Podcasts about trade promotion authority

The U.S. is facing a growing ag trade deficit. Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., discusses the possibility of Trade Promotion Authority being passed by a Republican Congress and how the election could impact provisions included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.Then, Phil Karsting with OFW Law and T.A. Hawks from Monument Advocacy offer their thoughts on how the election may affect ag trade policy.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Lawmakers are working to make March 19 as the official National Agriculture Day. Tune into DriveTime to hear more about that and Trade Promotion Authority.

Is it time for Trade Promotion Authority? Congress bi-cameral and bi-partisan outrage over President saying some provisions of law are “not binding”. Listen for more on today's Two Minutes In Trade.

On Wednesday , AOA began with a market update from DuWayne Bosse, Bolt Marketing - he discussed the follow through buying in the wheat market and how his attitudes for the cattle market are changing. In segment 2, Bryce Mongeon, Director of Legislative Affairs at Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association had an update on the fight against California's AB5 law. Luke Lindberg, head of the South Dakota Export Council, talked about the importance of Trade Promotion Authority and how this year is the year to get it back. And the show ended with Greg Soulje, Meteorologist of This Week in Agribusiness, providing an update on the weather ahead.

This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council. Sutter sees an end to the current short supply of soybean oil and other vegetable crops. He expects global soybean farmers to respond to higher prices with increased plantings to meet growing demand. Sutter expects soybean oil demand to increase and suggests USSEC is working to grow market opportunities for soybean meal globally. Sutter is pleased with the U.S. investment in infrastructure but is concerned that the Biden administration doesn't have Trade Promotion Authority with this Congress needed to ratify any new trade agreement as written.

Foreign buyers are interested in the U.S. ag sustainability story. More on that and a look at the prospects for Trade Promotion Authority in today's DriveTime.

This episode is dedicated to the trade deals you haven't heard about. Sometimes called mini or skinny deals, over the last few decades the U.S. has made over 1,200 of these agreements. These deals cover a range of issues, vary in scope, are often not made public, and rarely go out of force. They have one thing in common: all are initiated by the Executive branch and enacted without a final “thumbs up” from Congress. Kathleen Claussen, Associate Professor at the University of Miami School of Law and former associate general counsel at USTR, is tracking down these agreements. Kathleen joins us to explain what they are and what we need to know about them. Opinions expressed on Trade Matters are solely those of the guest or host and not the Yeutter Institute or the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What Kathleen has been reading lately: How responsive is Trade Adjustment Assistance? Sung Eun Kim and Krzysztof Pelc Afronomicslaw

In this episode, Guest Host Jasmine Lim and the Trade Guys talk about the Biden administration's recent WRO on polysilicon. They also discuss the expiration of Trade Promotion Authority and what it means for upcoming trade agreement negotiations. Plus, the Trade Guys discuss the moratorium on e-commerce negotiations at the WTO and the results of the recent Trade Monitoring Report.

In the early 1970's, Congress created a “Fast Track” later known as the Trade Promotion Authority. This gave the president power to negotiate trade agreements that do not exist in the Constitution and limits the rights and duty of Congress. Join Arthur R. Thompson to learn more about why a renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority should be stopped. Action Items:1). Stop the Globalist “Trade Promotion Authority” Renewal by contacting your U.S. Representative and Senator. 2). Learn more about “Get US Out! of the USMCA”. 3). Learn why we should “Stop the Globalist' Trade Agenda”.

In the early 1970's, Congress created a “Fast Track” later known as the Trade Promotion Authority. This gave the president power to negotiate trade agreements that do not exist in the Constitution and limits the rights and duty of Congress. Join Arthur R. Thompson to learn more about why a renewal of the Trade Promotion […] The post Trade Promotion Authority Gives Power to Biden | JBS News Analysis appeared first on The John Birch Society.

U.S. dairy exports hit an all-time high in 2020, reaching 2.4 million metric tons. With those numbers in mind, it’s no wonder issues like Trade Promotion Authority are a priority for the dairy and agriculture industries. In the latest episode of “The Dairy Download,” we hear from two advocates looking to pave the way for future trade flows.Joining us first is Gregg Doud, a former Chief Agricultural Negotiator under the U.S. Trade Representative. He talks about his work negotiating trade accords like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. And Doud discusses what it’s like to be in the room where trade deals happen.Next is U.S. Representative Mike Simpson, who represents Idaho’s Second Congressional District. He discusses how dairy overtook potatoes to become the state’s top cash crop. And he tells listeners why “trade is vitally important to the agricultural industry.”Today's episode is sponsored by Spartan Parts. "From custom parts, to upgrades and equipment audits, Spartan Parts does it best. Check out spartanparts.com/dairydownload to learn how you can overcome filling obstacles to help improve your filling speeds."If your company is interested in sponsoring a block of episodes of The Dairy Download, contact IDFA’s Melissa Lembke at mlembke@idfa.org.

AgNet West's Taylor Hillman fills in for Danielle Leal today as the show covers another food safety report that is making regulators look at adjacent land use. Brian German has details on COVID complications still sticking around in markets even as things open back up. And he has the details on some new technology being developed by a big name company that can grade produce. Danielle also has information of frustration about the lack of trade deals as the Trade Promotion Authority expires.

Matt Kaye reports on the upcoming expiration of Trade Promotion Authority and the potential impact of that. Travis Mateer, Beef Educator with University of Illinois Extension and Nic Anderson, Illinois Livestock Development Group talk about current issues facing beef production. An update on the Brazilian corn crop in markets and Jim Fleming from Agri-search discusses challenges of finding candidates for agriculture jobs

In Episode 6, Marc works through the key sticking points keeping Canada out of a NAFTA 2.0, muses on the future of Trade Promotion Authority, and breaks down the Republican/Democratic divide over the so-called "United States - Mexico Trade Agreement" now on a 90-day clock.

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Thom Tillis (NC) spoke to a breakfast meeting of The Ripon Society, delivering a speech in which he discussed his first few months in office and a number of critical issues affecting his home state, including Trade Promotion Authority.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Lee Terry (NE-2) and Devin Nunes (CA-22) appeared at a breakfast meeting of The Ripon Society morning to discuss the U.S. trade agenda – an issue that, like so many others, has gotten overshadowed by the current government shutdown, but one that is critical to future U.S. economic growth. “I don't know how long this shutdown is going to go,” Nunes stated. “But the longer it goes, the farther we fall behind on trade issues and other issues that we need to get to.” Nunes is a longtime trade proponent who is serving his first term as Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Trade. In addition to discussing the effects of the government shutdown, he also discussed why it is important for Congress to pass Trade Promotion Authority, and the apparent lack of urgency by the President in getting it approved.

This morning it was announced that an agreement had been reached between the 12 countries negotiation the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.I've spoken out against this plan many times in previous episodes but this agreement means the U.S. congress will now have 30 days before an up or down vote will need to be taken to approve the deal.If you remember back a few months I explained to you the TPA or "Trade Promotion Authority" congress passed that allows the president to simply receive an up or down vote on any trade deals rather than congress being able to offer amendments or changes. I hate to say it but I think it's a virtual certainty that the deal gets passed. There are just to many big dollar donors who have influence in Washington these days. But even if they didn't we've got a whole other list of problems coming out of the U.N. which recently announced they would be starting the new Strong Cities Initiative aimed at getting cities to adopt new international standards for combating a variety of extremists.  If that sounds scary to you it should. If not, just give today's show a listen.JasonSupport the show.

Lots of new laws! Hear all about the final version of fast track and other trade related dingleberries, new measures to combat human trafficking, and new benefits for veterans. In this episode, you'll also learn about the bills that passed at least one branch of Congress in May, which include a poisonous scientific research funding bill, an anti-abortion bill, lots of bills to funnel taxpayer money into private pockets, bills that benefit veterans' families, and more. After the break, get the details for the Chicago and Miami meet-ups, an update on the Congressional Dish Arms Race, and hear a indisputable argument for why train travel is superior to plane travel. 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! Meet Up Times & Locations Chicago: Wednesday, August 5th 6:30pm: Sweetwater Tavern & Grille 225 Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 698-7111 Co-Hosted by Kevin and Loren, hosts of Political Discontent Radio Miami: Tuesday, August 18th 7pm: Emerge Miami Meeting 6pm: Meet and Greet 7pm: Meeting begins Sweat Records 5505 NE 2nd Ave. Miami, FL 33137 (786) 693-9309 8:30pm: Elwoods Gastro Pub 188 NE 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33132 (305) 358-5222 Laws H.R. 2146: Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act Became the vehicle for Trade Promotion Authority to become law Allows Federal law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers with 20 years experience to avoid a 10% tax penalty if they withdraw from their retirement plans after age 50, instead of 59.5 years old. The effects of this on the budget will not be counted. Passed 407-5 Sponsored by Rep. David Reichert of Washington 43 pages Did Your Rep & Senators Vote for Fast Track? Check your Senators' Votes on H.R. 1314 Check your Representative's Vote on H.R. 2146 H.R. 1295: Trade Preferences Extension Act Title I: Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Background Original African Growth and Opportunity Act was signed into law by President Clinton in 2000. Allows certain products from some African countries to be imported tax-free. Oil accounted for 68% of these imports in 2014; "despite remaining the top U.S. import under AGOA, U.S. oil imports from the region have fallen by 80% or nearly $40 billion since 2011." Clothes and vehicles from South Africa are the other main products imported tax-free under this law The law was going to expire on September 30, 2015. The assistance is intended to "encourage governments to Liberalize trade policy Harmonize laws and regulations with WTO membership commitments Engage in financial and fiscal restructuring Promote greater agribusiness linkages. Reauthorization Highlights Extends the AGOA until September 30, 2025 Eliminates the President's ability to terminate an African country's eligibility for the program without notifying Congress and the country 60 days before. Creates an annual public comment period regarding whether the African countries are meeting their eligibility requirements. Increases the number of people employed full time to make sure African food exports meet U.S. food safety standards from 20 to 30. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that extending this program will cost us $2.8 billion in lost tax revenue by 2025 Title II: Extension of Generalized System of Preferences Background A bigger program for allowing products to be imported tax-free into the United States, which was first created in 1974. President Obama terminated Russia's status as a Generalized System of Preferences country in October 2014, after the invasion of Crimea. Extension Highlights Extends the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program until December, 2017. Backdates the effective date to July 31, 2013, when the program expired. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this extension will cost us over $2.5 billion in lost tax revenue. Limits the types of cotton that are eligible for tax-free import Makes some luggage and travel products eligible for tax-free import Title III: Extension of preferential duty treatment program for Haiti Extends tax-free import status for products from Haiti until December 19, 2025. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this will cost us $520 million in lost tax revenue Title IV: Extension of trade adjustment assistance Extends trade adjustment assistance until June 30, 2021 Specifically mentions farmers. Brings back a tax credit for health insurance for workers who lose their jobs due to trade agreements or due to failed pension plans until the end of 2019, which are higher than the subsidies we get for health insurance on the ObamaCare exchange websites. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this will cost us $2.8 billion, with the most money needed from 2017 to 2021. Title VI: Tariff classification of recreational performance outerwear Contains a modified version of the Affordable Footwear Act, which reduces tariffs on some athletic footwear. Contains part of the OUTDOORS Act, which was introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and Senator Kelly Ayote of New Hampshire, which lowers or eliminates tariffs that average 14% for "recreational performance outerwear" Washington is home to headquarters of REI, Amazon, Nordstrom, Brooks Sports, and Eddie Bauer. New Hampshire is home to the headquarters of Timberland The American Apparel and Footwear Association, the Outdoor Industry Association, Eastern Mountain Sports, Kamik Boots, NEMO Equipment, and New Balance, and the Washington Council on International Trade have all voiced support for this language, with the Washington Council on International Trade saying it's because it "would save consumers money while improving profits for our retailers and apparel companies that do their manufacturing overseas". The Outdoor Industry Association spent a record $360,000 lobbying Congress on the US OUTDOOR ACT and the Affordable Footwear Act in 2014. Title VI: Offsets Extends customs charges for some imports from September 30, 2024 to July 7, 2025 and then increases the fees for two and a half months in the Summer 2025, after the expiration. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this will cause the revenue from those fees to spike from a little under a billion in 2024, to $4.6 billion in 2025. This is the biggest single source of money that will pay for this law. Increases taxes on corporations that make more than $1 billion in 2019 by 8% for the months of July, August, or September of 2020. The corporation's next payment will then be reduced by the same amount. On the Congressional Budget Office estimate, this makes it seem as though there is much more revenue for the 2015-2020 period than there actually is. If the numbers weren't cooked like this, the report would show an additional $5.7 billion budget deficit from 2015-2020. Beginning in 2016, the law forbids college education tax credits from students who don't receive an accounting "statement" from their school. CBO estimates this will save almost half a billion dollars. Increases the fines for failing to file tax returns on time or including incorrect information on a return, for example from $100 to $250 and raises the caps on these kinds of fees, effective in fiscal year 2016. CBO estimates this will bring in an additional $136 million by 2025. Disqualifies people who choose to exclude foreign earned income from their tax returns from claiming the child tax credit, effective this year. CBO estimates this will save $293 million by 2025. Somehow changes the way Medicare pays for dialysis services in a way that will cut direct spending by $250 million. Passed the Senate 97-1 and the House of Representatives 286-138 Sponsored by Rep. George Holding of North Carolina 58 pages S. 178: Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Through September 30, 2019, a person convicted of a human trafficking related offense will have to pay an extra $5,000 fine. The money will go to a "Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund, controlled by the Attorney General. The money will be used for law enforcement, grants to States, tribes, local government and non-profit NGO's, and local children's advocacy centers. Authorizes grant money specifically for victims of child pornography. Expands the property that can been seized by the government from people convicted of human trafficking crimes. Expands the "range of conduct punished as sex trafficking." "Section 108: Reducing demand for sex trafficking" adds "patronized, or solicited" to the list of of things punishable by a fine and at least 10 years in prison. The crime: "Whoever knowingly" in the United States "recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, patronizes, or solicits" anything of value that arises out of forcing someone under 18 to "engage in a commercial sex act", which means "any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person." Gives crime victims the right to be informed of any plea bargains or deferred prosecution agreements. Mandates that officers in anti-human trafficking programs operated by the Justice Department will have training on methods for investigating and prosecuting human traffickers and for getting proper physical and mental health care for the victims. Mandates that Federal prosecutors request restitution for the victims whether or not the victims request it. Creates an advisory council made up of human trafficking victims to analyze human trafficking laws every year until September 30, 2020. The members will not be paid except for travel reimbursement and per diem allowances. Requires missing children reports to include a recent photo Requires audits of human trafficking grants Prohibits the Attorney General from giving a grant to a nonprofit that has offshore tax havens. Includes the SAVE Act which makes advertising the services of prostitutes who are under 18 or are forced into prostitution punishable by ten years in prison. Creates a website for accessing victims' services Expands the statute of limitations on civil actions by child trafficking survivors to 10 years after they turn 18. Creates a "cyber crimes center" within the Customs and Immigration section of the Department of Homeland Security to "provide investigative assistance, training, and equipment to support United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's domestic and international investigations of cyber-related crimes." The cyber crimes center will have a "Child Exploitation Investigations Unit" in it. The cyber crimes center will have a "Computer Forensics Unit" which will train and support Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and help "Federal, State, local, tribal, military, and foreign law enforcement agency personnel engaged in the investigation of crimes" The cyber crimes center will have a "Cyber Crimes Unit" , which will "enhance" Immigration and Customs ability to "combat criminal enterprises operating on or through the Internet, with specific focus in the areas of cyber economic crime, digital theft of intellectual property, illicit e-e-commerce (including hidden marketplaces), Internet- facilitated proliferation of arms and strategic technology, and cyber enable smuggling and money laundering" and will also help "Federal, State, local, tribal, military, and foreign law enforcement agency personnel engaged in the investigation of crimes" The cyber crimes center will be allowed to coordinate with the Defense Department to hire war veterans. Temporarily increases by 10% the amount of money a State can get from Federal grants if the State has a law that allows the mother of a child to eliminate the parental rights of her rapist and authorizes $5 million for the increases (only 10 states currently have such laws). Adds people convicted in the military justice system to the National Sex Offender Registry. Creates a hotline for sex trafficking victims to speak with service providers starting in 2017. Makes sex trafficking victims automatically eligible for the jobs corps. Allows human trafficking survivors to move to vacate any arrest or conviction records for crimes that they committed as a direct result of human trafficking. Passed the Senate 99-0 and the House 420-3 Sponsored by Senator John Cornyn of Texas 41 pages S. 802: Girls Count Act Authorizes the Secretary of State and Administrator of USAID to coordinate with the World Bank, UN nations agencies and "relevant organizations" to "enact, implement, and enforce laws" in other countries to register births of baby girls. Sunsets in June 2020. Passed the House and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 3 pages H.R. 2252: Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act Clarifies the effective date of a new overtime system for border patrol agents, which will effectively pay them less, as January 1, 2016. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep Will Hurd of Texas 1 page H.R. 2496: Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act Authorizes and additional $900 million for a Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Denver, CO. Passed the House and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado 2 pages H.R. 606: Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act Excludes money paid to the families of law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty from counting as taxable income. Passed the House of Representatives 413-0 and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota 1 page H.R. 1191: Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act Requires the President to give Congress any agreements with Iran within 5 days of reaching the agreement, along with a report by the Secretary of State on the effectiveness of the agreement. Requires the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee to hold hearings on the agreement within 30 days - 60 days if it would interfere with their August vacation. Prohibits the President from altering sanctions on Iran during the Congressional review period. Prohibits the President from altering sanctions on Iran if a joint resolution of disapproval passes both the House and the Senate for 12 days after passage. If the President vetoes the joint resolution of disapproval, the law prohibits him from altering Iran's sanctions within 10 days of the veto. Allows the agreement to go into effect if Congress does nothing Creates an expedited process for Congress to bring back the sanctions if Iran violates the agreement. Passed the Senate 98-1 and the House of Representatives 400-25. Sponsored by Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania 12 pages H.R. 2353: Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 Clean extension of Federal transportation programs until July 31, 2015. Passed the House of Representatives 387-35 and the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bill Schuster of Pennsylvania 9 pages H.R. 91: Veteran's I.D. Card Act 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. Final version passed the Senate by a voice vote and the House of Representatives 411-0 Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan 3 pages Bills H.R. 1806: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 Funds the National Science Foundation, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Institute f Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy - Science, the Department of Energy - Applied Research and Development, and the Department of Energy - Technology Transfer. Contains a program that transfers taxpayer funded research to manufacturers in the U.S. - including the legal rights to the new inventions - as long as the company pays for 50%+ of the upgrades to their systems. Continues to invest tax money in research for coal, oil, and natural gas It would extend the life of current nuclear power plants instead of design new ones Creates a "nuclear energy enabling technologies program" which, in part, develops "small modular reactors". According to the Department of Energy, small modular reactors are factory-made mini-nuclear power plants that can be shipped to places that don't have the infrastructure or money for large nuclear power plants. The idea is to create these for "U.S. companies" to sell around the world. So far, none of these have been designed, licensed, or constructed and DOE wants them deployed within the next decade. Eliminates research into hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle technology and on-site renewable energy generation for buildings. Eliminates research into fish friendly turbines for hydropower Allows "energy efficiency" money to be used for research into renewable power combined with any fossil fuel (currently only wind-coal combo allowed). Makes the Secretary perform extra market analysis for renewable energy projects. Eliminates a program for taxpayer funded installation of solar and other renewable power on State or local government buildings. Eliminates the objective of "Improving United States energy security" from energy research, prohibits research money from being used for Fossil Energy Environmental Restoration, limits the amount of fossil fuel research money that can be used in universities, and prohibits government research into fossil fuels from being used for regulatory assessments by the government. Invests more taxpayer money in coal energy research. Passed the House of Representatives 217-205 President Obama would veto the bill. The veto threat is because the bill funds much less than requested for many areas of research; for example, it provides less than half of what was requested for clean energy research and grid modernizations. Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas 203 pages H.R. 1735: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Passed the House 269-151 and the Senate (with changes) 71-25 Sponsored by Rep. Mac Thorneberry of Texas 994 pages S. 136: Gold Star Fathers Act Extends hiring advantages for Federal jobs to fathers of people killed in military service (currently, it's only available to mothers). Passed the Senate by voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon 3 pages H.R. 1732: Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 Forces the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA to withdraw a proposed rule that would expand protection of waterways in the United States. Orders a new proposed rule to be crafted using studies - including an economic impact study - hand picked by the bill authors. Forces the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA to consult with "public and private stakeholders" that would be effected by the rule Prohibits any additional money for the extra work. Prohibits the Federal government's classification of waterways from voiding State permits for two years. Passed the House of Representatives 261-155 President Obama would veto the bill. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, who has taken almost $400,000 from the Oil and Gas industry, with over half of that for the most recent election. 13 pages H.R. 723: Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2015 An immediate family member of a deceased fire fighter, law enforcement officer, member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew who died in the line of duty can request and be sent a Capitol-flown flag free of charge by their Congressional Representative. Caps the amount to be spent on this at $30,000 per year. Passed the House of Representatives by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter King of New York 4 pages H.R. 36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Makes it illegal for someone to perform an abortion unless: The fetus is 19 weeks or younger The abortion is performed in a way that gives the fetus the best opportunity to survive Exceptions: If the mother's life is in danger due to a physical illness or injury Incest that has been reported to the government The pregnancy is the result of a rape The mother must have gotten rape counseling or medical treatment for the rape, which must be documented in the mother's medical file The rape counseling or report can not be provided by a non-hospital facility that performs abortions. The penalty for performing an abortion illegally can be a fine and 5 years in prison The mother or parents of the mother (if she is a minor) can seek civil damages from the doctor who performed her abortion illegally The mother can not be prosecuted Passed the House of Representatives 242-184 President Obama would veto the bill Sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona 24 pages H.R. 2297: Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 Orders the Secretary of State to report to Congress "the activities of all satellite, broadcast, Internet, or other providers that knowingly provide material support to al-Manar TV and any affiliates" and the status of sanctions against them as ordered by President W. Bush on September 23, 2001. Prohibits financial institutions that process transactions for Hezbollah from opening or maintaining accounts in the United States. Penalties for facilitating Hezbollah transactions will be the greater of $250,000 or twice the transaction amount in addition to a criminal penalty of up to $1 million and up to 20 years in prison. This can be waived in 180 day intervals if the Treasury Secretary says it's in the "national security interests of the United States" These rules will not apply to intelligence activities Passed by 423-0 Sponsored by Rep. Ed Royce of California 20 pages H.R. 474: Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorized a program for homeless veterans for five years. Clarifies that veterans being released from prison are eligible for benefits. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio 3 pages H.R. 1038: Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act Forces the Department of Veterans Affairs to keep a copy of all official reprimands or admonishments in the employee's permanent record as long as they work at the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Costello 3 pages H.R. 1313: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act Allows the business that was owned by a disabled veteran to keep it's veteran perks if the spouse takes over the business for three years, if the veterans did not die as a result of a service related disability (if the veteran did die of service related injuries, the spouse can keep the benefits for 10 years or until she remarries). Passed the House of Representatives 403-0 Sponsored by Rep. Jerry McNerney 3 pages H.R. 1382: BRAVE Act Authorizes the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs to give preferential treatment to companies that hire veterans in their choice in awarding procurement contracts. A company that lies about the veteran status of its employees will be prohibited from contracting with the Department of Veteran's Affairs for five years. Passed the House of Representatives 404-0 Sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Rice 3 pages H.R. 1816: Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2015 Excludes monthly pension payments from counting as income for veterans who become permanently or totally disabled from non-service related injuries. Limits the total amount of bonus money allowed to be issued to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada 3 pages H.R. 874: American Super Computing Leadership Act Broadens the definition of "institution of higher learning" to include organizations that exist to benefit institutions of higher education Orders the Department of Energy to partner with universities, National Laboratories, and industry. Eliminates the Department of Energy's High End Software Development Center and replaces it with a partnerships with universities, National Laboratories, and industry to do research. Part of this program will include outreach to domestic industries, including manufacturing so they can use the technology developed. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois 8 pages H.R. 1162: Science Prize Competitions Act Allows private for-profit entities to be given grants and contract so administer government prize competitions. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Donald Beyer of Virginia 6 pages H.R. 1119: Research and Development Efficiency Act Creates a working group to make recommendations on how to streamline Federal regulations and to "minimize the regulatory burden" on universities performing federally funded research. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Comstock of Virginia 4 pages H.R. 1156: International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2015 Creates a working group to coordinate international science and technology cooperation, designed in part to "support United States foreign policy goals". Will be co-chaired by officials from the Office of Science and Technology and the Department of State. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Daniel Lipinski of Illinois 4 pages H.R. 1561: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015 Creates a program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to improving weather knowledge, understand how the public reacts to warnings, and develop radar and other weather forecasting technologies. At least 30%) of the money for the program will go to universities, private entities, and NGO's to further their research. Creates a tornado warning improvement program with the goal of predicting tornadoes more than an hour in advance. No budget listed. Creates a Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program with the goal of extending hurricane forecasts. No budget listed. Allows the government to pay commercial providers up to $9 million for weather data Creates a pilot contract which makes NOAA contract with a private sector entity for weather data by October 1, 2016. Authorizes (but doesn't appropriate) about $100 million per year through 2017. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma 25 pages H.R. 1158: Department of Energy Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act of 2015 Orders an assessment and report on the Department of Energy's ability to host and oversee "privately funded fusion and non-light water reactor prototypes and related demonstration facilities at Department-owned sites" Orders the Energy Department to carry out a pilot program designed to "commercialize" research at National Laboratories. Projects can not directly compete with the private sector. Extends the pilot program until October 31, 2017. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois 16 pages H.R. 880: American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 Makes permanent a corporate tax credit for research and development the expired at the end of 2014 The effects of this on the budget will not be counted The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this would increase the Federal deficits by $182 billion in the next ten years. President Obama would veto the bill. Passed the House of Representatives 274-145 President Obama would veto the bill. Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas 9 pages Hearings Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing: "Border Security: Examining the Implications of S. 1691, the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2013", June 9, 2014. House Committee on Science, Space and Techonology Markup Hearing: "H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015", April 22, 2015 Additional Information Federation of American Scientists: Status of World Nuclear Forces Federaation of American Scientists/Washington and Lee University Study: The Future of Nuclear Power in the United States U.S. Department of Transportation Factsheet: Deficient Bridges by States and Highway System: Current Data Associated Press Article: House votes to provide for highway aid, plug hole in veterans' health care budget by Joan Lowy, July 29, 2015 Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Fast Track by Terry Quiett Band On the Road Again by Willie Nelson

Medicare, cybersecurity, favors for banks, mortgages, IRS bullying, a tax cut for the rich, and a couple of good ideas are highlighted from the law and bills that passed Congress in April. 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. 2: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR): Enacted in 1997, the SGR paid doctors for Medicare patients based on the growth in gross domestic product (GDP). If Medicare costs increased more than GDP, doctors payments were cut across the board. According to the American College of Physicians, this formula for payment has meant that the Medicare payment rate to doctors is essentially the same as it was in 2001 and cuts have been postponed so many times that doctors' payments would have been cut by 21% if this bill was not signed into law by April 1. This new law: Repeals the Sustainable Growth Rate formula for Medicare payments to doctors. Increases payments to doctors by 0.5% through 2019 while the payment rate transitions away from a pay-per-service model. The new system will be based on scores assessed by a "Merit-based Incentive Payment System" which will be created by the Secretary of Health and Human Services which will go into effect on January 1, 2019. A list of "quality measures" will be posted every November and doctors can choose which one's will be used in their performance assessments. Doctors will be rated and paid based on a performance score from 0 to 100, which will take improvement into account starting in the second year of the program. The GAO will report on the effectiveness of the system by October 1, 2021. An advisory committee will be created to propose alternative payment models, which will be lump sum payments to group practices and medical homes. Sets a goal for Medicare records to be electronic nation-wide by December 31, 2018. Extends a bunch of existing Medicare programs, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (which covers low income kids whose parents make too much for Medicaid) for two years. Doubles the length of Medicare administrator contracts from five to ten years. Expands nationally a prior authorization requirement for "repetitive scheduled non-emergent ambulance transport" Prohibits the printing of social security numbers on Medicare cards Pays for the new system by... Denying access to policies with no out of pocket costs to people who enter Medicare after January 1, 2020. For all future beneficiaries, they will have to pay at least $147 per year (the cost of the Medicare Part B deductible). Increasing the premiums for relatively high income individuals. People who have a gross income between $133,501 and $160,000 ($267,000 and $320,000 for a couple) will pay a 65% premium instead of 50%, and people above that will pay an 80% premium rate. This would increase with inflation beginning in 2020. Has a huge increase in the levy that the Treasury Department can impose on tax delinquent service providers, increasing it from 30% to 100%, effective on October 16, 2015. Will have auditors distribute information about improper payments to help reduce the number of them. Creates a paper-free option for Medicare notices, saving mail fees. The effect this bill will have on the budget will not be counted. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this bill will increase the budget deficit by $141 billion. Passed 392-37 in the House and 92-8 in the Senate Sponsored by Rep. Michael Burgess of Texas 95 pages Bills H.R. 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015 For reference, here's the text as of March 2015 of the Homeland Security Act, which is amended by this bill. This bill: Adds "private entities" to the list of groups that will be part of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, which coordinates information sharing between the Federal government and other entities. Adds new groups to the list of who will be included in the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center who will coordinate with all sizes of businesses. Expands the type of information that the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center will share between the Federal government, local governments, and private sector. Authorizes the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to share information internationally. Requires the government and businesses to use existing technology to "rapidly advance" implementation of "automated mechanisms" for sharing between the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center and Federal agencies. Participation by non-Federal entities will be voluntary. Agreements that exist before this bill is signed into law will be deemed compliant with this law. All participating entities need to take "reasonable efforts to remove information that can be used to identity specific persons". There's no listed punishments if they don't. The Under Secretary for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection will create policies for governing the use of information shared with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center 180 days AFTER the bill becomes law. He/she will also be responsible for creating "sanctions" for government employees who disregard his/her privacy policies. Private entities that share information will have immunity from lawsuits, if they share information according to this law. If the Federal government breaks this law, it will have to pay the person actual damages or $1,000, whichever is higher, plus attorneys fees. There is a two year statute of limitations. This law will trump state laws that limit information sharing. The law would sunset 7 years after enactment. Passed 355-63 in the House Sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas 60 pages H.R. 1560: Protecting Cyber Networks Act Contains the text of H.R. 1731: National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act Within 90 days of enactment, the Director of National Intelligence must develop procedures for sharing classified "cyber threat indicators" with "non-Federal entities" Allows cybersecurity monitoring of government systems to be privatized Allows "non-Federal entities" to share information to with anyone other than the Defense Department. The entity sharing information must "take reasonable efforts" to remove personally identifiable information on people "not directly related" to the cybersecurity threat. The President will develop polices governing what happens to information received by the Federal Government, within 90 days of the bill becoming law. The Attorney General will create policies relating to privacy and civil liberties, within 90 days of the bill becoming law. A new branch, with 50 or less employees, will be created within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence called the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, which will "serve as the primary organization within the Federal Government for analyzing and integrating all intelligence possessed or acquired by the United States pertaining to cyber threats." Information shared with the government is exempt from public disclosure. Information given to the government "shall not be subject to a rule of any Federal department or agency or any judicial doctrine regarding ex parte communications with a decision-making official." The government can keep and use information given to it to investigate, prosecute, prevent or mitigate a threat of "death or serious bodily harm or an offense arising out of such a threat" and to investigate, prosecute, prevent or mitigate a threat to a minor. The information can also be used to prevent, investigation, disrupt, or prosecute fraud, unauthorized access to computers and transmission of information taken from it, "serious violent felonies" including murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, extortion, firearms use, firearms possession, or attempt to commit any of these crimes, espionage including photographing or sketching defense installations, and theft of trade secrets. Passed 307-116 in the House Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California 121 pages H.R. 650: Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 Changes the definition of "Mortgage originator" to exclude mobile home retailers who take mortgage loan applications, negotiate loans, or advise consumers on loan terms (including rates, fees, and other costs) This exempts mobile home dealers from licensing, registry, a law prohibiting payment based on the terms of the loan, regulations prohibiting steering customers towards loans they can't repay or with excessive fees, regulations prohibiting mischaracterizing a customer's credit history, regulations prohibiting the mischaracterization of the appraised value of the home, or steering a customer towards a loan that's more expensive than others that they qualify for. Increases the interest banks can charge people buying a home for under $75,000 without the loan being labeled as "high-cost", which subjects the loans to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations. The regulations this would exempt the loans from: Ban balloon payments, which is an oversized payment due at the end of a mortgage Prohibit banks from charging prepayment penalties and fees Restrict late fees to four percent of the payment that is past due Bans fees for loan modification Require banks make sure the loan can be repaid before offering it Prohibit banks from recommending that a customer default on a loan Require that banks receive a confirmation that the customer has received homeownership counseling before they accept a high-cost mortgage. Would allow banks to charge $3,000 or 5% in fees for loans under $75,000, whichever is greater. Current law says banks can charge 5% for loans over $20,000, so the $3,000 fee option would hit the smaller loans the hardest. Passed the House 263-162. Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote. The bill would be vetoed by President Obama. Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee He took $15,150 from Clayton Homes for the 2014 election, his #4 donor and Clayton Home's #1 recipient of funds. Jeb Hensarling, the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee was Clayton Homes #2 recipient in 2014, giving him $8,750. 4 pages H.R. 685: Mortgage Choice Act of 2015 By changing the definition of what charges count as "points and fees", this bill... Reverses a Dodd-Frank requirement that charges for title insurance be counted as points and fees if they're paid to an affiliate of the bank/creditor that issued the loan. Currently, points and fees can not be greater than 3% of the loan amount, which include fees charged by affiliated settlement providers. Every thing that gets exempted from counting as "points and fees" therefore becomes additional charges the lender is allowed to tack on to a mortgage. Exempts money held in escrow for insurance from being considered points and fees, which exempt insurance charges from the fee caps. The change in definition allows more fees to be charged to mortgages, while keeping those mortgages from being classified as "high-cost" and being subject to greater restrictions. This is a zombie bill from the 113th Congress; it passed by voice vote on June 9, 2014. Passed the House 286-140. Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan His top three contributing industries are - in this order - Insurance ($273,265), Real Estate ($218,175), and Commercial Banks ($193,000). 4 pages H.R. 299: Capital Access for Small Community Financial Institutions Act of 2015 Federal Home Loan Banks are privately owned cooperatives, funded by the global credit market, which provide money to local banks. There are twelve of them around the country and they are owned by the member banks. Most local banks are members of least one Federal Home Loan Bank. Allows privately insured credit unions to become members of Federal Home Loan Banks if they are FDIC eligible or are certified by the State. If the State doesn't get to it in under 6 months, the application is deemed approved. Zombie bill from the 113th Congress Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Steve Stivers of Ohio His top three contributing industries over the course of his four year Congressional career have been Insurance ($898,858), Commercial Banks ($534,622), and Securities and Investment ($502,098). 6 pages H.R. 1259: Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities Act Orders the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to create an application process for people or companies to have their location designated as "rural" This would allow residents to become eligible for certain mortgages and exempt lenders from regulations intended for urban areas, according to Phil Hall of National Mortgage Professional Magazine Sunsets after 2 years. Zombie bill from the 113th Congress Passed the House 401-1. Nydia Valazquez of New York was the only no vote. Sponsored by Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky He has taken $333,800 from the Securities & Investment industry during his 3 years in Congress. 4 pages H.R. 1195: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act Creates paid advisory boards for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau made up of bankers Places limits on funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Passed the House 235-183, with 4 Democrat Ayes and 5 Republican Nays President Obama would veto the bill Sponsored by Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina His #4 and #5 contributing industries are Securities & Investment and Commercial Banks; he's taken a combined $189,450 during his 3 years in Congress 7 pages H.R. 1314: Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act Became the vehicle for Trade Promotion Authority in the Senate Creates an appeal process for organizations that are denied tax-exempt status Would apply to decisions made on or after May 19, 2014. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania 4 pages H.R. 1026: Taxpayer Knowledge of IRS Investigations Act Gives the Treasury Secretary the option of telling organizations if they are investigating a claim of unauthorized information disclosure by a government, if the investigation substantiated their claim, and if any action, including prosecution, is planned. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania 3 pages H.R. 709: Prevent Targeting at the IRS Act Allows the IRS to fire employees who steer and audit for a political purpose or for personal gain. Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. James Renacci of Ohio 2 pages H.R. 1104: Fair Treatment for All Gifts Act Makes gifts made to 501(c)4 "social welfare" groups, 501(c)5 labor and agricultural groups, and 501(c)6 business groups (including chambers of commerce, real-estate boards, and professional football leagues) tax exempt. Passed the House by voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois 3 pages H.R. 1058: Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act Tells the IRS Commissioner to "ensure" that IRS employees are "familiar with and act in accord" with a list of "taxpayer rights" including The right to be informed The right to quality service The right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax The right to challenge the position of the Internal Revenue Service and be heard The right to appeal a decision of the Internal Revenue Service in an independent forum The right to finality The right to privacy The right to confidentiality The right to retain representation The right to a fair and just tax system Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois 3 pages H.R. 1152: IRS Email Transparency Act Prohibits IRS employees from using personal email accounts for official business Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas 2 pages H.R. 1105: Death Tax Repeal Act Repeals the estate tax for anyone who dies after the bill is signed Repeals the generation-skipping transfer tax, which is a tax on gifts and transfers of wealth to unrelated people who are more than 37.5 years younger than the donor, or to related people who are one generation younger. Would lower the top gift tax rate from 40 to 35 percent. The effects of this on the budget would not be counted. The CBO says this would increase the deficit by $269 billion over the next 10 years President Obama would veto the bill. Passed by 240-179 Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas 7 pages H.R. 622: State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act Permanently extends the law that allows taxpayers who itemize their claims to deduct their state's sales taxes instead of getting a deduction for their state's income taxes. The effect of this bill on the budget would not be counted. CBO says this would increase the Federal deficit by $42 billion over the next ten years. President Obama would veto the bill. Passed the House 272-152. Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina was the only Republican no vote Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas 2 pages H.R. 1562: Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2015 Stops Federal agencies from contracting with companies that are tax delinquent A waiver can be issued and the contract granted if a report is submitted to Congress saying that the contract "significantly affects the interests of the United States" Passed the House 424-0 Sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah 9 pages H.R. 471: Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act Makes the Attorney General list specific laws and regulations that a drug company is accused of violating in their notices to the companies regarding the possible suspension of their drug's registration. Allows drug companies to submit a "corrective action plan" when their drug registration may be suspended Passed the House by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania His top contributing industry for the last election was the pharmaceutical industry; they gave him $55,250. 6 pages S. 971: Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act Increases the length of Medicare contracts for at-home care from 3 years to 5 years Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon 2 pages H.R. 373: Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act Clarifies that search and rescue volunteers are not Federal volunteers and are not entitled to Federal compensation. Releases the government from liability for allowing search and rescue teams onto Federal land so that they won't have to get insurance. The government as to approve or deny a request for a search and rescue mission within 48 hours. Passed the House 413-0 Sponsored by Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada Rep. Heck introduced the bill in response to the murder of Keith Goldberg; the search for his body in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area was delayed because the search team needed a special use permit and a $1 million insurance policy. It took 10 months to get the insurance; his body was found 3 hours after their search began. The National Association for Search and Rescue and the National Park Service, however, don't think access is a problem. 6 pages S. 304: Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act Protects the identity of whistleblowers who provide information relating to motor vehicle defects or other dangerous safety problems. Allows the government to give up to 30% of the fine collected from a car company that breaks the law to the whistleblower whose information lead to the conviction. The whistleblower is not allowed to be represented by a lawyer. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator John Thune of South Dakota Senator Thune has taken over $380,000 from the automotive industry 11 pages S. 984: Steve Gleason Act of 2015 Starting in 2016, Medicare would cover speech generating devices. Allows people to own their speech generating devices (as opposed to renting them) if purchased between October 1, 2015 and October 1, 2018. Named after former NFL football player Steve Gleason, who played for the New Orleans Saints before being diagnosed with ALS Passed the Senate of a voice vote Sponsored by Senator David Vitter of Louisiana 3 pages Hearings Rules Committee: April 13 on HR 650 and HR 685, about housing bills. Rules Committee: April 21 on HR 1731 and HR 1560 on Cybersecurity House Committee on Financial Services: March 18 hearing on deregulation for banks titled "Preserving Consumer Choice and Financial Independence" Information Presented in This Episode Article: 'Doc fix' headed to president's desk after easily clearing Senate by Paul Demko, Modern Healthcare, April 14, 2015. Article: The mobile-home trap: How a Warren Buffett empire preys on the poor by Mike Baker and Daniel Wagner, The Seattle Times, April 2, 2015. Article: MBA's Mortgage Action Alliance: A Message from MAA Chairman Fowler Williams by Fowler Williams, National Mortgage Professional Magazine, June 11, 2015. Article: U.S. Bank Profits Near Record Levels by Robin Sidel and Saabira Chaudhuri, Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2014 Article: Bureaucracy hindered search for slain brother by Anjeanette Damon, USA Today, March 8, 2014. Webpage: About the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, Department of Homeland Security. Webpage: Team Gleason Press Release: Rep. Kelly Introduces Taxpayer Knowledge of IRS Investigations Act Additional Information Kickstarter: Explore Campaign Finance App by Soloman Kahn. Jen's Podcast Appearances Episode 66: Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria Episode 42: Podcast Junkies with Harry Duran Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Ask Your Doctor by Neal Fox (found on Music Alley by mevio) Thank you by Ben Willmott (found on Music Alley by mevio)

It's a miracle! Trade promotion authority is revived ... Dan: Obama has made a strategic, not economic, argument ... Heather critiques the trade deal from the left ... The big mistake we made about China in the '90s ... Former Israeli ambassador goes on anti-Obama press tour ... How the Obama/Netanyahu schism will affect 2016 ...

Our guest this week is Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. In this week's interview Minister Ritz says the US is out of options and out of time with regard to Country-of-Origin labeling. He discusses the retaliation timetable and the billions of dollars in tariffs that could be placed on U.S. goods. In addition, Ritz says Canada is closely watching the Trade Promotion Authority vote in the U.S. Congress and working closely with Secretary Tom Vilsack to overcome other tough trade issues.Agri-Pulse staffCanadian Ag Minister Gerry Ritz

Today's the day that the House of Representatives will vote on Trade Promotion Authority, better known as Fast Track. It all comes down to this! We'll keep an eye on the vote and break in to see what our elected representatives do as it happens, and chat with Democracy for America chair Jim Dean about the letter they sent to members of Congress this morning, urging a NO vote. Our resident Republican, John LeBoutilliler, weighs in on some of the GOP presidential hopefuls. And for Flashback Friday, it's my rare interview with New Radicals' Gregg Alexander from May of 1999.

In this short preview of my interview with economist Brad Delong, we discuss the economic and social impact of the trade deals currently being negotiated by the US Trade Representative, including the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trade Promotion Authority and related bills under consideration in Congress this month. The full interview will be available next week. Please check back regularly.  

This week's guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator John Boozman.  The Arkansas Republican sees strong opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed clean water rule and says Congress must quickly address the COOL rule. As co-chair of the hunger caucus, Boozman has strong interest in nutrition programs and expects policy reform this year. In this interview, Senator Boozman explains his thoughts on Cuban trade reform, Trade Promotion Authority and currency manipulation.Jeff NalleySenator John Boozman Arkansas

Kent Bacus, NCBA Associate Director of Legislative Affairs, talks about the importance of Trade Promotion Authority.

District Representative Adrian Smith outlines a challenging agenda for House members following the Memorial Day break. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Smith expects a great deal of debate over Trade Promotion Authority, tax reform, and identifying financial resources for the Highway Trust Fund. In this week's feature, Smith shares his support for renewable fuels and his concern over attempts to further define food labeling laws.Agri-Pulse staffRep. Adrian Smith, Nebraska

This week's guest on Open Mic is US Senator Heidi Heitkamp. As an outspoken advocate for agriculture and rural America, the North Dakota Democrat was instrumental in crafting the 2014 farm bill and now has proposed legislation to address uncertainty over renewable fuels and waters of the US as well as expanding trade with Cuba. In this interview Senator Heitkamp shares her thoughts on food labeling and outlines senate debate over Trade Promotion Authority for President Obama. While trade dominates the legislative agenda this week, Heitkamp hopes for timely action on the highway trust fund, the export-import bank and national security issues.Jeff NalleySenator Heidi Heitkamp

Today is the day that the Senate is supposed to vote on Trade Promotion Authority, or Fast Track, to push the TPP through Congress with little debate and no amendments. Nicole speaks with Greg Sargent of WaPo's Plum Line about his recent conversation with Elizabeth Warren regarding her opposition to TPA. GottaLaff joins in for hour 2 to lighten the mood.

Colin Woodall, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs, discusses Trade Promotion Authority legislation and House passage of WOTUS legislation.

This week's guest on Open Mic is Minnesota US Representative Collin Peterson. In this interview Peterson discusses his position on Trade Promotion Authority for the Obama administration and the dangers of change to the nation's crop insurance program. The House Ag Committee Ranking Member thinks environmentalists have control of the White House and favors congressional action to thwart implementation of the new EPA Clean Water definition Jeff NalleyRep. Collin Peterson

Kristina Butts, NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, discusses Trade Promotion Authority, the EPA's Waters of the United States proposal, and the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

This week's Open Mic guest is Michigan US Senator Debbie Stabenow. As Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee Stabenow says she's concerned about the budget process and is ready to defend the agriculture policy she and others worked so hard to approve. Stabenow says she wants to export products not jobs. In this interview, she shares her reservations about granting Trade Promotion Authority for the administration and her support for expanding trade with Cuba.Jeff NalleySenator Debbie Stabenow

Kent Bacus, NCBA Associate Director of Legislative Affairs addresses Trade Promotion Authority and the importance of trade.

Time-sensitive episode! Congress is rushing to pass a bill that would grant the President Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which hands Congress' power to negotiate international treaties to the Executive Branch. In this episode, we look at the details of the Trade Promotion Authority bill. Is giving the Executive Branch this power a good idea? Please Contact Your Representative in the House www.house.gov Please Contact Your Two Senators www.senate.gov 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! Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or Fast Track H.R. 1890: "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015" S. 995: "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015" The following links are to the text of H.R. 1890, as introduced in the the House Ways and Means Committee. The Senate, as of April 26, has not sent the text of their version to the Government Publishing Office to be released to the public. [caption id="attachment_1743" align="aligncenter" width="968"] Despite having been introduced on April 16 and passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on April 22, the text of Trade Promotion Authority had still not been submitted for public publishing on April 26[/caption] Section 2: Negotiating Objectives Elimination of trade laws that keep multinational corporations out of foreign countries Expand the Investor State Dispute System Allow multinational corporations access to the world's resources Get other countries to change their laws Eliminate taxes that companies have to pay to sell their products in other countries (tariffs) Remove regulations that prevent businesses from operating in other countries Agriculture Prevent countries from refusing foreign food for safety reasons unless an approved international scientific organization says the concerns are legit. Force countries to eliminate subsidies for their own industries Eliminate government owned industries Prohibit labeling requirements for food that "affect" biotechnology (for example, genetically modified foods) and making labeling requirements eligible for lawsuits in the Investor State Dispute System Prohibits restrictions "not based on scientific principles" Foreign Investment Eliminate exceptions for when a foreign corporation is treated the same as a domestic corporation Allow money to be transferred into and out of the country Eliminate performance requirements for opening and operating a business in a foreign country Create laws that force governments to pay companies for law that reclaim their land from corporations Create an appeal process for the Investor State Dispute System Ensure that Investor State Dispute System rulings are made public, that hearings are open to the public, and that businesses, unions, and NGO's have a way to make their opinions heard in Investor State Dispute System cases, even if those businesses, unions and NGOs are not a part of the case. Intellectual Property Make sure that companies have the legal and technological means to prevent unauthorized use of their copyrighted material over the Internet Enforcement must include civil, administrative, and criminal mechanisms Prohibit laws that require local storage or processing of digital data Prohibit taxes on electronic transfers Regulatory Practices Require regulations be "based on sound science, cost benefit analysis, or risk assessment" Have countries match their laws Eliminate price controls Government-Owned Industries Eliminate government owned industries that compete with private companies Localization Eliminate and prevent laws that require multinational corporations to operate facilities or keep assets in a country where they want to do business Labor and Environment Require countries to adopt "internationally recognized core labor standards" Allows environmental laws to be weakened (see exception) Allow countries to enforce labor and environmental laws at their discretion "Ensure that labor, environmental, or safety politics and practices of the parties to trade agreements with the United States do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate against United States exports or serve as disguised barriers to trade." Ensure that labor and environmental laws are subject to the Investor State Dispute System Prohibit foreign countries from enforcing labor and environmental law within the United States Anti-Corruption "Encourage and support" anti-corruption and anti-bribery initiatives Section 3: Trade Promotion Authority for the President The President may enter into agreements with foreign countries before July 1, 2018 That can (and likely will) be extended until July 1, 2021. The President has to request the extension in writing and submit reports to Congress and if Congress does nothing, the extension is automatically approved. Procedures for the President to Enter International Agreements The President must notify Congress of his intention to begin negotiations 90 days before they start 30 days before starting negotiations, the President must publish a summary of the negotiation objectives on a publicly available website. Before entering into an agreement, the President must "consult" with various Committees and inform them of the "nature of the agreement" and the "general effect of the agreement on existing laws" At least 180 days before entering the agreement, the President must submit a report to Congress of the proposals that "may be" in the final agreement. At least 90 days before entering the agreement, the President must provide the International Trade Commission - which is not a part of Congress - with details of the agreement as it exists at that time and request an assessment of the agreement. At least 90 days before entering the agreement, the President must publish his intention to enter the agreement in the Federal Register. 60 days before entering into the agreement, the President must publish the text of the agreement on a publicly available Internet website of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. 30 days before entering the agreement, the President must give Congress the final text and a plan for implementing and enforcing it. Congress will make changes needed to existing U.S. law with an implementing bill Any agreement with a foreign government that is not disclosed to Congress before the implementing bill is introduced will have no force or effect. Congressional Involvement in Negotiations The U.S. Trade Representative must meet with any member of Congress who requests a meeting The U.S. Trade Representative must provide any member of Congress access to negotiation documents, including classified materials The United States Trade Representative must "consult" with various committees at various stages of negotiations. The U.S. Trade Representative - not Congress - will write guidelines on "enhanced coordination with Congress" and the USTR can revise the guidelines whenever he wants to. The U.S. Trade Representative will have to accredit at least 10 members of Congress to the trade delegation. It's unclear if they will be able to participate in the actual negotiations. How to rescind Trade Promotion Authority If the Senate Finance Committee meets to pass the implementing bill, and it doesn't pass, a "disapproval resolution" will be passed and sent to the Senate floor. Any member of the House or Senate can introduce a "disapproval resolution" In the House, the resolution goes to the Committee on Ways and Means AND the Committee on Rules If either of these Committees does not pass the resolution, it can not go to the House floor for a vote If the Committee on Ways and Means does not pass the resolution in 6 legislative days, the resolution dies. In the Senate, the resolution goes to the Committee on Finance. If the Committee on Finance does not pass the resolution, it can not go to the Senate floor for a vote Information for the Public The U.S. Trade Representative will create written guidelines on public access to information regarding agreements, which he can revise at any time. Chief Transparency Officer Creates a new position in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative - the Chief Transparency Officer - who will "consult" with Congress on transparency policy, "assist' the public, and "advise" the U.S. Trade Representative Sovereignty "No provision of any trade agreement... that is inconsistent with any law of the United States, any State of the United States, or any locality of the United States shall have effect." "Reports...issued by dispute settlement panels... shall have no binding effect on the law of the United States, the Government of the United States, or the law or government of any State or locality of the United States." Hearings Discussed in This Episode "Congress and U.S. Trade Policy", Senate Finance Committee, April 16, 2015. [caption id="attachment_1745" align="aligncenter" width="314"] People available for questions during the April 16 surprise hearing in the Senate Finance Committee about Trade Promotion Authority[/caption] "Congress and U.S. Trade Policy", Senate Finance Committee, April 21, 2015. [caption id="attachment_1746" align="aligncenter" width="303"] People available for questions during the April 22 Senate Finance Committee hearing on Trade Promotion Authority [/caption] Mark-Up Hearing for S. 995 (the Trade Promotion Authority bill), Senate Finance Committee, April 22, 2015. Mark-Up Hearing for H.R. 1890(the Trade Promotion Authority bill), House Ways and Means Committee, April 22, 2015. Additional Information U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman bundled between $200,000- $500,000 for Barack Obama's political campaigns, Center for Responsive Politics Senator John Thune has taken over $1.6 million from Agribusiness, Center for Responsive Politics Is the Bt Protein Safe for Human Consumption?, ucbiotech.org - University of California, February 2012. USDA Fact sheet on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Philip Ellis, NCBA President and Chugwater, Wyoming cattleman, talks about the importance and status of Trade Promotion Authority.

Our guest on Open Mic this week is U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Congressional leaders return to Washington this week with an agenda bordered by trade, appropriations and a pushback against overregulation. The Kentucky Republican sees opportunity to work with the Obama administration on Trade Promotion Authority and cyber-security legislation, but expects push back over regulations that GOP leaders will try to repeal through a series of policy riders on appropriations bills.Jeff NalleySenator Mitch McConnell

Our guest on Open Mic this week is U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, who chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee dealing with agriculture, rural development, the Food and Drug Administration and related agencies. The Kansas Republican expects challenges to new farm programs and crop insurance this year but says the largest threat to U.S. farms and ranches is the regulatory environment in Washington. In this wide-ranging interview, Moran discusses Country of Origin Labeling law, dietary guidelines, trade with Cuba and prospects for passage of Trade Promotion Authority.Jeff NalleySenator Jerry Moran

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts is featured on this Agriculture Week edition of Open Mic. As an overseer of ag policy, Roberts plans upcoming hearings on the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the U.S.  definition, Cuban trade policy, and crop insurance. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Roberts is working toward possible revisions of the US tax code as well as Trade Promotion Authority for the Obama Administration. Listen in to learn more.Jeff NalleySenator Pat Roberts

Our guest on Open Mic is National Farmers Union President, Roger Johnson. As the group prepares for their 2015 convention, Johnson shares his support for current farm bill and opposes any attempt to return to open policy debate. NFU members oppose Trade Promotion Authority for the Obama Administration, but support liberalizing trade with Cuba. Johnson and the NFU are strong supporters of Country of Origin Labeling policy and don't believe Canadian trade retaliation is imminent. The NFU stepped away from the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group and Johnson says he's certain the NFU won't support the current memorandum of understanding being circulated by the group.Jeff NalleyRoger Johnson

Bob McCan, NCBA President and Victoria, Texas cattleman talks about the importance of Trade Promotion Authority in negotiating the current round of free trade talks.

Kent Bacus, NCBA Associate Director of Legislative Affairs, discusses the record beef exports and the importance of passing Trade Promotion Authority.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas persevered with agriculture groups and congressional leaders to bring a new farm bill to law. In the 114th Congress, Lucas says he'll be diligent to protect funding for the risk management tools he sees essential for the nation's farmers and ranchers. Lucas favors Trade Promotion Authority for the administration and supports incoming committee chairman Congressman Mike Conaway's plans for hearings on nutrition and other aspects of farm policy.Jeff NalleyChairman Frank Lucas

In this episode we expose the TransPacific Partnership, an agreement that has been negotiated in secret over the past 3 years by the Obama Administration. Our guests are Arthur Stamoulis of Citizen’s Trade Campaign and Ben Beachy of Global Trade Watch from Public Citizen. The US is using the TPP to bully smaller Pacific Rim nations into accepting an agreement that goes beyond trade to put provisions in place that give transnational corporations greater power than sovereign nations. It creates a path to go around regulations that have been put in place to protect the environment, labor rights, consumer rights, internet privacy and economic stability. The Obama Administration is hinting that it will push for Fast Track, now referred to as Trade Promotion Authority, in Congress which would subvert a democratic process to review and pass the TPP. There are numerous opportunities to expose and oppose the TPP and prevent it from becoming law. Visit FlushtheTPP.org. Visit ClearingtheFOGRadio.org for more information.