March of Women to the Circuit Courts

Congress.org presents MegaVote for November 7, 2017 and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Barrett Nomination – Confirmation
• Senate: Larsen Nomination – Confirmation
• Senate: Eid Nomination – Confirmation
• Senate: Bibas Nomination – Confirmation
• House: Wildfire Funding and Environmental Reviews
• House: Independent Payment Advisory Board Repeal
• House: CHIP and Community Health Centers Funding Reauthorization

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Engel Nomination
• Senate: Robb Nomination
• Senate: Wehrum Nomination
• Senate: Kan Nomination
• House: Joint Employers
• House: Hydropower
• House: SEC Regulation of Private Securities
• House: Flood Insurance Overhaul

Recent Senate Votes:

Barrett Nomination – Confirmation Vote Confirmed (55-43, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Amy C. Barrett to be U.S. circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Barrett is more an exception to the Ivy League club, she got here BA at Rhodes College of Memphis and earned her JD at Notre Dame. During the hearing lading to confirmation, was questioned on her Catholic faith y Dianne Feinstein, who suggested that being Catholic was grounds for disqualification. This now circuit court judge clerked for Antonin Scalia.

Larsen Nomination – Confirmation Vote Confirmed (60-38, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Joan L. Larsen to be U.S. circuit judge for the Sixth Circuit.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Another conservative judge  coming from outside the Ivy League. Larsen earned a BA at Northern Iowa and JD from Northwestern.  Confirmed with some Democrat votes. Previously served on the Michigan Supreme Court and an assistant attorney general during the George W. Bush administration.

Eid Nomination – Confirmation Vote Confirmed (56-41, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Allison H. Eid to be U.S. circuit judge for the Tenth Circuit.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Another confirmed woman for the circuit courts Approved with some Democrat votes. Earned a BA at Stanford and a JD at the University of Chicago. Eid has worked as a clerk for Clarence Thomas, in in Ronald Reagan's administration as an assistant to William Bennett. Most recently Eid served as a replacement in the seat vacated by the Neil Gorsuch move to the Supreme Court.

Bibas Nomination – Confirmation Vote Confirmed (53-43, 4 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Stephanos Bibas to be U.S. circuit judge for the Third Circuit.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Back to the Ivy League well, Bibas earned a BA from Columbia, an MA from Oxford and a JD from Yale. Bibas is considered a leading scholar in the are of criminal procedure. This judge clerked for Anthony Kennedy at the Supreme Court.

Recent House Votes:

Wildfire Funding and Environmental Reviews Vote Passed (232-188, 12 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would allow for a presidential declaration of a major disaster with regard to wildfires, which would allow for the release of funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund to fight major wildfires, and would modify the disaster cap under the Budget Control Act to account for expected wildfire funding needs. It also would exempt various forest management activities from filing environmental impact statements and would provide for expedited timber salvage operations and reforestation activities after catastrophic events.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

My understanding of this vote was that the Republicans were looking to streamline the process at the behest of lawmakers in western states. Naturally Democrats resist common sense land management principles. Fires occur naturally and if contained actually are healthy for a forest.

Independent Payment Advisory Board Repeal Vote Passed (307-111, 14 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would repeal provisions of the 2010 health overhaul law that provide for the creation of Independent Payment Advisory Board, which would recommend cost-cutting measures if Medicare spending exceeds a target growth rate.

Rep. David Scott voted Not Voting

Democrats vote to leave the control with the bureaucrats.

CHIP and Community Health Centers Funding Reauthorization Vote Passed (242-174, 16 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill, as amended, would extend funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2022, and would increase funding from $21.5 billion in fiscal 2018 to $25.9 billion in fiscal 2022. It would also provide $3.6 billion annually for community health centers through fiscal 2019, and would extend funding for a number of other public health programs through fiscal 2019. It also would eliminate, through fiscal 2019, scheduled cuts in Medicaid funding to hospitals that serve large numbers of uninsured and low-income patients.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Republicans push, Democrats resist, while the people want the the thing imploded.

Upcoming Votes:

Engel Nomination - PN58

The Senate will vote on the nomination of Steven Engel to be an assistant attorney general at the Justice Department.
Robb Nomination - PN1025

The Senate will vote on the nomination of Peter Robb to be general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board.
Wehrum Nomination - PN994

The Senate will vote on the nomination of William Wehrum to be an assistant administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Kan Nomination - PN458

The Senate will vote on the nomination of Derek Kan to be undersecretary of Transportation for policy.

Will check all these guys out after the vote.

Joint Employers - HR3441

The bill would effectively negate the National Labor Relations Board's 2015 ruling regarding joint employers by modifying the statutory definition of joint employer to clarify that an employer must have actual, direct and immediate control over employees to be considered a joint employer.

If the NRLB is involved, some persons rights are being restricted.

Hydropower - HR3043

The bill would promote the construction of non-federal hydropower projects by providing more certainty to the permitting and licensing process, including by specifying a variety of time frames and procedures for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other affected agencies to follow in carrying out required permitting and licensing activities, and by establishing FERC as the lead agency for permitting these hydropower facilities.

Who could argue with more hyropower.

SEC Regulation of Private Securities - HR2201 The bill would clarify which transactions constitute a sale of "nonpublic" securities that are exempt from registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission and from state regulation, in an effort to further promote such private placements and enable smaller companies and startups to more easily raise capital.

The terms SEC and "nonpublic" should not be in the same statement, if it is some persons are about to be cheated.

Flood Insurance Overhaul - HR2874

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for five years. It would provide certain new benefits to policyholders as well as institute new options for lower-cost flood insurance coverage.

My feelings about federal flood insurance run against  to grain. While I agree that such insurance is necessary and appropriate, it is in many cases abused by landowners who build expensive homes in high risk zones. I believe that landowners that build second luxury homes in high risk zones should not be covered by such insurance. Unless of course, the premiums are realistic in terms of having zero cost for the taxpayers.

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