Red Herrings

Congress.org presents MEGAVOTE February 13, 2017 for Georgia's 13th Congressional District.
Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Prohibit Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Speak on Senate Floor When Debating Sen. Sessions Nomination to be U.S. Attorney General
• Senate: Confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General
• Senate: Confirmation of Rep. Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
• House: Disapprove BLM Land Use Planning Rule
• House: Disapprove State Education Accountability Rule
• House: Disapprove Teacher Education Program Rule 

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury
• Senate: Nomination of David Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• House: Texas-Oklahoma Border Lands
• House: Disapprove Unemployment Benefit Drug Testing Rule
• House: Disapprove State Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule
• House: Disapprove Local Government Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule
• House: Disapprove Alaska Predator Control Rule
• House: Disapprove HHS Planned Parenthood Funding Rule

Recent Senate Votes:

Prohibit Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Speak on Senate Floor When Debating Sen. Sessions Nomination to be U.S. Attorney General Vote Sustained (49-43, 8 Not Voting)
The Senate voted to sustain the ruling of the presiding officer (Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines) in which he prohibited Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren from speaking on the Senate floor for the remainder of the debate concerning Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to be U.S. attorney general. The presiding officer ruled that Sen. Warren violated Senate rule 19 prohibiting senators from "imputing" one another.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted Not Voting
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Happy to see McConnell stand, or in this case not stand, for something. Basically I believe all politicians suck, Elizabeth Warren was doing something that we see many Senators do during confirmation hearings. Either by party orders, or by having a bug up their ass, they circumvent the purpose of the hearings which is to vet nominees for appropriateness to office. 

Confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General Vote Confirmed (52-47, 1 Present)
The Senate confirmed Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. attorney general.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

A just decision and shame on the Democrats for a month of red herrings.

Confirmation of Rep. Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Vote Confirmed (52-47, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate confirmed Georgia Republican Rep. Tom Price to be secretary of Health and Human Services.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Just like to Sessions, red herring complaints. The stock issue was obvious to anyone as a minor portion of a balance trade. This as a complaint will be revisited because the next association will be that to own a stock infers an approval of all the things that that corporation does. All politicians are vulnerable on this mode of attack.

Recent House Votes:
Disapprove BLM Land Use Planning Rule Vote Passed (234-186, 12 Not Voting)
The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Dec. 12, 2016, which modified the process under which BLM develops plans for the use of the public lands it manages, including by considering a wider variety of issues and possible impacts.
Rep. David Scott voted NO

David Scott wants to continue the practices of liberal policy promotion by unaccountable bureaucrats. Lucky he is in the wrong camp.

Disapprove State Education Accountability Rule Vote Passed (234-190, 8 Not Voting)
The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Nov. 29, 2016 which addresses implementation of a state's accountability systems when receiving federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA). Among other things, the rule requires states to identify low-performing schools for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement, and requires that each state's statewide plan use multiple indicators of student success that are the same for all public schools (including charter schools).
Rep. David Scott voted NO

These were all obvious in the expected outcome, The Republicans want to slash, at least appear to slash regulations that take priority over local school administration. One thing is clear; Federal leadership on school curricula is an abject failure; more money and more administration does not make the teacher to student teaching effectiveness improve.

Disapprove Teacher Education Program Rule Vote Passed (240-181, 11 Not Voting)
The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Oct. 31, 2016, relating to teacher preparation programs that require states to annually evaluate the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education and to publicly report this information, including the job placement and retention rates of graduates.
Rep. David Scott voted Not Voting

Same point made above.

Upcoming Votes:
Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury - PN26 The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be secretary of the Treasury.

Owing to my delay, he got it, confirmed 53–47.

Nomination of David Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs - PN39 The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of David Shulkin to be secretary of Veterans Affairs.

This post must be one the Democrats do not care about because on February 13th, Shulkin was unanimously confirmed . More accurately, Shulkin was first posted by President Obama.

Texas-Oklahoma Border Lands - HR428
The bill would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to pay for a private survey to identify the south boundary line along the Red River separating Texas and Oklahoma with regards to land title and ownership, with the states of Texas and Oklahoma to determine which lands are federal lands and which are private.

More BLM bullshit, if they see an opportunity to set aside more land, they do it, every time.

Disapprove Unemployment Benefit Drug Testing Rule - HJRes42 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 1, 2016, that defines the occupations for which states can require individuals applying for unemployment benefits to undergo drug testing.

Reeling in the liberal bureaucrats and their circumvention of Congress.

Disapprove State Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRes66 The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 30, 2016, that exempts state-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities that don't offer retirement plans from certain restrictions and requirements under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

The Department of Labor should feel lucky that Congress isn't taking their preferred course, to wipe it from the face of the earth. 

Disapprove Local Government Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRes67 The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Dec. 20, 2016, that exempts local government-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities from certain restrictions and requirements under ERISA.

See comments above, not many people benefit by the actions of this department today. Like unions, it has outlived its purpose.

Disapprove Alaska Predator Control Rule - HJRes69 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Interior Department on Aug. 5, 2016, that prohibits certain predator control practices in national wildlife refuges in Alaska (such as the taking of mother bears and their cubs, the killing of wolves and their pups at den sites, and aerial shooting).

If licensing is controlled in an objective manner, the focused energy on predator eradication particular areas  needs to be as efficient as possible.

Disapprove HHS Planned Parenthood Funding Rule - HJRes43 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) on Dec. 19, 2016, that modifies eligibility requirements for Title X grants for family planning services to specify that states awarding funds cannot prohibit a health care provider from participating for reasons other than its ability to provide Title X services.

Watch the hair on the back of their necks go up. 

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