GOP To Obama: Take Your ‘Golf Cap Off’ And Visit Coal Country’ | Boehner To Reid 'No To Dems Comprehensive Immigration Reform" Modifying House Bills
Today in Washington, D.C. - July 30, 2014
The House reconvened at 10 AM.
The House will may consider the following today:
H. Con. Res. 107 — "Denouncing the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas and other terrorist organizations in violation of international humanitarian law."
H.R. 935 - "To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes; and providing for proceedings during the period from August 1, 2014, through September 5, 2014."
H.R. 5195 — "To provide additional visas for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program, and for other purposes."
Yesterday, House Speaker John Boehner made it clear that the House will not take up the Senate immigration reform bill or accept it back from the Senate in any fashion. Speaker Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said he would attempt to add comprehensive immigration reform to any House-passed bill to address the current border crisis:“Senator Reid, embarrassed that he cannot strong-arm the Senate into passing the blank check President Obama demanded, is making a deceitful and cynical attempt to derail the House’s common-sense solution. So let me be as clear as I can be with Senator Reid: the House of Representatives will not take up the Senate immigration reform bill or accept it back from the Senate in any fashion. Nor will we accept any attempt to add any other comprehensive immigration reform bill or anything like it, including the DREAM Act, to the House’s targeted legislation, which is meant to fix the actual problems causing the border crisis. Such measures have no place in the effort to solve this crisis, and any attempt to exploit this crisis by adding such measures will run into a brick wall in the People’s House. “While the White House has abandoned all pretense of governing and the Senate is doing almost nothing to address our struggling economy, Republicans remain committed to addressing the American people’s priorities, and that includes passing a responsible bill this week to help secure our border and return these children safely to their home countries.”
NOTE: Republican Senators have also ruled out any attempt to use the current crisis to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Yesterday the House passed the following:
H.R. 3896 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to provide a definition of recreational vessel for purposes of such Act."
H.R. 4315 (233-190) — "To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require publication on the Internet of the basis for determinations that species are endangered species or threatened species, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4626 (Voice Vote) — "To ensure access to certain information for financial services industry regulators, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4709 (Voice Vote) — "To improve enforcement efforts related to prescription drug diversion and abuse, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4809 (386-32) — "To reauthorize the Defense Production Act, to improve the Defense Production Act Committee, and for other purposes."
H.R. 5062 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to specify that privilege is maintained when information is shared by certain nondepository covered persons with Federal and State financial regulators, and for other purposes."
The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of S. 2569, Democrats’ latest partisan campaign bill that’s designed to fail.
At 10:45, Democrats failed to get the 60 votes needed to advance their partisan bill, with the cloture motion failing by a vote of 54-42. Senators then voted 63-33 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to (i.e. take up and debate) S. 2648, Senate Democrats’ emergency supplemental appropriations bill which includes money requested by the White House for the border crisis, Israel’s Iron Dome system, and western wildfires.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 97-0 to confirm Robert McDonald to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. During his confirmation hearing last week, McDonald laid out a series of actions he would take during his first 90 days in office to “deliver the needed reforms our veterans deserve. The Washington Post details the nine initiatives the new VA secretary will undertake.
Also yesterday, the Senate voted on the House-passed highway trust fund bill, H.R. 5021. The Senate voted 71-26 to adopt an amendment to the bill offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) that changed offsets in the bill and then voted 66-31 to adopt an amendment from Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) that changed the duration of the bill from funding the trust fund through May to funding it until this December. The Senate rejected an amendment from Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), which would have streamlined environmental and permit requirements for reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged in emergencies by a vote of 47-50. Also rejected, by a vote of 28-69, was an amendment from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) which would have devolved most transportation responsibilities to the states and lowered the gas tax. Following those votes, the Senate voted 79-18 to pass H.R. 5021, as amended.
The Hill reports, “Republicans slammed President Obama for regulations on carbon pollution from existing coal-fired power plants on Tuesday, telling him to take ‘his golf cap off and get his hard hat on.’ The presser led by Senate Minority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) featured former coal miner and ‘America's Got Talent’ contestant Jimmy Rose, who sang his song ‘Coal Keeps the Lights On.’ . . . The GOP has rallied in opposition to the rules this week as the EPA launches the second phase of its engagement plan. To bulk up support, the administration started a major public relations push this week to strengthen the president's hand just as the battle over the regulations reached a fever-pitch. On Wednesday, Republicans struck back. ‘I want him to get off the back nine and come into the mines,’ Kelly said. ‘I want him to get his golf cap off and get his hard hat on. I want him to walk the streets and I want him to look in face of moms and dads that rely every day on this precious product.’”
Before the press conference Leader McConnell and Jimmy Rose took the concerns of coal country to the EPA Headquarters in Washington, testifying at the agency’s hearing on its regulation for existing power plants and the negative impact it will have on Kentucky’s economy and coal jobs. Leader McConnell has repeatedly invited the EPA to come to Kentucky to hear first-hand from Kentucky miners and families impacted by the agency’s regulations, but the EPA has ignored the requests from him and coal country Americans.
Rose, a former Kentucky coal miner, veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and star of America’s Got Talent, spoke to National Journal about the harmful effects of the EPA’s rules and regulations on coal-producing communities in Kentucky and other states. He said, “I want to put a face on what [the EPA is] doing and the restrictions they're putting in place. This war on coal, it's different if you're not from around here in coal country. I want to show them in some way what they're doing to us. It's a real honor to be a part of this with [McConnell]. We've done several events with him. He's fighting this battle, and it's an honor to be with Mitch and to represent coal country as a whole. . . . It's a sad thing they won't drive through the towns and communities and look at the schools. This is a war on coal, I feel strong about that. I think they should have to come around and listen to the people they're affecting. Any opportunity I get, I'll jump on it to be heard, but it's sad they won't come to the combat zone.”
Speaking on the Senate floor this morning Leader McConnell explained the problems with the Obama administration’s inflexible and cynical approach to its regulations. “The Obama White House likes to pretend that its War on Coal is about protecting the planet. And yet, his newest regulations would hardly do a thing to impact global carbon emissions. The President’s own EPA Administrator basically admitted it when she said a few years back that U.S. action alone won’t meaningfully impact global CO2 levels. Truth is, these regulations could end up actually hurting the environment by outsourcing energy production to countries like India and China with poor environmental records, all while shipping more well-paying Kentucky jobs overseas. So, the President’s energy policy has little to do with improving the planet and everything to do with boosting the self-regard of far Left extremists and boosting party turnout in November. The political fixers in the White House know this.
Yet they persist with their deeply cynical regulations — no matter the human cost. They don’t seem to care that their regulations would devastate the lives of coal families in my state — working-class Kentuckians who just want to put food on the table and give their children a better life. They don’t seem to care that their regulations threaten to undermine Kentucky’s traditionally low utility rates, splinter our manufacturing base, and ship well-paying jobs overseas. And they don’t seem to care that the people who stand to be hurt most by their regressive policies are those who can afford it least. As a candidate, President Obama wasn’t just open about his plan to make Americans’ energy bills ‘skyrocket.’ He was pretty cavalier about it too. For him, it was a necessary sacrifice to achieve an ideological aim. But for a working mom in Ashland, Kentucky, a ‘skyrocketing’ utility bill can mean the difference between an annual trip to Lake Cumberland and a tearful apology to her kids. It can mean choosing which bills to pay this month and which to put off just a little longer. It can mean birthday disappointments. And missed credit card payments. These types of consequences may not be a big deal to the President. But for many people in this country, and many in Kentucky, they are.”
Tags: EPA, War on Coal, lost jobs, hurting families, No Comprehensive Immigration To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
The House reconvened at 10 AM.
The House will may consider the following today:
H. Con. Res. 107 — "Denouncing the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas and other terrorist organizations in violation of international humanitarian law."
H.R. 935 - "To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes; and providing for proceedings during the period from August 1, 2014, through September 5, 2014."
H.R. 5195 — "To provide additional visas for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program, and for other purposes."
Yesterday, House Speaker John Boehner made it clear that the House will not take up the Senate immigration reform bill or accept it back from the Senate in any fashion. Speaker Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said he would attempt to add comprehensive immigration reform to any House-passed bill to address the current border crisis:
NOTE: Republican Senators have also ruled out any attempt to use the current crisis to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Yesterday the House passed the following:
H.R. 3896 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to provide a definition of recreational vessel for purposes of such Act."
H.R. 4315 (233-190) — "To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require publication on the Internet of the basis for determinations that species are endangered species or threatened species, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4626 (Voice Vote) — "To ensure access to certain information for financial services industry regulators, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4709 (Voice Vote) — "To improve enforcement efforts related to prescription drug diversion and abuse, and for other purposes."
H.R. 4809 (386-32) — "To reauthorize the Defense Production Act, to improve the Defense Production Act Committee, and for other purposes."
H.R. 5062 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to specify that privilege is maintained when information is shared by certain nondepository covered persons with Federal and State financial regulators, and for other purposes."
The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of S. 2569, Democrats’ latest partisan campaign bill that’s designed to fail.
At 10:45, Democrats failed to get the 60 votes needed to advance their partisan bill, with the cloture motion failing by a vote of 54-42. Senators then voted 63-33 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to (i.e. take up and debate) S. 2648, Senate Democrats’ emergency supplemental appropriations bill which includes money requested by the White House for the border crisis, Israel’s Iron Dome system, and western wildfires.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 97-0 to confirm Robert McDonald to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. During his confirmation hearing last week, McDonald laid out a series of actions he would take during his first 90 days in office to “deliver the needed reforms our veterans deserve. The Washington Post details the nine initiatives the new VA secretary will undertake.
Also yesterday, the Senate voted on the House-passed highway trust fund bill, H.R. 5021. The Senate voted 71-26 to adopt an amendment to the bill offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) that changed offsets in the bill and then voted 66-31 to adopt an amendment from Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) that changed the duration of the bill from funding the trust fund through May to funding it until this December. The Senate rejected an amendment from Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), which would have streamlined environmental and permit requirements for reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged in emergencies by a vote of 47-50. Also rejected, by a vote of 28-69, was an amendment from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) which would have devolved most transportation responsibilities to the states and lowered the gas tax. Following those votes, the Senate voted 79-18 to pass H.R. 5021, as amended.
The Hill reports, “Republicans slammed President Obama for regulations on carbon pollution from existing coal-fired power plants on Tuesday, telling him to take ‘his golf cap off and get his hard hat on.’ The presser led by Senate Minority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) featured former coal miner and ‘America's Got Talent’ contestant Jimmy Rose, who sang his song ‘Coal Keeps the Lights On.’ . . . The GOP has rallied in opposition to the rules this week as the EPA launches the second phase of its engagement plan. To bulk up support, the administration started a major public relations push this week to strengthen the president's hand just as the battle over the regulations reached a fever-pitch. On Wednesday, Republicans struck back. ‘I want him to get off the back nine and come into the mines,’ Kelly said. ‘I want him to get his golf cap off and get his hard hat on. I want him to walk the streets and I want him to look in face of moms and dads that rely every day on this precious product.’”
Before the press conference Leader McConnell and Jimmy Rose took the concerns of coal country to the EPA Headquarters in Washington, testifying at the agency’s hearing on its regulation for existing power plants and the negative impact it will have on Kentucky’s economy and coal jobs. Leader McConnell has repeatedly invited the EPA to come to Kentucky to hear first-hand from Kentucky miners and families impacted by the agency’s regulations, but the EPA has ignored the requests from him and coal country Americans.
Rose, a former Kentucky coal miner, veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and star of America’s Got Talent, spoke to National Journal about the harmful effects of the EPA’s rules and regulations on coal-producing communities in Kentucky and other states. He said, “I want to put a face on what [the EPA is] doing and the restrictions they're putting in place. This war on coal, it's different if you're not from around here in coal country. I want to show them in some way what they're doing to us. It's a real honor to be a part of this with [McConnell]. We've done several events with him. He's fighting this battle, and it's an honor to be with Mitch and to represent coal country as a whole. . . . It's a sad thing they won't drive through the towns and communities and look at the schools. This is a war on coal, I feel strong about that. I think they should have to come around and listen to the people they're affecting. Any opportunity I get, I'll jump on it to be heard, but it's sad they won't come to the combat zone.”
Speaking on the Senate floor this morning Leader McConnell explained the problems with the Obama administration’s inflexible and cynical approach to its regulations. “The Obama White House likes to pretend that its War on Coal is about protecting the planet. And yet, his newest regulations would hardly do a thing to impact global carbon emissions. The President’s own EPA Administrator basically admitted it when she said a few years back that U.S. action alone won’t meaningfully impact global CO2 levels. Truth is, these regulations could end up actually hurting the environment by outsourcing energy production to countries like India and China with poor environmental records, all while shipping more well-paying Kentucky jobs overseas. So, the President’s energy policy has little to do with improving the planet and everything to do with boosting the self-regard of far Left extremists and boosting party turnout in November. The political fixers in the White House know this.
Yet they persist with their deeply cynical regulations — no matter the human cost. They don’t seem to care that their regulations would devastate the lives of coal families in my state — working-class Kentuckians who just want to put food on the table and give their children a better life. They don’t seem to care that their regulations threaten to undermine Kentucky’s traditionally low utility rates, splinter our manufacturing base, and ship well-paying jobs overseas. And they don’t seem to care that the people who stand to be hurt most by their regressive policies are those who can afford it least. As a candidate, President Obama wasn’t just open about his plan to make Americans’ energy bills ‘skyrocket.’ He was pretty cavalier about it too. For him, it was a necessary sacrifice to achieve an ideological aim. But for a working mom in Ashland, Kentucky, a ‘skyrocketing’ utility bill can mean the difference between an annual trip to Lake Cumberland and a tearful apology to her kids. It can mean choosing which bills to pay this month and which to put off just a little longer. It can mean birthday disappointments. And missed credit card payments. These types of consequences may not be a big deal to the President. But for many people in this country, and many in Kentucky, they are.”
Tags: EPA, War on Coal, lost jobs, hurting families, No Comprehensive Immigration To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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