MORE POWER for Nov. 11th
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
November 11, 2022
This week in MORE POWER:
Congress' lame duck session
Speak Out Act
Respect for Marriage Act
Update: debt ceiling & budget negotiations
MORE Act
SAFE Banking Act
American Choice and Innovation Online Act
Electoral Count Reform Act
How to find your legislators in the platform
Crowdfund advocacy on the MORE Act
FAQ of the week
HAPPENINGS ON THE HILL
Lame Duck Session
Mid-term elections are over (though some districts are still tallying votes) and Congress will be back in session next week. The period between now and when the new Congress is seated in January is referred to as a "lame duck" session because every sitting member is not currently seeking reelection, or has lost reelection.
This is a special edition of MORE POWER about bills that might come up in this lame duck session.
Speak Out Act
Just before the midterm recess, the Senate passed the Speak Out Act. This is the only bill the House is scheduled to vote on next week.
If it passed the House and is signed into law by the president, the Speak Out Act would limit nondisclosure agreements in cases involving sexual assault or harassment.
Us, taking notes on student loan news.
Respect for Marriage Act
The Respect for Marriage Act is buzzing again, and we’re expecting to see a vote on it before Christmas. This bill already passed the House and it has had bipartisan support in the Senate, but Leader Schumer waited on holding a vote on it before the midterms to give advocates time to keep building towards the 60 votes the bill needs to pass.
The Respect for Marriage Act would protect the recognition of same-sex marriages across states and ensure all marriages are recognized for benefits by the federal government. It only needs a couple more supporters in the Senate to pass and get to the president's desk. You can use 1000 MORE to let your Senators know what you think about this bill!
Update: Debt Ceiling and Budget Negotiations
If Congress doesn't pass a budget bill by December 16th, the government will run out of money and shut down. As part of budget negotiations, the House has to address the debt ceiling. The House Budget Committee expects the government to hit the debt ceiling in early 2023.
Key Republicans argue that cuts to entitlement program spending - i.e. Medicare and Social Security - must be considered as part of the process.
Democrats argue that because the debt ceiling only applies to existing debts, it shouldn't be used as a justification to cut future program spending. Many Democrats are pushing to resolve negotiations during the lame duck session to avoid the possibility of Republicans leading negotiations.
Marijuana Legislation
The Senate is considering a vote on two bills for marijuana reform during the lame duck session, both of which have already passed the House. Word from the Hill is that we could see at least one of these pass in the coming weeks.
MORE Act
MORE stands for the Marijuana Opportunity and Reinvestment Act. This bill would decriminalize marijuana on the federal level, establish a fund to provide services to communities affected by the war on drugs, and ensure that no one can be denied public benefits for a prior marijuana conviction.
SAFE Banking Act
SAFE Banking Act stands for Safe and Fair Enforcement Banking Act. This bill allows banks to work with legal marijuana businesses without fear of federal prosecution.
The big lobby stops a bill from getting a vote.
Public pressure mounts and the vote gets scheduled.
Big Tech Anti-Trust Bill
The American Choice and Innovation Online Act has been trending in Congress since June. The bill would prohibit big tech companies from rating and recommending their own products over their competitors’. After securing bipartisan support and a favorable committee recommendation to the House, the bill has stalled out.
Word is that big tech companies have successfully lobbied to stop a vote on it when Congress was voting on other tech anti-trust legislation this summer. But there is still time to call a vote on it this session. Let your reps know if you want to see it voted on during the lame duck.
No, no, no. Not that type of college.
Reforming How We Count Electoral College Votes
The Electoral Count Reform Act aims to protect the presidential election by clarifying the process for the electoral college. Co-sponsors say the bill is critical to the integrity of our democratic process, and that it has bipartisan support in the Senate. But like any bill, it needs input from the public to advance or stop its passing.
GET FAMILIAR WITH OUR FEATURES
I think I know who my reps are.
But I only see the full list of legislators in the platform.
Where are my legislators in the platform?
On the legislators page! But you have to provide an address to only see the legislators who represent you, because otherwise, we won't know what district you live in.
And remember, even though we've just had elections, your representatives do not change until the new Congress begins in 2023. The same people who represented you this year will represent you during the lame duck session that starts next week.
1000 MORE members disrupting the big lobby.
Crowdfunding for or against the MORE Act
Last year, the House passed the MORE Act, which, if it passes the Senate and is signed into law by the president, would decriminalize marijuana nationwide.
There are organizations advocating for and against this bill. You can use your dollars to support organizations that are aligned with your values and doing the work on the Hill!
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