June 9th

1000 MORE's weekly nonpartisan roundup of the most important happenings in federal government, written in a way that doesn't require a law degree to understand, with tools to take action

June 9, 2023

This week on the Hill:
New Laws Biden Signed
House Republicans' Stalemate
Stopping Senior Scams
Help For Farms Hit By Hurricanes
Checking The Executive
Stunting On Stoves
Senate Approves Biden Appointees

New Laws Biden Signed

The last step in a bill becoming a law is a president signing it. This week, President Biden signed bills into law for the first time since April. The Fiscal Responsibility Act raises the debt ceiling through January 2025 and freezes spending at current levels. The NOTAM Improvement Act will make the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) study how to fix the NOtice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system that failed in January, causing major flight cancellations, and report their findings to Congress.

Biden also named his 34th round of judicial nominees. If all are confirmed by the Senate, the first person of color ever would be seated on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana: Jerry Edwards, Jr.

House Republicans' Stalemate

Votes in the House came to a halt this week due to a multifaceted power struggle stemming from grudges over the debt ceiling compromise and resurfaced tension over the agreements Speaker Kevin McCarthy, (R-CA) made during the negotiations to make him speaker. On Tuesday, hard-right members refused to advance a measure to allow a vote on a House Republican leadership priority - a bill on gas stoves. By Wednesday afternoon, McCarthy cancelled the remainder of the week's votes and sent members home.

Hard-right members feel that McCarthy is not keeping his promises, and other members of the leadership like Rep. Steve Scalise, (R-LA) expressed the view that they don't know what hardliners want, in part because they were kept out of the speakership negotiations in January by McCarthy.

The House is supposed to be back in session this Monday, June 12. Will the factions come together and compromise to move forward with House business or will the stalemate continue? You can use 1000 MORE to let your representative know your thoughts on this.

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Stopping Senior Scams

After having had the bill on the voting schedule for the past three weeks, the House finally passed the bipartisan Senior Security Act on Monday. This bill would work to end scams that target senior citizens by setting up a task force at the Securities and Exchange Commission to study how seniors are being targeted. The bill is now in the Senate.

Read About The Bill & Take Action

Help For Farms Hit By Hurricanes

Last year, farmers throughout Florida lost significant crop yields. Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hammered the state, impacting more than 90% of Florida citrus production. Some estimates quote the value of this loss at upwards of $675M.

A bipartisan group of members is trying to change the law so that farmers can receive federal assistance to help cover their losses. The Block Grant Assistance Act would allow the Department of Agriculture to provide grants to states that would distribute these funds to businesses that suffered losses due to extreme weather in 2022. Once the stalemate among Republican members ends, the House is expected to vote to pass this bill.

Read About The Bill & Take Action

Checking The Executive

Angered by Biden administration rules, like the one to cancel student loan debt, House Republicans have been clear about their goal to put a check on Biden's presidency. Yet because Republicans do not have power in the Senate and the White House, House Republicans are left to pass "messaging bills," ones that appear to do something while having no chance of actually getting signed into law.

Two of these bills were on this week's voting schedule. Once Republicans come together to end the stalemate, the House is expected to pass these bills along a party line vote:

The REINS Act would set standards for administration rule making. Under this bill, major rules from any departments would only be able to take effect with Congressional approval.

The Separation of Powers Restoration Act would mandate judicial oversight of provisions and rules made by federal agencies.

Use the links above to read about the bills and take action.

Stunting On Stoves

Why are conservatives in Congress suddenly talking about gas stoves? Last year, Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said that the federal government could ban the sale of new gas stoves due to studies linking them to higher rates of childhood asthma. The Biden Administration disagreed, saying they want to incentivize Americans to purchase non-gas stoves to improve to health, safety, and costs instead.

Regardless, conservatives took advantage of these statements, warning Americans that the government could come and take their gas stoves away. These House Republican bills are the result of the fervor to make American gas stoves great again:

The Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act would stop the Consumer Products Safety Commission from using federal funds to regulate gas stoves to ban them or cause increased prices.

The Save Our Gas Stoves Act would stop the Department of Energy from implementing energy conservation policies that could ban gas stoves and kitchen ranges.

When the House reconvenes next week, Republicans are expected to pass these bills along a party line vote. You can use the links above to read about the bills and take action.

Senate Approves Biden Appointees

This week the Senate voted to approve more of President Biden's nominees for jobs in the administration and the federal judiciary. Approved candidates include:

David Crane, of New Jersey, to be the first ever Energy Department Under Secretary of Infrastructure where he will manage $62B in clean energy programs

Dilawar Syed, of California, to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration, who will be the highest-ranking Muslim official in the administration

One other nominee had their confirmation vote postponed:

Dale E. Ho, of New York, currently the director of the ACLU's voting rights project, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York

Have a view on this that you would like to share?

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