TPP Legislative Update & Newsletter: December 5, 2011

Passion to Action

 Call your Representative and ask them to support the REINS Act today!!!

Federal Budget & Spending

 Today is the 951st day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
 Federal spending has increased 5% in the first nine months of this year alone, contrary to claims that Congress or the President has cut spending.
 What do you think of this line-item veto proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, who says it will help control wasteful spending? Read more about his “Legislative Text of H.R. 3521 - The Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011.”
 Senate Democrats are trying to roll a payroll tax break extension into an increased tax rate for wealthier Americans, known as a ”millionaire surtax.” Republicans have now released their payroll proposal. Read about it here. What do you think?
 Eric Cantor is working to rescind the automatic cuts to defense that are scheduled as a result of the so-called “Super Committee” failing to agree on a deal. He’s offering House Democrats a deal that would pass their payroll tax break extension, an extension of jobless benefits, other spending measures that Democrats want, and a Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians in exchange for fewer cuts to defense.
 Obama and the Democrats are upping the ante with their class warfare rhetoric. Watch out for this and think about how you can go on the offensive against this divisive and dangerous strategy.

Regulations & Jobs

 Check out the Mercatus Center’s research summary titled, “Ready, Fire, Aim!': A Foundational Problem with Regulations.” You might also want to look at their Regulatory Report Card.
 The REINS Act, a bill that seeks to restrain the overreach and unbearable cost of regulatory adventurism, is the result of one Tea Party Patriot who decided to do something. Read about this tea party victory here.
 REINS Act — This week the House will consider H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Geoff Davis (KY). The bill would restore Congressional accountability for the regulatory process, requiring Congress to take an up-or-down, stand-alone vote, and for the president to sign off on all new major rules—those with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more—before they can be enforced on the American people, businesses, or state and local governments.
 The Republicans in the House have passed 25 bills to help job creators start creating jobs. All 25 of these bills are stuck in the Senate, left there to die by Harry Reid.

Obamacare

 Over the last couple of weeks, the following states have accepted federal money to implement the Obamacare exchanges:
o Alabama, $8.5 million
o Arizona, $29.8 million
o Delaware, $3.4 million
o Hawaii, $14.4 million
o Idaho, $20.3 million
o Iowa, $7.7 million
o Maine, $5.8 million
o Michigan, $9.8 million
o Nebraska, $5.4 million
o New Mexico, $34.2 million
o Tennessee, $1.5 million
o Vermont, $18 million
o Rhode Island, $58.5 million

 GET READY FOR DEATH PANELS. Read about what this caller told Mark Levin. The basis of this is that government is going to be writing strict policies that do not take into account each individual. When government has to create universal policies for the entire country, there will be a lot of dehumanizing effects. This is the exact same thing that England has done since the 1940's to save on costs since it is a government-run system.

 Obamacare incentivizes employers to shove sicker employees off of private insurance and into the taxpayer subsidized exchanges. Make sure to frequently check out the Galen Institute for great up-to-date information about Obamacare.

 An Obamacare “bomb” exploded on December 2 when the HHS rule went into effect that requires private insurance companies to spend “80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect — 85% for large group insurers — on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit.” Private insurers will not be able to sustain this sort of business model and will implode under this ruling. So while Obama may have removed the “public option” from the final legislation, this was his backdoor method of destroying private health care.

Education

 Read: How Replacing the Worst 7% of American Teachers Could Improve Education.
 Think back to your own school days when that extra special teacher had such a great influence on your life. Did that teacher inspire you to try harder and to reach for the stars? More and more studies are demonstrating a direct link between excellent teachers and improved student performance.
 At TEA for Education, we believe that the failure of public education is nothing less than child abuse. Competition through school choice will help weed out the worst teachers and reward those who truly care about the kids. Parents should have a full menu of options and opportunities from which to choose: school choice = freedom.
 Want to help? Contact Bruce Gardner at bruce@teaforeducation.com or Beverly Elliott at beverly@teaforeducation.com
 or visit our website at http://www.teaforeducation.com/  today!

Agenda 21

 Read about how the threat of coal mining shut downs are becoming a reality due to the EPA.
 Volunteers still needed in the following four counties in Tennessee to fight against Regional Smart Growth/Agenda 21 takeover: Meigs, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, and Marion. Please contact Karen Bracken at karenbracken5@gmail.com to volunteer.
 Rep. Joe Walsh has drafted a bill that would block US funding to the United Nations if the UN seeks to impose gun control on US citizens. No bill # yet.
 Information about the unconstitutionality of the International Baccalaureate program.
 The Labor Department is changing the rules about child labor on farms, making it impossible for farm children 16 and under to work on family farms.
 Watch out for a “Community Bill of Rights” initiative in your area next year. One leftist group has put out a template for Occupy groups to rally around and utilize in initiatives during next year’s elections. Here’s the template, here’s the Google doc, and a PDF. These are very bad, so stay on alert in your local community.
 Heritage Foundation writes about the threat of Agenda 21 here.

Illegal Immigration

 Remember, if you are interested in participating in the Tea Party Immigration Coalition’s weekly phone call, please send an email to berksteaparty@berksteaparty.org, expressing your interest.

House of Representatives

 Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act — Last week, the House approved H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, by a vote of 235-188, pushing back on yet another overreach of Big Labor and the Obama Administration.
 Eliminating Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Elections and the Election Assistance Commission — Also last week, the House passed H.R. 3463 by a vote of 235-190. The bill eliminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF), terminates public financing of presidential campaigns, and returns PECF funds to the general treasury for deficit reduction.
 Regulatory Flexibility — Also last week, the House approved H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, by a vote of 263-159. This bill closes loopholes that agencies are exploiting to avoid the requirement that they analyze the effect new regulations would have on small businesses.
 Regulatory Accountability — Again, last week, the House passed H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act, by a vote of 253-167. The bill defines “major rule,” “high-impact rule,” “guidance,” and “major guidance” to broaden the definitions of rules that will be impacted by the bill.
 Farm Dust — This week, the House will consider H.R. 1633, The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Kristi Noem (SD). The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing any new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for coarse particulate matter (aka dust) for at least one year from the date of enactment of the legislation.

 FROM THE RSC: With two weeks of session left before Congress adjourns for the year, a number of items remain outstanding. Some of the items you may be interested in include:

o A “megabus” spending bill will likely be on the floor the week of the December 12, reportedly containing the nine remaining un-passed spending bills. Many conservatives believe that we should not spend more than the House-passed budget level and that any spending package should at least include policy provisions that protect life, defund Obamacare, and remove barriers to economic growth.
o It is also likely that a package that includes an unemployment benefits extension and a payroll tax cut extension will be on the floor that week.
o We may also consider an extension package of expiring tax provisions (AMT patch, expiring credits/deductions, etc.) and the “Doc Fix” (which adjusts the way that physicians are reimbursed under Medicare). If not considered in 2011, any package considered in 2012 would likely be retroactive.

Senate

 The Senate has votes planned on five judgeship nominees. The schedule for the remainder of the week is less clear, as senior lawmakers work behind the scenes to reach agreement on year-end spending and revenue measures.