October 6, 2006
On the House Floor
The House is currently in recess for the October District Work Period and will reconvene on November 13, 2006.
Legislative Recap
Last week, the House approved the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007, the National Institutes of Health Reform Act, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Modernization and Reform Act, and a resolution calling on the president to take immediate steps to help improve the security situation in Darfur, Sudan, with specific emphasis on civilian protection.
The Public Expression of Religion Act also passed 244 to 173, prohibiting the plaintiff in a religious liberties case from being awarded attorneys’ fees for attacking public expressions of faith. This is an important protection for municipalities when groups like the American Civil Liberties Union sue to have Ten Commandments displays or crosses removed from public property.
Passing by a vote of 264 to 153 was the Child Custody Protection Act. The bill safeguards parental rights by prohibiting the transporting of a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion as a means of circumventing the laws in the minor’s state of residence that require parental involvement in the minor’s abortion decision.
Spending Transparency
Last Tuesday, President Bush signed into law a measure that will create an online database for tracking government spending on contracts. Beginning on January 1, 2008, the new Web site will list grants and contracts of more than $25,000, except for those classified for national security reasons. This reform will increase legislative accountability to the public and reduce incentives for wasteful spending. This is yet another positive step taken by congress to exercise much-needed fiscal restraint.
Securing the Homeland
On Wednesday, the president signed into law the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which increases funding for border security and immigration enforcement. The majority has been working hard to shore up our nation’s borders and this bill is a big step in the right direction. This bill designates $21.3 billion for border protection and immigration enforcement, a $2.1 billion increase over last year. Among other things, this measure adds 1,500 new border patrol agents, funds 6,700 new detention beds for illegal aliens, and dedicates $1.2 billion for additional border fencing, vehicle barriers, technology, and infrastructure. This is the first down payment for a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Additionally, the law criminalizes the construction, permitting, and use of border tunnels to smuggle aliens, contraband, drugs, weapons, or terrorists. America is only as secure as its weakest border but we remain committed to turning weakness into strength.
Quote of the Week
“I want you all to remember that the past five years, this economy has been through a lot. It’s been through a recession, corporate scandals; it’s been through a terrorist attack on the United States. The economy had to endure the fact that I decided to protect this country by going on the offense against the terrorists, and so we had a war in Afghanistan and a war in Iraq. And natural disasters we had to deal with, high energy prices. And, yet, the economy of the United States is the envy of the industrialized world. People are working. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong. Our farmers and ranchers are doing well. Small business are growing, productivity is up. Something happened – and what happened was we cut the taxes on the working people and the small business owners. Our philosophy is that the more money you have in your pocket, the better off the economy is. We like it when you’ve got more money to save, spend and invest. We know that when you save, spend or invest, the economy grows.” – President George W. Bush, October 3, 2006.
