September 22nd

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

September 22, 2023

This week in MORE POWER:

Hail Mary To Avoid A Shutdown
Agent Orange Restitution
Native Community Legislation
Improving Veterans’ Services
Senate Goes Around Tuberville
Budget Bill Rundown

Hail Mary To Avoid A Shutdown

Zero for 12: that was Congress’ score on passing budget bills as of last week, and it remains so today. There are only four working days left to pass the 2024 budget or a stopgap funding bill to buy time to negotiate the budget before the September 30th deadline.

If Congress misses the deadline on both, the government will shut down. That could mean delays and gaps in Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP and Veterans services. It could also cause massive flight delays and cancellations due to airport security and air traffic control staff shortages. TSA agents are required to work without pay during a shutdown, so understandably, they have historically stopped showing up to work after two weeks. If Congress passes some of the budget bills but not all of them, there will be a partial shutdown, meaning only the parts of the government impacted by the bills that have yet to pass will shut down.

During budget negotiations this week, House Republican infighting was on full display. Far-right members blocked a stopgap funding bill and twice stopped the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, (R-CA) “keeps dancing,” which is how he describes negotiating with his own members. But his caucus remains fractured, and members are leaving copies of a bill to kick him out of his job around the Capitol:

Because of Republican disarray, House Democrats are now on the record predicting a shutdown, moving the question from “if” there will be a shutdown to “how long” a shutdown will last. In the Senate, members on both sides of the aisle are united on passing a budget, but progress has stalled.

At this point, the only likely path to avoiding a full shutdown is a stopgap funding bill known as a continuing resolution (CR). That means Congress will need to negotiate the final bill within the week. The Senate is moving to start voting on a bipartisan CR on Tuesday. But it will have more spending in it than any stopgap bill that the House would pass, so how much money the government will be able to spend remains in question. The House also wants to nix the Ukraine and disaster relief spending Senators are demanding in lieu of money for the border. If Congress avoids a shutdown, the question remains: who will concede, and on what? And what bill will the President sign into law?

Contact Your Reps Here

After reading the above, if you’re looking for proof that Congress can work together in a bipartisan fashion, the next sections are for you!

Agent Orange Restitution

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military used a controversial and toxic “tactical herbicide” to remove dense jungle vegetation, known commonly as Agent Orange due to the orange stripe on its storage containers. Exposure to Agent Orange has caused a wide range of health conditions for veterans, including deadly cancers. And science now shows us that children of veterans exposed to Agent Orange could have spina bifida or other birth defects.

That’s why this week, the House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill to provide lifelong benefits to children impacted by parents’ Agent Orange exposure. The Senate passed the bill in July. Now it goes to the President to be signed into law.

You Can Read About The Bill & Take Action Here

Native Community Legislation

Bipartisanship in the House is possible, especially when it comes to bills that impact Native communities. Because reservations are often in rural, Republican-controlled districts, Republican members are primed to lead on Tribal issues as part of representing their constituents in Congress. This week, the House passed two bills on Native issues:

The Native American Child Protection Act would reauthorize and enhance violence, child abuse, and child neglect prevention programs in Tribal communities. The House passed the bill by a huge bipartisan margin: 378-32.
The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act passed the House unanimously. This bill would establish a historic landmark in memory of the lives lost when the U.S. Army massacred hundreds of Lakota Indians at Wounded Knee in 1890.

Both bills go to the Senate next. You can use the links above to read about the bills and take action.

Improving Veterans’ Services

Congress continues to move in a bipartisan manner on bills pertaining to veterans and their families. This week, the House passed two bills to enhance veteran services:

Veterans Education Oversight Expansion Act would prevent institutions of higher education, like for-profit colleges, from preying on veterans by strengthening oversight.
Veterans Benefits Improvement Act would improve communications about and access to forms regarding disability benefits.

You can use the links above to read about the bills and take action.

Senate Goes Around Tuberville

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-AL) has continued to block Biden’s military nominees all year due to his opposition to the military’s abortion-procedure leave policy for service members. There are nearly 300 military appointees awaiting confirmation, which leaders in the military say harms national security and military readiness. Senate members have been pressuring Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY) to bypass the committee process and schedule Senate votes on top military leaders to override Tuberville.

That’s why this week, the Senate held floor votes to confirm the new Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. The Senate also voted to confirm a new Marine Corps commandant, Gen. Eric Smith, and a new Army chief of staff, Gen. Randy George. Have a view on this that you would like to share?

Contact Your Senators Here