Podcast appearances and mentions of gerald connolly

This Day in Legal History: Sweden Bans AerosolsOn January 29, 1978, Sweden made history by becoming the first nation to ban aerosol sprays, citing concerns over their harmful impact on the ozone layer. The decision was driven by mounting scientific evidence that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), commonly used as propellants in aerosol cans, contributed to ozone depletion. At the time, international awareness of environmental issues was growing, but regulatory action remained limited. Sweden's bold move set a precedent, signaling to the world that legislative measures were necessary to curb environmental harm.  The ban came in response to research published in the early 1970s, particularly studies by chemists Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland, who identified CFCs as a major threat to the ozone layer. Their findings spurred global discussions about air pollution and climate change, but most governments hesitated to act. Sweden, however, took a proactive stance, prioritizing environmental protection over industry objections. The law prohibited the sale and use of aerosol sprays containing ozone-depleting substances, forcing manufacturers to seek alternative technologies.  Sweden's action influenced other nations, including the United States and Canada, which imposed partial restrictions on CFCs in the late 1970s. Over time, growing international pressure led to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a landmark treaty aimed at phasing out ozone-depleting substances worldwide. Today, the ozone layer is gradually recovering, thanks in part to Sweden's early leadership. The ban underscored the power of legal intervention in addressing global environmental crises and demonstrated how science-driven policy can lead to meaningful change.Donald Trump's aggressive efforts to reshape the federal government have thrown agencies into turmoil, with sweeping policy shifts and a push to consolidate control. The administration is offering buyouts to federal employees resistant to returning to in-person work while signaling broader workforce cuts. At the same time, a sudden freeze on federal grants and loans caused widespread confusion, prompting a federal judge to issue a temporary stay. Though the White House insisted individual benefits would not be affected, state and local governments scrambled to assess the potential fallout.  The spending freeze is part of a broader strategy to challenge congressional control over federal funding, with Trump's allies arguing for expanded executive power. His administration has also targeted federal employees in diversity, equity, and inclusion roles, inspectors general, and Justice Department officials involved in previous investigations against him. Meanwhile, Trump has revived trade disputes, pardoned January 6 rioters, attempted to end birthright citizenship, and cut foreign aid.  Democrats, struggling to keep up, have called emergency meetings and press conferences, but Trump's rapid moves have overwhelmed political opposition. Some Republicans, too, have expressed concern, particularly over the scope of the funding freeze. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 limits a president's ability to block congressional spending, but Trump's team argues that temporary pauses are legally permissible.  The administration is also targeting federal personnel, with officials compiling lists of employees deemed expendable. Amid these efforts, some initiatives have already faced legal setbacks, such as the birthright citizenship order. Trump has also yet to significantly address key issues like inflation and the war in Ukraine, leaving uncertainty over the administration's broader policy direction.Trump Buyouts, Spending Freezes Wreak Havoc Across GovernmentFormer U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is set to be sentenced on Wednesday following his 2024 conviction on bribery and corruption charges. Found guilty on all 16 felony counts, including acting as a foreign agent, Menendez was accused of accepting bribes—such as gold bars, cash, and a luxury car—in exchange for political favors benefiting Egypt and New Jersey businessmen. Federal prosecutors have requested a 15-year prison sentence, arguing that Menendez abused his position to influence military aid, assist Qatar, and interfere in prosecutions.  Menendez, who served nearly two decades in the Senate, maintains his innocence and has vowed to appeal. His defense team is seeking a significantly reduced sentence of around 2 years, citing his age, public service record, and financial ruin. The scandal forced him to resign from the Senate, marking a dramatic downfall for the former chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.  Two businessmen convicted alongside Menendez, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, will be sentenced later this week, while his wife, Nadine Menendez, faces her own corruption trial in March. The case highlights ongoing concerns about political corruption and foreign influence in U.S. government affairs.Bob Menendez to be sentenced in gold bar bribery case that ended US Senate career | ReutersHouse Democrats Jamie Raskin and Gerald Connolly are demanding answers from the Trump administration regarding the abrupt firings and reassignments of career Justice Department prosecutors. In a letter to Acting Attorney General James McHenry, they expressed concern that the removals, which began immediately after Trump's inauguration, undermine a merit-based system and may violate federal law. The lawmakers are requesting a full list of affected employees and an explanation for the actions.  Among those dismissed were more than a dozen prosecutors involved in Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations into Trump's handling of classified records and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Additionally, over 20 senior officials, including the top public integrity prosecutor and the department's senior ethics official, were reassigned to a newly formed “sanctuary city” working group. The Public Integrity Section Chief, Corey Amundson, resigned in response.  Meanwhile, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Washington has launched an internal review of the felony obstruction charge used in January 6 prosecutions. Raskin and Connolly are also seeking clarity on whether the White House has examined career employees' political views or social media activity. The Justice Department has yet to comment on these developments, which have intensified concerns about political interference within federal law enforcement.U.S. House Democrats sound the alarm on firings and reassignments of career DOJ lawyers | ReutersStates are increasingly considering digital advertising taxes to generate revenue, but without coordination, they risk creating a compliance nightmare for businesses. Rhode Island is the latest state to propose such a tax, following Maryland's model, which has already faced significant legal and administrative challenges. Other states, including Connecticut, Indiana, and Arkansas, have explored similar measures, with Massachusetts, New York, and Texas also showing interest.  Rhode Island's plan, set to take effect in 2026, would impose a 10% tax on digital ad revenue from companies earning over $1 billion globally. This targets major players like Alphabet and Meta, but Maryland's lower threshold of $100 million suggests future expansions could include smaller businesses. Advocates argue that taxing digital ads could help offset social costs linked to social media companies, further driving state interest in such measures.  However, an inconsistent state-by-state approach could entrench an oligopoly, favoring large corporations that can handle complex tax requirements while squeezing out smaller competitors. A uniform, collaborative approach—modeled on the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement—could help states maintain sovereignty while ensuring consistency. Standardized definitions, revenue thresholds, and sourcing rules would simplify compliance and reduce litigation risks.  Maryland's legal battles highlight the dangers of an uncoordinated approach, making it crucial for states to learn from its experience. While a federal solution could provide uniformity, states are unlikely to cede control over taxation, making a state-driven compact the more viable option. By working together, states can create a sustainable, efficient digital ad tax framework that avoids the pitfalls of a fragmented system.States Need a Uniform Solution to Accelerate Digital Ad Taxes This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

On this week's episode of “The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart”: A reprehensible lie. Donald Trump and JD Vance are still pushing debunked lies about Haitian immigrants today. I'll discuss how the racist rhetoric is having an impact, on the people of Springfield, Ohio, the campaign trail, and the halls of Congress, with Harris-Walz campaign senior advisor, Keisha Lance-Bottoms and Rep. Gerald Connolly. The fight over an abortion rights amendment in Florida gets uglier. I'll ask the Executive Dir. of the Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Anna Hochkammer about intimidation efforts that could backfire on Republicans in November. And Content creator and Cat Lady for Kamala, RaeShanda Lias, joins me to talk about Donald Trump's decision not to debate VP Harris again and Cat Lady Taylor Swift's epic endorsement. All that and more on “The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart.”  

Carl Jackson is guest hosting for Officer Tatum; China begins rapidly expanding on small island near America's doorstep; Pro-Hamas protests sweep college campuses; New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan appeared to show his dark side during a gag order hearing concerning former President Donald Trump; Even MSNBC shows polls where Trump is better than Biden; Rep. Gerald Connolly said yesterday that "the Ukrainian-Russian border is OUR border"The Officer Tatum Show is now available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and SalemPodcastNetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Briahna spoke to two progressive congressional candidates hoping to make a difference in Northern Virginia & Washington DC -- Ally Dalsimer & Rev. Wendy Hamilton respectively. Hamilton, formerly Andrew Yang's Director of Spiritual Outreach, is hoping to unseat Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has been DC's House Delegate since 1991. Ally Dalsimer, an environmental activist, is hoping to unseat Gerald Connolly, who has been occuping his seat in the 11th district since 2009. Briahna asked the candidates not only what it will take to win, but whether they've considered how to overcome disaffection for electoralism on the left, and why anyone should commit their hard earned dollars to a congressional campaign when so may elected progressives have been disappointing as of late. Also, Briahna asked how can the left hold their candidates accountable -- using as an example the tension between Jamaal Bowman and the DSA. Do organizations influence candidates or do they kowtow to them? Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast     This week, Briahna spoke to two progressive congressional candidates hoping to make a difference in Northern Virginia & Washington DC -- Ally Dalsimer & Rev. Wendy Hamilton respectively. Hamilton, formerly Andrew Yang's Director of Spiritual Outreach, is hoping to unseat Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has been DC's House Delegate since 1991. Ally Dalsimer, an environmental activist, is hoping to unseat Gerald Connolly, who has been occuping his seat in the 11th district since 2009. Briahna asked the candidates not only what it will take to win, but whether they've considered how to overcome disaffection for electoralism on the left, and why anyone should commit their hard earned dollars to a congressional campaign when so may elected progressives have been disappointing as of late. Also, Briahna asked how can the left hold their candidates accountable -- using as an example the tension between Jamaal Bowman and the DSA. Do organizations influence candidates or do they kowtow to them? Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

Congressman Gerald Connolly schooled Republicans about Afghanistan. He slammed 'You Lie' Congressman Joe Wilson's attack. Before it was time for Rep. Gerald Connolly to speak, Joe Wilson scolded Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Connolly did not take kindly to that.--- If you like what we do please do the following! Most Independent Media outlets continue to struggle to raise the funds they need to operate much like the smaller outlets like Politics Done Right SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel here. LIKE our Facebook Page here. Share our blogs, podcasts, and videos. Get our books here. Become a YouTube PDR Posse Member here. Become a Politics Done Right Subscriber via Patreon here. Become a Politics Done Right Subscriber via Facebook here. Consider providing a contribution here. Please consider supporting our GoFundMe equipment fund here. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/egbertowillies/support

Melchior Baltazar, SVP/General Manager Brightspot, is the guest in the studio today. In December of 2019, there is a deadline for many agencies to comply with the IDEA legislation. Melchior has an excellent background for this discussion; he has a law degree from the University of Virginia as well as seven years’ service as a Navy SEAL. In December of 2018, the 21st Century IDEA legislation was passed, requiring federal agency websites to be accessible, scalable, secure, and user-friendly. This law is the latest in a series of federal legislation, policies, directives, and standards designed to modernize federal websites and improve the citizen experience. During the interview, Melchior summarized critical components of this regime, including the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, Mobile Ready Act, Connected Government Act; Modernizing Government Technology Act; OMB Guidance: OMB Circular A-11, Section 280; GSA TTS U.S. Web Design Standards. He also mentions the success of the Department of Agriculture, getting ten million dollars from the Technology Modernization Fund. Gerald Connolly is one of the congressional leaders that promote improvements in federal technology that include website modernization and digitization of government services. One of his flagship concepts was FITARA, and he is including the IDEA legislation. Brightspot has success in the commercial world and can show federal agencies on how to become consistent with business best practices.

Kris and Ryan go over a debate that flared up on Jacobin about MMT Show notes Correction: Ryan said Gerald Connolly (his rep) when he meant John Conyers. Gerald hasn't been cancelled yet. Anime discussion: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no YaibaKono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Life Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu  

This episode’s guest is Khaled Elgindy, a scholar at the Brookings institution who specializes in Palestinian affairs. He is the author of a new book Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump, which was published on April 4th, 2019. Links: The book on Amazon Khaled’s profile on Brookings’ web site  Khaled’s National Interest article How the Peace Process (Probably) Killed the Two-State Solution  Khaled’s article with Lara Friedman on the need for new thinking regarding Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution  Chris Van Hollen and Gerald Connolly’s Washington Post article   

Good news can be found in this episode! In July, eight bills were signed into law and none of them will make you want to flee the country. Topics covered include veterans and their health care, product warranties, transportation funding, and more. At the end of the episode, Jen shares some happy news. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Laws H.R. 91: Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 US Department of Veterans' Affairs Info Sheet: What is a Veteran Identification Card (VIC) and how do I get one? Discussed in CD101: Trade Away May Allows veterans who have honorably completed their service but who didn't "retire" or receive a medically-related discharge to request and pay for an ID card proving their veteran status. The fee for the card will be reassessed every five years. The cards would be available 60 days after the bill would be signed into law. Passed the House of Representatives 411-0. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida 3 Pages H.R. 615: Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Discussed in episode CD094: A Damage-Free February Gives the Under Secretary of Management of the Department of Homeland Security the job of making sure that DHS departments can communicate with each other in emergencies. Passed the House of Representatives 379-0. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. Sponsored by Rep. Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey 3 Pages S. 971: Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act of 2015 Discussed in episode CD099: April Takes a Turn Increases the length of Medicare contracts for at-home care from 3 years to 5 years Passed the Senate and House of Representatives by Voice Votes. Sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon 1 Page H.R. 1531: Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent Creates a process for temporary employees at Federal land management agencies to become permanent employees Waives age requirements for eligibility for temporary employees seeking to become permanent employees. Sponsored by Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia 3 Pages S. 1359: E-Warranty Act of 2015 Allows manufacturers to provide warranty information online, as long as the warranty information is available at the location of the sale so people can see it before they buy. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of Representatives 388-2 The two no votes were Rep. Dan Benishek of Michigan's 1st district and Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina's 3rd district. Sponsored by Sen. Deb Fischer 2 Pages H.R. 2499: Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 Passed the House of Representatives 410-1. Passed the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. Passed the House of Representatives with Senate changes by Voice Vote. Prohibits the Small Business Administration from charging a guarantee fee on loans made to veterans or their spouses. Exception: When the program doesn't pay for itself in the President's budget proposal, the fee can be charged to veteran's and their spouses the next year. Increases the amount of money than can be spent on business loans by $4.75 billion. Prohibits loan guarantees from being used by banks to get around their legal lending limits. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio 3 Pages H.R. 1138: Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act Protects land in Idaho as wilderness areas. Allows grazing that was already taking place to continue. Passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. Sponsored by Rep Mike Simpson of Idaho 9 Pages H.R. 3236: Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 Transportion Extends Federal highway funding until October 29, 2015. Reduces the tax rate for liquified petroleum gas starting in 2016. Banking Requires the banks to report more information about the status of mortgages starting in 2017. Ties the value of a deceased person's estate to the estimate on the deceased person's most recent tax return. Adjusts the tax return due date for partnerships and S corporations Veterans Orders the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs to develop a plan to consolidate all non-Department of Veteran's Affairs provider programs into one program called the "Veteran's Choice Program". Adds money to the fund for private health care for veterans, including $500 million for hepatitis C drugs Includes the text of the original Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, which said that veterans with government health care will not count towards the 50 employee Affordable Care Act threshold, which triggers a company's obligation to give employees health insurance. Passed the House of Representatives 385-34. Passed the Senate 91-4. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania 25 Pages Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Veterans Affairs Health Care and Budget, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, July 22, 2015. Additional Reading Letter from Senators Ron Wyden and Charles Grassley to the Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences for justification of high Sovaldi price. Article: Obama Signs Alternative Fuel Tax Fix into Law by Joseph Bebon, Next-Gen Transportation News, July 31, 2015. Article: The VA's Hepatitis C Problem by Gerard Flynn, Newsweek, May 9, 2015. Article: VA to Outsource Care for 180,000 Vets With Hepatitis C by Dennis Wagner of the Arizona Republic (re-posted on USA Today), June 21, 2015. Article: Maker of Costly Hepatitis C Drug Sovaldi Strikes Deal on Generics for Poor Countries by Gardiner Harris, New York Times, September 15, 2014. Article: $1,000 Hepatitis Pill Shows Why Fixing Health Costs Is So Hard by Margot Sanger-Katz, New York Times, August 2, 2104. Article: Gilead's 2014 profit margin nears 50%, fueled by hep C drugs by Jaimy Lee, Modern Healthcare, February 3, 2015. Article: Gilead Profit Tops Estimates as Hepatitis C Drug Sales Surge by Caroline Chen, Bloomberg Business, July 28, 2015. Article: Gilead Sciences: A Profile in Congressionally Guaranteed Profiteering by David Belk, Huffington Post, February 9, 2015. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

This episode highlights the bills that passed the House of Representatives in April including a bill that makes it tougher for wage slaves to get health insurance, a bill that gives away weapons to other countries, a bill written for the banks that lets them gamble with risky financial products, and more. Bills Highlighted in This Episode Passed on April 8, 2014 by 230-185 Changes the way the budget baseline is calculated by not factoring inflation. Congressional committees will be able to do the report on how much new programs will cost. Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Rob Woodall of Georgia Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida Passed on April 7, 2014 by 230-165. Starting in 2017, the President's budget must include the costs of direct loan and loan guarantee programs. Starting in 2017, no new loans may be issued or existing loans increased unless the money is provided in advance by a Congressional appropriations Act. Exemptions include entitlement loans such as student loan programs and veteran's home loan guaranty programs, loans for farmers giving by the Commodity Credit Corporation, or loans provided by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. All loans, including those made by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will count against the budget. Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Scott Garrett of New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey Passed on April 4 by 224-182. Requires the Congressional Budget Office to analyze the economic impact of each bill or resolution for forty years on the gross domestic product, businesses, stocks, employment, interest rates, and labor supply using "a variety of economic models." The Congressional Budget Office will have to do a follow up report for every new law on the accuracy of their original economic impact analysis. Any estimations of changes in tax revenue will be done by the Joint Committee on Taxation, a group made up of ten members of Congress. [caption id="attachment_1485" align="aligncenter" width="605"] Current Joint Committee on Taxation Members[/caption] Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia Passed on April 1, 2014 without a recorded vote. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The Doppler radar debris ball from the tornado that ripped apart Vilonia, AR on April 27, 2014.[/caption] Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would be authorized to receive $83 million in 2014 and $100 million per year in 2015 -2017 to create a program to research weather, research public response to weather warnings and forecasts, and transfer information and technologies between government and the private sector. Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would give money to the private sector, universities, and nongovernmental organizations. 30% of the research money authorized has to be given to these non-governmental  groups. Directs the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to make plans for improving hurricane warnings, data collection, and tornadoes. Gives a specific goal of increasing tornado warning times to one hour. Requires experiments to be done with new private sector produced technologies and data before the government buys it, if it costs more than $500,000,000. Current law: "Neither the President nor any other official of the Government shall make any effort to lease, sell, or transfer to the private sector, or commercialize, any portion of the weather satellite systems operated by the Department of Commerce or any successor agency." Changes the current law above to allow the government to buy weather data from private researchers and to pay to put satellites on private land. Tells the Dept. of Commerce to create a strategy for buying weather data from the private sector. The strategy needs to evaluate financial benefits and risks with buying private weather data, figure out what to do about private cancellation fees, determine how to set standards, and guarantee public access to weather information. Allows the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the National Weather Service to swap up to ten staff members for a year. Passed on April 3, 2014 by 248-179. Requires an employee to work 40 hours per week, instead of 30 hours per week, in order to be considered "full-time" and get employer-provided health insurance. Rep. Todd Young has collected over $5 million in the last five years from all kinds of industries. "Labor" isn't on the list. Additional Information CBO analysis of the budgetary effects of HR 2575 Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan just beat cancer. The House of Representatives didn't work much in 2013. The House of Representatives isn't working much in 2014 either. Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Todd Young of Indiana Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland Rep. Tim Griffin of Arkansas Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma Rep. Steve King of Iowa Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts Rep. George Miller of California Passed on April 7, 2014 without a recorded vote. Authorizes the President to transfer US warships to other countries over the course of three years. The other countries will pay the transfer costs - but the ships will not be paid for as they will be counted as "excess defense articles" - and any repairs needed before the transfer must be done in the United States. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="320"] U.S.S. Gary: One of the warships we'd be giving away.[/caption] Authorizes the President to give Taiwan four warships. Authorizes the President to give Mexico two warships for offshore surveillance and "oil platform security". Authorizes the President to give Thailand two warships. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the warships would be sold for about $10 million each. The value of the warships given away by this bill will not be counted towards the total of "excess defense articles". Increases the amount of military equipment and services the President is allowed to sell to other countries without notifying Congress. Makes it easier for the Department of State to authorize weapons exports. Passed on April 29, 2014 without a recorded vote. Current law limits the types of investments that banks can make in order to protect the money that customers deposit. This bill allows banks to keep risky investments called collateralized loan obligations if they had them before January 31, 2014. Collateralized loan obligations are from middle-sized and large business loans that are bunched together and then gambled with. Because they are structured so similarly to the mortgage backed securities that destroyed our economy, almost no one was gambling with collateralized loan obligations in 2008 and 2009. In the last few years, however, the practice has made a big comeback. In April, the month this bill passed the House, $11.8 billion of these high risk gambling bundles were created. It was the highest amount since the financial meltdown. This is a bill to help the biggest of the big banks. Almost 75% of all bank-owned collateralized loan obligation are owned by just three banks: Citigroup, WellsFargo, and JP Morgan. This is not the only bill that Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky has written for the big banks. As the New York Times reported in August 2013, he introduced a bill to eliminate a new federal rule intended to prevent banks from issuing mortgages to customers who could not afford to repay the debt — a measure pushed by bank lobbyists who had visited his office. Rep. Andy Barr has taken over $230,000 from the financial services and investment industry. Additional Information House Financial Services Committee hearing about HR 4167. Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Scott Garrett of New Jersey Rep. Mike Capuano of Massachusetts Rep. Garland "Andy" Barr of Kentucky Passed April 29, 2014 by 268-150. Exempts expatriate health plans from the Affordable Care Act. This is Representative John Carney's second Congress and his third most generous contributing industry is the insurance industry; they have given him almost $270,000. Representatives Quoted in This Segment Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan Rep. John Carney of Delaware Passed on April 10, 2014 by 219-205. This is the Ryan Budget. Same ideas, different year. The numbers assume the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Transforms Medicare into a privatized system with vouchers for poor seniors Reduces government employees' retirement benefits Puts limits on the amount that can be spent on veterans' health care Changes the way housing loan guarantees are counted so the deficit appears higher Keeps War on Terror funding off the official books. For a detailed account of the 2013 Ryan Budget, listen to CD018: The Ryan Budget Music in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Work Today by Tim Young (found on Music Alley by mevio) All Hail to the Market by Alun Perry (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Catching up the the bills that passed the House of Representatives in February, this episode details a bill designed to keep campaign donors secret, a bill to make all regulations more difficult to enact, a bill that makes unlocking your cell phone legal, a bill that prohibits states from seizing your land for another private interest's gain, a bill that sets up the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau... and more. H.R. 3308: “Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2014” Introduced by Rep. Billy Long of Missouri Advertisements and/or information provided by the government on radio, TV, internet, and through the mail need to clearly state that it is paid for and distributed “at taxpayer expense”. Representatives Quoted [caption id="" align="alignright" width="268"] “I sometimes have to Google what some of the agencies in the Federal Government do.” – Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas[/caption] Gerald Connolly of Virginia Blake Farenthold of Texas H.R. 3865: Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 Introduced by Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan Would prohibit the Treasury Department from changing the rules that allow social welfare groups to claim tax exempt status. Representatives Quoted Rob Woodall of Georgia Chris Van Hollen of Maryland Sandy Levin of Michigan Dave Camp of Michigan Lynn Jenkins of Kansas Charles Boustany of Louisiana Kevin Brady of Texas HR 2804: “All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2014” Introduced by Rep. George Holding of North Carolina Title I: All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2014 Makes every Federal agency submit monthly reports on the status of every rule they are working on. Rules can’t go into effect until they have been published on the Internet for at least 6 months. Exemption for national security, emergencies, or implementing international trade agreements. Title II: Regulatory Accountability Act Agencies must justify the rules they make and provide alternatives including “no action” alternatives, eliminating existing rules, and “specifying performance objectives” instead of giving specific actions necessary for compliance Agencies must do a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed rules and all alternatives. There must be a 60 day mandatory comment period (120 days for a major rule - which they changed the definition of to basically mean any rule that costs companies money). There will be no judicial review allowed of an agency’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule. The agencies must adopt the “least costly rule considered”. None of these new procedures will apply to monetary policies made by the Federal Reserve. Title III: Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2014 Rule makers must list alternatives that cost businesses the least or benefit “small businesses" the most financially. Every rule needs to be reviewed every 10 years. Title IV: Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act Changes the rules for suing the government in regards to their rule making decisions. HR 1944: “Private Property Rights Protection Act” Introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin A State that uses it’s power of eminent domain to seize a person’s private property for “economic development” will be barred from receiving Federal economic development funds for two years after a court rules that the State took the property for this purpose. States can get Federal money is they return the land. Additional Information Wikipedia:: Kelo vs. New London Supreme Court decision Yahoo NewsNebraska law that allowed Keystone XL struck down SF Gate: Richmond mortgage eminent domain battle expanding, December 9, 2013. NY Times: Richmond, CA a long shot against blight, January 12, 2014. Representatives Quoted Bob Goodlatte of Virginia Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina "Dozens of communities across the country are considering a vulture fund- developed investment scheme by which the municipality’s eminent domain power is used to acquire underwater— but otherwise performing—mortgage loans held by private-label mortgage- backed securities and then refinance those loans through programs administered by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Our housing finance system depends on private capital to take risk, make loans, purchase mortgage-backed securities, and help millions of Americans fulfill the dream of homeownership. What this eminent domain scheme considers would be incredibly destructive to the finance of homeownership and would do little more than help a few homeowners who can already afford their mortgage and line the pockets of the investors who developed this proposal. Who would invest in a mortgage knowing that their investment could be stolen just a few months or years later? Ironically, this new risk to the housing finance system would freeze the return of private capital to our markets at a time when many in Congress are looking for ways to increase the role of the private sector and decrease the federal government’s footprint. Using eminent domain in this manner will hurt Main Street investors the most. Those investors and pensioners may be invested in mortgages sitting in communities considering this plan— like Richmond, California—and not even know it. They are the ones who will suffer the most from this particular form of eminent domain. Mr. Sensenbrenner’s legislation shines a spotlight on the abusive uses of eminent domain, including this in- vestment scheme, and I am proud to support the bill. I believe this legislation may have the effect of defeating such a scheme." - Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina HR 1211: “FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2014” Introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa of California Instead of making FOIA information available for copying, it makes the information “available in an electronic, publicly accessible format”. Gives the government one year to set up a website, “accessible by the public at no cost to access” that allows us to submit information requests, receive status updates on our requests and file appeals. “An agency may not withhold information under this subsection unless such agency reasonable foresees that disclosure would cause specific identifiable harm to an interest protected by an exemption, or if disclosure is prohibited by law.” Creates a pilot program to test the efficiency of using a single website for FOIA requests. One place that will handle requests for at least 3 different agencies. Authorizes no additional money to create the website. Representatives Quoted Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland Rep. Darrell Issa of California HR 1123: “Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act” Introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia Allows people to unlock their cell phones. Prohibits cells phones from being unlocked in bulk. Additional Information Los Angeles Times: The House's cellphone unlocking bill: Thanks but no thanks. February 25, 2014. Representatives Quoted Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado HR 3193: “Consumer Financial Freedom and Washington Accountability Act" Introduced by Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin [caption id="attachment_1435" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Yup, that guy is a Congressman.[/caption] The bill takes the authority to police financial products and services away from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and gives that authority to a new five member commission. Four of the members the new commission will be picked by the President and the fifth will be the Vice Chairman for Supervision of the Federal Reserve. Forces the Financial Stability Oversight Board to stop Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations under certain conditions; right now, the board is authorized to do so at their discretion. The Federal Reserve Chairman has a seat on this 5 member board too. Gives the Financial Stability Oversight Board an unlimited amount of time to kill Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations. Forces the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to consider harm to the “financial soundness” of banks when it makes rules. Allows other agencies to create and change consumer protection laws. Funds the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau via Congress instead of the Federal Reserve. Additional Information Rep. Sean Duffy was on The Real World: Boston. Representatives Quoted Rep. Maxine Waters of California Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana Music Presented in This Episode February by The Distants (found on Music Alley by mevio) Little Banksters by Kito Peters (found on Music Alley by mevio) Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)