Obama Signs Bill to Block Congress from Getting a Raise

Finally, something refreshing!  I Think They Make to much Money Anyway.  Click Here

Previewing the Health Care Summit

We’re now just three days away from the big bipartisan, live-on-the-TV health care summit that President Obama will hold next week with leaders from Congress. Here’s a quick update on where things stand.

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The 2011 Obama Budget

President Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget request is now online for your review. Get it here. As I wrote earlier this morning, the total cost of the budget is $3.8 trillion, which is an approximately $250 billion increase over last year’s budget, but also an almost 50% decrease in the rate of spending growth last year’s budget contained.
The budget proposal, as we all know, calls for a three-year non-security discretionary spending freeze, which is estimated to save the government $250 billion over three years. The biggest increase in the budget is for funding for the ongoing wars, including Obama’s new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy. In addition to a 3.4% increase in overall Defense spending, 2011 and 2012 would see nearly $160 billion in war funding, which is three times more than Obama predicted in last year’s budget and only slightly less than what President Bush’s final budget spent on the wars.


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New Massachusetts Senator could De-Rail Health Reform

A couple of weeks ago, President Obama appeared to be on the brink of achieving the Democratic dream of comprehensive health care reform.

Today that dream is at risk of being derailed in the most Democratic of states: Massachusetts.

Democrats are increasingly nervous over the once inconceivable prospect that they will lose Tuesday's special election to replace Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died last August. Losing the seat would strip Democrats of their 60-seat Senate majority and give Republicans enough votes to block the reform bill -- along with other key parts of the president's agenda.

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President Obama's Weekly Address: Health Reforms Benefits in 2010

House of Reps. Return, Health Care Negotiations Continue

The second session of the 111th session of Congress will officially begin this week as the House of Representatives returns to Washington for legislative work. The Senate remains in recess until after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but some, including Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV] will be in town to continue negotiating a final health care bill with House Democrats and the Obama Administration.

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A Bill you should be fimilar with.

Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009

Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 - Repeals the authority of the Comptroller General to carry out an onsite examination of an open insured bank or bank holding company only if the appropriate federal regulatory agency has consented in writing. (Retains the authority of the Comptroller General to audit a federal agency.) Directs the Comptroller General to complete, before the end of 2010, an audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and of the federal reserve banks, followed by a detailed report to Congress.

More Info Click Here

New year brings thousands of new laws.

Legislatures in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico met in 2009, leading to the enactment of 40,697 laws, many of which take effect January 1.
The new laws cover a variety of areas, from texting and tanning beds to human trafficking and seat-belt safety.
New Hampshire, Oregon and Illinois join 16 other states that prohibit motorists from sending text messages while driving.
Gloria Wilhelm fought for the Illinois law after her son, Matt, was struck and killed while he was riding his bike by a driver who was downloading cell phone ring tones.
"These are incredibly selfish and dangerous behaviors," she said.
A new law in Oregon requires children under the age of 16 to wear a seat belt on an all-terrain vehicle or in a car while on public property.
Same-sex couples will be able to marry in New Hampshire beginning January 1 under New Hampshire General Court HB 436, and the state joins Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa in legalizing same-sex marriages. In California, SB 54 requires the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states while such marriages were legal in California.

Full Article Here

Republicans trying to sue over "Unconstitution Health Care Bill"

Republican attorneys general in 13 states say congressional leaders must remove Nebraska's political deal from the federal health care reform bill or face legal action, according to a letter provided to The Associated Press Wednesday.

"We believe this provision is constitutionally flawed," South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster and the 12 other attorneys general wrote in the letter to be sent Wednesday night to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"As chief legal officers of our states we are contemplating a legal challenge to this provision and we ask you to take action to render this challenge unnecessary by striking that provision," they wrote.

In a rare Christmas Eve vote, Senate Democrats pushed sweeping health care legislation to the brink of Senate passage, crushing a year-end Republican filibuster against President Barack Obama's call to remake the nation's health care system. The 60-39 vote marked the third time in as many days Democrats posted a supermajority needed to advance the legislation.

Full article Here

Key Democrat Won't Hold Out for a Public Option

The House's third-ranking Democrat said Sunday that he can support a healthcare reform bill without a public option.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) -- a proponent of a government-run public plan -- said that he could back the bill as long as it creates more choice and competition in the insurance industry and reduces costs. "It's of no consequence" whether it's done via the public option or not.
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Just in Case you were wondering

Sorry for the Doom and Gloom, but it's just a reminder.

Pres. Obama's response after the Senate approved their version of the bill.

Obviously he supports their decision to approve the bill.  But this is his response none the less.

Merry Christmas

Senate passes $871 Billion health care bill with a vote 60-39

 What's Next?

Because the Senate will be sending back a different legislative vehicle than the House sent to them (the Senate will be sending back H.R. 3590 rather than the House-passed H.R. 3692), the House will have the opportunity to choose from among the following options:

1. Agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 3590, in which case they're done and the bill is ready for signature;

2. Further amend H.R. 3590 (as amended by the Senate) and send it back to the Senate, with an insistence on its position and requesting a conference;

3. Further amend H.R. 3590 (as amended by the Senate) and send it back to the Senate without further comment, letting the Senate decide to accept the House amendments and finish the bill, or alternatively insist on a conference;

4. Simply disagree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 3590 and move immediately to go to conference on the two different versions of that bill, or;

5. Do nothing right away on the floor, but instead begin informal negotiations on a package of amendments acceptable to both a majority in the House and 60 Senators.

This will happen after the New Year.

As Posted from Congress Matters

Alabama Democrat leaves to Republican side over health care.

I think this guy is obviously doing this because he knows he will not get reelected.  It's good that he is feeling the pressure from the people in his district, but bad that it came after the House already voted for their version of the bill.

I think it's to little to late Mr. Parker Griffith, you have officially pissed off the people in Alabama.

Way to speak your voice Alabama.

Full article HERE

Back to Basics. You Have to Watch

How the Bill process works.  School House Rock version.

Sen. Ben Nelson Answers Questions About Being the 60th Vote.

He talks a little bit about it , but I don't think the questions were very good.  They need to be asking these guys hard questions.  Then again, that might have been some precursor to the interview, that he wouldn't be asked certain questions.  None the less, take it for what you will.

Oprah Christmas Special: Interview with the Obama's

An excerpt from the interview.



Full video click HERE

Health Care Bill on track to Pass: Sen. Ben Nelson Agrees to the 60th Vote.

Senator Ben Nelson agreed to be the 60th vote needed to pass the health care bill.  This comes with negotiated concessions for federal funding of abortions.

Negotiated highlights

• Concessions to limit federal funds for abortion
• 130 billion saved over 10 years
• Gives states the ability to pass a law to disallow coverage of abortion through health care
• Mechanism set up to displace federal funds to health care that plan to fund abortions.

Read the full article HERE

Rules of the Senate

This is a great video.  It shows how the Senate works and how they differ from the House.  Must see.