Last week the House passed H.J.Res 117, the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013, which funds the government for six months.  The bill provides $1.047 trillion, the level consistent with the amount agreed to in the Budget Control Act passed last year.  The House also passed the National Security and Job Protection Act, H.R. 6365.  This bill would require the President to offer his plan to avoid the sequester, among other provisions.  The House also passed H.R. 6213, the No More Solyndras Act.  It would phase out the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program and provide for more transparency and openness.  Congressman Simpson supported the National Security and Job Protection Act and the No More Solyndras Act, but opposed the Continuing Resolution.

Simpson: Congress Needs to Do Its Job
Idaho Congressman votes against continuing resolution that delays federal budget decisions for six months
 
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson last week opposed an effort by Congress to put off finalizing a federal budget for six months.  Rather than completing work on next year’s budget before the current fiscal year ends on September 30, the House passed H.J.Res. 117, a continuing resolution which extends discretionary spending until the election is over and a new Congress is in place.  Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, voted against the CR, expressing his continued frustration at Congress’s inability to complete its work.

“In spite of the fact that September 30 comes at the same time each year, Congress continually fails to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to fund government operations through the regular process,” said Simpson.  “When we fail to pass annual appropriations bills, we fail to look critically at how agencies spend taxpayer dollars and lose opportunities to make government work better.  It is time that we take the long-term CR off the table as a viable alternative to meeting our constitutional obligation.”

The continuing resolution funds discretionary government programs at current levels through March 27, 2013, with a slight across-the-board increase to meet the overall spending level previously agreed to in the Budget Control Act.  The House Appropriations Committee has passed all but one FY13 appropriations bill in committee, and seven bills have passed on the House floor.

“Let me be clear, shutting down the government is not an option,” said Simpson.  “But making it a regular practice to fund government operations through continuing resolutions is also an abdication of Congress’s oversight responsibilities.  I’m frustrated that Congress has become satisfied with simply kicking the can down the road.  We have run out of road.  It’s time to stop hiding our heads in the sand and start addressing the challenges facing our country.”

In spite of Simpson’s opposition, H.J.Res 117 passed the House by a vote of 329-91.  The measure is expected to be taken up by the Senate in the coming days.

Simpson Continues to Press for a Five-Year Farm Bill
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson last week joined colleagues in requesting a meeting with Majority Leader Eric Cantor to discuss the importance of allowing a five-year Farm Bill to be brought to the House floor so members can have a vote. Without congressional action, the 2008 Farm Bill and its authorized programs will expire at the end of this month. Simpson continues to urge his colleagues in the House of Representatives to bring a full reauthorization to the House floor for a vote. 

“Farmers and ranchers in Idaho and across the country need some certainty,” said Simpson. “Allowing the current Farm Bill to expire and certain agriculture programs, like the dairy program, revert back to early 20th century laws at the end of this month is not an option. We are running out of time, and Congress should be allowed to vote on a new five-year Farm Bill.”

This is the second letter Simpson has sent to House leadership asking to bring the new Farm Bill, already passed by the House Agriculture Committee, to a vote on the House floor. Farm bill legislation addresses issues including agriculture, food stamps and nutrition, land and water conservation, and energy independence. 

Simpson Supports Bill to Require President to Offer Plan to Avoid Sequester
Congressman Simpson last week supported H.R. 6365, the National Security and Job Protection Act, offered by Representative Allen West. The bill would require the President to submit a legislative plan to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion to avoid the mandatory budget sequester scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2013.

After the failure of the “super committee” to agree on $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction last year, an automatic across-the-board spending cut, known as a sequester, is scheduled to come into effect unless Congress can come to an agreement to reduce the debt by that amount.

“I supported this legislation because the upcoming sequester is an unacceptable outcome, and we must continue the conversation on how it will be averted,” said Simpson. “It is important to remember that the sequester is not intended to be the solution to our debt problem; rather, it is the penalty if Congress fails to act.”
House Republicans have already offered and passed the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, which would avert the sequester by replacing it with budget cuts and reforms to a variety of mandatory spending programs.

“We still haven’t seen a proposal from the Senate or from President Obama detailing what they would like to do to avoid a painful sequester next January,” added Simpson. “Senator Reid and President Obama should put forth their proposals so that both sides can immediately begin debating and agree to a plan to start dealing with the massive $16 trillion national debt facing us.”

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH
On Monday, the House is not in session.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. in pro forma session.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) H.R. 6060 - Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Extension Act of 2012 (Sponsored by Rep. Rob Bishop / Natural Resources Committee)
2) H.R. 5987 - Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Doc Hastings / Natural Resources Committee)
3) H.R. 1461 - Mescalero Apache Tribe Leasing Authorization Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Stevan Pearce) / Natural Resources Committee)
4) H.R. 3319 - To allow the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to determine the requirements for membership in that tribe (Sponsored by Rep. Raul Grijalva / Natural Resources Committee)
5) H.R. 6324 - Cutting Federal Unnecessary and Expensive Leasing Act of 2012 (Sponsored by Rep. Richard Hanna / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
6) H.R. 4158 - To confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to artifacts from the astronauts’ space missions (Sponsored by Rep. Ralph Hall / Science, Space and Technology Committee)
7) H.R. 6375 - To authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller / Veterans’ Affairs Committee)
8) H.R. 5948 - Veterans Fiduciary Reform Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Johnson / Veterans’ Affairs Committee)
9) H.R. 3099 - Buffett Rule Act of 2011, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Scalise / Ways and Means Committee)
10) H.R. 5044 - Andrew P. Carpenter Tax Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Scott DesJarlais / Ways and Means Committee)
11) H.R. 2827 - To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to clarify provisions relating to the regulation of municipal advisors, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Robert Dold / Financial Services Committee)
12) H.R. 6361 - Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck / Financial Services Committee)
13) H.R. __ - To provide flexibility with respect to U.S. support for assistance provided by international financial institutions for Burma, and for other purposes (Financial Services Committee)
14) H.R. 2903 - FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2011, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Denham / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee / Homeland Security Committee)
15) H.R. 3110 - Grape Region Accelerated Production and Efficiency Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Tom Reed / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
16) H.R. 6368 - Border Security Information Improvement Act of 2012 (Sponsored by Rep. Quico Canseco / Judiciary Committee)
17) H.R. 5912 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the use of public funds for political party conventions, and to provide for the return of previously distributed funds for deficit reduction, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole / House Administration Committee)
18) H.R. 6296 - Disaster Loan Fairness Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Lou Barletta / Small Business Committee)
19) H.R. 5910 - Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Robert Dold / Energy and Commerce Committee)
20) H.R. 4212 - Contaminated Drywall Safety Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Scott Rigell / Energy and Commerce Committee)
21) H.R. 4124 - Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Adam Kinzinger / Energy and Commerce Committee)
22) H.R. 6163 - National Pediatric Research Network Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers / Energy and Commerce Committee)
23) H.R. 6118 - Taking Essential Steps for Testing Act (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Grimm / Energy and Commerce Committee)
24) H.R. 733 - Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo / Energy and Commerce Committee)
25) H.R. 3783 - Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan / Foreign Affairs Committee)
26) H.Res. 526 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized borders, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster / Foreign Affairs Committee)
27) H.Res. __ - Honoring the four United States public servants who died in Libya and condemning the attacks on United States diplomatic facilities in Libya, Egypt, and Yemen (Sponsored by Rep. John Boehner / Foreign Affairs Committee)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, AND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST
On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

H.R. __ - STEM Jobs Act of 2012 (Suspension, 40 minutes of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith / Judiciary Committee)

H.J.Res. 118 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to waiver and expenditure authority under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) with respect to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Dave Camp / Ways and Means Committee / Education and the Workforce Committee)

H.R. 3409- Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Johnson / Natural Resources Committee / Energy and Commerce Committee / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)