3/17 House Schedule

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Received from Rep. Hoyer.

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005

10:00 a.m.: Legislative Business

Five “One Minutes” Per Side
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ???

* TODAY, WE EXPECT IMPORTANT VOTES ON THE HOUSE BUDGET RESOLUTION. PLEASE NOTIFY THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP’S FLOOR STAFF IF YOU WILL BE ABSENT.

FLOOR SCHEDULE AND BILL SUMMARY

H.Con.Res. 95 – Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY06 (Rep. Nussle – Budget) (Complete Consideration). The GOP Budget largely mirrors the President’s irresponsible proposals, sacrificing important domestic priorities in order to cover for their mismanagement of our nation’s economy and the government’s finances. Republicans will present a 5-year budget plan that masks their fiscal irresponsibility, having already produced over $2.2 trillion in additional debt since 2001 and will continue to use every penny of the Social Security Trust Fund to mask record deficits. The GOP budget makes room for over $100 billion in new tax cuts with $68 billion in mandatory cuts that could hit Medicaid, pension programs or student loans, and human services, while refusing to reinstate common-sense budget enforcement rules. Republicans also cut non-defense, programs in 2006 and substantially reduce their funding in the future compared to current services projections.

Yesterday, the House completed 5 hours of debate on this bill and considered the Hensarling Substitute. Today, the House will consider the three remaining amendments made in order by the Rule, which are debatable for 40 minutes each:

Obey Amendment. This amendment would provide an increase of $15.8 billion in FY 2006 for critical investments such as veterans, education, health care needs, homeland security, the environment and infrastructure. The amendment would ensure tax fairness by reducing the 2006 tax benefits for those earning more than $1,000,000, increasing revenues by $25.818 billion. Finally, the amendment would reduce the deficit by $10.018 billion to ease the next generations' burdens.

Scott (VA) Substitute Amendment. This five-year substitute amendment produces lower deficits and less debt than the GOP budget, while increasing funding for key programs to America’s communities, and restores fiscal responsibility to the federal budget process. The Amendment restores cuts and funds increases in specific domestic areas such as: full funding for No Child Left Behind, and increased funds for school construction, Pell Grants, Head Start, job training, community and regional development programs, juvenile justice, child nutrition programs, urban and rural Community Health Centers, aeronautics and science research and development, Amtrak, and Hope VI and Section 8 Housing Programs. To pay for these increases, the amendment raises revenue by: closing tax loopholes, abusive tax shelters, and corporate tax incentives for off-shoring jobs; reducing tax avoidance; including a reduction in the tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 for an individual’s adjusted gross income that exceeds $200,000; and maintaining the limitation on itemized deductions and the phase-out of personal exemptions for high income taxpayers. Furthermore, this amendment does not adopt the new Republican tax cuts, and redirects savings from the Ballistic Missile Defense program ($7.8 billion) in 2006 to homeland security, veterans, and programs supporting the troops and their families.

Spratt/Democratic Substitute Amendment. The Spratt Substitute achieves a balanced budget, provides real budget discipline, and protects Social Security. The substitute provides matching resources for Defense and Homeland Security, and more resources than the GOP budget in domestic priorities such as veterans, community development, education, environment, local law enforcement and health care, with responsible tax policy that promotes economic growth and jobs for working Americans.

Democrats Show Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility and Social Security with a BALANCED BUDGET. Democrats protect Social Security first and promote economic stability by reducing future long-term debt. The Democratic Budget returns to balance in 2012, and maintains a path of fiscal responsibility that accumulates less debt and strengthens Social Security.

Democrats PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE TAX POLICY and offer REAL BUDGET ENFORCEMENT RULES. The Democratic Budget alternative restores “pay-as-you-go” rules for both spending and revenues and allows for future tax cuts that meet these rules, such as middle-class tax relief for working families. Democrats reduce deficits by raising additional revenues through tax reform measures such as: closing costly loopholes, eliminating abusive shelters, and strengthening enforcement of our tax laws to ensure greater compliance.

Democrats Stand for STRONG HOMELAND SECURITY and NATIONAL DEFENSE: The Democratic Budget alternative continues our commitment to a strong Homeland Security and National Defense. The substitute matches the GOP defense funding level, but prioritizes resources for our troops and their families, nuclear non-proliferation activities, and port and homeland security.

Democrats Remain Committed to Meeting our Nation’s DOMESTIC NEEDS by rejecting the irresponsible GOP cuts to Medicaid and other mandatory programs in order to provide additional tax cuts, and by providing more funding for priority investments such as: education, community development, public health, veterans and environmental protection.
Postponed Amendment Votes (1 vote):

1) Hensarling Substitute Amendment. This five-year substitute amendment includes deeper cuts to domestic discretionary (by 2% compared to FY 2005) and mandatory programs ($125 billion reduction over five years) than the Nussle Budget, but matches the underlying resolution on defense and homeland security funding. This amendment also protects an additional $100 billion in tax cuts under reconciliation, while maintaining large budget deficits and rejecting real budget enforcement pay-as-you-go rules. This amendment also resurrects many of the Republican Study group budget process reform goals that were defeated during budget process reform debate last year, such as: reorganizing budget functions, super-majority points of order against new spending, and one-sided pay-as-you go rules that would also exempt borrowing trillions of dollars in new debt to fund transition costs for privatizing Social Security.

Democrats are urged to VOTE YES on the Spratt/Democratic Substitute and to VOTE NO on Final Passage of H.Con.Res. 95 – Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY06.

Postponed Suspension Votes (2 bills):

1) H.Con.Res. 32 - Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the occupation of the Republic of Lebanon by the Syrian Arab Republic (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / International Relations)

2) H.Con.Res. 18 - Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing gross violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and Lebanese people by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / International Relations)

Possible Motion to go to Conference on H.Con.Res. 95 – Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY06. Democratic Motion to instruct conferees.

Possible further action on legislation to provide for the removal to Federal Court of certain State court cases involving the rights of incapacitated persons (the current case involving Terry Schiavo). The House passed a bill by voice last night and the Senate may consider a different bill on this issue today.

“Republicans in Congress have a game plan to avoid ‘March madness’ when they go home this weekend to talk to constituents about Social Security during a two-week holiday recess. Shaken by raucous protests at open "town hall"-style meetings last month, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce of Ohio and other GOP leaders are urging lawmakers to hold lower-profile events this time. . . . This month, Republican leaders say they are chucking the open town-hall format. They plan to visit newspaper editorial boards and talk to constituents at Rotary Club lunches, senior citizen centers, chambers of commerce meetings and local businesses. In those settings, ‘there isn't an opportunity for it to disintegrate into something that's less desirable,’ says Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.”

- A news story on Social Security town hall meetings in USA Today this morning