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Rejection of U.S. debt leads to interest rate spike While Washington is preoccupied with the so-called fiscal cliff, little attention has been given to the fiscal avalanche that will occur if we continue down an unsustainable, long-term path, causing markets to turn sour on U.S. debt and leading to a spike in interest rates. Such a eurolike crisis would make the fiscal cliff look like a dip in the road. Unlike driving off a cliff, which you can see coming and make last-minute adjustments to avert, we cannot predict with any reasonable certainty when the avalanche will break. If it does, there will be little anyone can do to prevent its devastating effects. No one knows just how long the United States can continue to accrue massive debts before lenders lose confidence. Delaying significant fiscal restraint for yet another year will send the wrong signal to financial markets and may serve as a tipping point that could lead to disastrous consequences for our economy. If U.S. creditors decide that our debt is no longer the safest form of investment available, demand for Treasurys will drop, interest rates will rise and the cost of servicing our debt will begin to explode. Paying interest on our national debt will quickly crowd out spending on almost all other federal priorities. At that point, any deficit reduction undertaken by Washington including the sorts of spending cuts or tax increases being discussed today will be too little, too late. The Congressional Budget Office projects that under the most likely policy scenario, in 30 years, net interest payments on the debt could total $3.8 trillion in todays dollars. That is more than total government spending for 2011. In reality, we are unlikely to maintain the same level of borrowing and spending for the next three decades without a significant change in interest rates for our debt. Even a modest 1 percentage point increase, for example, in effect would wipe out all the deficit reduction included in last years Budget Control Act. In other words, we would have to shoulder the burden of fiscal restraint without any actual deficit reduction all pain and no gain. It could get much worse. If our failure to make significant structural changes in government spending leads to borrowing conditions like those of Greece, we could experience a meltdown of the financial markets and broad economic upheaval from which we may never recover. Such circumstances would require massive and immediate cuts to Social Security, Medicare, national defense and virtually every discretionary program to avoid a credit default. 1
Most Americans will find this scenario difficult to believe, but make no mistake if we do nothing, the avalanche will break suddenly and without warning. As Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff recently explained, By the time [markets] lose confidence, its too late: The option to tighten from a position of strength has evaporated. President Obama says his solution to our deficit and debt is to raise taxes on the very wealthy. His approach does almost nothing to address the structural spending challenges we face. Over 10 years, the presidents most recent budget, which includes his tax hike, still adds almost another $11 trillion to the national debt. Equally unserious is the suggestion by some senior Senate Democrats that we increase spending with another stimulus program. Failure to achieve robust recovery is not the result of too little government spending. Rather, excessive government spending, intervention and regulation have stifled growth and incited fear over what will be required to bring the budget into balance. What our country needs most is fiscal restraint, structural spending reform and sound economic policy to promote investment and jobs. Simply continuing to kick the budget can farther down the road will make these required reforms increasingly more difficult and ultimately more painful. Such continued delay risks arriving at a point when we no longer can borrow and we have no choice but to painfully slash government spending overnight. Is Washington up to the challenge? So far, the answer has been no. That must change soon. If the fiscal avalanche breaks before we change course, the result will be disastrous.
ignoring the biggest issues have only increased the disappointment they have in their elected leaders. To live up to Americas promise, the country needs an agenda that focuses on its greatest strength: its people. Recently, I have developed a proposal called the Saving the American Dream plan modeled on reforms long-advocated by the Heritage Foundation. This plan would put America on a sustainable and affordable path to economic growth by empowering individuals to define their own financial futures.
It creates a more efficient delivery system for our entitlement programs, reforming the greatest driver of our debt while protecting the most vulnerable in our society from poverty. This plan simplifies the tax code in a way that is more transparent and straightforward so average Americans can understand and file their own taxes. And it reins in federal spending so we can balance our budget, spur job creation, and leave something other than a mountain of debt to future generations. The centerpiece of my plan is economic freedom. Families will be able to save and invest tax-free. Individuals and their doctors not government bureaucrats will control health care dollars and medical decisions. Our children and grandchildren will no longer suffer the insurmountable burden of paying for our accumulated debt. The Saving the American Dream plan encourages productive economic activity by giving individuals at every income level essential tools to take care of their families, save for retirement, access affordable health care, and improve their quality of life. It is not government that made America great. Our greatness lies in the ingenuity of the American people when left free to make their own choices and pursue their own dreams A freedom agenda that empowers individual Americans to determine their own happiness will move the country forward and restore the American dream.
The Saving the American Drea empowers individuals to de ne nancial future, creates a bett system for safety net services spending across the federal go and adequately protects Am national security
You Choose
Begin running surpluses in five years
your finan
Easy
Renewed fiscal strength provides the FREEDOM and RESOURCES we need to solve our greatest
CHALLENGES.
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ur American Dream
You Choose
your security
erican Dream budget ls to de ne their own ates a better delivery et services, reduces federal government, protects Americas security
Medicare Reform
Provides a contribution that can be used to purchase a policy that meets your needs while allowing current users to keep their plans Freedom to choose your doctor & permanently fixes pricing distortions Creates a competitive system where private insurers vie for your business
We Choose strength
Ensures adequate funding to protect Americas national defense Strengthens and modernizes our military force Keeps our promises to Americas heroes
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vestment = Economic
Growth
Senators Plan Gives Americans Greater Choice and Freedom to Improve Their Own Financial Future WASHINGTON Senator Mike Lee introduced a budget resolution that puts the country on a sustainable economic path, fixes Americas deeply flawed entitlement programs, and creates a new simple and transparent tax system. Lees bold and innovative plan is built upon the principles of individual freedom and consumer choice, rather than government mandates and market distortion. His tax plan and entitlement reform frees Americans to make financial planning and health care decisions based on their own individual needs and personal choices, promotes personal savings and wealth creation for all income levels, and reduces the burden of government programs on future taxpayers. Americans deserve to define their own financial future, said Lee. Today, we have a government that mandates, regulates, and controls almost everything we do. As a result, we have an unsustainable debt, less prosperity, and less economic freedom. This plan reverses the endless growth of government and empowers individuals to make their own savings, investment, and health care choices, while creating a better delivery system for Americas safety net services, like Social Security and Medicaid. Lees budget proposal is modeled on a plan first published by the Heritage Foundation called Saving the American Dream, which eliminates budget deficits after five years and stays balanced thereafter. The plan introduces a new single, unified income-based tax rate on consumption for both individuals and businesses, eliminates special interest loopholes, and retains just two tax credits and three deductions. The Social Security plan reforms the program into a retirement security system more akin to a traditional insurance plan, and Medicare transitions to a defined contribution premium support plan that ensures seniors at all income levels can afford health insurance. All entitlements are means-tested, eliminating payments to wealthy individuals and preventing sudden poverty as a result of unforeseen events. Americans understand we have a big problem and that it is going to take big solutions to solve them, Lee added. Our answer is more freedom, not more government control. The Saving the American Dream budget puts power in the hands of Americans to decide what works best for their own needs and families.
May 16 2012
Transcript of floor speech delivered on May 16, 2012 Mr. President, The true greatness of our nation lies in the power and promise of the American dream. Unfortunately for many individuals and families this dream has become a national nightmare. Without the clear priorities and accountability of a budget we continue to careen toward the economic cliff with our massive debt and trillion dollar deficits threatening the prosperity of Americans from every walk of life. To put it simply, we must change course! Restoring the American dream will require more than clever bumper-sticker slogans. While optimism is an important part of the American dream, hope simply is not a strategy for the kind of course correction our country needs. Doing nothing is no longer an option! Although this President and this Congress have attempted, by not having a budget, to convince the American people that doing nothing is the only option. Ignoring our broken entitlement programs, maintaining our complex tax code, and pretending we dont have a spending problem ensures that our economy will never truly recover and the American dream will not be restored. The good news for Americans is that many of us do have solutions to confront and correct the countrys most pressing challenges. In todays debate and discussion the nation has seen that changing course and balancing our budget doesnt take 30 years, nor does it require the kind of drastic cuts that could devastate Americas our most vulnerable citizens. As we approach this debate I remind my colleagues of the old adage, You can make excuses or you can make progress, but you cannot make both. Given the gravity of our current situation we should also recognize that our present path is unsustainable. A course correction is coming - the question we will be held accountable for is whether that correction comes by choice or as a consequence of making excuses and doing nothing. The Saving the American Dream plan, which I have proposed, puts us on a sustainable and affordable path toward economic growth. It reforms our tax code to make paying taxes a simple, transparent, and equitable process that regular people can perform on their own. It empowers families to save by making savings tax free, which in turn lowers their tax burden in a way that helps them and our economy. It establishes a single rate, eliminates the payroll tax, helping all Americans especially those at the lowest income levels and it abolishes the death tax permanently. 10
Under this plan, Americans will no longer be forced to navigate the complex web of countless loopholes - for people who dont need them, contained within a tax code longer than the works of Shakespeare. In addition to placing an enormous burden and creating immense uncertainty on our people, such a tax system hides the true size and cost of government. This plan is simple and provides certainty for individuals and businesses. Opponents of reform will play petty politics and prey on false fears about the governments ability to help the helpless. They claim that any course correction in entitlement or social service spending will damage the social safety net. The truth is, doing nothing will absolutely and completely destroy the safety net. If we do not change course the collapse of safety net services for our most vulnerable Americans is certain and it is certain to hurt most those who have the least. This plan saves Social Security by transitioning to a real insurance plan that provides income security for seniors and prevents sudden poverty as a result of unforeseen events. The affluent elderly, such as Warren Buffett, will see a decrease in benefits. This plan allows people like Mr. Buffett to help in a way that is actually good for our economy and our job creators. The Saving the American Dream plan also ends the government takeover of health care and puts dollars and decisions back into the hands of families and their doctors. Just like school choice allows parents to make sure their kids dont get stuck in a failing school system, this plan ensures families dont get stuck in a failing health care system. And finally, this plan acknowledges that we have a spending problem and works to reduce the size of government, eliminate waste, lower the future burden on taxpayers, encourage productive economic activity, and enhance individual liberty and choice. It reins in spending by a total of $9.6 trillion over ten years when compared to Presidents budget, and by $7.1 trillion against the CBO baseline. Supporters of the status quo will have every excuse as to why this budget or that budget wont work. But now is the time to stop making excuses and start making progress. Today, we will have a vote on 5 budget proposals, but it is only the beginning of the discussion. I can say confidently that Republicans have done a tremendous amount of work to craft proposals that begin to change our course and move our country in the right direction. The Presidents budget reflects the status quo do nothing, keep our complex tax code and broken entitlement programs, and ignore spending. As for Senate Democrats, for three straight years, my friends across the aisle have refused to participate in this discussion except to criticize ideas they dont like. Leadership is what leadership does - and for the past 1,113 days our country has suffered from a lack of leadership.
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I ask my colleagues, if you cannot vote for these budget plans today, will you at least do the right thing for the country, put aside election-year politics, show true leadership and work with us to explore and implement real solutions. We cannot stand by the status quo, we cannot decide by default to do nothing - The American people expect more and deserve better. We need every American to join us in finding the solutions that will enable us as a nation to change course. The Saving the American Dream plan is about empowering individuals to define their own dream and ensuring they have every opportunity to make it reality. This is the greatest civilization the world has ever known, not because government made it great, but because Americans continually reject the status quo, chose to change course when needed, demand economic freedom while ensuring individual liberty and the right to pursue happiness. This budget provides the clear priorities and accountability we must have to jump-start the economy, create real jobs, strengthen the safety net and restore the American Dream.
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Sep 24 2012
Lame Duck Session Not the Time for New Treaty Ratifications
Last Thursday, Senator Pat Toomey and I passed around a letter to my colleagues requesting that Senate leadership not bring treaties to the Senate floor for consideration during the lame-duck session of the 112th Congress. Here is an excerpt from that letter: Under Article 6 Section 2 of the Constitution, treaties that receive the advice and consent of the Senate will become the supreme law of the land. The writers of the Constitution clearly believed that all treaties presented to the Senate should undergo the most thorough scrutiny before being agreed upon. The American people will be electing representatives and senators in November, and new representatives carrying the election mandate should be afforded the opportunity to review and consider any international agreements that are outstanding at the time of their election. Treaties require a two-thirds majority in the senate for ratification and with the signatures of thirty seven of my colleagues, we will be able to prevent Senate leadership from hastily passing any new supreme laws of the land without the necessary consideration such an alteration to our Constitution and legal code would deserve. The necessity of this letter was confirmed last week when Senate Democrats attempted to pass the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) by unanimous consent. My colleagues and I expressed concerns with UNCRPD when it came under consideration in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a variety of reasons: Concern #1: Sovereignty- Treaties by their very nature affect our sovereign authority to govern ourselves. In this case, parties to this convention are subjected to the direction of an independent committee charged with the duties of making regulations and enforcing them. In the past similar independent committees have been known to make demands of state parties that fall outside the legal, social, economic and cultural traditions and norms of state parties. Concern #2: Best Interests of the Child- The convention states in all actions concerning children with disabilities, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. Subjecting the protection of children with disabilities to an independent committees definition of the best interests of the child is not something Im comfortable with. Several parental rights groups (including the Home School Legal Defense Fund) have shared this concern and fear this treaty could strip parents of fundamental rights. For example, a right that could be stripped could be the ability to home school a child with disabilities if the Committee (or those carrying out its recommendations) believes it is in the best interests of their child. Concern #3: Dangerous Precedent for Treaties- By obligating the U.S. to recognize economic, social, and cultural entitlements as rights, this convention sets a precedent for treaties that would actually allow an international body to define our own domestic law. We have never allowed this type of precedent to be set by treaty. While the sentiment of the treaty is admirable, it would be better addressed in a different venue than a binding international law. The Senate needs much more than one hearing to investigate how this treaty will affect domestic federal and state law. 19
Concern #4: Superfluous Treaty for American Rights- The United States already has the most comprehensive legislation in the world to protect the rights of Americans with disabilities. The Americans with disabilities act of 1990 provides a private cause of action for the disabled for instances of discrimination in employment, public accommodations, transportation, etc. This treaty does not address any actual need the United States is experiencing with regard to legislation. Concern #5: Abortion There is specific language in the convention that requires parties to provide persons with disabilities with the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care and programs as provided to other persons, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health and population-based public health programs. The Obama administration has declared that abortion itself falls under sexual and reproductive health and therefore would fall under the requirements of this language. As with every piece of legislation that comes across my desk, I read the UNCRPD with a fine-tooth comb, analyzed it with my staff and my senate colleagues, and found these five major concerns that give me great pause before allowing its passage into law. The Senate Foreign Relations committee convened just once to discuss the treaty and these concerns were not addressed, and while I am pleased that some of my colleagues are comfortable with it, I am not. With the admittedly hurried passage of the Affordable Care Act and other similar pieces of legislation we have seen that there are those in Congress who have little problem with passing laws only to find out whats in them later. But I was not elected to pass as many pieces of legislation as possible. I was elected to pass legislation that directly benefits my constituents in Utah and the people of the United States while protecting their freedoms and unalienable rights as citizens. This treaty does not accomplish those goals and illustrates precisely why we have chosen not to support any treaties between now and the end of the lame duck session of the 112th congress.
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Nov 01 2012
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S. 2199: Grow America Act of 2012 The Grow America Act is a comprehensive bill that contains major energy production reform, tax reform, and regulatory reform. This bill would streamline the tax code, slow the adoption of new regulations, and encourage new energy production in the United States. S. 2200: Saving the Family Farm Act of 2012 The Saving the Family Farm Act would provide permanent death tax relief to family farms and small businesses. S. 2247: Federal Reserve Modernization Act The Federal Reserve Modernization Act reforms the role of the Federal Reserve in response to its excesses over the past few years. It increases Congressional reporting and transparency from the Fed, narrows the scope of Treasurys stabilization fund, forces the Federal Reserve to clearly and directly articulate its lender of last resort policy, and repeals much of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. S. 3420: Permanent Tax Relief Act The Permanent Tax Relief Act would extend the 2001, 2003, and 2010 tax cuts permanently. As the bulk of this was dealt with in the January tax deal, there is no clear reason to introduce this bill. S. 3482: Cut, Cap and Balance Act The Cut, Cap and Balance Act would cut federal spending immediately, cap all future spending at sustainable levels, and demand that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution first pass Congress and be sent to the States before Congress raises the statutory debt limit. S. Con. Res. 44: Saving the American Dream Budget The Saving the American Dream budget empowers individuals to define their own financial future, creates a better delivery system for safety net services, reduces spending across the federal government, and adequately protects Americas national security. The Saving the American Dream budget replaces todays complex tax system with a new, simple structure that creates powerful incentives for individuals to save, invest, and build wealth. Social Security and Medicare are reformed to focus on their core purposes. The budget also significant spending reforms to programs across the federal government to reduce the size of government, eliminate waste, lower future burdens on taxpayers, encourage productive economic activity, and enhance individual liberty and choice. Finally, the budget recognizes the need for Americas defense, and adequately funds security at home and abroad. S. Amdt. 2100: Phase Out Authority of the Export-Import Bank This amendment would terminate the authority for the Export-Import bank and request the President initiate negotiations to end export-financing provisions. This would end an agency that funds corporate welfare, distorting the market and feeding crony capitalism. Looking Forward In the coming year, Senator Lee will continue to show leadership on spending restraint and prudent fiscal policy. This may include a wide range of legislative activities, from fighting spending to arguing for a simpler tax code. Senator Lee will continue to pursue legislation that shrinks government, eliminates the debt, and frees individuals to make their own choices.
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Bill Would Dodge the Fiscal Cliff and Eliminate the Sequester WASHINGTON Today, Senator Mike Lee reintroduced legislation with 21 cosponsors that would put the country on a path toward sound financial footing, significantly reduce the annual deficit and national debt, and require Congress to balance the federal budget. The bill, known as Cut, Cap, Balance, would cut federal spending immediately, cap all future spending at sustainable levels, and demand that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution first pass Congress and be sent to the States before Congress raises the statutory debt limit. The country is on an unsustainable fiscal path, said Lee, a member of the Joint Economic Committee and author of the consensus Republican Balanced Budget Amendment. Cut, Cap, Balance is the only plan with significant support in the House and Senate that will address our debt and deficits, control spending, and fundamentally change the way Washington does business. The legislation cuts $62 billion from discretionary spending in 2013, places caps on future spending over the next decade, and creates a glide path to balancing the budget by 2020. It also effectively turns off the sequester the massive spending cuts to domestic and defense programs due to trigger at the end of the year by amending the Budget Control Act and offsetting the cost of the sequester with other cuts. The bill is an updated version of last years Cut, Cap, Balance Act and reflects new budget numbers. It currently has a growing list of 21 cosponsors in the Senate, and there are plans to introduce corresponding legislation in the House. In a CNN poll conducted when the bill was introduced last year, 66% of the country supported the Cut, Cap, Balance plan. The previous version of the plan passed easily in the House, but was then tabled by Majority Leader Harry Reid in the Senate. Congress has a spending problem and its our job to fix it. This plan does that, said Lee. Its not right to ask the American people to pay for the debt Congress created, especially if it has not taken significant steps to reverse overspending. We have to identify our priorities, set responsible spending levels to meet them, and eliminate the trillion dollar deficits that are sapping the economy of precious resources. Cut, Cap, Balance moves us in the right direction so we can restore confidence in our economy, create jobs, and get the country moving again. Senator Lees bill is currently cosponsored by Sens. Paul (KY), DeMint (SC), Coburn (OK), Blunt (MO), Risch (ID), Toomey (PA), Graham (SC), Isakson (GA), Vitter (LA), Rubio (FL), Cornyn (TX), Crapo (ID), Johnson (WI), Alexander (TN), Chambliss (GA), Barrasso (WY), Inhoffe (OK), Hatch (UT), Boozman (AR), Wicker (MS), and Thune (SD). UPDATE: Senator Portman (OH) has joined the list of cosponsors.
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d. Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act S. 2064 i. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal: (1) the excise tax credits for alcohol fuel, biodiesel, and alternative fuel mixtures; (2) the tax credits for the purchase of certain plug-in electric vehicles and alternative motor vehicles; (3) the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property tax credit; (4) the tax credits for alcohol used as fuel and for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel; (5) the enhanced oil recovery tax credit and the tax credit for producing oil and gas from marginal wells; (6) the tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration; (7) the energy tax credit; and (8) the tax credits for investment in qualifying advanced coal projects and qualifying gasification projects. Terminates after 2012 the tax credits for the production of electricity from certain renewable resources and from advanced nuclear power facilities. ii. Repeals the grant program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for payments to invest in alternative and renewable energy property in lieu of tax credits. iii. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the corporate income tax rates by prescribing proportionate modifications to such rates based upon revenue savings resulting from the repeal of energy tax expenditures by this Act. e. ESA Settlement Reform Bill i. Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior, within 30 days after being served with a complaint in an action alleging a failure to perform an act or duty related to an endangered species or threatened species determination, to publish the complaint. Prohibits the failure of the Secretary to meet such deadline from being the basis for such an action. Sets forth requirements concerning the intervention in such actions by affected parties and referral to a mediation program. ii. Authorizes the court, in issuing any final order in such an action, to award litigation costs to any party. Prohibits the court from: (1) awarding litigation costs in any proposed covered settlement, (2) granting a motion that is based on a proposed covered settlement or other consent decree that includes payment for litigation costs, (3) approving a proposed covered settlement unless each state and county in which the Secretary believes a species occurs approves it, or (4) granting a motion that is based on a proposed covered settlement unless such settlement is approved by each such state and county. Requires the courts to ensure that a settlement is approved by each such state and county. iii. Requires the Secretary to provide notice of a proposed covered settlement to each such state and county. Authorizes a court to approve such a settlement or grant such a motion if, within 45 days of notification, a: (1) state or county fails to respond, and (2) each
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state or county that responds approves the covered settlement, or (3) all of the states and counties fail to respond. II. Other Supported Legislation a. Preserve the Waters of the United States Act S. 2245 b. Boutique Fuel Reduction Act of 2011 S. 511 c. A bill to prohibit the establishment of national monuments in Utah S. 1182 d. National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act S. 407 e. FLAIR Act S. 1153 f. CARE Act S. 609 g. Gray Wolf ESA Bill S. 249 h. Wasatch Range Recreation Access Enhancement Act S. 1883 i. Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act S. 499 j. Defense of Environment and Property Act S. 2122 k. Government Litigation Savings Act S. 1061 l. Hill Creek Extension Land Transfer Act S. 3305 m. Keystone XL Act - S. 2041 n. Section 103 prevention of funding EPA S. 2226 o. Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011 S. 1087 p. Graving Improvement Act of 2011 S. 1129 q. County Payments Reauthorization Act of 2011 S. 1692 r. Defending Americas Affordable Energy and Jobs Act S. 228 s. Free Sugar Act of 2011 S. 685 t. Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act S. 2471 u. Order 1000 Act S. 400 v. Federal Register Notice Timeliness Act S. 1844 w. Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act S. 1751 x. Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act S. 3382 y. Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 S. 482 z. South Valley Utah Electric Conveyance Act S. 500 aa. Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011 S. 1580 bb. American Energy and Western Jobs Act S. 1027 cc. Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands Act S. 2248
Looking Forward In the 113th Congress, it is not likely that any comprehensive legislation regarding energy and natural resources will reach the floor of the United States Senate. However, there are specific issues affecting Utah and the rest of the country that will be discussed and debated in Washington. One of the most pressing issues is whether exports of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) should be allowed. Senator Lee believes that increased LNG exports will allow
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American companies to take advantage of the current surplus of domestic natural gas and will help boost GDP. The concerns raised by some over the possibility of increased domestic prices are certainly worth consideration, but arbitrarily keeping prices suppressed by preventing exports would have detrimental impacts to long-term price stability. By all reports, this year will be a busy one for the countrys regulatory agencies, with new regulations being proposed almost daily. Senator Lee will remain engaged in the regulatory process, and will seek to ensure that any new regulations respect states rights and private property. Among these are the long-awaited BLM and EPA regulations on hydraulic fracturing; the regulation of which Senator Lee believes should remain under state jurisdiction. These and other regulations have the potential to burden Utahs economy without proportionate benefit, and Senator Lee will work to prevent unreasonable regulations. Senator Lee will continue to argue for large-scale reform of the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Equal Access to Justice Act, as these laws have been extended far beyond the original intent of Congress since their passage. While such reform is unlikely in the 113th Congress, Senator Lee will continue to look for opportunities to build a case for such reforms and make corrections where possible.
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Senators and Congressman Denounce Obama Administrations Decision to Ban Uranium Mining in Northern Arizona
Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) and U.S. Congressmen Rob Bishop (UT-01), Jeff Flake (AZ-06), David Schweikert (AZ05) and Ben Quayle (AZ-03) issued the following statement denouncing the Obama Administrations decision announced today by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to withdraw approximately 1 million acres of federal land in northern Arizona from uranium mining: The Obama Administrations ban on uranium mining is a devastating blow to job creation in northern Arizona, particularly in Mohave County, said Senator John McCain. This decision is fueled by an emotional public relations campaign pitting the publics love for the Grand Canyon against a modern form of low-impact mining that occurs many miles from the Canyon walls and in no way impacts the quality of drinking water from the Colorado River. It is deeply unfortunate that certain environmental groups have chosen to break faith with a 30 year-old compromise with environmentalists that successfully balanced conservation with mining and other commercial activities. The Administration has shown that it is either careless enough to break this historic agreement or foolish enough to fall for these groups alarmist arguments. Either way, the Obama Administrations decision will cost Arizonans more high paying jobs under the false pretense of protecting one of our national treasures, the Grand Canyon. Todays announcement by the Interior Department shows how much this Administration just doesnt get it, said Senator Orrin Hatch. Mining this land poses no environmental threat and is expected to create thousands of jobs, but the Administration continues to pander to extremist environmentalists who oppose one of the cleanest sources of energy we have. I wish I could say todays announcement comes as a surprise but sadly its just another sign that the Obama Administration is one of the most anti-American energy presidencies in history. The Obama Administration must end its war on western jobs, said Senator John Barrasso. Secretary Salazars decision is irresponsible and overturns a reasonable, decades old compromise between conservationists and uranium producers. With 8.5 percent unemployment, we need the good-paying jobs and the energy that Americas uranium producers provide. Make no mistake, this decision is a step backwards for the unemployed and Americas energy security. This administration has proven incapable of using even the slightest bit of common sense when it comes to lands policy, said Senator Mike Lee. The American people are desperate for jobs, and our domestic energy industry provides some of the best paying jobs in the western states. However, the President and Interior Secretary Salazar are intent on appeasing their friends in the extreme left wing of the environmentalist movement during an election year by locking up as much land as possible, regardless of the negative effects on our economy. For energy production that has long been safe and responsible, the announcement represents a needless overreaction to a fictitious problem. 35
It is unconscionable that the Administration has yet again caved to political pressure from radical special interest groups rather than standing up for the American people. Banning access to the most uranium rich land in the United States will be overwhelmingly detrimental to both jobs in Utah and Arizona and our nations domestic energy security. While Im disappointed that the Administration has again allowed politics to usurp sound science, I am unfortunately not surprised. The President and his cabinet have proven theyre already on the campaign trail and right now its more about pandering to their political allies than doing whats right for the American people, said Congressman Rob Bishop, Chairman of the House Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. Uranium mining in northern Arizona occurs well outside Grand Canyon National Park and poses no threat to the Grand Canyon or the tourism industry in northern Arizona. This withdrawal is simply another example of the Obama Administrations overreach that will stymie local economic growth and local job creation, said Congressman Jeff Flake. I am extremely disappointed that the Obama Administration continues to do everything in its power to implement the job-killing policies of fringe environmental groups. At a time when we are desperate for jobs and economic growth, its clear political positioning got the best of the Administrations decision, said Congressman David Schweikert. Secretary Salazars announcement is yet another example of the Obama Administration putting politics above all else, said Congressman Ben Quayle. The Department of Interiors own study shows that uranium mining in this part of Arizona poses little to no environmental risk. Unfortunately, the President is more concerned with his own re-election and catering to radical environmental groups than creating hundreds of jobs in Arizona. The decision by Secretary Salazar disregards the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984 (AWA), a compromise that permanently banned uranium exploration on over 650,000 acres outside the Grand Canyon through designated Wilderness. This historic agreement was part of a negotiated compromise with environmental groups which affirmed the compatibility of mining with conservation interests in areas not locked away by the Wilderness Act. Additionally, the Interior Departments own environmental study on the proposed withdrawal found no conclusive evidence that modern-day mining operations in this area are harming the Grand Canyon watershed. Last October, U .S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Lee (R-UT) and John Barrasso (R-WY) and U.S. Congressmen Trent Franks (AZ-02), Rob Bishop (UT-01), Jeff Flake (AZ-06), Paul Gosar (AZ-01), David Schweikert (AZ-05) and Ben Quayle (AZ-03) introduced the Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act of 2011 in an effort to stop the U.S. Department of the Interior from banning mining in a vast area of Arizona, and killing jobs in the uranium mining industry.
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This new bill is a lot like the old one, but it makes it definitive that Congress has the authority to push the Keystone XL Pipeline forward, said Senator Vitter. Everyone in Washington talks about saving the economy and creating jobs the Keystone XL project will actually do something about that. And it would be pure politics for the president not to support it. The President said recently that he was for an all of the above approach to energy, yet he rejected the one bipartisan energy project that is shovel-ready and can produce thousands of new jobs almost immediately the Keystone XL Pipeline, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said. While its clear that the President was appealing to his liberal environmental base when he blocked Keystone, this legislation would move us towards the creation of thousands of jobs and energy security for our nation. There is absolutely no rational justification for standing in the way of profitable enterprise that would create American jobs, American wealth, and greater American energy security, said Senator Lee. President Obama is kowtowing to the most extreme elements of the environmentalist movement by blocking the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, and he has the audacity to do so while calling Congress obstructionist. It is time for America to reject the presidents failed economic policies and embrace proven methods of job creation, and this bill is a step in the right direction. Legislative Summary The Keystone XL pipeline has been subject to rigorous environmental analysis for more than three years, and was on schedule to be decided on by the U.S. State Department by the end of 2011. By contrast, the original Keystone pipeline took two years to review and became operational last year. The Hoeven-Lugar-Vitter legislation builds off the completed Environmental Impact Statement, which was finished by the State Department on Aug. 26, 2011. Additionally, it requires the U.S. State Department to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) within 30 days with the State of Nebraska to assist in rerouting in that state, which will be subject to the Nebraska governors agreement on the route within the state. However, it allows Nebraska all the time it needs to identify a new route within the state to strengthen the completed Environmental Impact Statement. Further, the legislation requires strong environmental and safety requirements by incorporating the environmental and safety standards required and finalized by the Secretary of State. At the same time, the bill protects state and local laws relating to the protection of private property rights by ensuring those laws are not changed in this process. In addition to Senators Hoeven, Lugar, and Vitter, other original cosponsors of the bill are Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.); Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Patrick Toomey (R-Penn.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
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Hatch, Lee Introduce Legislation to Resolve Land Ownership for Homeowners Near Scofield Reservoir
WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) today introduced legislation that allows for the transfer of ownership of certain federal lands surrounding the Scofield Reservoir in Carbon County. Within the last few years it has been discovered that dozens of homes around the Reservoir are encroaching on land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), meaning that homeowners do not own the land underneath their homes. The legislation allows the homeowners to purchase the land from the Bureau. This common-sense legislation ensures that the families who have owned homes around the Reservoir for generations will not have to worry that their homes will be seized and destroyed by the government, Hatch said. Hopefully this legislation moves quickly and we can resolve this issue once and for all. This solution will ensure the affected residents of Carbon County are protected and their homes are not in jeopardy, said Sen. Lee. With the help of Senator Hatch and Rep. Matheson, I am confident that will be the case. The issue became a priority for Senator Hatch last year after State Rep. Patrick Painter raised the issue and the potential devastation that could be caused to the homeowners in Carbon County. U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson is planning on introducing identical legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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DeMint, Lee Bill Would End Corporate Welfare for Energy Companies in Tax Code
Energy Freedom & Economic Prosperity Act Repeals all Energy Tax Subsidies WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the Energy Freedom & Economic Prosperity Act (EFEPA) to repeal all energy specific tax credits. The legislation is revenue neutral as it also requires a corresponding reduction in the corporate tax rate. U.S. Congressman Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas) has previously introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator DeMint said, Our tax code is riddled with loopholes for special interests and its time to end this corporate welfare that is hurting our economy. When Washington picks winners and losers in the energy market, those with the highest paid lobbyists win while the small businesses and taxpayers lose. We shouldnt favor ethanol over hydrogen, nuclear over natural gas, or oil over renewables. The free market economy works when everyone competes on a level playing field and works to provide Americans with the best, lowest-cost products. The ultimate solution is to create a true flat tax that ends all corporate welfare, and this is a significant first step. Senator Lee said, The federal government has for decades been making the mistake of picking winners and losers in the energy industry. Not only does this go against the very nature of the American economy, but it is accomplished by adding layers of costly complexity to our tax code. The waste and futility of our current energy policies are demonstrated time and time again, from the backfiring of ethanol mandates to the bankruptcies of favored companies like Solyndra to the utterly inexplicable rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline. In this era of rapidly growing energy demands, we must be willing to stop government interference in the energy market and the obstruction of domestic energy production. There is no more efficient way to power the nation. Congressman Pompeo said, I applaud Senators DeMint and Lee for leading the charge in the Senate against President Obamas failed policy of energy tax subsidies. For far too long, Washington has engaged in crony capitalism by using the tax code to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. This is all too evident in our current energy policy. My bill, The Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act (HR 3308) is a comprehensive and thorough effort to stop this Washington knows best approach. I am thrilled that Senators DeMint and Lee have taken Senate action and joined with me to end taxpayer handouts to politically favored industries. Neither our nation, nor our free market system, can afford them. EFEPA is supported by numerous taxpayer-watchdog groups including Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Club for Growth, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Freedom Action, Heritage Action, Less Government, National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers for Common Sense.
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The EFEPA will make the following changes: Repeals all energy tax credits. Treats all energy sources fairly by eliminating all tax credits for renewable and conventional energy sources alike. The EFEPA does not pick winners and losers. Requires a corresponding reduction in the corporate tax rate which keeps the legislation revenue neutral and does not take any more money out of the private economy for politicians to spend. Assuming these tax credits are continuously extended this legislation would end nearly $90 billion in energy subsidies over the next 10 years, including credits that expired at the end of 2011.
Subsidies that will be eliminated under EFEPA include: Enhanced oil recovery credit, credit for producing oil and gas from marginal wells, advanced nuclear power generation credit, plug-in electric and fuel cell vehicles, alternative fuel and alternative fuel mixtures, cellulosic biofuel producer credit, alternative fuel infrastructure, production tax credit for electricity produced from renewable sources, investment tax credit for equipment (solar, fuel cells, geothermal or other renewable sources of energy), clean coal investment credits.
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Utah Congressional Delegation Pushes the Interior Department on Restrictive American Energy Policy
In Letter to the Interior Secretary, Delegation Calls for Recent BLM Ruling to be Scrapped WASHINGTON Utahs Congressional delegation today wrote to Secretary Ken Salazar of the U.S. Department of the Interior to urge he overturn the Bureau of Land Managements (BLMs) Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Oil Shale and Tar Sands that was recently announced. The PEIS reduced the federal lands available to oil shale development from 2 million acres to only 461,965 acres. Closing off these lands is a significant missed opportunity to create jobs and lower energy costs for Utahns. In the letter to Secretary Salazar, the delegation notes that the BLM ruling runs contrary to President Obamas message in his recent State of the Union address where he called for an all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. HATCH: The BLMs decision is yet another assault on American energy production and the jobs that come with it. By cutting back the original oil shale and tar sands development lands by 75 percent, the Administration has made it clear that instead of going against their liberal environmentalist allies in an election year, their willing to import more foreign sources of oil and export more American jobs. Its another failure in leadership from this White House while energy costs and unemployment are both far too high. LEE: In his State of the Union, the President said he wanted to pursue an all of the above energy strategy, but apparently that doesnt include one of the countrys most abundant domestic sources. That has to set a land speed record for broken promises. Unfortunately, it will be the American people who suffer, both in lost jobs and in higher energy prices. MATHESON: If the goal is to become less dependent on foreign oil, we need more domestic supply, including from untapped sources. New methodology to extract oil from shale is on the horizon in Utah. It should be allowed to compete for commercial development and BLMs proposed leasing rules are an obstacle. BISHOP: The Department of Interiors decision to radically reduce BLM lands available for energy production in Utah and other western states illustrates this Administrations lack of commitment to advance energy independence and jobs in the U.S. The political unrest occurring in many of the oil producing countries, upon which we increasingly rely, could send prices skyrocketing, and its hard-working Americans who would be forced to shoulder the burden of rising costs. This doesnt have to be the case when we have abundant resources located right here in the U.S. that remain untapped, and millions of Americans out of work who would benefit from the subsequent creation of new jobs. Unfortunately, though, we have an Administration that is focused more on reelection and appealing to their special interest group supporters than doing whats right for the future of this country.
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CHAFFETZ: President Obama is hostile towards American energy. His decision to shut down oil shale development on public lands inhibits energy independence and economic growth. BLM professionals conducted a three-year, stakeholder driven environmental analysis pursuant to the bipartisan Energy and Policy Act of 2005. This apparently wasnt good enough for the President. His need to re-review the review is disappointing and is lacking in leadership. The full text of the letter is below:
February 7, 2012 The Honorable Ken Salazar Secretary United States Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240 Dear Secretary Salazar: We write to provide our comments on the Bureau of Land Managements (BLMs) Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Oil Shale and Tar Sands. Our strongly held view is that the premise of the PEIS is supported by neither the spirit nor letter of the law, that the alternatives considered by this document are deficient, and that all of the preferred alternatives run contrary to the needs of the nation and of the Presidents State of the Union message calling for an all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. The BLMs stated preference for reducing the available acreage of oil shale and oil sands development by more than 75 percent causes the Presidents statement to ring hollow. Congress enacted the Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), which passed with a large bipartisan majority. The law recognized the national strategic importance of developing domestic unconventional fuels and called for an effort by the relevant agencies of this government to coordinate and accelerate the commercial development of oil shale and oil sands. That is the spirit and letter of the law. With this announcement, the BLM is pursuing a path that is contrary to the clear intent of the law. As required by EPAct 2005, three years of intensive studies, widespread stakeholder input, and robust public comment led to a comprehensive report by the Task Force on Strategic Unconventional Fuels and a final Oil Shale Rule in 2008 which set forth 2 million acres of land available for potential oil shale development. We fail to understand why that massive regulatory process, completed by countless government professionals, is being arbitrarily discarded by the BLM. We also cannot discern whereby the BLM has the authority to unilaterally reverse enacted law or to break precedent by willfully failing to offer a No-Action Alternative. Even the BLMs early announcement that it would revisit the 2008 Oil Shale Rule to consider wilderness characteristics would have been forbidden by the Congressional funding moratorium on the Department of the Interior Secretarial Wildlands Order 3310. It is well known that the Department of Energy has determined that U.S. oil shale resources are about three times as large as the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. As the world and our President must deal with an increasingly dangerous Middle East, it is unconscionable at this time to retreat from one of Americas greatest potential energy sources, especially when industry has shown the will and the means to move forward. As you well know, oil shale has been commercially produced and sold competitively in global oil markets for decades. There is no lack of existing technology or data associated with that technology. Moreover, there has already been an impressive level of investment by members of industry ready to bring current and enhanced technology to American oil shale deposits. What is needed is a regulatory atmosphere that encourages this trend. Sadly, it appears that your administration has taken every opportunity to send the opposite signal to this burgeoning industry. The latest move by the BLM to restrict by more than 75 percent the acreage available to possible oil shale research and development would do harm to this industry and our nations energy security. We strongly urge you to bring your departments actions in line with the current law and the stated goals of the President Barack Obama. Rather than retreat from this important and strategic undertaking, you should take steps to vigorously defend the 2008 Oil Shale PEIS.
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Western Caucus Examines Washington Barriers to Prosperity and Property Rights in the West
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY), Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Steve Pearce (R-NM), Hearing Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Members of the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses hosted a bicameral hearing entitled Washington Barriers to Prosperity and Property Rights in the West. Caucus Members and witnesses, including Idaho Governor Butch Otter and Mike and Chantell Sackett of Idaho, examined the Obama Administrations environmental and natural resource policies and their negative impact on jobs, economic growth and private property rights in western states and communities. Highlights from the Hearing: U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) Since Obamas inauguration in 2009, gas prices have doubled, unemployment has increased, and our national debt has skyrocket. Today, we heard from people across the West who feel the pain of this administrations indifference. Whether from an elected official focused on helping their state, county or town succeed, a fourth generation farmer trying to pass down the family farm a little better than he found it, or just a couple trying to build a home, we heard example after example of our federal government getting in the way of the American dream. The West and the rest of our country deserves better.
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Governor Herbert, Federal Delegation, and State Legislators Join Together to Demand Transfer of Public Lands to Utah
SALT LAKE CITY Today, Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert signed House Bill 148, which demands the federal government make good on the promises made in the 1894 Enabling Act to extinguish title to federal lands in Utah. The Governor was joined by U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, Congressman Rob Bishop, Utah Representatives Ken Ivory and Roger Barrus, and other stakeholders in a show of unity for the effort to return public lands to state control. H.B. 148 creates a principle-driven framework for a structured public dialogue, a potential legal challenge, and path forward to re-balance Utahs relationship with the federal government. We need a paradigm change when it comes to public lands management. This bill creates a mechanism to put the federal government on notice that Utah must be restored to its rightful place as a co-equal partner, said the Governor. The federal government retaining control of two-thirds of our landmass was never in the bargain when we became a state, and it is indefensible 116 years later. This is only the first step in a long process, but it is a step we must take. Federal control of our public lands puts Utah at a distinct disadvantage, specifically with regard to education funding, he continued. State and local property taxes cannot be levied on federal lands, and royalties and severance taxes are curtailed due to federal land use restrictions. Federal control hampers our ability to adequately fund our public education system. Utahns can better manage the lands in our state far better than any bureaucrat in Washington ever could, said Senator Orrin Hatch. As a leader in the Sagebrush Rebellion, Ive been fighting to turn federal lands in our state over to Utahns to own and control. I believe we are in a climate where, if we do it right, the lands in Utah can finally be under the management of our state, and I applaud the Legislature, Governor Herbert, and other parties in our state for sending this message. This issue is as much about state sovereignty as it is about our state economy, said Senator Mike Lee. Utah can manage its priorities like education, public safety, and health care much more efficiently than the federal government. But the state needs resources to be effective and Washington is standing in the way. Utahns deserve the opportunity to use the land how they see fit to improve the state economy, the education system, and our communities.
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Signing this bill into law is a vital step in our united efforts to return the land back to the State of Utah where it rightfully belongs. Maintaining the status quo, with the federal government owning nearly 70% of the state, will continue to hurt education funding. Children in Utahs public school system deserve every educational opportunity afforded to those who come from states with few federal lands, said Congressman Rob Bishop. This was never intended to be a plight for the state and much of the West. However, Washington bureaucrats have been stockpiling and hoarding land as part of their overzealous efforts to grow federal power. As a result, our ability to generate funding for public education has been severely hampered. Utah has suffered long enough and its time that the federal government allow the state to have the opportunity to better manage and control the land within our border. I am grateful to Governor Herbert, Lieutenant Governor Bell, and especially State Legislators Ken Ivory and Roger Barrus for their efforts to make this legislation a success. A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court recently declared that congress cannot change the uniquely sovereign character of a states admission into the Union and that this proposition applies with even greater force where virtually all of a States public lands are at stake. With trillions of dollars in mineral resources and millions of acres of our lands tied up by acts of congress, what is at stake is a $2 billion education funding gap and nearly $5 billion in federal funds to Utah that are seriously at risk from a fiscally reckless federal government, said Representative Ken Ivory. After waiting 116 years, we simply cant wait any longer for Washington to honor to Utah the same promise it made and kept with all states east of Colorado to transfer title the public lands in a timely fashion from being admitted into the Union. Utahs children deserve equal treatment with the children of any other state. Utah consistently ranks last in per-pupil spending. Without access to our public lands, it would take ruinous tax increases to bring Utah to the national per-pupil average, said Governor Herbert. I am leading this fight because we are reaching a point when our educational needs which are critical to sustained economic growth are colliding with broken federal promises and moribund federal policies. The status quo cannot continue. This is a fight worth fighting.
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Lee Calls to Extend Comment Period for Proposal to List Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle as Threatened
WASHINGTON On November 2, 2012, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) joined Representatives Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) in asking Director Daniel Ashe of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide a 90 day extension to the comment period for the Proposed Rule on Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Threatened Status for Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle and Designation of Critical Habitat. In a letter written to Ashe, these three members of the Utah delegation identify the complexity of the proposed designation of critical habitat, the requirement that comments be highly technical in nature, and the need for the Service to make cited sources available to the public as reasons for the proposed extension. On November 23, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the cited sources available to the public leaving only 10 days for the public to make informed comments on this proposal before the comment period closes on December 3. An initial review of the proposal to list the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle as a threatened species and the designation of critical habitat indicates that this listing could essentially shut down one of Utahs popular state parks, Lee said. Because this listing could shut down the Coral Pink Sand Dunes for recreational use, a thorough analysis of whether this species truly warrants the powerful protections of the Endangered Species Act is necessary. I am hopeful that the Fish and Wildlife Service will provide a 90 day extension to the comment period to give the public the time it needs to evaluate this proposal.
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Accomplishments in 2012
Legislation FISA Sunsets Act of 2012 (S. 3276) Senator Lee led the opposition to reauthorization of controversial wiretapping provisions within the FISA Amendments Act. He made a statement in Committee setting forth constitutional grounds for opposition to reauthorization (without amendment) of the FISA Amendments Act. He introduced in Committee an amendment that would prohibit the government from conducting warrantless backdoor searches within their FISA database for information on U.S. persons. He authored minority views in Senate Report 112-229 setting forth opposition to FISA Amendments Act and the need for the amendment that was offered in Committee. Senator Durbin joined the views. Senator Lee was an original co-sponsor of four high profile amendments to the FISA Sunsets Act on the Senate Floor. The first amendment, offered by Senator Wyden, is similar to the one offered by Senator Lee in Committee and would prohibit the government from conducting warrantless backdoor searches. The second amendment (Merkley-Lee Amendment) would require that the government make publicly available previously secret FISA Court rulings (or, in the alternative, summaries of rulings) that make substantive interpretations of the law and hence affect Americans constitutional rights. The Third amendment (Wyden-Udall-Lee-Durbin Amendment) would require the Director of National Intelligence to provide information on the extent to which communications of Americans are collected under the FISA Amendments Act. The Fourth Amendment, introduced by Senator Paul, would prohibit the government from using an individuals name or identification information to obtain information on a U.S. person from a third party unless the government has obtained consent or a warrant. Senator Lee gave a lengthy floor speech detailing the constitutional and prudential reasons why these amendments are necessary and why members should not reauthorize the FISA Amendments Act without implementation of such reforms.
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PROTECT IP
Senator Lee played an important leadership role in opposing measures within the 2012 and 2013 NDAA bills that endanger important constitutional liberties. Senator Lee was an original co-sponsor and key supporter of the Due Process Guarantee Act (S. 2003), introduced by Senator Feinstein in December 2011. The Act would prohibit the indefinite detention of U.S. persons apprehended in the United States. Senator Lee attended and participated in a hearing held in February 2012 by the full Judiciary Committee on the Due Process Guarantee Act. Senator Lee asked witnesses several questions regarding the constitutional issues involved in indefinite detention. In November 2012, Senator Lee continued playing an important leadership role on the issue of indefinite detention when he gave a floor speech in support of the Feinstein-Lee Amendment to the 2013 NDAA. This amendment, like the Due Process Guarantee Act, would prohibit indefinite detention of U.S persons apprehended on U.S. soil. The Amendment passed the Senate, receiving 67 votes. Senator Lee met with groups concerned about potential misunderstanding of the scope of the Feinstein-Lee amendment and published a detailed blog post explaining how the Amendment would protect U.S. persons from indefinite detention. Senator Lee led opposition to the creation of a new and unjustified intellectual property right for fashion designs that would include a new right to sue for alleged infringement of a fashion design. Senator Lee made a statement in Committee setting forth the reasons creation of a new right at this time does not appear to be justified and might lead to undesirable unintended consequences. Senator Lee introduced an amendment that would provide for the court to grant reasonable attorneys fees to the prevailing party in an infringement lawsuit under the new law. This Amendment would ensure that the litigation system could not be abused by large fashion designers attempting to use the new law to bully smaller business. The Amendment received the votes of five Republicans on the Committee. Senator Lees leadership on the issue also resulted in four votes against the legislation in Committee. Senator Lee co-authored minority views on Senate Report While advocating for strong protection of intellectual property,
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(PIPA)
Senator Lee called into question several controversial provisions early on in the process, allowing time for effective opposition to build. Such provisions included the requirement for internet service providers to prevent the domain name of a rogue site from resolving to its IP address (DNS disconnect), the requirement for search engines to censor their results, and the definition of an infringing site. We met with dozens of interested parties both on the content side and on the internet side for several weeks, attempting to broker a deal that would protect both intellectual property and the stability and freedom of the internet. When efforts to come to a consensus failed, Senator Lee led out in opposing the bill and its overreaching enforcement provisions. Senator Lee led efforts to oppose the reauthorization of the costly grant programs that VAWA included, programs that violate principles of federalism and lead to increased state dependence on the Federal government. We met with and established an ongoing relationship with the YWCA, the largest domestic violence facility in Utah, eventually touring their facility in Salt Lake City. Led opposition to bill that would impose additional regulations on rail industry, including lengthy speech on Senate floor setting forth concerns that helped prevent enactment of the legislation. Senator Lee cosponsored and helped pass legislation strengthening the fight against the theft of pre-retail medications and medical products. Before the bill was introduced in Committee, Senator Lee worked with the authoring office to ensure that the criminal provisions of the bill included an appropriate mens rea requirement, was suitably limited in its jurisdiction, and was free of mandatory minimums. As the bill came to the floor, Senator Lee worked to increase support from other Senators and ensure the bills passage. The CPIA as voted on in Committee would have a process by which childrens agencies could request FBI background checks, separate and distinct from the process that exists for all other similar requests. Senator Lee joined with Senator Sessions in demanding a reduction in the bureaucracy this bill would create, leading Senator Schumer to amend the bill before final passage to accord with his requests.
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Antitrust Subcommittee Verizon/Comc ast Hearing Universal/E MI hearing Nomination Hearing of William Baer as Director of DOJ Antitrust Division Protected free markets by ensuring that companies can enter joint marketing agreements where such agreements do not harm consumers. Wrote detailed letter to the Department of Justice analyzing the proposed transaction. Explored the factual complexities of the recorded music market through tough questions to witnesses. Tempered the Senator Kohls offices position by co-writing a neutral letter to the FTC. As the Ranking Member, asked numerous questions of the nominee to ensure that antitrust enforcement would protect free market competition and protect consumers.
Judiciary Committee Hearings Judicial Nominations Hearings Oversight of Patent and Trademark Office Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Oversight of Department of Homeland Security Hearing on Oversight of the Impact on Competition of Exclusion Orders to Enforce Standard Attended and asked questions of President Obamas federal district and appellate judicial nominees at 7 different nominations hearings throughout the year. Asked questions of director of PTO, specifically with respect to the propriety of exclusion orders in cases involving standard essential patents. Asked Director Mueller questions regarding the NDAA and FISA Sunsets Act so as to ensure that Fourth Amendment rights are being protected. Asked Secretary Napolitano questions regarding immigration, including a specific and prescient question regarding the propriety of using prosecutorial discretion in the immigration context given that Congress declined the enact the Dream Act. Asked Assistant Attorney General Wayland and FTC Commissioner Ramirez questions to help determine the potential negative impacts of the International Trade Commission granting exclusion orders in cases involving standard essential patents.
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Essential Patents Hearing on Ensuring Judicial Independence Through Civics Education Rising Prison Costs: Restricting Budgets and Crime Prevention Options
Asked Justice OConner questions regarding the effect of state judicial elections on judicial independence.
Asked questions regarding the negative impact of increased sentences for low-impact crimes.
Judicial Nominees President Obamas Unconstitutio nal Recess Appointment s LeahyThurmond Rule Paul Watford Was the leader and intellectual force behind the arguments against President Obamas unconstitutional appointments, giving numerous speeches and successfully In protest of President Obamas unconstitutional appointments and violation of the separation of powers, voted against all President Obamas judicial and executive nominees until the Leahy-Thurmond Rule was enforced in July. Was a leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee in pushing to enforce the Leahy-Thurmond Rule so as to prevent confirmation of Circuit Court nominees after June of a Presidential election year. Led opposition to confirmation of Watford to already-liberal dominated Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Through personal efforts on Senate floor, was able to convince 33 other Senators to vote against confirmation. Led opposition to confirmation of Andrew Hurwitz, who had effectively claimed credit for helping develop the rationale for Roe v. Wade. Made statement in Judiciary Committee setting forth concerns with Mr. Daviss nomination to a federal court in light of incendiary remarks the nominee had made with respect to race
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and his own judicial bias. Made statements in nominations hearing, Committee markup hearing, and on Senate floor in support of David Nuffer and Robert Shelby. Hearings Before the House of Representatives
President Obamas Unconstitutio nal Recess Appointment s President Obamas Abuse of Power
Testified as a witness, providing an opening statement, written testimony, and responding to numerous questions from members of Congress regarding the constitutional issues raised by President Obamas unilateral appointments Testified as a witness, providing an opening statement, written testimony, and responding to numerous questions from members of Congress regarding constitutional issues (including issues related to separation of powers) raised by President Obamas actions. Made specific mention of President Obamas unconstitutional recess appointments, obstruction of legitimate congressional efforts to oversee the executives failures with respect to Operation Fast & Furious, and President Obamas unilateral decision to cease enforcing the Immigration and Nationality Act.
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Lee Merger of Pharmacy Benefit Managers a Significant Transaction That Could Benefit Consumers
WASHINGTON Today, Senator Mike Lee sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the proposed merger between Express Scripts, Inc. and Medco Health Solutions, Inc. Lee, the Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Committees Antitrust Subcommittee, noted that the merger of these two large pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) is a significant transaction that should be given careful consideration by the FTC. Lees letter urged the FTC to pay close attention to the pro-competitive effects that may result from the merger. The merger of these PBMs may pose some risks to the markets competitive balance but overall has the potential to create meaningful efficiencies and provide significant savings for consumers. The combined entity may produce significant cost savings for health plan sponsors by means of its increased bargaining power and its improved tools for closing gaps in care, promoting adherence to medications, and overall disease management. I am not aware of significant evidence that this merger will result in decreased competition among viable PBMs able to service most companies and accounts. Lee stated that any anticompetitive effects of the merger on community pharmacies would be of special concern, in light of the important service those small businesses provide to rural and otherwise underserved residents in my State and throughout the country. Lees letter added that it is important to remember that the purpose of the antitrust laws is to maximize consumer welfare, not to protect competitors, and that government regulators must be careful not to intervene in a manner that will constrain productive market forces.
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Senators Unveil Bipartisan Proposal to Boost Economy by Cutting Through Red Tape that has Hurt International Travel to U.S.
New Proposal Will Combine Separate Senate Travel Bills into Bipartisan Package Designed to Reform Americas Antiquated Travel Visa Laws and Create Hundreds of Thousands of Travel Jobs Bill Will Be Focus of Senate Hearing TomorrowHeads of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Travel Association To Testify Proposal Would Boost Intl Travel to U.S., Which Has Fallen Drastically In Past Decade Due To Inefficient Visa System WASHINGTON, DCWith the economy just starting to turn the corner, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled a new proposal Monday that will boost the U.S. economy and create jobs by jumpstarting international travel to the United States. The legislationnamed the Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Actwill reform outdated visa laws to cut through red tape that has caused a lag in foreign travel to the U.S. The bipartisan package is sponsored by U.S. Senators Charles Schumer, Mike Lee, Amy Klobuchar, Marco Rubio, Barbara Mikulski, Roy Blunt and Mark Kirk. While the global travel market is expected to double over the next decade, the United States market share of this industry has declined by 5% since the 2000. The JOLT Act is aimed at reversing that trend and recapturing the United States historic share of worldwide overseas travel, which could add nearly $100 billion to the economy over the next decade and create nearly 700,000 more American jobs. The JOLT Act will be the subject of a Senate hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27th. With the global travel market set to dramatically increase in the coming years, it is critical that we harness its power to boost our travel and tourism industries, said Senator Schumer. This bipartisan proposal will create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the next decade and inject billions of dollars into our countrys economy. It is extremely important and vastly beneficial to our nations health. Legal travel and legal immigration are too often left out of the ongoing immigration debate we are having in this country, said Senator Lee. We cannot ignore the benefits we enjoy by maintaining an efficient visa system that keeps us safe while avoiding excessive delays to legitimate travel across our borders. This bill will modernize that system.
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Senator Lee today commended the FTC for its careful analysis and decision to approve the proposed merger between Express Scripts, Inc. and Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
Our antitrust laws serve important purposes, but federal regulators should not interfere with productive market forces absent evidence demonstrating a significant threat to consumer welfare. Based on the evidence presented at our Antitrust Subcommittee hearing, I am convinced that although significant in size this merger does not pose a threat to robust competition. I am pleased that the FTCs extensive investigation corroborated my view and demonstrated that this transaction is unlikely to have adverse affects on the PBM and specialty drug markets or lead to the exercise of monopsony power over retail pharmacies, and that the merger may well lead to lower prices for PBM services.
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Senator Lee Presses FBI Director Mueller on Detention and Surveillance of U.S. Citizens
At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing this morning, Senator Lee questioned FBI Director Mueller on the potential for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens under the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. Director Mueller agreed that the government should not be allowed to detain U.S. citizens indefinitely without charge or trial. Senator Lee explained that although the current administration has stated it will not detain U.S. citizens without charge or trial, legislation is essential to ensure that this administration does not change its policy and that such detention does not occur in future administrations. Senator Lee is an original co-sponsor of The Due Process Guarantee Act (S.2003), which provides: An authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States apprehended in the United States, unless an Act of Congress expressly authorizes such detention. The bill currently has 29 cosponsors in the Senate. At the hearing today, Senator Lee also expressed concerns about the broad categories of surveillance authorized by the 2008 Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Senator Lee noted the importance of ensuring that FISA not be used for unwarranted surveillance of U.S. citizens. As Congress considers reauthorizing the FISA Amendments, Senator Lee will continue to work to ensure that the constitutional rights and civil liberties of Americans are protected.
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The Universal Music Group/EMI Merger and the Future of Online Music
WASHINGTONSenator Mike Lee (R-UT) today highlighted the challenges facing the music industry and identified important issues relating the Universal Music Groups proposed acquisition of EMIs record label. Lee, the Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committees Antitrust Subcommittee, noted concerns about the merger, which would reduce the number of major labels from four to three and give Universal a larger market share than either of the remaining majors. Lee also stated that competitive factors within the recorded music industry may counteract the potentially harmful effects of the merger and that the transaction may also have procompetitive effects. Lee concluded by stating that government regulators should be wary of intervening in rapidly changing and innovative markets. Remarks as prepared for delivery at todays hearing on The Universal Music Group/EMI Merger and the Future of Online Music are available below. Ranking Member statement as prepared for delivery: The recorded music industry is both a staple of our popular culture and an essential element of our economy. The 40,000 businesses involved in the U.S. music industry employ over 100,000 peopleincluding artists, managers, technicians, and record label staff. And music can be big business. Estimated revenues for the sale of recorded music in America now exceed $7 billion per year. The music industry is also changing rapidly. Last year, digital sales surpassed physical sales for the first time. Online retail and digital distribution services provide consumers unprecedented access to lesser-known artists who might otherwise have been unable to obtain a recording contract. Digitization has opened the door to a new and diverse world of innovative platforms and modes of competition. But the rise of digital music has also made illegal, pirated recordings readily accessible to anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. The future of online music is bright but uncertain. Although Internet-based radio and other music services are growing at an impressive pace, some suggest that the Copyright Royalty Boards rate-setting process is broken and should be reformed. Whatever the nature of any such reforms, enforcement of our antitrust laws must be oriented to help foster innovative technologies and enhance consumer welfare. As the music industry attempts to traverse a changing technological and competitive landscape, some consolidation may be expected. It therefore came as little surprise when Universal Music Group announced its intention to acquire EMIs record label. This announcement followed the 2007 transfer of EMIwhich had suffered from sharply declining market share and enormous debtto a private-equity firm and eventually to Citigroup. Many industry observers welcome the prospect of Universal taking full advantage of EMIs artists and catalog, helping to revive an industry in the midst of some decline. Universals productive use of EMIs assets promises efficiencies that an equity firm or bank is unlikely to achieve.
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At the same time, some competitors and public interest groups note that a Universal/EMI merger would reduce the number of major labels from four to three and give Universal a larger market share than either of the remaining majors. Critics fear that a combined Universal-EMI could leverage its market power to increase prices to retailers and consumers. Some worry that the combined company may stifle innovation in emerging digital distribution models by refusing to license its catalog to inventive services. Others also fear that a dominant label might seek to exclude competitors from accessing key promotional space in retail and digital distribution services. These concerns underscore the complex, evolving nature of the music industry and the need for careful analysis of the relevant markets and the manner in which market power might be exercised. I am hopeful that this hearing will provide insight into the competitive landscape of the recorded music industry. Mergers play an essential role in our economy and should be permitted where they do not harm consumers. Mergers can bring to bear superior managerial skills, allow for more productive use of underutilized assets, and result in economies of scale, reduced costs, improved quality, and increased output. The potential for mergers generally provides positive incentives for industry managers, who recognize a need to maximize profits or face consolidation. Likewise, innovators know there is an acquisition market for the businesses they create. Under most definitions of the relevant markets, this merger will result in a significant degree of concentration. As the Merger Guidelines make clear, however, this is not the end of the analysis, and the merger may proceed where other competitive factors counteract the potentially harmful effects of increased concentration. Universal and other proponents of the merger assert that there is reason to believe such competitive factors are present in the various markets for recorded music. Music retailers wield tremendous market power, with Apple and Wal-Mart alone accounting for up to 60 percent of sales. This countervailing market power may well protect against labels successfully raising marginal prices. The nature of the modern music industry may provide an additional protection against anticompetitive effects. The prevalence and affordability of technology has increased the ease of entry substantially, resulting in greater accessand an increased variety of access points, whether YouTube, MySpace, or iTunesfor artists and independent labels. In fact, independent labels now account for approximately 30 percent of music ownership. Finally, at least at present, we cannot ignore the effect of pirated music. The threat (and prevalence) of piracy surely impacts decision making throughout the legitimate recorded music industry, and therefore must be considered as part of any comprehensive antitrust analysis. Government regulators should be wary of intervening in rapidly changing and innovative markets. The music industry has experienced much turmoil as it has struggled to adjust to changes in technology, pricing models, and consumer expectations. Gone are the days when consumers bought entire albums in order to acquire a single song. Also gone are the days when consumers purchased the same album a second time simply to update their libraries to the latest format. Today, record labels and the artists they represent have their work stolen and shared freely over the Internet. Every year consumers demand more music for less money. As the music industry grapples with these and other challenges, government regulators ought to be careful not to prohibit reasonable business judgments and decisions that may lead to efficiencies and productive solutions. I look forward to hearing the testimony of the witnesses and thank them for being here today.
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S. 635
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to sell certain Federal lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, previously identified as suitable for disposal, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCain STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 683
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Mantua, Utah. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 30, 2011 May 18, 2011 Jul 14, 2011 Aug 30, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-39. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/02/2011 with amendments. With written report No. 112-60. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 140. Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. Message on Senate action sent to the House. Considered under suspension of the rules. Considered as unfinished business. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. Presented to President. Signed by President. Became Public Law No: 112-70. DATE INTRODUCED: 03/30/2011
Aug 30, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Dec 05, 2011 Dec 07, 2011 Dec 07, 2011 Dec 09, 2011 Dec 19, 2011 Dec 19, 2011
S. 684
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Alta, Utah. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 30, 2011 May 18, 2011 Jul 14, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-39. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
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Aug 30, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 04, 2011 Dec 02, 2011 Feb 29, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jun 20, 2012 Jun 27, 2012 Jun 27, 2012
S. 1340
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to cut, cap, and balance the Federal budget. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Toomey, Paul, DeMint, Johnson of Wisconsin, Hatch, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Coburn, Corker, Graham, Isakson, Portman, Roberts, Rubio, Sessions, Thune, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 13, 2011 Jul 14, 2011 Jul 18, 2011 Jul 20, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 07, 2011 Jul 11, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 97. DATE INTRODUCED: 10/12/2011 Cornyn, Moran, Burr, Chambliss, Inhofe, and Johanns Alexander, Coats, Enzi, Hoeven, Hutchison, and McConnell Crapo, Grassley, McCain, Risch, and Shelby Heller, and Lugar
S. 1697
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide a special rule for the period of admission of H-2A nonimmigrants employed as sheepherders, goat herders, or dairy farmers, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Schumer STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 12, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
S. 1837
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S. 1857
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 10, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
S. 1875
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to reauthorize the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 15, 2011
S. 2040
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish a point of order to prohibit an increase or other modification of the public debt limit unless a concurrent resolution on the budget has been agreed to and is in effect. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio, Vitter, Toomey, Thune, Coburn, Paul, DeMint, Johnson of Wisconsin, Risch, and Crapo STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 26, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 2103
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 15, 2012 Mar 01, 2012 Mar 08, 2012 Mar 15, 2012 Mar 26, 2012 Blunt Thune Enzi Vitter, and Johanns Coburn, and Boozman
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S. 2107
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend the extension of the temporary employee payroll tax holiday to give individuals the choice of whether to participate. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 14, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 2199
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to spur economic growth and create jobs. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 15, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 2200
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt certain family-owned farms and businesses from the estate tax. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 15, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 2247
OFFICAL TITLE:
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S. 2473
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the establishment of new units of the National Forest System, National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Trails System, National Wilderness Preservation System, or any other system established by Federal law, or any national conservation or national recreation area without approval of the applicable State legislature. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Murkowski, Paul, and Hatch STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 26, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 3178
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to amend section 1951 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the Hobbs Act), and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio and Paul ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 15, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Risch
S. 3409
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to address the forest health, public safety, and wildlife habitat threat presented by the risk of wildfire, including catastrophic wildfire, on National Forest System land and public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to expedite forest management projects relating to hazardous fuels reduction, forest health, and economic development, and for other purposes. ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 25, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 19, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Barrasso
S. 3411
OFFICAL TITLE:
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S. 3420
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to permanently extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, to provide for permanent alternative minimum tax relief, and to repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio, Risch, DeMint, Cornyn, Vitter, and Johnson of Wisconsin STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 23, 2012 Jul 24, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 472. DATE INTRODUCED: 08/02/2012
S. 3482
OFFICAL TITLE: A bill to cut, cap, and balance the Federal budget. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Paul, DeMint, Coburn, Blunt, Risch, Toomey, Graham, Isakson, Vitter, Rubio, Cornyn, Crapo, Johnson of Wisconsin, Alexander, Chambliss, Barrasso, Hatch, Thune, Boozman, Inhofe, Wicker, and Portman STATUS ACTIONS: Aug 02, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
S.J.Res. 5
OFFICAL TITLE: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring that the Federal budget be balanced. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kyl, Barrasso, Burr, DeMint, Graham, Paul, Risch, Rubio, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, Crapo, and Ayotte ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 14, 2011 Feb 28, 2011 Mar 02, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 03, 2011 Nov 30, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-512. Coburn, Ensign, Enzi, and Johanns Blunt Grassley
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OFFICAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 17, 2011 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
S.Con.Res. 44
OFFICAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Paul and DeMint STATUS ACTIONS: May 08, 2012 May 08, 2012 May 08, 2012 May 16, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 395. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
S.Con.Res. 52
OFFICAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. COSPONSOR(S): None STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 19, 2012 Jul 19, 2012 Jul 19, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 462.
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S. 17
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the job-killing tax on medical devices to ensure continued access to life-saving medical devices for patients and maintain the standing of United States as the world leader in medical device innovation. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Burr, Coburn, and Cornyn ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 27, 2011 Feb 07, 2011 Feb 10, 2011 Feb 14, 2011 Feb 17, 2011 Mar 02, 2011 Mar 07, 2011 Mar 29, 2011 Apr 13, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 13, 2011 Jul 11, 2011 Nov 28, 2011 Feb 27, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 May 08, 2012 Jun 06, 2012 Jun 21, 2012 Jun 27, 2012 Jul 16, 2012 Jul 17, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 25, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Brown of Massachusetts Inhofe Moran Risch, Barrasso, and Coats Toomey, and Wicker Roberts Ayotte Lugar Kirk Heller Blunt Hoeven Lee Portman Isakson, and Alexander Hutchison, Crapo, and Collins Johanns Chambliss, and Rubio McCain Murkowski Kyl, Thune, and Boozman
S. 18
SPONSOR: Johanns OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the expansion of information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or more to corporations and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Manchin, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Begich, Bennet, Blunt, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Collins, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, Ensign, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Klobuchar, Kyl, Lee, Lugar, McCain, McConnell, Moran, Murkowski, Nelson of Nebraska, Portman, Risch, Roberts, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Udall of Colorado, Wicker, Cantwell, Shelby, Vitter, Kirk, Sessions, Warner, Pryor, Hatch, Nelson of Florida, Toomey, and McCaskill
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S. 81
SPONSOR: Isakson OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to direct unused appropriations for Senate Official Personnel and Office Expense Accounts to be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction or to reduce the Federal debt. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Nelson of Nebraska, Johanns, Burr, Wicker, Barrasso, Lee, Collins, Enzi, Johnson of Wisconsin, Paul, Crapo, Thune, Brown of Massachusetts, and Graham ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 26, 2011 Feb 01, 2011 Feb 02, 2011 Feb 03, 2011 Feb 07, 2011 Feb 28, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 25, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Chambliss, and Rubio Klobuchar Hagan Udall of Colorado Inhofe McCaskill
S. 119
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preserve open competition and Federal Government neutrality towards the labor relations of Federal Government contractors on Federal and federally funded construction projects. ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 07, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 Jun 13, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Jul 21, 2011 Sep 19, 2011 Oct 04, 2011 Jul 10, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 25, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 01/25/2011 Toomey Ayotte, Sessions, DeMint, Rubio, Coburn, Cornyn, Risch, Paul, Lee, and Johnson of Wisconsin Wicker, Hatch, Graham, Crapo, Roberts, Cochran, Grassley, Blunt, Kyl, Boozman, McConnell, Hutchison, Toomey, and Isakson Heller Collins Chambliss Inhofe Moran Burr Coats
S. 163
SPONSOR:
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S. 192
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, Ensign, Graham, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, McCain, McConnell, Moran, Paul, Portman, Risch, Roberts, Rubio, Sessions, Shelby, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, Wicker, Kirk, Snowe, and Enzi ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 31, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 26, 2011 Jan 27, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 4. DATE INTRODUCED: 01/26/2011 Alexander, Cochran, Collins, Grassley, Hoeven, Lugar, and Murkowski Heller
S. 202
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require a full audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal reserve banks by the Comptroller General of the United States before the end of 2012, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint and Vitter ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 01, 2011 May 24, 2011 Jun 22, 2011 Jul 25, 2011 Sep 06, 2011 Lee Hatch, and Boozman Heller Chambliss Crapo
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S. 228
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preempt regulation of, action relating to, or consideration of greenhouse gases under Federal and common law on enactment of a Federal policy to mitigate climate change. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Inhofe, Blunt, Enzi, Vitter, Roberts, Moran, Thune, Cornyn, Hatch, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 04, 2011 Feb 07, 2011 Feb 10, 2011 Feb 15, 2011 Mar 02, 2011 Mar 03, 2011 Mar 09, 2011 Mar 28, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Dec 16, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 31, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. DeMint, and Risch Cochran, and Boozman Hoeven Isakson Chambliss Wicker Coats Paul Johnson of Wisconsin Rubio
S. 249
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that Act shall not apply to any gray wolf (Canis lupus). ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Crapo, Risch, McCain, Kyl, Lee, and Enzi ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 03, 2011 Feb 15, 2011 Mar 01, 2011 Dec 15, 2011 Murkowski Moran Inhofe Heller
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S. 281
SPONSOR: Hutchison OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to delay the implementation of the health reform law in the United States until there is a final resolution in pending lawsuits. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, Crapo, Ensign, Inhofe, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Moran, Risch, Roberts, Wicker, Barrasso, Coats, Blunt, and Cornyn ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 07, 2011 Feb 10, 2011 Feb 14, 2011 Feb 17, 2011 Mar 31, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 03, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Hatch McConnell, McCain, Shelby, Isakson, Sessions, DeMint, Toomey, Rubio, Chambliss, Boozman, Lee, Grassley, Enzi, Lugar, and Collins Burr, Cochran, Hoeven, and Murkowski Ayotte Portman Alexander
S. 282
SPONSOR: Coburn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to rescind unused earmarks. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Begich ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 10, 2011 Feb 14, 2011 Feb 17, 2011 Mar 03, 2011 Mar 29, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 03, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. McCain, Lee, Burr, and Kohl Lieberman McCaskill, and Kirk Udall of Colorado Tester
S. 299
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Ensign, Grassley, Coburn, Blunt, Thune, Enzi, Cornyn, Hatch, Chambliss, Johnson of Wisconsin, Isakson, Barrasso, Wicker, Ayotte, Sessions, Portman, Johanns, Boozman, Vitter, Lee, Inhofe, Hutchison, and Rubio ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 17, 2011 Toomey
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S. 358
SPONSOR: Roberts OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to codify and modify regulatory requirements of Federal agencies. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso and Coats ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 16, 2011 Feb 17, 2011 Feb 28, 2011 Mar 09, 2011 Mar 14, 2011 Mar 16, 2011 Mar 17, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 15, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Jul 20, 2011
Johanns, Chambliss, Coburn, McCain, Boozman, Lee, Burr, Sessions, DeMint, Isakson, Inhofe, Hatch, Hoeven, Hutchison, Blunt, Paul, Risch, Wicker, and Moran Kyl, McConnell, Alexander, Ayotte, Cornyn, Grassley, and Thune Toomey, and Portman Kirk, Enzi, Cochran, Graham, and Crapo Vitter, Corker, Shelby, Murkowski, Lugar, and Snowe Ensign, and Collins Brown of Massachusetts, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Rubio Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-220. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-220. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/17/2011
S. 375
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Johnson of South Dakota, Enzi, Thune, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 05, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Hatch
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S. 395
SPONSOR: Enzi OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal certain amendments to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act with respect to lighting energy efficiency. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Wicker, Toomey, Sessions, Coburn, Johnson of Wisconsin, Cornyn, Paul, Lee, Ensign, Risch, Barrasso, Vitter, Kyl, Blunt, Inhofe, Hutchison, Coats, Thune, Hatch, Grassley, Boozman, Chambliss, Isakson, Burr, McCain, and Johanns ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 30, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 17, 2011 Mar 10, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Rubio Heller
S. 400
SPONSOR: Corker OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to ensure that rates and charges for electric energy are assessed in proportion to measurable reliability or economic benefit, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Wyden, Murkowski, Burr, Graham, Chambliss, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 28, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Isakson
S. 407
SPONSOR: Crapo OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Act of June 8, 1906, to require certain procedures for designating national monuments, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Ensign, Lee, Enzi, Risch, Barrasso, Hatch, Roberts, and Murkowski STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 460
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S. 482
SPONSOR: Inhofe OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Ensign, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Hoeven, Hutchison, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, Lugar, McConnell, Moran, Murkowski, Paul, Portman, Risch, Roberts, Rubio, Sessions, Shelby, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, Wicker, McCain, and Manchin ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 15, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 03, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Heller
S. 499
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the development of hydroelectric power on the Diamond Fork System of the Central Utah Project. ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 07, 2011 May 19, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 Jan 13, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-63. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman under authority of the order of the Senate of 12/17/2011 without amendment. With written report No. 112-110. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. Message on Senate action sent to the House. Lee
S. 500
SPONSOR: Hatch
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S. 504
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, Hatch, Lee, Paul, Toomey, Vitter, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 17, 2011 Mar 30, 2011 May 11, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jul 07, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 Oct 03, 2011 Oct 06, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Oct 18, 2011 Jan 24, 2012 Jun 21, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 08, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Inhofe, and Barrasso Graham, and Sessions Rubio Cornyn Wicker Kyl Burr McCain Heller Moran Chambliss Grassley Roberts
S. 511
SPONSOR: Blunt OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to provide for a reduction in the number of boutique fuels, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kirk, Wicker, Corker, Coburn, Lee, Sessions, McConnell, Thune, Cornyn, Hatch, Ensign, DeMint, Toomey, Kyl, McCain, Alexander, Hoeven, Johnson of Wisconsin, Coats, Boozman, Chambliss, Rubio, Isakson, Johanns, Crapo, Roberts, Lugar, Cochran, Barrasso, Grassley, Portman, Murkowski, Risch, Ayotte, Brown of Massachusetts, Shelby, and Burr
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94
S. 520
SPONSOR: Coburn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cardin ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 15, 2011 Mar 16, 2011 Mar 17, 2011 Mar 29, 2011 Mar 30, 2011 Apr 04, 2011 Apr 05, 2011 Apr 07, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 09, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Corker, Collins, Snowe, and Ensign Rockefeller Kyl, and McCain Inhofe, and Lee Burr, Shaheen, and Ayotte Whitehouse Reed of Rhode Island Risch, Sessions, Cornyn, and Toomey
S. 533
SPONSOR: Grassley OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to improve attorney accountability, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 28, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 09, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Coburn
S. 554
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the use of Department of Justice funds for the prosecution in Article III courts of the United States of individuals involved in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCain, Chambliss, Ayotte, Grassley, Rubio, Burr, Ensign, Alexander, Johanns, Lieberman, and Brown of Massachusetts ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 14, 2011 Mar 16, 2011 Mar 30, 2011 Sessions, and Vitter Coburn, and Lee Roberts
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S. 569
SPONSOR: Feinstein OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for fairness for the Federal judiciary. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Hatch, Leahy, Graham, Reid of Nevada, Lee, Inouye, Bingaman, Lieberman, and Kerry ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 06, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 14, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Lautenberg
S. 575
SPONSOR: Tester OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to study the market and appropriate regulatory structure for electronic debit card transactions, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Corker, Carper, Roberts, Coons, Lee, Nelson of Nebraska, Kyl, Toomey, Thune, and Coburn ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 16, 2011 Mar 17, 2011 Mar 29, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 15, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. McCaskill Baucus, and Akaka Sessions, Blunt, and Nelson of Florida
S. 609
SPONSOR: Inhofe OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the establishment of a committee to assess the effects of certain Federal regulatory mandates. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Johanns ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 06, 2011 Jul 18, 2011 Jul 25, 2011 Sep 26, 2011 Dec 12, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Blunt, Cochran, Coats, and Roberts Toomey, and Murkowski McConnell, Johnson of Wisconsin, Vitter, Hutchison, Isakson, Graham, Rubio, Cornyn, Wicker, Hoeven, Risch, Crapo, Lee, Paul, McCain, Barrasso, and Burr Enzi, and Sessions Thune
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96
SPONSOR: Burr OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend subchapter II of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, to prohibit coverage for annuity purposes for any individual hired as a Federal employee after 2012. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, Chambliss, McCain, Johnson of Wisconsin, Cornyn, Thune, Inhofe, Kyl, Sessions, Ensign, Lee, and Toomey STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 17, 2011 May 09, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. DATE INTRODUCED: 03/29/2011
S. 668
SPONSOR: Cornyn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to remove unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats from seniors' personal health decisions by repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hatch, Roberts, Kyl, Thune, Barrasso, Isakson, Wicker, Burr, Coburn, and Inhofe ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 06, 2011 Apr 07, 2011 Apr 12, 2011 Apr 13, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 May 02, 2011 May 03, 2011 May 04, 2011 May 09, 2011 May 10, 2011 May 16, 2011 May 18, 2011 May 23, 2011 May 24, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jun 30, 2011 Aug 01, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 29, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Moran, and Crapo Blunt McCain Kirk, and Lee Chambliss Cochran Johanns Grassley, and Rubio Boozman, and Hoeven Ayotte Collins Paul Graham Coats Heller Brown of Massachusetts Toomey Risch
S. 671
SPONSOR: Sessions OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the United States Marshals Service to issue administrative subpoenas in investigations relating to unregistered sex offenders.
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S. 685
SPONSOR: Lugar OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the Federal sugar program. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Paul ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 31, 2011 May 02, 2011 Jun 20, 2011 Dec 14, 2011 Mar 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 30, 2011 McCain Coburn Coats Lee Corker
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. 706
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to stimulate the economy, produce domestic energy, and create jobs at no cost to the taxpayers, and without borrowing money from foreign governments for which our children and grandchildren will be responsible, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Ensign, Enzi, Graham, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, Moran, Risch, Roberts, Sessions, Shelby, Wicker, Hoeven, and Rubio ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 31, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Toomey
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98
S. 712
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Alexander, Coburn, Cornyn, Crapo, Ensign, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, McConnell, Paul, Risch, Sessions, Thune, and Vitter ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 05, 2011 Apr 06, 2011 Apr 07, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 May 03, 2011 May 18, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 31, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Shelby, Toomey, Chambliss, Moran, and Corker Wicker Graham Blunt Boozman Heller
S. 720
SPONSOR: Thune OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the CLASS program. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Graham ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 05, 2011
Apr 06, 2011 Apr 07, 2011 May 02, 2011 May 05, 2011 May 19, 2011 Oct 19, 2011 Oct 20, 2011 Nov 01, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 07, 2011 Feb 01, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 04, 2011
Sessions, Johanns, Boozman, Ensign, Johnson of Wisconsin, Collins, Toomey, Lee, Barrasso, Roberts, Crapo, Isakson, Chambliss, Burr, Rubio, Cornyn, Hatch, Coburn, DeMint(Withdrawn Oct 31, 2011), Inhofe, Alexander, Cochran, Wicker, Snowe, McCain, and Enzi Blunt, and Kyl Risch Grassley Johnson of South Dakota (Withdrawn May 09, 2011) Corker Lugar McConnell, Hoeven, and Shelby Coats, Murkowski, and Ayotte Kirk, and Portman Moran Paul Hutchison Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 723
SPONSOR: Vitter
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S. 724
SPONSOR: Hutchison OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to appropriate such funds as may be necessary to ensure that members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components thereof, and supporting civilian and contractor personnel continue to receive pay and allowances for active service performed when a funding gap caused by the failure to enact interim or full-year appropriations for the Armed Forces occurs, which results in the furlough of non-emergency personnel and the curtailment of Government activities and services. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Snowe, Inhofe, Murkowski, Hoeven, and Casey ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 06, 2011 Ayotte, Portman, Collins, Johanns, Cornyn, Enzi, Kyl, DeMint, Ensign, Lee, Thune, Crapo, Chambliss, Blunt, Burr, Johnson of Wisconsin, Stabenow, Hatch, Roberts, Grassley, Rubio, Graham, Toomey, Risch, Moran, Barrasso, McConnell, Coats, and Hagan Lieberman, Udall of New Mexico, Bingaman, Tester, Vitter, Corker, Manchin, Udall of Colorado, Rockefeller, Blumenthal, Sessions, Brown of Massachusetts, Klobuchar, Alexander, Shelby, and Lugar Pryor, Boozman, Bennet, Baucus, Isakson, Kirk, Johnson of South Dakota, Durbin, Warner, Kerry, Franken, Cantwell, Feinstein, Wicker, McCaskill, McCain, Kohl, Cochran, Coons, Nelson of Florida, Brown of Ohio, Conrad, Coburn, Leahy, Merkley, Boxer, Landrieu, Paul, and Begich Whitehouse Heller Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Apr 12, 2011 Jun 30, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 05, 2011
S. 726
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to rescind $45 billion of unobligated discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes. ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 07, 2011 Apr 12, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 May 02, 2011 May 18, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Johanns Hatch, McCain, and Vitter Lee Isakson Ayotte, Coburn, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Paul DeMint Blunt, Sessions, Thune, and Risch
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100
S. 746
SPONSOR: Shelby OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Alexander, Coburn, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, Ensign, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kirk, Kyl, Lee, McConnell, Moran, Paul, Risch, Sessions, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 06, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Blunt
S. 792
SPONSOR: Pryor OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the waiver of certain debts relating to assistance provided to individuals and households since 2005. ADDED COSPONSORS: May 17, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 12, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jul 31, 2012 Jul 31, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 478. Hoeven, and Landrieu Cochran Shelby, and Lee Vitter
S. 804
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to adjust the normal and early retirement ages for receipts of benefits under the Social Security program, increase the maximum age for delayed retirement credit, and provide for progressive price indexing of benefits. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Paul and Lee STATUS ACTIONS:
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S. 808
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to allow for prepayment of repayment contracts between the United States and the Uintah Water Conservancy District. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 13, 2011 May 19, 2011 Jul 14, 2011 Aug 30, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-63. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/02/2011 without amendment. With written report No. 112-62. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 142. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. Message on Senate action sent to the House.
S. 827
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to allow a State to combine certain funds and enter into a performance agreement with the Secretary of Education to improve the academic achievement of students. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn, Coburn, Graham, Grassley, Inhofe, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Vitter ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 28, 2011 Sep 06, 2011 Sep 12, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 14, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Rubio Lee Boozman
S. 868
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to restore the longstanding partnership between the States and the Federal Government in managing the Medicaid program. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Alexander, Barrasso, Burr, Coburn, Cornyn, Johanns, and Kyl ADDED COSPONSORS: May 04, 2011 May 05, 2011 May 09, 2011 Risch, Thune, Shelby, Paul, Johnson of Wisconsin, Grassley, Lee, McCain, and Coats Sessions Inhofe
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102
S. 877
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prevent taxpayer-funded elective abortions by applying the longstanding policy of the Hyde amendment to the new health care law. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, McConnell, Hutchison, Roberts, Rubio, Blunt, Ayotte, Wicker, Isakson, Vitter, Chambliss, Barrasso, Boozman, Burr, Thune, Risch, Inhofe, Moran, Grassley, Crapo, Johanns, Hoeven, Shelby, Coats, Corker, Paul, Johnson of Wisconsin, McCain, Lee, and Kyl ADDED COSPONSORS: May 09, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Oct 13, 2011 Nov 09, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 04, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Cornyn Enzi Sessions Portman
S. 892
SPONSOR: Burr OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to establish the Department of Energy and the Environment, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Enzi, Thune, McCain, Coats, Shelby, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Cochran, Hutchison, Vitter, Hatch, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: May 25, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 05, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 05/05/2011 Coburn, and Toomey
S. 897
SPONSOR: Bingaman OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects and acid mine remediation programs. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Bennet, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, and Lee STATUS ACTIONS:
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103
Aug 30, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 04, 2011 Feb 29, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012
S. 906
SPONSOR: Wicker OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit taxpayer funded abortions and to provide for conscience protections, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Shelby, Blunt, DeMint, Coats, Burr, Enzi, Coburn, Vitter, Risch, Barrasso, Cochran, Boozman, Moran, Ayotte, Johanns, Grassley, Paul, Rubio, Inhofe, Hatch, Kyl, and Thune ADDED COSPONSORS: May 10, 2011 May 11, 2011 May 12, 2011 May 16, 2011 May 18, 2011 May 23, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Jul 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 05, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Lugar, and Chambliss Roberts, and Graham Hoeven Lee Crapo Sessions McConnell Corker, and Toomey Portman Cornyn Johnson of Wisconsin
S. 964
SPONSOR: Alexander OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the applicability of such Act with respect to States that have right to work laws in effect. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S. 1002
SPONSOR: Schumer OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit theft of medical products, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Kyl, Klobuchar, Brown of Ohio, Whitehouse, Sessions, Graham, Coons, Bennet, Lugar, Nelson of Florida, Casey, Blumenthal, and Lautenberg ADDED COSPONSORS: May 17, 2011 May 19, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Jun 07, 2011 Jun 22, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Jun 29, 2011 Jun 30, 2011 Jul 05, 2011 Aug 02, 2011 Sep 13, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Feb 28, 2012 Mar 07, 2012 Mar 08, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 16, 2011 Mar 08, 2012 Aug 28, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/02/2012 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-204. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 495. Hagan, and Portman Wyden Menendez Ayotte Wicker Kirk Cochran Corker Alexander Coats, and Gillibrand Kohl Brown of Massachusetts Roberts Cornyn Lee, and Feinstein Coburn Hatch
S. 1006
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to allow seniors to file their Federal income tax on a new Form 1040SR. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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105
S. 1009
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to rescind certain Federal funds identified by States as unwanted and use the funds to reduce the Federal debt. ADDED COSPONSORS: May 18, 2011 May 24, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Sep 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. Ayotte, Barrasso, Coburn, Johnson of Wisconsin, Lee, Vitter, and Paul Coats, Enzi, Inhofe, and Risch Toomey Isakson DeMint Blunt, Chambliss, Cornyn, Hatch, Johanns, Sessions, Thune, McConnell, and Boozman Kyl Alexander
S. 1025
SPONSOR: Leahy OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the national defense through empowerment of the National Guard, enhancement of the functions of the National Guard Bureau, and improvement of Federal-State military coordination in domestic emergency response, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Graham ADDED COSPONSORS: May 23, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jun 07, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 Jun 13, 2011 Jun 15, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Jun 20, 2011 Jun 21, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Jun 27, 2011 Jun 29, 2011 Jul 05, 2011 Jul 06, 2011 Jul 07, 2011 Begich, and Corker Gillibrand, Coons, and Johnson of South Dakota Alexander Sanders, Wyden, and Bingaman Tester Lautenberg, Menendez, and Grassley Coats, Pryor, Rockefeller, and Baucus Shaheen, and Boozman Manchin, and Snowe Franken, and Lugar Brown of Ohio, and Brown of Massachusetts Blumenthal, and Klobuchar Whitehouse Harkin Casey, and Stabenow Feinstein, and Merkley
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106
S. 1027
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the rescission of certain instruction memoranda of the Bureau of Land Management, to amend the Mineral Leasing Act to provide for the determination of the impact of proposed policy modifications, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Enzi, Lee, and Hatch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 19, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hoeven
S. 1039
SPONSOR: Cardin OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to impose sanctions on persons responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the conspiracy to defraud the Russian Federation of taxes on corporate profits through fraudulent transactions and lawsuits against Hermitage, and for other gross violations of human rights in the Russian Federation, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCain, Ayotte, Begich, Blumenthal, Durbin, Johanns, Kirk, Kyl, Lieberman, Rubio, Shaheen, Whitehouse, and Wicker
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S. 1048
SPONSOR: Menendez OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to expand sanctions imposed with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran, North Korea, and Syria, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lieberman, Kyl, Casey, Gillibrand, Collins, and Kirk ADDED COSPONSORS: May 24, 2011 May 25, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Jun 08, 2011 Jun 09, 2011 Jun 14, 2011 Jun 15, 2011 Jun 16, 2011 Jun 20, 2011 Jun 22, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Jun 27, 2011 Jun 30, 2011 Jul 05, 2011 Schumer, Cornyn, Vitter, Crapo, and Risch Roberts Barrasso, and Heller Coons, Wyden, and Blumenthal Kohl, Cantwell, and Rubio McCain, Moran, Blunt, Tester, and Wicker Boozman, and Coburn Coats Hutchison Brown of Ohio Isakson, Thune, Nelson of Florida, Conrad, and Murray Cardin, Graham, and Nelson of Nebraska Mikulski Whitehouse, Portman, and Inhofe Hagan, and Toomey
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108
S. 1061
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 5 and 28, United States Code, with respect to the award of fees and other expenses in cases brought against agencies of the United States, to require the Administrative Conference of the United States to compile, and make publically available, certain data relating to the Equal Access to Justice Act, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Crapo, Enzi, Heller, Lee, Risch, Thune, and Hatch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 27, 2011 Jul 12, 2011 Jul 27, 2011 Jul 28, 2011 Oct 06, 2011 Aug 02, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 25, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Murkowski McCain Boozman Hutchison Coburn Inhofe
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109
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to release wilderness study areas administered by the Bureau of Land Management that are not suitable for wilderness designation from continued management as de facto wilderness areas and to release inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System that are not recommended for wilderness designation from the land use restrictions of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Final Rule and the 2005 State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Area Management Final Rule, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Murkowski, Hatch, Heller, and Enzi ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 27, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: May 26, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Lee
S. 1116
SPONSOR: Burr OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to merge the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce, and the Small Business Administration to establish a Department of Commerce and the Workforce, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Wicker, Cochran, Inhofe, Lee, McCain, Coats, and Thune STATUS ACTIONS: May 26, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 05/26/2011
S. 1129
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to improve the management of grazing leases and permits, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Enzi, Crapo, Risch, Thune, Heller, and Hatch ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 21, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 26, 2011 Mar 22, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. DATE INTRODUCED: 06/07/2011 Lee, and Hoeven
S. 1153
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE:
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110
S. 1162
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the International Trade Commission to develop and recommend legislation for temporarily suspending duties, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCaskill ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 26, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 09, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Coburn, Toomey, Chambliss, Coats, Vitter, Lee, and Ayotte
S. 1164
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to empower States with authority for most taxing and spending for highway programs and mass transit programs, and for other purposes. ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 09, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 09, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Lee
S. 1182
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Utah except by express authorization of Congress. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 13, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 1189
SPONSOR: Portman OFFICIAL TITLE:
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111
S. 1196
SPONSOR: Grassley OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to expand the use of E-Verify, to hold employers accountable, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Sessions, Rubio, Wicker, Boozman, Lee, Hatch, Vitter, Coburn, and Corker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 15, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 14, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Barrasso Johanns
S. 1209
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah, and for other purposes". ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 15, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 1241
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking minors across State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions.
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112
S. 1248
SPONSOR: Coburn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the consideration of any bill by Congress unless the authority provided by the Constitution of the United States for the legislation can be determined and is clearly specified. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Paul, Barrasso, Blunt, Burr, Corker, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, McCain, Risch, Rubio, Sessions, Thune, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 29, 2011 Aug 02, 2011 Sep 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 22, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Chambliss, and Boozman Heller Cornyn
S. 1276
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the authority to provide certain loans to the International Monetary Fund, the increase in the United States quota to the Fund, and certain other related authorities, to rescind related appropriated amounts, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Vitter, Cornyn, Crapo, Inhofe, Hatch, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 28, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 23, 2011 Jun 27, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 85. DATE INTRODUCED: 06/28/2011 Lee
S. 1287
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE:
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S. 1316
SPONSOR: Enzi OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prevent a fiscal crisis by enacting legislation to balance the Federal budget through reductions of discretionary and mandatory spending. ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 13, 2011 Jul 20, 2011 Aug 01, 2011 Aug 02, 2011 Sep 06, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Jan 26, 2012 Feb 06, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Apr 18, 2012 Jun 13, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 30, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget. Paul Barrasso Hutchison, and Rubio Lee Vitter Crapo Toomey Moran, and Johanns Isakson Chambliss Hatch
S. 1317
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to allow individuals to choose to opt out of the Medicare part A benefit. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Coburn, Vitter, Paul, Sessions, Lee, Risch, Chambliss, Graham, Ayotte, Toomey, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Hutchison ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 05, 2011 Jul 07, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 30, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read twice. Ordered Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 92. DATE INTRODUCED: 06/30/2011 Blunt Cochran, and Inhofe
S. 1322
SPONSOR: Crapo OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to permit commercial vehicles at weights up to 129,000 pounds to use certain highways on the Interstate System in the State of Idaho, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Risch, Hatch, and Lee
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114
S. 1335
SPONSOR: Inhofe OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to provide rights for pilots, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Begich, Johanns, Boozman, Snowe, Moran, Pryor, Collins, Crapo, Thune, Cornyn, Murkowski, Alexander, Enzi, Burr, Barrasso, Chambliss, Coats, Hoeven, Isakson, Johnson of Wisconsin, Roberts, Blunt, Coburn, Risch, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 14, 2011 Jul 27, 2011 Jul 29, 2011 Sep 08, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Oct 06, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Oct 31, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 09, 2011 Nov 14, 2011 Nov 16, 2011 Nov 17, 2011 Feb 06, 2012 Feb 09, 2012 Mar 13, 2012 May 16, 2012 May 17, 2012 Jun 05, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 06, 2011 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jul 23, 2012 Jul 23, 2012 Jul 26, 2012 Aug 03, 2012 Aug 03, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. S.Amdt. 2489 proposed by Senator Reid for Senator Hutchison. S.Amdt. 2489 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. Message on Senate action sent to the House. Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Considered under suspension of the rules. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. Presented to President. Signed by President. Became Public Law No: 112-153. DATE INTRODUCED: 07/11/2011 Sessions Manchin, and Stabenow Toomey Rubio Ayotte, DeMint, and Heller Sessions Warner Cochran, Corker, Graham, Grassley, Kirk, and Shelby Nelson of Nebraska, and Portman Merkley Hatch, Lee, and Paul Akaka, Lautenberg, Lugar, and Vitter Tester, Udall of Colorado, Carper, Harkin, Inouye, Landrieu, and Nelson of Florida Hagan, and Gillibrand Johnson of South Dakota Wyden Shaheen Kyl Brown of Ohio McCain
S. 1341
SPONSOR:
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115
S. 1420
SPONSOR: Toomey OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require that the United States Government prioritize all obligations on the debt held by the public, Social Security benefits, and military pay in the event that the debt limit is reached, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Vitter, Paul, Rubio, Lee, Risch, DeMint, Hoeven, Coats, Barrasso, Boozman, Chambliss, Coburn, Cornyn, Crapo, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Heller, Hutchison, Inhofe, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kirk, Lugar, Moran, Roberts, Wicker, Ayotte, Isakson, Blunt, and Corker ADDED COSPONSORS: Aug 02, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 26, 2011 Jul 27, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 112. DATE INTRODUCED: 07/28/2011 Burr
S. 1438
SPONSOR: Johnson, of WI OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide that no agency may take any significant regulatory action until the unemployment rate is equal to or less than 7.7 percent. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Paul, Cornyn, Lee, Toomey, Risch, Coburn, Ayotte, Rubio, DeMint, Vitter, Grassley, Isakson, Hatch, Wicker, Hutchison, Inhofe, Burr, Coats, Boozman, and Enzi ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 07, 2011 Sep 08, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 Sep 13, 2011 Oct 06, 2011 Sep 12, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 28, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Johanns Blunt Moran Sessions, Barrasso, and McConnell Crapo Chambliss
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116
S. 1446
SPONSOR: Coburn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to free States to spend gas taxes on their transportation priorities. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
McCain, Lee, DeMint, Paul, Vitter, Kyl, Cornyn, Hatch, Coats, Chambliss, Burr, Isakson, and Portman STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 28, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 1501
SPONSOR: Heller OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to conduct the business of the Committee in a manner that is open to the public. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio, Vitter, Lee, Ayotte, Paul, Boozman, and Johnson of Wisconsin ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Aug 02, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Snowe, and Sessions
S. 1506
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prevent the Secretary of the Treasury from expanding United States bank reporting requirements with respect to interest on deposits paid to nonresident aliens. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn and Hutchison ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 12, 2011 Oct 12, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Dec 12, 2011 Mar 28, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Aug 02, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Nelson of Florida Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Coburn, DeMint, Hatch, Inhofe, Lee, Johnson of Wisconsin, Paul, Vitter, and Wicker Thune Chambliss, and Sessions Risch
S. 1507
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide protections from workers with respect to their right to select or refrain from selecting representation by a labor organization. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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117
S. 1523
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from ordering any employers to close, relocate, or transfer employment under any circumstance. ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 13, 2011 Sep 14, 2011 Sep 15, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Dec 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 08, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Alexander, DeMint, Enzi, Johanns, Lee, Moran, and Risch McConnell Chambliss, Cochran, Hutchison, Johnson of Wisconsin, Rubio, and Paul Cornyn, Heller, Sessions, and Toomey Coburn
S. 1544
SPONSOR: Tester OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to require the Securities and Exchange Commission to exempt a certain class of securities from such Act. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Toomey ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 01, 2011 Dec 06, 2011 Dec 14, 2011 Mar 01, 2012 Mar 07, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 12, 2011 Dec 01, 2011 Mar 06, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Crapo, and Blumenthal McCaskill Menendez Lee Hagan
S. 1556
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118
S. 1578
SPONSOR: Toomey OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act with respect to consumer confidence reports by community water systems. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Boozman ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 21, 2011 Sep 26, 2011 Oct 03, 2011 Oct 18, 2011 Nov 17, 2011 Nov 28, 2011 Dec 01, 2011 Dec 14, 2011 Mar 02, 2012 May 21, 2012 Jul 10, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 19, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Moran Roberts Barrasso, and Pryor Enzi Casey Paul Harkin Lee Sessions Snowe Rubio
S. 1580
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to extend an exemption from certain requirements of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to protect public health and safety. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 20, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 1591
SPONSOR: Gillibrand
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119
S. 1595
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE:
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120
S. 1611
SPONSOR: Johnson, of WI OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to reduce the size of the Federal workforce through attrition, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Ayotte, Paul, and Johanns ADDED COSPONSORS: Oct 06, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 22, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 10/04/2011 McConnell, Kyl, Cornyn, Sessions, McCain, Inhofe, Wicker, DeMint, Coburn, Risch, Crapo, Barrasso, Vitter, Rubio, and Lee
S. 1651
SPONSOR: Sessions OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for greater transparency and honesty in the Federal budget process. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Snowe ADDED COSPONSORS: Oct 11, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 Oct 19, 2011 Oct 20, 2011 Oct 31, 2011 Nov 02, 2011 Nov 08, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 Nov 15, 2011 Dec 05, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 04, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget. Ayotte, and Alexander Chambliss Burr, Cornyn, and Enzi Johnson of Wisconsin Portman Lee, and Paul Barrasso, Crapo, McCain, Isakson, and Brown of Massachusetts Corker, Johanns, and Hutchison Boozman Coats
S. 1676
SPONSOR: Thune
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121
Oct 13, 2011 Oct 18, 2011 Oct 19, 2011 Nov 01, 2011 Nov 15, 2011 Nov 16, 2011 Feb 09, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 06, 2011
S. 1690
SPONSOR: McCain OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preserve the multiple use land management policy in the State of Arizona, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kyl, Hatch, Lee, and Barrasso ADDED COSPONSORS: Oct 17, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 12, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Murkowski
S. 1692
SPONSOR: Bingaman OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, to provide full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Murkowski, Baucus, Crapo, Wyden, Risch, Reid of Nevada, Cochran, Tester, Blunt, Feinstein, Heller, Udall of New Mexico, Boxer, Cantwell, Murray, Bennet, Merkley, Sanders, Johnson of South Dakota, Begich, McCaskill, Udall of Colorado, Franken, and Levin ADDED COSPONSORS: Oct 19, 2011 Nov 01, 2011 Nov 07, 2011 Nov 30, 2011 Dec 05, 2011 Dec 07, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 12, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Boozman, and Wicker Klobuchar Lee, and Pryor Manchin Nelson of Florida Rockefeller
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122
S. 1746
SPONSOR: Schumer OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to stimulate international tourism to the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 14, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 20, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Akaka, Blumenthal, Landrieu, and Manchin
S. 1751
SPONSOR: Hoeven OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to facilitate recovery and beneficial use, and provide for the proper management and disposal, of materials generated by the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Conrad, Enzi, Landrieu, Boozman, Nelson of Nebraska, Portman, Manchin, Thune, and Rockefeller ADDED COSPONSORS: May 07, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Oct 20, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Blunt, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Lee
S. 1843
SPONSOR: Isakson
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123
S. 1844
SPONSOR: Heller OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to ensure that Federal Register notices submitted to the Bureau of Land Management are reviewed in a timely manner. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hatch, Lee, Thune, Hoeven, Enzi, Crapo, Barrasso, Risch, and Murkowski STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 10, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 1866
SPONSOR: Coons OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide incentives for economic growth, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio ADDED COSPONSORS: Nov 16, 2011 Nov 28, 2011 Dec 01, 2011 Dec 08, 2011 Dec 12, 2011 Dec 17, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 15, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Gillibrand, and Blunt Casey Begich, and Wicker Lee, Schumer, and Risch Brown of Massachusetts Boozman
S. 1883
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE:
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124
S. 1896
SPONSOR: Ayotte OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to eliminate the automatic inflation increases for discretionary programs built into the baseline projections and require budget estimates to be compared with the prior year's level. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Johnson of Wisconsin ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 08, 2011 Jan 23, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget. Lee Portman
S. 1904
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide information on total spending on means-tested welfare programs, to provide additional work requirements, and to provide an overall spending limit on means-tested welfare programs. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee, Vitter, Paul, Sessions, Graham, Inhofe, and Coburn ADDED COSPONSORS: Nov 29, 2011 Dec 07, 2011 May 22, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 17, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Rubio, and Johnson of Wisconsin Risch Toomey
S. 1930
SPONSOR: Toomey OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit earmarks. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCaskill ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 01, 2011 Dec 13, 2011 Dec 16, 2011
Rubio Ayotte, Burr, Chambliss, DeMint, Johnson of South Dakota(Withdrawn Jan 30, 2012), and Thune Udall of Colorado
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125
S. 1932
SPONSOR: Lugar OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require the Secretary of State to act on a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hoeven, Vitter, Murkowski, McConnell, Johanns, Roberts, Barrasso, Coats, Rubio, Isakson, Cornyn, Wicker, Inhofe, Moran, Thune, Johnson of Wisconsin, Crapo, Graham, Blunt, Sessions, Enzi, Alexander, Hutchison, Risch, Chambliss, Kirk, Portman, Burr, Shelby, Lee, Boozman, Coburn, Cochran, Grassley, Heller, Corker, and Toomey ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 01, 2011 Dec 05, 2011 Dec 14, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 30, 2011 Dec 01, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 245. DATE INTRODUCED: 12/01/2011 Ayotte Manchin Hatch
S. 1936
SPONSOR: Johnson, of WI OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to adopt the seven immediate reforms recommended by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to reduce spending and make the Federal government more efficient. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hutchison, Wicker, Risch, Coburn, Sessions, DeMint, Rubio, Enzi, Cornyn, Lee, Paul, Barrasso, Ayotte, and McCain STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 01, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 12/07/2011
S. 1957
SPONSOR: Coburn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide taxpayers with an annual report disclosing the cost of, performance by, and areas for improvements for Government programs, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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126
S. 1975
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to repeal the authority to provide certain loans to the International Monetary Fund, to prohibit loans to enable the Fund to provide financing for European financial stability and to oppose the provision of such financing, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn, Vitter, Toomey, Risch, Ayotte, Johnson of Wisconsin, Lee, Paul, Blunt, Hatch, Boozman, Graham, Kyl, Hutchison, Crapo, Inhofe, Barrasso, Chambliss, Coburn, Thune, Burr, Heller, Rubio, Johanns, and Sessions STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 08, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
S. 1990
SPONSOR: Lieberman OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require the Transportation Security Administration to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Blumenthal, Collins, Burr, Akaka, Tester, and Landrieu ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 26, 2012 Jan 31, 2012 Feb 09, 2012 Feb 13, 2012 Feb 27, 2012 Feb 28, 2012 Mar 05, 2012 Mar 13, 2012 Mar 29, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 23, 2012 May 08, 2012 Jun 04, 2012 Jun 19, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jul 19, 2012 Jul 26, 2012 Jul 30, 2012 Jul 31, 2012 Aug 01, 2012 Begich McCaskill, Leahy, and Brown of Massachusetts Blunt Sanders, Murkowski, and Boozman Cardin, and Moran Coburn Udall of Colorado, and Brown of Ohio Carper, and Heller Baucus, and Webb Nelson of Nebraska, and Klobuchar Wyden Portman Bennet, Lautenberg, Johnson of South Dakota, and Harkin Lee Johanns Snowe Casey Rockefeller, and Boxer Isakson Thune
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127
S. 1997
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from providing extra support to the Federal Housing Administration. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Crapo, Johanns, Toomey, DeMint, Paul, Risch, Cornyn, and Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 15, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
S. 2003
SPONSOR: Feinstein OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to clarify that an authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Leahy, Lee, Udall of Colorado, Kirk, Gillibrand, Paul, Coons, Durbin, Nelson of Florida, Shaheen, Udall of New Mexico, Franken, and McCaskill ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 16, 2011 Jan 23, 2012 Jan 24, 2012 Jan 26, 2012 Jan 31, 2012 Feb 01, 2012 Mar 26, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 19, 2012 May 10, 2012 May 15, 2012 Jun 04, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 15, 2011 Feb 29, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-383. Klobuchar, and Blumenthal Boxer, Mikulski, and Wyden Lautenberg, and Tester Rockefeller Moran Harkin Johnson of South Dakota Collins Bingaman Merkley, and Menendez Baucus Sanders
S. 2041
SPONSOR: Hoeven OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline project and provide for environmental protection and government oversight. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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128
S. 2043
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to provide religious conscience protections for individuals and organizations. ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 31, 2012 Feb 01, 2012 Coats, Vitter, and Lee Paul, McCain, Cornyn, Hoeven, Hutchison, Kyl, Wicker, McConnell, Toomey, Risch, Crapo, Chambliss, Thune, Sessions, Hatch, Coburn, Boozman, Collins, and Moran Alexander Murkowski, Inhofe, and Heller Burr, Graham, and Snowe Portman Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Feb 06, 2012 Feb 07, 2012 Feb 09, 2012 Feb 16, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 30, 2012
S. 2056
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain interests in Federal land acquired for the Scofield Project in Carbon County, Utah. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 01, 2012 Mar 22, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/02/2012
S. 2062
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to repeal certain provisions relating to criminal penalties and violations of foreign laws, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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129
S. 2064
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to terminate certain energy tax subsidies and lower the corporate income tax rate. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 07, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 02, 2012 Feb 06, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 309. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/09/2012 Johnson of Wisconsin
S. 2085
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to strengthen employee cost savings suggestions programs within the Federal Government. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Johnson of Wisconsin and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 26, 2012 Jun 27, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 09, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/16/2012 Sessions Chambliss
S. 2118
SPONSOR: Cornyn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to remove unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats from seniors' personal health decisions by repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Burr, Coburn, Roberts, Blunt, Grassley, Lee, Paul, Coats, Inhofe, Isakson, Risch, Heller, Barrasso, Cochran, Rubio, Moran, Johanns, Thune, and Crapo ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 01, 2012 May 10, 2012 Wicker, Kyl, and Lugar Hutchison
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130
S. 2122
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to clarify the definition of navigable waters, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Feb 17, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Mar 15, 2012 Mar 21, 2012 Apr 24, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 16, 2012 DeMint Johnson of Wisconsin, Coburn, Toomey, and Hatch McConnell Rubio Chambliss
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 2165
SPONSOR: Boxer OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to enhance strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Isakson and Collins ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 14, 2012 Mar 19, 2012 Mar 21, 2012 Mar 22, 2012 Mar 26, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Mar 28, 2012 Mar 29, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 17, 2012 Apr 18, 2012 Apr 19, 2012 Apr 23, 2012 Apr 24, 2012 Apr 26, 2012 May 07, 2012 May 08, 2012 May 10, 2012 May 14, 2012 May 16, 2012 May 21, 2012 Feinstein Blunt Coburn Chambliss Heller, and McCaskill Rubio Hoeven Moran Pryor, Nelson of Florida, and Blumenthal Mikulski Wyden, and Boozman Shaheen, and Burr Brown of Ohio, Casey, and Klobuchar Portman, Roberts, Lieberman, and Vitter Coons, Lee, and Begich Gillibrand, Hagan, and Ayotte Schumer Crapo, Whitehouse, Kirk, and Murkowski Johanns, Inouye, Wicker, Akaka, Inhofe, and Carper Cardin, and Hatch Cornyn, Warner, and Baucus
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131
S. 2170
SPONSOR: Akaka OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the provisions of title 5, United States Code, which are commonly referred to as the 'Hatch Act', to scale back the provision forbidding certain State and local employees from seeking elective office, clarify the application of certain provisions to the District of Columbia, and modify the penalties which may be imposed for certain violations under subchapter III of chapter 73 of that title. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lieberman, Levin, and Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 07, 2012 Mar 13, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 112-211. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 508.
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132
S. 2173
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, Hatch, Lee, Paul, Toomey, Vitter, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 26, 2012 Jun 21, 2012 Jul 11, 2012 Jul 17, 2012 Aug 01, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 07, 2012 Mar 08, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 333. DATE INTRODUCED: 03/15/2012 Barrasso, Burr, Chambliss, Cornyn, Graham, Grassley, Inhofe, Heller, McCain, Moran, Rubio, and Sessions Roberts Shelby Boozman Ayotte, and Wicker
S. 2196
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide higher-quality, lower-cost health care to seniors. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Graham, Lee, and DeMint STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 15, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 2205
SPONSOR: Moran OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit funding to negotiate a United Nations Arms Trade Treaty that restricts the Second Amendment rights of United States citizens. ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 22, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Apr 18, 2012 Paul Boozman Johanns
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133
S. 2213
SPONSOR: Thune OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to allow reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Vitter, Barrasso, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Coburn, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Grassley, Inhofe, Isakson, Johnson of Wisconsin, McConnell, Paul, Portman, Risch, Rubio, Sessions, Toomey, Wicker, Cochran, Hatch, Lugar (Withdrawn Mar 21, 2012), Graham, Ayotte, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 21, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Mar 28, 2012 Mar 29, 2012 Jun 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 20, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Moran, and Roberts Hoeven Blunt, and Johanns Heller Hutchison
S. 2221
SPONSOR: Thune OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the Secretary of Labor from finalizing a proposed rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 relating to child labor. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Moran, McCain, Tester, Rubio, Paul, Toomey, Wicker, Sessions, Vitter, Lee, McConnell, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Cochran, Coats, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Graham, Cornyn, Grassley, Coburn, Hoeven, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Hatch, Kirk, Kyl, Lugar, Johnson of Wisconsin, Risch, Roberts, and Alexander ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 22, 2012 Mar 26, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Mar 28, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Shelby, and Corker Baucus, and McCaskill Shaheen Klobuchar
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134
S. 2226
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from awarding any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other financial assistance under section 103 of the Clean Air Act for any program, project, or activity carried out outside the United States, including the territories and possessions of the United States. ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 27, 2012 May 17, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 22, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Lee Johanns
S. 2233
SPONSOR: Schumer OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to stimulate international tourism to the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee, Mikulski, Blunt, Klobuchar, Kirk, Rubio, and Coons ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 27, 2012 Mar 28, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 May 08, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 26, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security . Hearings held. DATE INTRODUCED: 03/28/2012 Blumenthal, and Kohl Manchin Heller Shaheen
S. 2242
SPONSOR: Thune OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio, Boozman, Lugar, Vitter, Isakson, Kyl, Heller, Moran, Roberts, Inhofe, Enzi, Grassley, Lee, Paul, Blunt, McCain, Barrasso, Cornyn, McConnell, Crapo, Hoeven, Kirk, Wicker, Hutchison, Cochran, Burr, Sessions, Toomey, Ayotte, Risch, Coburn, Johanns, DeMint, and Coats ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 17, 2012 Apr 24, 2012 Jun 07, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 28, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Chambliss Shelby Graham
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135
SPONSOR: Barrasso OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Inhofe, Sessions, Heller, Vitter, Boozman, Crapo, McConnell, Roberts, Wicker, Risch, Grassley, Cornyn, Coburn, Thune, Lugar, Blunt, Rubio, Enzi, Kyl, Toomey, Coats, Paul, Johanns, Chambliss, Hoeven, Moran, Isakson, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Cochran ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 29, 2012 May 10, 2012 May 15, 2012 May 16, 2012 Jul 31, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 28, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Lee, Corker, and Hutchison Alexander, and Murkowski Hatch, and McCain DeMint, and Shelby Burr
S. 2248
SPONSOR: Inhofe OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to clarify that a State has the sole authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal land within the boundaries of the State. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Murkowski, Vitter, Sessions, Cornyn, Risch, Hoeven, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 23, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 28, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Portman, and Roberts
S. 2368
SPONSOR: Johnson, of WI OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to ensure economy and efficiency of Federal Government operations by establishing a moratorium on midnight rules during a President's final days in office, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hutchison, Kyl, Shelby, Thune, DeMint, Paul, Ayotte, Risch, Johanns, Coats, Chambliss, Rubio, Boozman, Barrasso, Vitter, McConnell, Blunt, Sessions, Roberts, Inhofe, Graham, Toomey, Burr, Heller, Moran, Isakson, Cornyn, Lee, Collins, Cochran, Hoeven, McCain, Coburn, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: May 08, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 25, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. DATE INTRODUCED: 04/26/2012 Rubio Enzi
S. 2371
SPONSOR:
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S. 2471
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest System land in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah to Brigham Young University, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 26, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 3083
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require certain nonresident aliens to provide valid immigration documents to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit. ADDED COSPONSORS: May 15, 2012 May 17, 2012 May 23, 2012 May 24, 2012 Sep 11, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 10, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Thune Isakson, Moran, and Chambliss McConnell, Inhofe, Lee, Coats, Boozman, Risch, Roberts, Ayotte, Wicker, Barrasso, Burr, Blunt, Paul, Hoeven, Johanns, and Corker Crapo Hutchison
S. 3176
SPONSOR: Webb
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S. 3199
SPONSOR: Schumer OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to stimulate international tourism to the United States and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Blumenthal, Blunt, Coons, Heller, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Lee, Manchin, Mikulski, Rubio, Shaheen, Brown of Massachusetts, Murkowski, Ayotte, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: May 21, 2012 Jun 05, 2012 Jun 26, 2012 Jul 10, 2012 Sep 11, 2012 Dec 03, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 17, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Begich Nelson of Florida Franken Lugar Cochran, and Leahy Gillibrand
S. 3204
SPONSOR: Johanns OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to address fee disclosure requirements under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Warner, Corker, and Tester ADDED COSPONSORS: May 24, 2012 Jun 04, 2012 Jun 05, 2012 Jun 07, 2012 Jun 11, 2012 Jun 12, 2012 Jun 13, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jun 20, 2012 Jun 25, 2012 Jun 26, 2012 Jun 27, 2012 Jun 28, 2012 Jul 10, 2012 Jul 11, 2012 Isakson, and Chambliss Blunt Collins Merkley McCaskill Rubio Cornyn Portman, Stabenow, and Boozman Brown of Massachusetts, and Toomey Wyden Moran Brown of Ohio, and Thune Wicker Lieberman, Crapo, Blumenthal, and Hutchison Alexander, Inhofe, and Burr
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S. 3221
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to permit employers to pay higher wages to their employees. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Enzi, DeMint, Risch, Thune, Lee, Vitter, Hatch, Isakson, and Coburn ADDED COSPONSORS: May 23, 2012 Jun 04, 2012 Jun 05, 2012 Jun 06, 2012 Jun 07, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jun 25, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 22, 2012 May 23, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 411. DATE INTRODUCED: 05/24/2012 McConnell Chambliss, Cornyn, Inhofe, and Alexander Moran Johanns Blunt Roberts, and Johnson of Wisconsin Hoeven
S. 3245
SPONSOR: Leahy OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to extend by 3 years the authorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program, the E-Verify Program, the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program, and the Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Grassley ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 28, 2012 Aug 02, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Kohl, Hatch, Rubio, Schumer, Lee, and Conrad Collins
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Aug 14, 2012 Sep 11, 2012 Sep 13, 2012 Sep 13, 2012 Sep 20, 2012 Sep 28, 2012 Sep 28, 2012
S. 3252
SPONSOR: Portman OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the award of a gold medal on behalf of Congress to Jack Nicklaus, in recognition of his service to the Nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and philanthropy. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Brown of Ohio, Hoeven, Ayotte, Begich, Vitter, Blunt, Barrasso, Blumenthal, Cornyn, Risch, Cochran, Udall of Colorado, Coburn, Rubio, Johnson of Wisconsin, Nelson of Florida, Toomey, Wicker, Lee, Coons, Graham, Landrieu, and Carper ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 12, 2012 Jul 12, 2012 Jul 18, 2012 Sep 13, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 24, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Cardin Casey, Durbin, Kohl, and Lieberman Burr, Inhofe, Hutchison, Sessions, Corker, Alexander, Isakson, and Pryor Reid of Nevada
S. 3269
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide that no United States assistance may be provided to Pakistan until Dr. Shakil Afridi is freed. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Lee, Coburn, Hutchison, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 12, 2012 Jul 24, 2012 Johanns Tester
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S. 3290
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit discrimination against the unborn on the basis of sex or gender, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Ayotte, Coburn, Sessions, Lee, Cornyn, Risch, Johnson of Wisconsin, Chambliss, Isakson, Johanns, Inhofe, Hutchison, Roberts, Cochran, Hoeven, Wicker, Coats, Enzi, Graham, Boozman, Thune, Barrasso, Crapo, and McConnell ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 19, 2012 Jun 20, 2012 Jun 28, 2012 Jul 16, 2012 Jul 23, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 13, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Blunt, Burr, and Kyl Toomey Grassley Moran Rubio
S. 3305
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah, and for other purposes". ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 18, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 3382
SPONSOR: Grassley OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to impose certain limitations on consent decrees and settlement agreements by agencies that require the agencies to take regulatory action in accordance with the terms thereof, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kyl, Cornyn, Lee, Paul, and Coburn ADDED COSPONSORS: Aug 02, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 12, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Sessions
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SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to prohibit waivers relating to compliance with the work requirements for the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Roberts, Cornyn, Grassley, Enzi, Coburn, Crapo, Thune, Burr, Kyl, and McConnell ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 19, 2012 Jul 24, 2012 Jul 25, 2012 Aug 02, 2012 Sep 12, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 18, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Lee Alexander, and Vitter Isakson, and Cochran Wicker Chambliss
S. 3434
SPONSOR: Portman OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing resolutions. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Tester, Boozman, Coats, Barrasso, Lee, McCain, Enzi, Hoeven, Cornyn, Coburn, Wicker, Risch, Burr, Crapo, Isakson, Grassley, Hatch, Hutchison, Johnson of Wisconsin, McConnell, and Toomey STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 25, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
S. 3450
SPONSOR: Coats OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to limit the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations before December 31, 2013, under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Enzi, Inhofe, Hoeven, Lee, Cochran, Coburn, Risch, Crapo, Paul, McConnell, Hatch, Sessions, Wicker, Boozman, McCain, Burr, Isakson, and Chambliss ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 30, 2012 Jul 31, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 26, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Blunt Murkowski
S. 3471
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate the tax on Olympic medals won by United States athletes. ADDED COSPONSORS:
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S. 3500
SPONSOR: Cornyn OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish a procedure for approval of certain settlements. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Coburn, Inhofe, Lee, Murkowski, Roberts, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Aug 02, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Enzi
S. 3519
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require sponsoring Senators to pay the printing costs of ceremonial and commemorative Senate resolutions. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Coburn, Corker, Johnson of Wisconsin, Lee, McCaskill, Paul, Risch, Sessions, and Toomey STATUS ACTIONS: Aug 02, 2012 Sep 10, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 501. DATE INTRODUCED: 09/13/2012
S. 3551
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to require investigations into and a report on the September 11-13, 2012, attacks on the United States missions in Libya, Egypt, and Yemen, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Corker ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 19, 2012 Sep 20, 2012 Sep 21, 2012 Nov 27, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 13, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Isakson, Lee, Inhofe, Barrasso, and Risch Boozman Grassley Toomey
S. 3612
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S.J.Res. 6
SPONSOR: Hutchison OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McConnell, Ensign, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Collins, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Hoeven, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kirk, Kyl, Lee, McCain, Paul, Risch, Roberts, Sessions, Shelby, Snowe, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 19, 2011 Oct 04, 2011 Oct 12, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Feb 16, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 03, 2011 Nov 09, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by petition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 802(c). Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 219. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 52. Record Vote Number: 200. DATE INTRODUCED: 03/31/2011 Heller Rubio Lugar
S.J.Res. 10
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: Joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee, Cornyn, Kyl, McConnell, Toomey, Snowe, Risch, Rubio, DeMint, Paul, Vitter, Enzi, Kirk, Thune, Alexander, Inhofe, Crapo, Burr, Barrasso, Coburn, Moran, Lugar, Hutchison, Isakson, Brown of Massachusetts, Johnson of Wisconsin, Graham, Grassley, Shelby, Sessions, McCain, Boozman, Roberts, Collins, Hoeven, Chambliss, Ayotte, Blunt, Coats, Cochran, Corker, Ensign, Johanns, Murkowski, Portman, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: May 10, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 31, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Heller
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S.J.Res. 11
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to limiting the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve to 3 in the House of Representatives and 2 in the Senate. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Vitter, Ayotte, Coburn, Ensign, Hutchison, Johnson of Wisconsin, Lee, Paul, Rubio, and Toomey STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 14, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
S.J.Res. 18
SPONSOR: Webb OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution prohibiting the deployment, establishment, or maintenance of a presence of units and members of the United States Armed Forces on the ground in Libya, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Corker ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 09, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 08, 2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Lee
S.J.Res. 23
SPONSOR: McConnell OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hatch, Lee, Cornyn, Kyl, Toomey, Snowe, Risch, Rubio, DeMint, Paul, Vitter, Enzi, Kirk, Thune, Alexander, Inhofe, Crapo, Burr, Barrasso, Coburn, Moran, Lugar, Hutchison, Isakson, Brown of Massachusetts, Johnson of Wisconsin, Graham, Grassley, Shelby, Sessions, McCain, Boozman, Roberts, Collins, Hoeven, Chambliss, Ayotte, Blunt, Coats, Cochran, Corker, Johanns, Murkowski, Portman, Wicker, and Heller STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 29, 2011 Jun 30, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 90.
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S.J.Res. 25
SPONSOR: McConnell OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution relating to the disapproval of the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on August 2, 2011. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCain, Paul, Inhofe, Blunt, Coats, Enzi, Grassley, Hutchison, Roberts, Sessions, Barrasso, Boozman, Cornyn, Rubio, Kyl, Alexander, Hatch, Ayotte, Chambliss, Moran, Wicker, Shelby, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 07, 2011 Sep 08, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 06, 2011 Sep 08, 2011 Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 153 pursuant to Public Law 112-25, sec. 301(a)(2). Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. Risch Crapo
S.J.Res. 34
SPONSOR: McConnell OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution relating to the disapproval of the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on January 12, 2012 ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Hutchison, Lee, Hatch, Barrasso, Cornyn, Ayotte, Moran, Alexander, Crapo, Rubio, Coats, Enzi, Sessions, Burr, Vitter (Withdrawn Jan 24, 2012), Isakson, Blunt, Boozman, Kyl, McCain, Shelby, Wicker, Chambliss, Lugar, Risch, Roberts, Inhofe, Grassley, Kirk, and Graham ADDED COSPONSORS: Jan 24, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 23, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 295 pursuant to P.L. 112-25, sec. 301(a)(2). DATE INTRODUCED: 02/16/2012 Coburn, Thune, and Paul
S.J.Res. 36
SPONSOR: Enzi OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Labor Relations Board relating to representation election procedures. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, Lugar, McCain, McConnell, Moran, Paul, Portman, Risch, Roberts, Rubio, Sessions, Shelby, Snowe, Thune, Toomey, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 14, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Kirk
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S.J.Res. 40
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rules submitted by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service relating to the reporting requirements for interest that relates to the deposits maintained at United States offices of certain financial institutions and is paid to certain nonresident alien individuals. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn, Hutchison, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Inhofe, DeMint, Blunt, and Lee ADDED COSPONSORS: May 22, 2012 May 23, 2012 May 24, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 15, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Chambliss Thune Risch
S.J.Res. 41
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the nuclear program of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Casey, Lieberman, Ayotte, Blumenthal, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Cardin, Chambliss, Coats, Collins, Coons, Cornyn, Gillibrand, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Mikulski, Nelson of Florida, Nelson of Nebraska, Portman, Pryor, Risch, Schumer, Udall of Colorado, Wyden, Snowe, Vitter, Isakson, Sessions, Wicker, Manchin, Whitehouse, Burr, Moran, Crapo, Kirk, Hagan, Grassley, Lautenberg, Toomey, Bennet, Rubio, Stabenow, Lugar, Warner, Carper, Lee, DeMint, McConnell, Cochran, Johanns, Blunt, Barrasso, Landrieu, Tester, Roberts, Begich, Klobuchar, Inouye, Akaka, Coburn, Rockefeller, Murray, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kohl, Cantwell, Thune, Murkowski, Shelby, Merkley, and Durbin ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 19, 2012 Jul 18, 2012 Sep 20, 2012 Sep 21, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: May 24, 2012 Jun 04, 2012 Sep 22, 2012 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 418. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. Reed of Rhode Island Baucus Boxer Shaheen, Corker, and Kerry
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S.J.Res. 42
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to parental rights. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Blunt, Chambliss, Enzi, Isakson, Lee, Graham, Grassley, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 06, 2012 Jun 18, 2012 Jul 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 05, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Rubio Boozman Moran
S.J.Res. 46
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rules submitted by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service relating to the reporting requirements for interest that relates to deposits maintained at United States offices of certain financial institutions and is paid to certain nonresident alien individuals. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Blunt, Chambliss, Cornyn, DeMint, Hutchison, Inhofe, Lee, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Risch, and Thune ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 28, 2012 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Wicker
S.J.Res. 50
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to waiver and expenditure authority under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) with respect to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McConnell, Grassley, Cornyn, Thune, Toomey, Enzi, Vitter, Crapo, Roberts, Burr, Coburn, and Kyl ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 12, 2012 Sep 13, 2012 Sep 19, 2012 Coats, Inhofe, Collins, and Corker Hoeven, Hutchison, Alexander, Isakson, and Graham Lee
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S.Res. 4
SPONSOR: Reid OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring Senator Barbara Mikulski for becoming the longest-serving female Senator in history. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McConnell, Cardin, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Ensign, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 05, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 01/25/2011
S.Res. 14
SPONSOR: McCain OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring the victims and heroes of the shooting on January 8, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kyl, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Ensign, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 25, 2011 Jan 26, 2011 Jan 26, 2011 Submitted in the Senate and ordered held at desk. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Yea-Nay Vote. 97 - 0. Record Vote Number: 1. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/28/2011
S.Res. 78
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S.Res. 99
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the primary safeguard for the well-being and protection of children is the family, and that the primary safeguards for the legal rights of children in the United States are the Constitutions of the United States and the several States, and that, because the use of international treaties to govern policy in the United States on families and children is contrary to principles of self-government and federalism, and that, because the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child undermines traditional principles of law in the United States regarding parents and children, the President should not transmit the Convention to the Senate for its advice and consent. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Burr, Blunt, Boozman, Chambliss, Coburn, Cornyn, Crapo, Ensign, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kyl, Lee, McCain, Moran, Paul, Risch, Rubio, Sessions, Vitter, and Wicker ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 14, 2011 Mar 16, 2011 Mar 28, 2011 Mar 30, 2011 Mar 31, 2011 Apr 06, 2011 Feb 06, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 10, 2011 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Ayotte, and Murkowski Cochran Thune, and Roberts Coats Corker Alexander Heller
S.Res. 101
SPONSOR: Reid OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate relating to the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
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S.Res. 138
SPONSOR: Gillibrand OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution calling on the United Nations to rescind the Goldstone report, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Apr 12, 2011 Apr 13, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 May 04, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 08, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent. Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 04/14/2011 Crapo, Blunt, Collins, Cardin, and Baucus Moran, Blumenthal, Nelson of Florida, Casey, Rubio, Brown of Massachusetts, Kirk, Mikulski, Menendez, Wyden, Schumer, Hatch, and DeMint Nelson of Nebraska, Johanns, Reed of Rhode Island, Ayotte, Vitter, Cornyn, Lee, Inhofe, Lautenberg, Whitehouse, Franken, Boozman, Klobuchar, and Levin Coons
S.Res. 145
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution designating April 15, 2011, as "National TEA Party Day". ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 14, 2011 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
S.Res. 148
SPONSOR: Cornyn OFFICIAL TITLE:
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S.Res. 159
SPONSOR: Reid OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring the members of the military and intelligence community who carried out the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Ensign, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: May 03, 2011 May 03, 2011 May 03, 2011 Submitted in the Senate. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Yea-Nay. 97 - 0. Record Vote Number: 63. DATE INTRODUCED: 05/16/2011
S.Res. 185
SPONSOR: Cardin OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution reaffirming the commitment of the United States to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, reaffirming opposition to the inclusion of Hamas in a unity government unless it is willing to accept peace with Israel and renounce violence, and declaring that Palestinian efforts to gain recognition of a state outside direct negotiations demonstrates absence of a good faith commitment to peace negotiations, and will have implications for continued United States aid. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Collins, Thune, Menendez, Casey, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: May 24, 2011 May 25, 2011 May 26, 2011 Jun 06, 2011 Boozman, Moran, Franken, Kirk, Snowe, Cornyn, Roberts, Inhofe, and Brown of Ohio Coburn, Burr, and Kyl Wyden, Ayotte, Klobuchar, Nelson of Nebraska, and McCaskill Coons, Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Lieberman, Landrieu, Crapo, and Vitter
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S.Res. 213
SPONSOR: DeMint OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution commending and expressing thanks to professionals of the intelligence community. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn, Vitter, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Crapo, Enzi, Grassley, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kirk, Lee, McConnell, Portman, Risch, Rubio, Sessions, Shelby, Thune, Wicker, Roberts, Lieberman, Graham, and Alexander ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 22, 2011 Jun 23, 2011 Jun 27, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 21, 2011 Referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence. Brown of Massachusetts Hoeven, Heller, Corker, Toomey, and Lugar Moran
S.Res. 216
SPONSOR: Boxer OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution encouraging women's political participation in Saudi Arabia. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 14, 2011 Jul 19, 2011 Jul 20, 2011 Jul 26, 2011 Feinstein, and Gillibrand Merkley Durbin Cardin, Landrieu, and Coons
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S.Res. 226
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President does not have the authority to ignore the statutory debt limit by ordering the Secretary of the Treasury to continue issuing debt on the full faith and credit of the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cornyn, McCain, Ayotte, Isakson, Coats, Inhofe, Sessions, Chambliss, Barrasso, Johanns, Murkowski, and Risch ADDED COSPONSORS: Jul 11, 2011 Jul 13, 2011 STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 07, 2011 Referred to the Committee on Finance. Lee, and Hatch Hoeven
S.Res. 237
SPONSOR: Lautenberg OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding coming together as a Nation and ceasing all work or other activity for a moment of remembrance beginning at 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on September 11, 2011, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks committed against the United States on September 11, 2001. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Toomey, Menendez, Schumer, Gillibrand, Casey, Lieberman, Blumenthal, Webb, Warner, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 22, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
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SPONSOR: Klobuchar OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution condemning the horrific attacks on government buildings in Oslo, Norway, and a youth camp on Utoya Island, Norway, on July 22, 2011, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Durbin, Kerry, Lugar, Boxer, Kohl, Cantwell, Cardin, Harkin, Franken, Hoeven, Wyden, Kyl, Barrasso, Conrad, McCain, Lieberman, Merkley, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Feinstein, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Hatch, Heller, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kirk, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Manchin, McCaskill, McConnell, Menendez, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Reid of Nevada, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, and Wicker STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 27, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 09/06/2011
S.Res. 257
SPONSOR: Wyden OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution relative to the death of the Honorable Mark O. Hatfield, former United States Senator for the State of Oregon. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Merkley, McConnell, Reid of Nevada, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, and Wicker STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 06, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 09/15/2011
S.Res. 268
SPONSOR: Enzi OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution relative to the death of the Honorable Malcolm Wallop, former Senator for the State of Wyoming. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S.Res. 271
SPONSOR: Durbin OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Charles H. Percy, former Senator for the State of Illinois. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kirk, Rockefeller, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 19, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 09/23/2011
S.Res. 278
SPONSOR: Sessions OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution designating September 2011 as "National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month". ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Cardin, Inhofe, Wicker, Brown of Massachusetts, Kerry, Shelby, Crapo, Johnson of South Dakota, Lee, Chambliss, Akaka, Boxer, Kirk, Wyden, Johanns, and Blunt STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 23, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 11/15/2011 Hatch
S.Res. 323
SPONSOR:
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S.Res. 349
SPONSOR: Whitehouse OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution commemorating and honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces and their families as the official combat mission in Iraq draws to a close. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Reed of Rhode Island, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, McConnell, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reid of Nevada, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 17, 2011 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote. DATE INTRODUCED: 01/26/2012
S.Res. 355
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring the memory of Special Agent Jared Francom of the Ogden, Utah Police Department. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Jan 26, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 02/16/2012
S.Res. 380
SPONSOR: Graham OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution to express the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S.Res. 386
SPONSOR: Hoeven OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution calling for free and fair elections in Iran, and for other purposes. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
Blumenthal, Lieberman, Graham, McCain, Begich, Sessions, Nelson of Nebraska, Ayotte, Coons, McConnell, Mikulski, Cornyn, Schumer, Thune, Shaheen, Alexander, Gillibrand, Risch, Brown of Ohio, Chambliss, Menendez, Blunt, McCaskill, Collins, Nelson of Florida, Isakson, Lautenberg, Barrasso, Pryor, Coats, Feinstein, Coburn, Udall of Colorado, Johnson of Wisconsin, Casey, Crapo, Bennet, Grassley, Wyden, Heller, Hutchison, Inhofe, Kyl, Lee, Portman, Toomey, Wicker, Shelby, Vitter, Burr, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Snowe, Roberts, Cochran, Hatch, Moran, Murkowski, Rubio, Johanns, Kohl, Durbin, Franken, Conrad, Klobuchar, and Enzi ADDED COSPONSORS: Mar 07, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 01, 2012 Mar 05, 2012 Mar 05, 2012 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent. Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote. Levin
S.Res. 475
SPONSOR: Thune OFFICIAL TITLE:
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S.Res. 504
SPONSOR: Gillibrand OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing support for the International Olympic Committee to recognize with a minute of silence at the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony the athletes and others killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Rubio, Blumenthal, Kirk, Schumer, Menendez, Inhofe, Kohl, Risch, Lieberman, Brown of Massachusetts, Wyden, Boxer, Cardin, Mikulski, Levin, Begich, Snowe, Brown of Ohio, Moran, Hutchison, Nelson of Florida, Grassley, Lee, Landrieu, Barrasso, Stabenow, Durbin, Blunt, Feinstein, Ayotte, Roberts, Casey, and Boozman STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 25, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 09/12/2012
S.Res. 551
SPONSOR: Lugar OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution commending the 4 American public servants who died in Benghazi, Libya, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, for their tireless efforts on behalf of the American people and condemning the violent attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S.Res. 556
SPONSOR: Inhofe OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that foreign assistance funding to the Governments of Libya and Egypt should be suspended until the President certifies to Congress that both governments are providing proper security at United States embassies and consulates pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. ADDED COSPONSORS: Sep 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 13, 2012 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Lee
S.Res. 588
SPONSOR: Lugar OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution commending the 4 American public servants who died in Benghazi, Libya, United States Ambassador to Libya John Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty, for their tireless efforts on behalf of the American people, and condemning the violent attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Kerry, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Sep 22, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
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SPONSOR: Shaheen OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution relative to the death of the Honorable Warren B. Rudman, former United States Senator for the State of New Hampshire. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Ayotte, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 29, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 11/30/2012
S.Res. 607
SPONSOR: Johnson, of SD OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution relative to the death of the Honorable George McGovern, former United States Senator and Congressman from the State of South Dakota. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Thune, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Nov 30, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. DATE INTRODUCED: 12/10/2012
S.Res. 612
SPONSOR: Casey OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Arlen Specter, distinguished former Senator for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S.Res. 613
SPONSOR: Lieberman OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution urging the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions, and urging the President to provide information about Hizballah to the European allies of the United States and to support to the Government of Bulgaria in investigating the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Casey, Risch, Cardin, Rubio, Feinstein, Collins, Brown of Ohio, Blumenthal, Wicker, Shaheen, Crapo, Nelson of Florida, Inhofe, Boxer, Blunt, Wyden, Kirk, Tester, Roberts, Lautenberg, Isakson, Chambliss, Graham, Gillibrand, Kyl, Menendez, Barrasso, Johnson of Wisconsin, Boozman, Burr, Udall of Colorado, Johanns, Whitehouse, Cornyn, Coons, Brown of Massachusetts, Franken, Ayotte, Klobuchar, Coats, Schumer, Lee, Mikulski, Moran, McCaskill, Hoeven, Pryor, Portman, Begich, McCain, Carper, Thune, McConnell, Bennet, Enzi, and Johnson of South Dakota ADDED COSPONSORS: Dec 13, 2012 Dec 18, 2012 Dec 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 11, 2012 Dec 21, 2012 Dec 21, 2012 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent. Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Voice. Stabenow Toomey, and Harkin Sessions, Heller, Grassley, Levin, Reed of Rhode Island, and Murkowski
S.Res. 621
SPONSOR: Lieberman OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution condemning the horrific attacks in Newtown, Connecticut, and expressing support and prayers for all those impacted by that tragedy. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS:
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S.Res. 624
SPONSOR: Akaka OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution relative to the death of the Honorable Daniel Ken Inouye, Senator from the State of Hawaii. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of Colorado, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 18, 2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
S.Con.Res. 13
SPONSOR: Isakson OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving in, or have served in, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Begich, Boozman, Brown of Massachusetts, Burr, Johanns, Moran, Murray, Sanders, and Webb ADDED COSPONSORS: May 23, 2011 Tester
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STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 14, 2011 May 25, 2011 May 25, 2011 May 26, 2011 May 26, 2011
S.Con.Res. 21
SPONSOR: Toomey OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2012 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2021. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint, Vitter, Coburn, Burr, Risch, Rubio, Johnson of Wisconsin, and Lee STATUS ACTIONS: May 23, 2011 May 23, 2011 May 23, 2011 May 25, 2011 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 65. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 42 - 55. Record Vote Number: 79. DATE INTRODUCED: 06/09/2011
S.Con.Res. 23
SPONSOR: Hatch OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution declaring that it is the policy of the United States to support and facilitate Israel in maintaining defensible borders and that it is contrary to United States policy and national security to have the borders of Israel return to the armistice lines that existed on June 4, 1967. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Lieberman, Rubio, Nelson of Nebraska, Johanns, Wyden, Moran, Toomey, Inhofe, Barrasso, Kirk, Burr, Cornyn, Kyl, Lee, Thune, Portman, Coats, Coburn, Ayotte, Boozman, Blunt, Brown of Massachusetts, Vitter, Roberts, Enzi, Isakson, Murkowski, Wicker, Lugar, and Chambliss
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S.Con.Res. 37
SPONSOR: Toomey OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Vitter, Lee, DeMint, Coburn, Burr, Kyl, and Risch STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 29, 2012 Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012 May 16, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 356. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
S.Con.Res. 39
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2012, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2022. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint and Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Mar 29, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget.
S.Con.Res. 40
SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2012, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2022. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: DeMint and Lee STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Apr 16, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 355. See also H.Con.Res. 112.
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SPONSOR: Paul OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2012, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2022. ADDED COSPONSORS: May 09, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Apr 26, 2012 Apr 26, 2012 Apr 26, 2012 May 16, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Budget. Senate Committee on the Budget discharged pursuant to Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 384. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. DeMint, and Lee
S.Con.Res. 46
SPONSOR: Webb OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that an appropriate site at the former Navy Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard should be provided for the Man in the Sea Memorial Monument to honor the members of the Armed Forces who have served as divers and whose service in defense of the United States has been carried out beneath the waters of the world. ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 07, 2012 Jun 19, 2012 Jun 29, 2012 Jul 18, 2012 Sep 19, 2012 STATUS ACTIONS: Jun 06, 2012 Referred to the Committee on Armed Services. Nelson of Florida Inhofe Blumenthal Lee, and Lieberman Snowe
S.Con.Res. 50
SPONSOR: Rubio OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding actions to preserve and advance the multistakeholder governance model under which the Internet has thrived. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: McCaskill, McCain, Kerry, DeMint, Nelson of Florida, Johanns, Udall of New Mexico, Ayotte, Warner, Heller, Boozman, and Casey ADDED COSPONSORS: Jun 29, 2012 Jul 12, 2012 Jul 19, 2012 Jul 25, 2012 Jul 30, 2012 Jul 31, 2012 Aug 02, 2012 Sep 10, 2012 Sep 19, 2012 Coons, and Blunt Hatch, Hutchison, Roberts, and Wicker Alexander, Barrasso, Isakson, Klobuchar, Murkowski, Tester, and Vitter Moran, Shaheen, and Thune Lee, and Menendez Toomey Risch Cornyn, and Wyden Blumenthal, Brown of Massachusetts, Coburn, and Kirk
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S.Con.Res. 53
SPONSOR: Udall, of CO OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution honoring the victims of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting and condemning the atrocities that occurred in Aurora, Colorado. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Bennet, Reid of Nevada, McConnell, Akaka, Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Baucus, Begich, Bingaman, Blumenthal, Blunt, Boozman, Boxer, Brown of Massachusetts, Brown of Ohio, Burr, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Cochran, Collins, Conrad, Coons, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Durbin, Enzi, Feinstein, Franken, Gillibrand, Graham, Grassley, Hagan, Harkin, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Hutchison, Inhofe, Inouye, Isakson, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Johnson of South Dakota, Kerry, Kirk, Klobuchar, Kohl, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lee, Levin, Lieberman, Lugar, Manchin, McCain, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Mikulski, Moran, Murkowski, Murray, Nelson of Nebraska, Nelson of Florida, Paul, Portman, Pryor, Reed of Rhode Island, Risch, Roberts, Rockefeller, Rubio, Sanders, Schumer, Sessions, Shaheen, Shelby, Snowe, Stabenow, Tester, Thune, Toomey, Udall of New Mexico, Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wicker, and Wyden STATUS ACTIONS: Jul 24, 2012 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
S.Con.Res. 61
SPONSOR: Vitter OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax is not in the economic interest of the United States. ORIGINAL COSPONSORS: Barrasso, Blunt, Coats, Coburn, Cornyn, Enzi, Heller, Hutchison, Inhofe, Johanns, Johnson of Wisconsin, Lee, McConnell, Moran, Risch, Roberts, Thune, Boozman, Cochran, and Wicker STATUS ACTIONS: Dec 06, 2012 Referred to the Committee on Finance.
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Senators Introduce Medicare Reform Plan: The Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. Today in the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Rand Paul introduced his Medicare Reform Plan, the Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act (CHCSA) S. 2196 with co-sponsors Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). CHCSA will not only fix the Medicare system in its entirety, it also saves taxpayers $1 trillion in the first 10 years. This plan will provide better health care benefits, choice, quality, and outcomes by enrolling all senior citizens into the same health care plan as Members of Congress and other federal employees. As a doctor, I have had firsthand experience with the vast problems facing health care in the United States. Medicare, as we know it, is broken and in desperate need of reform. The CHCSA fixes the Medicare system, and gives Seniors access to the best health care plans enjoyed currently by Members of Congress and does so without breaking the bank; in fact this plan will save taxpayers $1 trillion over 10 years Sen. Paul said. Seniors deserve to have a world-class health care system, and Americans deserve to have their tax payer dollars put to better use, in a system that will not eventually bankrupt this country. Allowing Medicare recipients to enroll in the FEHBP is a win for both seniors and the taxpayer. The FEHBP fosters competition among its hundreds of individual plans, provides better benefits for enrollees, and offers much wider choice and flexibility to participants. Most importantly, switching to the FEHBP will save the American people more than $1 trillion over the next decade. Frankly, its hard to argue against this common sense reform because the FEHBP covers every Member of Congress and all federal employees. Our seniors on Medicare should have the opportunity to enroll as well Sen. Lee said. Our goal is to save Medicare from bankruptcy and ensure seniors have affordable, high-quality health care a crisis President Obama has only made worse during his time in office. Allowing seniors access to the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) program, which Members of Congress and federal employees use, will give them more choices and lower their out-of-pocket costs. Its also good for the taxpayers because it will save the federal government $1 trillion over the next decade and reduce the unfunded liability of Medicare by $16 trillion. To get our nations fiscal house in order we must address future entitlement spending. Our bill gets a handle on Medicare costs, which continue to escalate, and ensures the program is sustainable for future generations Sen. Graham said. This is a common-sense solution that gives seniors more control over their own health care, access to more doctors and better quality care, Sen. DeMint said. Doing nothing is not an option because we cannot allow Medicare to go bankrupt and for doctors to close their doors to seniors. For the first time, seniors will also have the freedom to keep private plans they like instead of being forced into a one-size-fits-all government plan. This bill improves health care for seniors, saves taxpayers trillions of dollars, and will help save our economy from unsustainable generational debt. 170
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which items you want to buy. You can decide to buy bread and milk and eggs or any combination of the three or other products you might want. However, it would be disturbing if you got to the grocery store counter and were told that you may not buy bread and milk and eggs unless you also buy a bucket of nails, a half ton of iron ore, a book about cowboy poetry and a Barry Manilow album. Sometimes thats what were told when we vote in the senate. In order to get some things you want, you have to buy a whole bunch of other things that you might not want. That is the reality of the legislative process. Its the reality of compromise and its one that we experience everyday. But again, this is why its important for us to have an amendment process, so that we can at least debate and discuss the relevant merits of each piece of legislation and more importantly, so that we might figure out how to take a good piece of legislation and make it better. In this circumstance, the majority leader has used a procedure known as filling the tree. He filled the tree, which means, in effect, that we cant offer amendments other than those few that the majority leader decided could be offered. It shuts down debate. There can be no significant debate beyond that which will lead to a vote once the tree has been filled. This is a problem. Republicans in this body, myself included, voted recently to proceed to this bill believing in good faith that there would be an opportunity to amend it. The bill is important to me in many respects. One of the things that has gotten my attention is that the bill addresses a number of issues related to federal public lands. It addresses a number of other issues related to wildlife conservation, wildlife management and other items that are important to hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts across the country and in my state in particular. One of the reasons why this bill is especially important to me is that i represent the great state of Utah, a state that has a lot of federal land. in fact, two-thirds of the land in my state is owned by the federal government. For that and other reasons, Id like the opportunity to address this piece of legislation by offering up amendments, amendments that would make a good bill better. But this process, a process whereby the majority leader rules this body by dictate is not good for the senate. We come to expect that the United States Senate will be a great deliberative body. In fact, the United States senate has long prided itself on being the worlds greatest deliberative legislative body. There are a number of realities about the senate that make this possible, far more possible than it might be in the House of Representatives. Here in the senate, we have only a hundred members. Just down the hall in the House of Representatives, they have 435 members. In that body, its not always possible to have an open amendment process. In this body, it is assumed. This is the usual order. This is the way were supposed to operate, is to have an opportunity for members to offer and debate and discuss amendments in advance of voting for the procedure at the end of the day. Yet we have not had such an opportunity in this case because the leader filled the tree. This is significant and I want to emphasize this point. It is true, of course, that majority leaders from both political parties have utilized this procedure from time to time for one reason or another, perhaps out of professed need to expedite the legislative process in certain instances. But this majority leader has utilized this procedure a lot more than others. In fact, hes utilized it, by my count, a total of 67 times, more than any other majority leader in history. Why, I ask, has he done this? Why has he done this in this circumstance? Why has he done it in so many other circumstances in this congress and throughout his service as majority leader? Is it because the senate has demonstrated an inability to debate and discuss bills and amendments to bills in a reasonable, responsible manner? I dont think so. Lets point to a couple of examples of when the open-amendment process has benefitted us. One example is the National Defense Authorization Act, which this body passed toward the end of last year. It passed out of this body overwhelmingly, notwithstanding the fact that there were a number of amendments introduced. I believe there were dozens of amendments that were introduced, debated, discussed and ultimately voted upon. Another example involves the farm bill that was passed by this body earlier this year. If Im not mistaken, we had over 70 amendments to that bill. I appreciated the majority leaders willingness in that circumstance to allow us to have a pretty open, robust debate and discussion and an open amendment process. We still passed the bill even though we had to conduct a lot of debate, have a lot of discussion and hold a lot of votes. But this, you see, is what makes this the greatest deliberative body in the world. This is what separates us from other legislative 173
bodies around the country and throughout this planet. So its not the case that the senate simply isnt responsible enough to be able to handle something like an open amendment process because it has demonstrated its ability to do so time and time and time again. Now lets talk about some of the things I like in this bill. I support the fact that this bill would increase access to public lands and would remove some burdensome regulations on some activities occurring on those lands. On the other hand, I am not as enthusiastic about the fact that this bill devotes $6.5 million on neo tropical migratory birds on a program that would require 75% of those funds to be spent outside the United States. Now, I know in the big picture of things this is a very, very small figure in terms of our total national budget. Nevertheless, this is a lot of money to hardworking Americans who are paying their taxes in order to fund programs like this. We ought at least to have an opportunity to debate and discuss amendments so that Americans can feel like their money is being spent in the United States for causes that are important to Americans and not on birds outside the United States. Other senators have other differences with the bill and other concerns. I agree with some of those concerns. I disagree with others. Each of them should have an opportunity to have those concerns aired, to have them debated and discussed in connection with amendments of their own choosing, that they might choose to introduce. We should be debating all of them. Instead, in effect, were debating none of them. That kind of process is especially important in this circumstance because, this bill, as I understand it, has never gone through committee. Normally in committee we have an opportunity to put a bill through the markup process, to make amendments in committee. This didnt go there, which is all the more reason why we should have an open amendment process. I have introduced several amendments. Ill refer to just a few of them. One of them would involve a proposal to not spend money that we dont have in order to support the conservation of multinational species, saving $150 million over five years. In other words, its one thing to spend money on habitat preservation and species rehabilitation for species that actually exist in the United States but its another thing to spend a lot of money on species outside the United States, on creatures that have never entered our borders and never will. Thats something that I think Americans are concerned about and its something that I think we ought to have a chance to debate and discuss as long as we are debating and discussing and voting on this legislation. I have another piece of legislation that would require state legislative approval for any new federal land designations. As I said a few minutes ago, with the federal government owning two-thirds of the land in my state, Im especially concerned about the possibility of, for example, the president deciding to just designate a new national monument within my state. This happened a few years ago when president Clinton designated the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Its beautiful land and territory, but all of this was accomplished by the stroke of a pen of one chief executive without any opportunity for input from Utah, from its 3 million residents, from its elected officials. I think that any time the federal government takes this kind of action, the type that will have a profound impact on the state, on its sovereign rights, on its ability to raise revenue, on its ability to encourage and promote economic activity within its boundaries, there ought to be input and approval from the state legislature. I have an amendment that would address this concern. I have another amendment that would offer certain federal lands for disposal by competitive sale process. We have an enormous amount of land in this country. Some of it is being put to good use and some is being set aside because of its wilderness characteristics. Other land still is just sitting there not doing anything. I think some of that land could be sold and some of that money could be used to fund our programs, programs that are cash strapped along with everything else in this country right now. These and other amendments need to receive consideration. Im not saying that every one of them has to pass in order for this legislation to proceed, but every one of them ought to be discussed, every one of them ought to be debated. American people should have an opportunity to have their input through their own elected U.S. Senators. I would deeply regret it if this were somehow an indication that our majority leader intends to operate the senate this way, not only throughout 174
the duration of this congress but into the next congress as well. I want to be clear that I have great respect and admiration for our majority leader. Ive known him for most of my life, since I was 11 years old, in fact. I consider him a friend. I ask him, I implore him as my friend to reconsider this practice of filling the tree and thereby forestalling the instruction of amendments. We need an open amendment process. Our status as the worlds greatest deliberative legislative body requires nothing less. Thank you, Mr. President.
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F-35 Senator Lee has joined with local community leaders and Hill Air Force Base officials in support of the basing of multiple squadrons of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft at Hill. The base, already identified as the Air Forces preferred alternative for F-35 operational basing, is the ideal location for geographic, technical, environmental, and operational reasons. Daggett County Land Swap The Daggett County commission has been working to facilitate a land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and the Utah School Institutional Trust Lands Administration for a small parcel of land along the shore of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. If the exchange were successful, SITLA would then market the property to developers in a way that would bring needed jobs and tax base to this small and financially challenged county. For most of the last five years, the proposed exchange has focused on a parcel on the shoreline of Linwood Bay, near the town of Manila. Senator Lee has indicated his support for this land exchange in conversations with the commission and staff has toured the area and is working toward legislation that will enable the swap. Deep Creeks Wilderness Study Area Senator Lee has indicated to Tooele County Commissioners his support of their efforts to resolve a longstanding disagreement with the Bureau of Land Management over road closures within the Deep Creek Wilderness Study Area in western Tooele County. A recent agreement between the BLM and Juab County settled a lawsuit and resolved a similar dispute over closures in that countys portion of the Deep Creek WSA. Resolving the issue within Tooele County is compounded by language in federal legislation from 2000 and 2005 that the BLM feels restricts its ability to negotiate rights-of-way near the Utah Test and Training Range. End of Operations, Deseret Chemical Depot Army officials recognized the end of operations at Deseret Chemical Depot in April 2012, marking the destruction of the nations largest stockpile of chemical weapons. As the decontamination and demolition of the incinerator wrap up, the property will be turned over to Tooele Army Depot. Growth Much of the intra-governmental activity along the Wasatch Front is focused on issues of continued population growth and the need for transportation options and the preservation of transportation corridors for future needs. Senator Lees staff monitor and participate in discussions that will shape the quality of life for Utahs communities in years to come.
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Office of Senator Mike Lee 2012 Utah Mobile Office Report Community Outreach Director Larry Shepherd 125 South State Street STE 4225 Salt Lake City, UT 84138 (801) 524-5933 office (801) 995-0102 mobile (801) 524-5730 fax larry_shepherd@lee.senate.gov Completing its first full year of operation in 2012, Senator Mike Lees mobile office travelled the state; visiting every county and hosting established office hours at 95 separate locations. This effort reflects Senator Lees desire that his staff be accessible throughout the state. I want my office to be open and available to Utahns. The best way to achieve that is by going directly to them. Utahns deal with a range of federal issues from Social Security to veterans benefits to navigating the bureaucracy of the federal government and I want to be there to help them get answers, said Senator Lee. The mobile office is a resource for constituents who might not otherwise be able to meet with casework officers or other staff in the senators regular offices in Salt Lake City or St. George. The mobile office travels throughout the state of Utah and opens a temporary U.S. Senate staff office, on behalf of Senator Lee, in all of Utahs counties generally conducting office hours in the morning and in the afternoon at pre-arranged and pre-advertised locations (usually in Utahs cities, towns, and communities at municipal or local governmental buildings). Mobile office hours, dates, and event locations are regulary updated and available for public notice at http:// www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/mobile-office. Additionally, Utah residents may use the website to request a specific visit from the mobile office, recommend a location for a future visit, and invite the mobile office for an educational presentation on the U.S. Constitution and the process of the federal government. In recognition of the important relationship between the government of the state of Utah and its elected federal representative, Senator Lees mobile office established a presence in the Utah capitol building during the 2012 state legislative session. The mobile office greeted, assisted and took comments from state legislators, employees, and other capitol visitors throughout the session.
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SUMMARY: As a policy advisor for Senator Mike Lee in the State of Utah, I have the responsibility to cover the following areas and issues that might arise within them; public lands, mining, oil and gas, energy, forest and timber, agriculture, grazing, water rights, endangered species and tribal issues. I meet with and interact with the following state and federal agencies; BLM, Forest Service, USDA, BIA, Fish and Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, NRCS, Tribal Governments, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Agriculture, and, SITLA. I meet with agricultural groups such as, Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Cattlemen, Utah Dairy Producers, Utah Wool Growers, Utah Farmers Union, and Egg Producers. As issues and concerns arise I meet with interest groups and citizens such as ATV clubs, ranchers, farmers and tribal citizens. This year has been busy with numerous meetings and important issues. Outreach Highlights of meetings and events attended in the Past 12 Months 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Utah Cattlemen Annual meeting Utah Farm Bureau Annual meeting Utah Wool Growers Annual meeting Utah Governors Energy Summit Escalante Ranching group BLM wild horse gather in Tooele County Ute Reservation Oil Field tour Four trips to the Navajo Reservation NACO meeting in Santa Fe, NM Congressional Field hearing in Elko, NV Uintah Basin Energy Summit
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12. NRCC Annual Tour 13. Numerous public and elected officials Policy Highlights from the past 12 months 1. Uranium withdrawal by Secretary Salazar 2. Navajo Trust fund 3. Navajo Utah Water Settlement 4. Timber contract pricing 5. Wild fire and fuel reduction 6. BLM wild horse and burrow issue 7. EPA clean water regulation impacts on agriculture 8. Air quality issues in the basin 9. Grazing issues around the state and in the National Monument 10. Sage Grouse 11. Utah Prairie Dog 12. Forest Service Travel Plans 13. Filming on public lands Travel overview and interesting facts A review of my calendared events and major meetings over the past 12 months; BLM-Forest Service 40 ATV Groups..9 Tours Summits...12 State-Local Gov...75 Agriculture...18 Energy .20 Tribal....11 I traveled around 27,000 miles across and around the state in the last 12 months. That is approximately the same as 13 road trips from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C., or one air trip around the world. Conclusion As I round the corner on my second year of service for Senator Mike Lee, I am proud of the distance I have come. I believe I have succeeded in representing Senator Lee in the most friendly and professional manner possible. My knowledge of the people, processes and issues of the areas I
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cover is excellent. I work very hard to be prepared for every meeting or event I attend for the office. I try very hard to help my fellow staff succeed in their work and consider myself a part of a successful team. With so much important reform and work before us I look to the quote from John Paul Jones we have just begun to fight.
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2012 Appointments
Air Force Academy James Cardinal Connor Crandall Taylor Lanier Brandon Lloyd Mormon Redd Darren Craig Tidwell Merchant Marine Academy Blair Roberts Military Academy at West Point Bryce Magera Collin Shurtleff Amy Slaughter Naval Academy Zachery Santella
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Counties (29): Beaver: 8/12 Box Elder: 5/12 Cache: 5/12 Carbon: 4/12 Daggett: 2/12 Davis: 5/12, 11/12 Duchesne: 2/12 Emery: 4/12 Garfield: 8/12 Grand: 4/12 Iron: 7/12 Cities (42): Alpine Beaver Blanding* Brigham City* Castle Dale* Cedar City Draper Ephraim* Fairview* Fillmore* Garden City* Green River* Gunnison* Heber Kanab* Layton Lehi* Loa* Logan Manila* Moab* Monticello*
Utah
Appointments
Juab:
5/12
Kane:
8/12
Millard:
5/12
Morgan:
5/12
Piute:
8/12
Rich:
5/12
Salt
Lake:
2/12,
3/12,
4/12,
5/12
San
Juan:
4/12
Sanpete:
11/12
Sevier:
8/12
Summit:
5/12
Tooele:
8/12
Uintah:
2/12,
9/12
Utah:
1/12,
2/12,
3/12,
5/12
Wasatch:
5/12
Washington:
8/12
Wayne:
8/12
Weber:
1/12,
3/12
Morgan City* Moroni* Nephi* North Logan* Ogden Orem Panguitch* Park City* Parowan* Perry* Price* Provo Richfield Roosevelt* Salt Lake South Jordan St. George Tooele* Vernal* Washington*
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Education Visits Brigham Young University University of Utah Law School Brigham Young University Federalist Federalist Society Society Utah State University Morgan Elementary Utah Valley University Southern Utah Universitys Governors Weber State University Academy Wilson Elementary School Three-Mile Creek Elementary School University of Utah Hinckley Institute of Politics Major Events Constitution Bowl Town Halls: Blanding Logan Brigham City Nephi Green River Richfield Heber Washington Youth Town Halls: Blanding Logan Green River Nephi Heber Jello with the Utah Office: 10 Military: 7 Groups & Associations: 30 Tours: 15
Appointments with Elected Officials Commissions/County Councils: 22 Countywide Mayor Groups: 7 Individual Mayors: 15 Individual Legislators: 6
Utah Appointments
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Hatch, Lee, Bishop Welcome Air Force Secretary to Hill Air Force Base
SALT LAKE CITY U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) today welcomed the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, to Hill Air Force Base. During the visit, the members of Utahs congressional delegation toured the base with the Secretary and showcased Hills industrial, operational and training capabilities. The Delegation has long stressed that Hill is central to Americas defense, and impressed that upon the Secretary during his visit to Hill today. In addition to the delegation and top leaders at the base, the Secretary met with service members and their families as well as local leaders. The Secretarys visit today was an opportunity to showcase Hills efficiency and its central role to our nations defense, Hatch said. The delegation has worked very well together to ensure that the hard-working men and women at Hill have the tools they need to remain one of the most efficient and effective bases in the our military. Today was a great day for northern Utah, and I look forward to continuing to work with the delegation and Secretary Donley to show why Hill is second to none and must remain a central figure in keeping America safe. The time to fight for the mission of Hill Air Force Base is now, said Lee. If we wait until we face another round of BRAC, it may be too late to preserve the vital service the base provides to Utah and the country. I am encouraged by Secretary Donleys visit and believe Hill AFB continues to be one of the militarys most well-run installations. I appreciate Secretary Donley visiting hill AFB today, Bishop said. It is often a challenge to bridge the more than 2000 mile divide between Utah and Washington, D.C., which is why visits such as todays are inherently important not only to Utah but to the future of our national defense capabilities. The visit allowed the Secretary to see first-hand the hard working men and women that support the many dynamic components of Hill AFB, which contribute to its role as one of the preeminent training, operational, and industrial military facilities in this country.
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Lee: American People Shouldnt Have To Pay For The Mess Congress Created
Tax Increases will Kill Jobs and Damage the Economy WASHINGTON Today, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) warned of the consequences of letting the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire and spoke of the impact on families and businesses from massive tax increases. On Monday we heard from Democrats who insist that Congress must now raise taxes of the American people. In fact, theyre so committed to this task that theyre willing to take the country off the fiscal cliff in order to get their way, Lee said. Congress has proven time and time again that the money it takes from the American people, from hardworking taxpayers, isnt always spent carefully. In fact, its been spending more than it takes in for so long people almost cant remember a time when Congress routinely balanced its budget[T]his is not the fault of the American people. And the job of fixing it lies right here in Congress, he said. Id argue that there is a certain irony in the presidents proposal to increase taxes on some Americans while leaving the necessary tax relief in place for others. While purporting to help hard working Americans, this approach would actually have the opposite effect, hurting many of those Americans who can least afford the hit right now. These are people who are living paycheck to paycheck. These are not C.E.O.s, these are not the top 1%. These are hard working Americans that cannot afford to lose a job. We cant let a tax hike bring about that kind of terrible consequence. Senator Lees full remarks are available below. LEE: On Monday we heard from Democrats who insist that Congress must now raise taxes of the American people. In fact, theyre so committed to this task that theyre willing to take the country off the fiscal cliff in order to get their way. This is unfortunate. Its unnecessary and its a course of action that we cannot pursue. Mind you, theyre not trying to pursue comprehensive tax reform. No, theyre not trying to fix this byzantine era of tax code, which occupies tens of thousands of pages. What theyre doing instead is just to raise taxes right now so that they can get their way right now, so that they can cover their shortfall that exists right now because of a chronic failure by Congress over time to set and stick to spending priorities. Well, the vast majority of Republicans are committed not to raise taxes, not on anyone, and there are some very good reasons for this. 211
First, the federal government has proven its inadequacy in this area. Congress has proven time and time again that the money it takes from the American people, from hardworking taxpayers, isnt always spent carefully. In fact, its been spending more than it takes in for so long people almost cant remember a time when Congress routinely balanced its budget. This is a problem. And its a problem that shouldnt be fixed by taxing the same people who are already paying this bill even more. Now this is not the fault of the American people. And the job of fixing it lies right here in Congress, not with the American people. Second, from the C.B.O. to the I.M.F. to the Federal Reserve to Ernst & Young, experts around the world are warning of the dire economic consequences that await us if we raise taxes. And we cannot allow it to happen. Weve had over $4 trillion added to the national debt during this presidents administration. At the same time weve had unemployment exceeding 8% for the last 41 consecutive months. Nearly 13 million Americans are currently out of work and millions more are underemployed and looking for more work. We cant allow this to continue. Id argue that there is a certain irony in the presidents proposal to increase taxes on some Americans while leaving the necessary tax relief in place for others. While purporting to help hard working Americans, this approach would actually have the opposite effect, hurting many of those Americans who can least afford the hit right now. A new study from Ernst & young reveals he that this tax hike, a tax hike that hits some Americans but not others, would kill 710,000 jobs. These are people who cant afford to lose their jobs. These are people who are living paycheck to paycheck. These are not C.E.O.s, these are not the top 1%. These are hard working Americans that cannot afford to lose a job. We cant let a tax hike bring about that kind of terrible consequence. Now, Democrats will assure you that their tax hikes are all about reducing the deficit. Thats curious because their proposal would leave 94% of this years deficit intact, which makes it an inherently unserious proposal insofar as it relates to deficit reduction. Further, the presidents own ten-year budget, which includes massive tax increases, by the way, still adds $11 trillion to the national debt. Now, I really do appreciate the fact that the president is finally talking about these issues, issues that have long gone unaddressed and need to be addressed. But he cant look the American people in the eye and tell them hes doing something about the debt when his own budget, while raising taxes, nearly doubles our already sprawling national debt over the next ten years. Republicans have proposals. We have proposals to reform the tax code, to reduce the deficit and to do so in ways that will grow the economy, not cause it to contract. Ive got an amendment that I hope well get to consider in the next week or two that would permanently keep tax rates at their current levels so that American families and businesses can know what to expect. It would also eliminate the death tax and it would stop the expansion of the alternative minimum tax, which is quickly becoming the middle-income penalty tax. These measures and others would go a long way, a long way toward improving our economy and getting the American people back to work again. If my friends on the other side of the aisle disagree, as is their right to do, then lets come together and work to find some common ground. But these election-year antics and distractions are not what the American people sent us here to do. And the longer we wait before enacting real reform, the worse the problem is going to get.
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The President responded by starting his reelection campaign early. In a continuing series of taxpayerfunded campaign stops the President sharpened his divisive class warfare message and, astoundingly, blamed Republicans who control just one-half of Congress for legislative gridlock. Never mind that the Presidents most recent budget proposal failed to attract a single vote in the Senate, and it was, in fact, Senate Democrats who refused to bring the Presidents jobs plan to the floor for a vote. Even today, less than a year before Americans head to the polls, members of the Presidents own party are lining up against him to oppose his tone-deaf decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. The project would create 20,000 American jobs, inject much-needed private sector capital into our economy, and increase the countrys energy security, but the President has chosen to block the project as an election-year nod to his friends in the extreme left-wing of the environmentalist movement. President Obama has put the state of the union in disarray. Certainly he inherited a poor economy, but the decisions he has made since taking office are making it worse. He was handed an economic emergency and instead of taking the challenge head-on he chose to ignore it and turned it into a national tragedy. Leadership means more than trying to fulfill campaign promises. It also means dealing directly and decisively with the needs of the country. The President has very little time left to show the American people that he can be the kind of leader who will put the country before his own political interests. For the sake of all Americans, I hope he uses that time wisely.
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Lee: To begin repairing our economy the President should act immediately to reduce regulations that prevent land use, delay on and off-shore leasing, and block development of Americas domestic resources. WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Senate Western Caucus member Mike Lee (R-UT) delivered the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses response to the State of the Union. In his remarks, Senator Lee spoke about how efforts by the Obama Administration to block domestic energy production and prevent the responsible use of public lands, has cut off an important supply of revenue and jobs. Hello. Im Senator Mike Lee of Utah. As the President addresses the country this evening, one question will be on the minds of most Americans: what is the President doing to improve our economy and create jobs? Its a fair question. The past three years have seen much economic turmoil and not much progress. The unemployment rate when the President took office was 7.8 percent. It ballooned to a high of 10 percent and has slowly declined by just a point-and-a-half in more than 2 years. During most of that time, the unemployment rate remained stagnant around 9 percent. In the last three years, we have added more than $4 trillion to the national debt and recorded the three largest annual deficits in the countrys history. Our debt is now larger than our entire economy thanks to Washingtons out-of-control spending. Under the Presidents own budget proposal, by the end of this decade we will have to pay $1 trillion per year to service that debt. Unless we make the necessary adjustments now, our trillion-dollar annual interest payments will make it difficult for us to fund everything from national defense to Social Security. Upon taking office, President Obama faced tremendous challenges. Any new president would have had a tough time making an immediate impact. But after three years, we can say confidently, but sadly, that the Presidents policies have made it worse. The President took an economic emergency and turned it into a national tragedy. 218
Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses Response to the State of the Union Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)
Instead of focusing on creating jobs, President Obama by using his partys majority in Congress to push for greater government control, more burdensome and debilitating regulations, and a failed stimulus package that lead to record-setting annual deficits. The Western States, such as Utah, have felt the pain acutely. Through a series of efforts to block domestic energy production and prevent the responsible use of public lands, the Obama Administration has cut off an important supply of revenue and jobs. He has placed unnecessary and unjustified moratoriums on offshore exploration for oil and gas. He has blocked plans to look for oil in Alaska and Virginia, and has prevented the development of oil shale in Utah. This Administration has delayed or revoked energy development permits and used heavy-handed regulation to slow the creation of new projects. Most recently, the President denied the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. The project would create 20,000 American jobs, inject much-needed private sector capital into our economy, and increase the countrys energy security. However, the President has chosen to block the project as an election-year nod to his friends in the extreme left-wing of the environmentalist movement. The President has also been active in locking up public lands that communities could use to improve their local economies. For example, the Interior Secretary recently announced the decision to withdraw nearly 1 million acres in Arizona from potential uranium mining. For energy production that has long been safe and responsible, this announcement was a needless overreaction to a fictitious problem, and will cost Arizona and Utah hundreds, perhaps thousands, of good paying jobs. The Administration has also been busy designating new wilderness study areas that effectively block the responsible use of federal land by the citizens of that state. Roughly two thirds of Utah is already owned by some part of the federal government. While any other owner would pay property taxes on this land to the state, the federal government does not, depriving Utah of an enormous source of income. In addition, Washingtons regulatory overreach also affects countless groups that want to put a small portion of land to some sort of use. Utahns must go to the federal government, hat in hand, and ask permission to merely dig a well, or to build a road, or to bury cable, or indeed to do virtually anything. Like every other state, Utah knows what is best for Utahs land. Congress should not support any new wilderness designations unless the proposal is first considered and approved by the legislature of the state in question. The Western States could be a great source of revenue and jobs for the country. But under the Presidents stewardship, we see Americas tremendous resources unutilized. 219
To begin repairing our economy the President should act immediately to reduce regulations that prevent land use, delay on- and off-shore leasing, and block development of Americas domestic resources. He should place a moratorium on all new wilderness study areas and institute a policy whereby he receives guidance and recommendations from state legislatures before acting to lock up public lands. And he should immediately reverse his decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. The President has very little time left to show the American people that he can be the kind of leader who will put the interests of the country before his own. For the sake of all Americans, I hope he uses that time wisely. Thank you.
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Utility MACT is an example of a regulation that does neither of these things. It accomplishes none of these interests. I strongly urge my colleagues to support Senate Joint Resolution 37, and I stand with a growing bipartisan group of Senators, private sector unions and business interests who believe we can do better as Americans than imposing these kinds of regulations on the American people, and who also believe that its vitally important that when we do put these kinds of regulations on the American people, that we first have the kind of robust debate and discussion that Americans have come to expect from their political institutions. Two separate provisions of the constitution, Article 1, Section 1, and Article 1, Section 7, clearly place the legislative process, the power to make rules that carry the force of generally applicable, binding federal law in the hands of congress, not in an Executive Branch Agency. The American people know this, they understand it, they expect it, they rely on it because they know that if we pass laws that the people dont like, that the people cant accept, that kills jobs that hurts those most vulnerable among us; that we can be held politically accountable come election time, every two years in the case of members of the House, every six years in the case of members of this body. When we circumvent that process, when we allow that process, the law-making process to be carried out entirely within an Executive Branch Agency, consisting of people who are perfectly well-intentioned and welleducated, do not stand accountable to the people, we insulate the lawmakers from those governed by those same laws. This is exactly why we need to exercise our authority under the congressional review act by passing these resolutions of disapproval from time to time, but its all the more reason why we need more lasting, significant reform, reform that can be had through the REINS Act Proposal. This is a proposal that has already passed through the House favorably and needs to be passed in this body. Its a bill that would require that for any new regulation promulgated at the administrative level - any new regulation that qualifies as a major rule because it costs American consumers and small business interests, individuals and families and all others in America more than $100 million in a year - that it would take effect if and only if it were first passed into law in the House and in the Senate and signed into law by the President. This is how our law-making process is supposed to operate. This is a system that our founding fathers carefully put in place. Assuring that those who make the laws and thereby have the capacity to affect the rights of individual Americans can and will be held accountable to the people for the very laws that they pass. Now, I tried to get the REINS Act up for consideration in connection with the Agriculture Bill. We were not successful in doing that. Apparently, some in this body, some in control of this body were unwilling to have a vote on the REINS Act Proposal as an amendment to the Agriculture Bill. Sooner or later, we need to have a vote on the REINS Act. We need to have this debate and discussion to assure that the laws that are passed in this country are passed by men and women chosen by the people accountable to the people, that we may yet still have that guarantee in our country, a guarantee of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Thank you, Mr. President.
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Dec 6, 2012
Zandi: I dont know the answer to that but I do know and thats why I put it into the testimony my model breaks down. Of course its going to happen long before that point. Lee: Right. And were not going to get to that point. Were not going to get anywhere close to 2028 without it happening. In fact, it could happen within the next 4, 5, 6 years, certainly the next 10 years, couldnt it if yield rates start to jump. Zandi: Certainly. Heres the thing. The problem is that if we dont address this and we kick the can, were going to be stuck in this slow growth netherworld going forward and most importantly, were going to get nailed by something. You know? I dont know what it is, but something bad is going to happen, and when that bad thing happens thats going to be the thing that sets off that avalanche, right? Lee: You mean a credit downgrade ? Zandi: No, no no its going to be something that were not even contemplating that happens in the world to oil prices, to other geopolitical ?? even to our own economy you know its just we dont know what that will be but it will happen. And we will have set ourselves up for that avalanche because we didnt get our fundamentals in the right place. Thats why its so important to get this right, right now. Lee: What about a credit downgrade? If that were to happen, doesnt that call into question all kinds of things like money market funds and other types of investment funds are chartered to invest only in a certain grade of funds and if all of a sudden U.S. treasuries were downgraded wouldnt that have a pretty significant effect on where we are relative to the avalanche? Zandi: If there is downgrade to treasury debt, this will likely trigger other downgrades. Anything thats backstopped by the government will be downgraded. Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac debt. Federal home owned bank debt, too big to fail banks theyre still implicitly backstopped theyll get downgraded. JP Morgan, Citis of the world. State and local government debt will get downgraded. And youre right. Money managers have, in their relationships with their clients, agreements not to invest in bonds that have ratings below a certain grade, and they will divest themselves because of the downgrades, and this will cause problems in the credit markets. The credit markets will ultimately adjust because the reality of whats happened to the value of these bonds has not changed, the economics have not changed for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, so youll see hedge funds and private equity firms and other players come in, but thats a process. And itll take time, and between now and then itll create a great deal of turmoil. The most important thing isnt what the credit rating agencies do or say, its what this means. It means we do not have the political will to nail this thing down. And we wont until were forced by that avalanche. And people will recognize that and we will go nowhere. Lee: So what youre saying is if we want to preserve entitlements, get us to balance. If you want to preserve our ability to fund national defense, get us to balance. Zandi: Get us to sustainability.
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Feb 06 2012
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must consent to the adjournment of the other chamber if the adjournment is to last longer than three days. At the time of the appointments, the House had not consented to the adjournment of the Senate for a period longer than three days. Sadly, since making these unconstitutional appointments, President Obama has sought to turn his actions into a partisan political issue. He suggests it was necessary, and even proper, to violate the Constitution because Republicans opposed (or may have opposed) the nominations. Whatever one may think about the qualifications of his nominees, or even the legitimacy of the agencies to which they were appointed, the president cannot simply ignore constitutional requirements when he finds them inconvenient. As a U.S. senator, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I am obligated to resist the action of any president, Republican or Democrat, who seeks to circumvent clear constitutional requirements and upset the critical balance between the coequal branches of government. Our Founding Fathers knew that this constitutional balance was necessary to protect each of us from the tyranny of a single branch or a single man. As Americans, we must not allow the president to aggrandize his own power at the expense of the Constitution, and ultimately to threaten our liberty. The president is wrong to do so and I will take every opportunity to resist this unprecedented encroachment and to preserve our constitutional Republic. Originally published in the Salt Lake Tribune
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Feb 23 2012
This year America will celebrate the 225th anniversary of our Constitution. Its legal framework of checks and balances, enumerated powers, and individual rights has helped create and maintain the freest, most prosperous nation in history. As a United States Senator, I pledged an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. It is because of my fidelity to this oath and my commitment to protecting liberty through constitutional government that I recently made public my tremendous disappointment with President Obamas decision to ignore the constitutional limitations of his office. Earlier this year, the President made an appointment to head a controversial new agency known as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and filled three vacancies at the National Labor Relations Board. The Constitution specifies that the President may appoint nominees with the advice and consent of the Senate, and that in exceptional circumstances he may make appointments when the Senate remains in a lengthy period of recess. Neither of these constitutional requirements was satisfied at the time the President made the appointments. In doing so, the President violated the fundamental system of checks and balances enshrined in our Constitution that protect against the dominance of one branch of government over another. I take this violation seriously, as must all Americans. To allow the President to take power that does not belong to him without consequence is a step toward tyranny. Not too long ago, Democrats understood the importance of preserving the Senates shared role in the appointments power. From December of 2007 to January of 2008, the Democratic-controlled Senate used procedural tactics to prevent President Bush from making recess appointments during the normal Christmas break. On January 18, 2008, Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland in a press release wrote, This rare procedural step has been necessary to prevent the Administration from making recess appointments to circumvent the Senate's responsibility of advice and consent of senior government officials.
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Senator Jim Webb of Virginia said that such recess appointments would break with a really important principle and amount to violating the intent of the [appointments] provision of the Constitution. Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota explained that President Bush wanted to make "appointments that could not possibly be confirmed by the Senate ... through recess appointments and we aren't going to let them do that." These Democratic Senators were exercising an authority well within their rights as members of a coequal branch of government. They correctly concluded that the White House was attempting to thwart their constitutional authority and they took action to retain that power. Even then-Senator Barack Obama once respected and defended the constitutional role of the Senate in the appointments process. There are some who believe that the President, having won the election, should have complete authority to appoint his nominee, the future president explained. I disagree with this view. I believe firmly that the Constitution calls for the Senate to advise and consent. Today, the President cares nothing for the wisdom of the Founding Fathers nor feels restrained by clear constitutional limitations. Unlike President Bush, who made no such intrasession recess appointments, President Obama took the unprecedented step of flouting constitutional guidelines, as well as nearly 100 years of Senate procedure, and installed his appointments unilaterally. This is a dangerous hypocrisy that threatens our liberty and I will not sit idly by and allow the President to trample the legitimate constitutional limitations placed on his office. Ours is not a government of one. The Constitution isn't always efficient, but for nearly 225 years it has protected our God-given rights from would-be despots and self-styled monarchs. It is our fundamental law and I am duty-bound to uphold it. The American people deserve better than to have the Constitution overlooked.
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Feb 28 2012
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other senators did the same. The president cannot expect the Senates full cooperation at the same time that he does violence to Congress constitutional prerogatives. In response to the presidents unconstitutional actions, the Senate must adopt a new threshold for confirming his nominees. Simply put, there is a new standard for Senate confirmations. As citizens across the country learn more about the plainly unconstitutional nature of Mr. Obamas Jan. 4 appointments, I am confident they will join in condemning this assault on the rule of law. I also am confident that in the coming days, many of my Republican colleagues and, in time, some of my Democratic colleagues will rise in defense of the Constitution and vote against the presidents nominees until such time that he takes actions to restore the Senates full constitutional right to advise and consent to his nominees. Read article as originally published in the Washington Times
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Mar 26 2012
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power. None of this, however, has prevented Democrats from attempting to justify ObamaCares individual mandate by expanding, twisting, and contorting provisions of the Constitution to their liking. For example, proponents of ObamaCare primarily rely on the Commerce Clause, which authorizes Congress to regulate commerce among the several states. This is a narrow grant of authority, directed specifically to commerce and delimited to the subset of such activity that occurs in interstate transactions. No reasonable construction of the text of the Commerce Clause can lead to the conclusion that the Constitution authorizes Congress to regulate any and all affairs of human life throughout our nation, let alone personal decisions such as whether or not to purchase health insurance. For the Commerce Clause to authorize ObamaCare, it would have to be changed to allow the government to regulate all commerce (not just interstate commerce); it would also have to be changed so as to authorize the government not only to regulate commerce, but also to compel individuals to enter into that commerce in the first instance. The proper process for enacting such a change to the Constitution is through the amendment process. Absent such a constitutional amendment, the Commerce Clause cannot be used to justify the enactment of ObamaCare without doing great violence to the text, tradition, and purpose of the Constitution. No doubt cognizant that the text of the Commerce Clause does not authorize ObamaCares individual mandate, proponents of that law have looked to other provisions of the Constitution, including the Taxing and Spending Clause, and Necessary and Proper Clause. But these desperate attempts to mold constitutional provisions into something that can legitimize ObamaCare likewise fail to honor the text, purpose, and original meaning of the Constitution. The Constitutional authorizes the government [t]o lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposes and Excises. But ObamaCares individual mandate is not a tax, and the distinction matters. Voters dont like taxes and there is good reason to think that Congress could not have passed the law had the individual mandate been structured and labeled as a tax. The Constitution also grants Congress the power [t]o make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution other federal powers. But there is no constitutional aspect of ObamaCare that the individual mandate carries into effect, and Congress may not use an unconstitutional law to carry into execution an unconstitutional law. If ObamaCare were considered constitutional under the Necessary and Proper Clause because Congress needs exceptional powers to carry into effect coercive government laws never authorized by the Constitution in the first place, then there is literally no limit to the federal governments powers. The arguments made by proponents of ObamaCare thus turn the Constitution on its head and would create a federal government of unlimited power where the Constitution authorizes a federal government of limited, enumerated powers. Because none of the federal governments enumerated powers authorizes the kind of government coercion imposed by ObamaCare, that law must be considered unconstitutional.
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Mar 28 2012
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exploded after the New Deal, and Congress began to claim exceptionally broad powers, it always limited itself to regulating economic activities in which people are already engaged rather than requiring individual economic action. So the individual mandate of Obamacare represents an extraordinary departure. By seeking to compel individuals to enter into specific commercial activity in the first place, the president and the Democratic Congress disregarded any semblance of congressional restraint. They recklessly exceeded federal constitutional authority and attempted to exercise a power the Constitution reserves to the states. As inconvenient as constitutional limits may seem, individual liberty requires that they be respected. In fact, it is precisely when temptation is greatest to disregard constitutional structures to achieve some national policy outcome that our Constitutions limits must be enforced. As the Supreme Court once explained, though the Constitutions restrictions may at times appear formalistic and may prohibit measures that are the product of the eras perceived necessity, our founding document wisely protects us from our own best intentions so that we may resist the temptation to concentrate power in one location as an expedient solution to the crisis of the day. I trust that the current justices recognize this truth and dont allow the president illegitimate exercise of federal power to stand.
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Mar 29 2012
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In other words, righteous motivations do not determine whether a law is constitutional; for the Constitution, good ends do not justify unconstitutional means. And, as Justice Kennedy further explained, unconstitutional statutes prevent the States from experimenting and exercising their own judgment in an area to which States lay claim by right of history and expertise. Sweeping federal mandates prevent the states from fulfilling their constitutional role - implementing policies that fit with their unique needs and populations. Indeed, before Obamacare, health insurance markets were largely governed by the states. They took widely varying approaches; some worked, others did not. But the new law even if it were constitutionally permissible - would stamp out health policy innovation at the state level. Imposition of numerous federal mandates also would eliminate interstate competition. States compete with each other to attract the best companies and provide the best environment for their residents. When a state gets it wrong, effective policies from another state can be tried - or residents can vote with their feet and move elsewhere. When the federal government gets it wrong, there is no escape. Yet thats exactly what wed have under Obamacare. Justice Kennedy said this in the recent case of Bond v. U.S.: Federalism secures to citizens the liberties that derive from the diffusion of sovereign power. [It] protects the liberty of all persons within a State by ensuring that laws enacted in excess of delegated governmental power cannot direct or control their actions . By denying any one government complete jurisdiction over all the concerns of public life, federalism protects the liberty of the individual from arbitrary power. When government acts in excess of its lawful powers, that liberty is at stake. We agree.
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Apr 19 2012
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Moreover, the revenues gained by eliminating these deductions are completely lost on a plan that showers new carve-outs for so-called green energy producers in yet another attempt to artificially boost consumption of products and technologies that no one seems to want. The Obama Administration is explicit about their aim to spur green energy development through selective investments (aka subsidies). The plan continues the disastrous support for corn-based ethanol biofuels, at a price tag of $30 billion over the next five years. Another example is the special subsidy for electric cars, with the goal of putting one million on the road by 2015. For President Obama, government investment is preferred to letting the consumers decide where they want to invest their money because the American people might make the wrong choice. And what happens to workers in the industries affected by picking winners and losers? President Obamas corporate tax plan operates under the false notion that all blue-collar jobs are interchangeable. A worker employed as an oil rig technician for the last two decades cannot transition overnight to a job maintaining green-energy windmills at a wind farm, or putting together solar panels. Not only does this demonstrate that the president is painfully unaware of how specific training, expertise, and experience determine qualifications in the real job market, it shows that he is hardly interested in the effects his transformative policies will have on the lives of real workers and families. When the president claims he wants to treat everybody fairly, what he means is he wants to tilt the tax code in favor of those industries and businesses he supports. In order to foster greater market competition, he should be reducing, not creating, special interest loopholes, as well as lowering rates and removing the incentives to keep profits overseas. It would send a positive message through our economy and lead to greater productivity and job creation. Mike Lee is a U.S. Senator from Utah and a member of the Joint Economic Committee
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Jun 11 2012
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It creates a more efficient delivery system for our entitlement programs, reforming the greatest driver of our debt while protecting the most vulnerable in our society from poverty. This plan simplifies the tax code in a way that is more transparent and straightforward so average Americans can understand and file their own taxes. And it reins in federal spending so we can balance our budget, spur job creation, and leave something other than a mountain of debt to future generations. The centerpiece of my plan is economic freedom. Families will be able to save and invest tax-free. Individuals and their doctors not government bureaucrats will control health care dollars and medical decisions. Our children and grandchildren will no longer suffer the insurmountable burden of paying for our accumulated debt. The Saving the American Dream plan encourages productive economic activity by giving individuals at every income level essential tools to take care of their families, save for retirement, access affordable health care, and improve their quality of life. It is not government that made American great. Our greatness lies in the ingenuity of the American people when left free to make their own choices and pursue their own dreams A freedom agenda that empowers individual Americans to determine their own happiness will move the country forward and restore the American dream. (To learn more about this plan, please visit http://bit.ly/stad2012
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Jul 02 2012
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a government directive. As Chief Justice Roberts opinion explained, The power to regulate commerce presupposes the existence of commercial activity to be regulated. . . . Construing the Commerce Clause to permit Congress to regulate individuals precisely because they are doing nothing would open a new and potentially vast domain to congressional authority. . . . That is not the country the Framers of our Constitution envisioned. In so holding, the majority opinion expressly embraced the limiting implications of the distinction between activity and inactivity, put forward by critics of the Act. The Court noted that although its Commerce Clause jurisprudence throughout much of the last century had been notoriously expansive, even at its most expansive in cases like Wickard v. Filburn, it had always limited Congress to regulating preexisting activity. The ACA, by contrast, impermissibly attempted to reach inactivity. The Court refused to countenance such limitless congressional regulatory power. Todays ruling also includes an important precedent upholding the right of the States not to be coerced into administering federal regulatory programs. The Court held that the manner in which the ACA sought to expand Medicaid violates the Constitution and our nations system of federalism. The federal government may not bully the States into expanding Medicaid coverage by threatening to take away all preexisting Medicaid funding. As the federal government increasingly attempts to circumvent the Constitution by coercing States through funding threats, this aspect of the Courts opinion may prove to have enormous significance. For now, the Supreme Courts decision to uphold the ACAs individual mandate as a tax puts the call to action squarely back on the peoples elected leaders in Congress. As the majority opinion reminded, the Court possesses neither the expertise nor the prerogative to make policy judgments. Those decisions are entrusted to our nations elected leaders, who can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them. Without a single Republican vote, Congress enacted an intrusive and burdensome mandate on the American peoplea mandate that is hugely unpopular and has the potential to do our country great harm. The individual mandate violates basic American freedoms and personal liberty in a way no Congress had before attempted in the 225 year-history of our Republic. With a new administration and new leadership in Congress, we can repeal the ACA and restore individual liberty to all Americans.
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Jul 24 2012
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Second, the CBO, the IMF, the Federal Reserve, and experts and economists of all stripes warn that the proposed tax hike will significantly damage our economy and make it even harder for employers to create jobs. Think about where we are right now. Weve had more than $5 trillion added to the national debt under President Obama. Unemployment has exceeded 8% for 41 consecutive months. Nearly 13 million people are out of work. Millions more are underemployed or have quit looking for jobs. If the president and Senate Democrats are successful in taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of the hands of employers, what resources are those employers supposed to use to grow their businesses? What resources are they supposed to use to hire back all those workers? There is a certain irony in the Democrats proposal to increase taxes on some Americans while leaving the necessary tax relief in place for others. While purporting to help hardworking Americans, this approach would actually have the opposite effect and hurt many of those Americans who can least afford the hit right now. A new study from Ernst & Young reveals that the Democrats plan would directly kill 710,000 jobs. These job losses will come from those living paycheck to paycheck, the very people who can least afford to lose their jobs. These are not corporate CEOs or the top 1%. Democrats will tell you that their tax hikes are about reducing the deficit and national debt. But their proposal would still leave 94% of this years deficit intact which makes it an inherently unserious proposal for deficit reduction. Further, the presidents own 10-year budget, which includes massive tax increases, still adds $11 trillion to the national debt. I appreciate that the president is finally talking about our unsustainable debt and deficits. But you cant look the American people in the eye and tell them youre doing something about the debt when your own budget nearly doubles the national debt over the next 10 years. Republicans have proposals and plans to reform the tax code, reduce the deficit, grow the economy, and create jobs. I have legislation that would permanently keep tax rates at their current levels so families and businesses know what to expect. It would also eliminate the death tax and stop the expansion of the alternative minimum tax, which is quickly becoming the middle-class penalty tax. These measures and others would go a long way to improve our economy and get people working again. If my friends on the other side of the aisle disagree, then lets work together to find some common ground. But these election-year antics and distractions are not what the American people sent us here to do and do not reflect a good-faith effort to craft solutions. The longer we wait to enact real reform the more difficult the problem will be to solve. Mike Lee is a senator from Utah and a member of the Joint Economic Committee.
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Oct 19 2012
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Shrinking supply and higher demand are a recipe for disaster but its one that the Environmental Protection Agency largely has the ability to control. Waiving the RFS standard will relieve much of the pressure the industry is feeling and keep prices under control for consumers. Bruce Babcock from Iowa State University estimates that waiving the mandate would moderate corn prices by 8 percent. The administrator of the EPA was given this power for just this purpose. She should use it to provide the needed relief to the agricultural industry as a whole and to all American consumers.
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