Government Oversight

Despite last night's pleas to work together, the House returns this morning at 10 a.m. and soon after that will work on a bill to end taxpayer funding for presidential campaigns and party conventions, an item the White House opposes. The Senate convenes at 9:30 a.m. and will continue to fight over whether or how Senate filibuster rules should be changed.

In the House, as many as five hours of debate are allowed today on the campaign funding bill, H.R. 359. But it should not take that long, as only six amendments will be considered.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer this morning urged Democrats to vote against the bill. "H.R. 359 would not strengthen our federal election campaign process, nor would it help to correct some of its current flaws," Hoyer said. "It would simply eliminate the program, which aims to give smaller donors an equally important role in the election process."

A brief summary of the six that were printed in the Congressional Record and thus are eligible for consideration:

1) Ensure that all money saved (estimates are $617 million over ten years) goes to reducing the deficit, from Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.).

2) After funding is terminated, use any unused money to pay for security at Presidential nominating conventions, from Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.).

On Wednesday, the House will take up a rule and then an underlying bill that would terminate taxpayer-funded campaigns, the only remaining work left for the House before it adjourns for the week.

The House Rules Committee on Tuesday approved a modified open rule that allows for one hour of debate on H.R. 359. Under the rule (H.Res. 54), the House will consider all germane amendments to the bill and allow five minutes of debate on these amendments. The House will consider as many amendments as it can within a five-hour time limit (expectations are that the process will not take the full five hours).

To qualify for consideration, amendments must be printed in the Congressional Record, and several are expected to be printed by tomorrow morning.

Rep. Michael Turner's effort is a direct reaction to the bailouts of auto and financial companies.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said this morning that she will be listening for President Obama to offer specific solutions to the unemployment, government spending and energy problems facing the U.S. when he delivers his State of the Union speech Tuesday evening.

Bachmann will deliver her own response to Obama's speech tonight, even though House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was picked to deliver the official Republican response.

On the House floor Tuesday, Bachmann said she wants to hear what Obama's "pro-job" program will be, and also wants to hear what cuts to federal spending Obama will propose and what programs he would eliminate. On the latter point, she asked whether cuts would be made only to pay for new "investments," which she said is another word for spending.

Bachmann also wants to hear whether Obama will seek to scale back the Environmental Protection Agency's effort to issue "cap and trade" regulations that would force companies to live under carbon production limits or pay for permits allowing them to exceed these limits. She said she wants to hear an energy plan for the U.S., and noted that one is needed because gasoline prices are rising and expected to rise further.

Bachmann spoke during a roughly 30-minute session this morning. The House adjourned at about 10:30 a.m. and will return at noon, when it will take up three measures.

The House will convene at 10 a.m. for an abbreviated but busy day. Legislative business starts at noon. Votes are expected by 3:30 p.m. on three items:

H.Res. 49, a resolution allowing recipients of the Medal of Honor or their families to request and receive Capitol-flown flags. Under suspension of the rules.

H.R. 366, a temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act, under a suspension of the rules.

H.Res. 38, a budget resolution setting discretionary, non-security spending at 2008 levels or less. Under a closed rule that allows for one hour of debate, and gives Democrats a chance to offer a motion to recommit the bill.

Similar to yesterday, House Democrats are urging a "no" vote against the budget resolution. This morning's report from Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called H.Res. 38 the "budget-less" resolution, and said it does not define "non-security" spending.

"This vague text ignores GOP promises for greater transparency by hiding the actual amount of spending in the legislation," the report said. "It also allows one member [House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)] to set spending levels for the rest of the fiscal year, without a vote in the full House. Members are urged to vote no on the Republican 'Budget-less' Resolution."

The House will finish its work by 5 p.m. at the latest to allow for a security sweep before this evening's State of the Union address by President Obama.

Texas Republicans tonight declared that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared "war" against Texas, and said they would fight a recent ruling that stripped the ability of state regulators to write their own rules to comply with the Clean Air Act.

Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) today introduced a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in opposition to the EPA's decision. The EPA in late December said it would take over the job of issuing clean air permits in Texas because that state has refused to comply with new EPA rules that regulate carbon dioxide.

The CRA allows Congress to pass a resolution disapproving of a regulation, and allows it to be discharged from committee in the Senate if just 30 senators sign a petition. Texas House members tonight cited that as an achievable goal for passing the resolution.

Carter was joined tonight by Texas Reps. Louie Gohmert and Joe Barton in protest of the EPA. Gohmert charged that the decision is part of the Obama administration's "war on jobs," and Barton argued that the EPA is being punitive toward Texas even though air quality has improved there.

In a statement today, Carter said the EPA's decision is "precisely the kind of situation for which the CRA was intended as a legislative remedy."

The House adjourned immediately after the Texas Reps' remarks about the EPA. The House reconvenes tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said on Monday that if Republicans can find the 218 votes needed, they will reduce government spending for the rest of FY 2011 all the way down to 2006 levels rather than 2008 levels as promised.

“If the will of the House is such, if there are 218 votes to deliver on '06 levels, then so be it," said Cantor in response to a reporter's question on whether it would be possible to make such a deep cut. "But again, we intend for there to be an open process, and the body is going to work its will."

Cantor reiterated the Republican promise to reach at least 2008 levels of spending in their cutting of non defense discretionary spending. A vote on the resolution starting the process for FY 2011 budgeting will take place Tuesday.

Republicans' choice of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to both lead the House Budget Committee and respond to the President’s State of the Union address signifies their leadership’s support for dismantling Social Security and Medicare, leading congressional Democrats argued on Monday.

“In an unsettling development for America’s seniors, ending Social Security and Medicare is now the official position of the Republican Party,” announced Senate Majority Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in a statement on Monday. “Republicans tapped Congressman Ryan, the architect of a plan to end Social Security and Medicare, to deliver their response to the President’s State of the Union, and his plan has been endorsed by the House Majority Leader and the top Republicans on the House and Senate budget committees.”

In a conference call with reporters on Monday afternoon, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) also said they believe Republicans are using Ryan as a ‘lightning rod’ for their plan to dissemble Social Security and Medicare.

“It’s clear from their selection of Congressman Ryan to be spokesman in the wake of the State of the Union address, and from their decision to vote on a resolution to give him unfettered power on what to cut, that they are getting behind his plan,” said Whitehouse. “That makes is clear they are going after Social Security and Medicare.”

Sanders called Ryan’s priorities “absurd” and “a very wrong approach for the country.”

“We need to strengthen social security, not weaken it,” said Sanders.

Ryan’s roadmap would reduce Social Security benefits and replace Medicare with private voucher payments for most younger Americans.

Last year, then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said military salaries, not just civilian federal government salaries, should be frozen in order to help reduce the budget deficit. This year, Minority Whip Hoyer appears to be less willing to rush to judgment, even though the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has just released a study that would seem to bolster arguments in favor of a cut in military pay.

CBO last week released an eight-page report that said the median cash compensation for enlisted personnel with no college degree is "at least as high as the 75th percentile of earnings for federal workers with comparable work experience."

"In other words, the typical enlisted person receives more cash compensation than three-quarters of comparable federal civilians," according to the report, which Hoyer requested. It also found that compensation for commissioned officers with college degrees is even higher.

Despite these findings, a spokeswoman indicated Hoyer is not yet ready to push for reduced military pay.

"This is part of Mr. Hoyer's larger effort to assemble information on the state of federal and military pay, and he has not made any judgments at this point," Katie Grant told The Hill.

Following a week of battle over the repeal of last year’s healthcare legislation, the House meets again on Monday to take up the equally divisive issue of deficit reduction. Details of the week follow:

Monday, Jan. 24

The House meets at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

The first item taken up will be H.Res. 43, which sets the rule for one hour of debate on a resolution (to be taken up Tuesday) to reduce the spending of the federal government to 2008 levels or less.

Tuesday, Jan 25

The House meets at 10 a.m. for morning hour debate and at noon for legislative business. The House will recess no later than 5 p.m. to provide time for preparation for the State of the Union.

The House will consider the following resolutions under a suspension of the rules:

A resolution from Rep. Tom Lathan (R-Iowa) that allows recipients of Medal of Honor or their families to request and receive flags flown over the Capitol building.

H.R. 366, which temporarily extends federal lending programs for small businesses through May 31.

H.Res. 38, which is the Republican budget resolution to reduce spending levels for the rest of this fiscal year at levels below those of 2008. Under this resolution, the Budget Committee will establish spending levels for FY 2011, and ultimately, a continuing resolution reflecting these spending levels will be voted on by the House.

The House will meet again at 8:35 p.m. for the president’s State of the Union address.

Wednesday, Jan. 26

On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for legislative business and will take up H.R. 359, which would eliminate federal funding for presidential campaigns.

Thursday and Friday, Jan. 27 and 28

The House is not in session.