. This is the beginning of Energy Week and you've said nothing. No mention of Ag Committee Chairman holding the bill hostage to the interests of Agribiz. Posted by nmahkno at 06/22/2009 @ 9:09pm

   nmahkno--

   all indications are that "Energy Week" is being pushed until after the July 4th recess -- you're right, largely (though not entirely) due to Peterson.... You can count on an update at that time. Also, previous posts raised the issue of lobbyists weakening provisions of the bills and linked to petitions and contacting representatives to strengthen those provisions.... including the renewable portfolio standard, mandatory greenhouse reductions, and auctioning emissions credits.

   Posted by gregokauf at 06/22/2009 @ 9:20pm

10. you poor pitiful liberals, no conservative posters but you still feel the need to harp on 'em. you are nothing but collectivists wanting to force your ideals upon others by way of government henchmen. when people are coerced, you may gain compliance while your looking but as soon as you turn your back it's over. and noones ideals are changed by coersion, only conformance may be gained. exactly why racism still is rampant in this country, pitiful really. humans do NOT desire to be ruled.

    Posted by liberty4all at 06/22/2009 @ 11:16pm

11. Yes, "liberty4all", please educate us. You cons have done such a stellar job of standing up for our liberties.

    Posted by BlackFrancis at 06/23/2009 @ 09:49am

12. "exactly why racism still is rampant in this country..."----Posted by liberty4all at 06/22/2009 @ 11:16pm |

    Racism is still rampant because of a lack of abject libertarianism?

    Well...that's a new one....LOL

    Posted by Mask at 06/23/2009 @ 09:50am

13. Haha. Yeah, their "logic" is amazing. :)

    Posted by BlackFrancis at 06/23/2009 @ 10:20am