Republicans continue to choose -Anti-Choice Legislation

Last night House Republicans voted in favor of an appalling piece of anti-choice legislation that could force victims or rape and incest to relive their trauma during an IRS audit and deny millions of American women access to life-saving reproductive health care.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63cab1/1b9dd8ab/4a3ad271/4e0ce84b/3136141357/VEsE/

Their assault on women has nothing to do with saving money and everything to do with forcing extremist beliefs into the tax code of the United States of America.

And they didn’t stop there. They used the occasion to sneak in a provision restricting the definition of rape to deny victims access to reproductive health care — even after they claimed to have removed the language in the face of overwhelming public opposition.

We must take immediate, decisive action against this attack on women’s health and reproductive freedom.

Help us hold House Republicans accountable: Contribute $3 or more right now so we can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up holding Republican extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.

Republicans’ H.R. 3 bill would drastically restrict women’s options for reproductive services by imposing burdensome new regulations on public and private insurance coverage. If made law, women would be denied using money from their personal health savings accounts to pay for abortion services.

I know how important it is for all women to have access to reproductive health care and it is unconscionable that one party would hold women’s health hostage and use the tax code as a moral club to force their religious beliefs on every American.

We are just $27,215 short of our emergency Rapid Response goal of $100,000 by Midnight Tonight to fight this Republican extremism.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63cab1/1b9dd8ab/4a3ad271/4e0ce84b/3136141357/VEsE/

Help us hold House Republicans accountable: Contribute $3 or more right now so we can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up holding Republican extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.

With your help, we will stand up to this extremism and protect women’s reproductive freedom.

Thank you.

Rep. Jackie Speier

P.S. House Republicans will stop at nothing to appease their extremist anti-choice Tea Party backers. Please contribute right now so Democrats can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up to hold the extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.

Think Fast …thinkprogress.org

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) disputed a report that the House GOP was willing to give up its Medicare overhaul plan in order to find common ground in budget negotiations. Beginning today, Cantor will participate in the bipartisan budget summit led by Vice President Joe Biden, and the Medicare overhaul is still on the table. “The starting point is the Ryan budget, period,” Cantor’s spokesperson said.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he had seen no proof that methods like waterboarding played a significant role in tracking down Osama bin Laden. “So far I know of no information that was obtained, that would have been useful, by ‘advanced interrogation,’” he said said.

South Carolina hosts the first GOP presidential primary debate tonight, but it will likely be more noteworthy for who isn’t there than who is. Among the party’s perceived top-tier candidates, only former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will appear. Meanwhile, the Associated Press and Reuters are declining to cover the debate, citing press restrictions by host Fox News.

Conservative Billionaire David Koch said he will remain neutral in the 2012 GOP presidential primary, even though top Mitt Romney supporters have said Koch told them Romney had his support. Koch “backed” Romney in 2008, but said, “only next year will I take a position.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to unveil an energy legislation package today, starting with a bill that would end government subsidies for oil companies. Pelosi’s announcement comes on the same day the House is debating expediting the permit process for oil drilling, and one day after House Republicans launched their own oil-funded energy task force.

Yesterday, the Florida Senate approved an immigration law that would “require the police to make ‘a reasonable effort’ to determine the immigration status of people they arrest and jail,” a provision many are comparing to Arizona’s anti-immigrant law. Gov. Rick Scott (R) campaigned on bringing an Arizona-style law to Florida.

“Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strikingly refused on Thursday to rule out further negotiations” with the Palestinian Authority after the recent deal to form a unity government between Hamas and Fatah. The Israeli government has condemned the unity government, and there are calls in Congress to cut off all assistance to the Palestinians.

And finally: First Lady Michele Obama professed her love for Beyonce this week, telling school children, “I know you all love Beyonce, right? Me too!” She then danced along with the kids as they performed a choreographed dance to Beyonce’s ”Move Your Body.” (“And for the record, the first lady knew the moves too.”) Meanwhile, Beyonce made a surprise appearance at a Brooklyn public school to dance with the kids. Beyonce also made a surprise appearance at a school in Harlem yesterday.

Progress Report:Economy -The Showdown Over Big Oil

The Showdown Over Big Oil

While Americans are continually struggling to manage their financial burdens, one group is celebrating rising gas prices: Big Oil. In the last few months, oil companies have raked in massive profits from the pump and reinvested that windfall into their own companies in order to line their pockets. But, as the Center for American Progress‘s Valeri Vasquez notes, “the burden on American taxpayers begins well before they fill up at the gas station.” Americans are footing the bill for more than $4 billion in unnecessary tax subsidies doled out to oil companies annually. At a time when Congress is slash-and-burning the budget to ameliorate the deficit, Americans are increasingly indignant over such corporate welfare — and Republicans are feeling the backlash. Struggling under widespread public pressure to eliminate the oil subsidies, Republicans are backing away from their Big Oil patrons — and their own voting records — to tepidly endorse the idea. Jumping on this window of opportunity, Democrats on Capitol Hill are now pushing multiple measures to force a vote on eliminating the tax loopholes piece by piece. And while the GOP retains the majority in the House, they will have to turn their back on the majority of the American people and their own commitment to reduce wasteful spending in order to side with Big Oil.

PROFITING OFF THE PUMP: There’s no question of who’s paying — and who’s pocketing — for the price at the oil pump. Americans spent 28 percent more for gasoline during the first three months of 2011 than during those in 2010. The five big oil companies — BP, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, ExxonMobil, and Shell — made 38 percent more profit. In fact, this week, those companies announced that their first quarter profits, with oil well over $100 per barrel, came to more than $30 billion. Exxon alone registered nearly $11 billion in profits, up 69 percent from its first quarter profit last year. This windfall is not coming from the pumps alone, it’s also coming straight out of the American taxpayer’s pocket. Oil companies specifically benefited from $3.96 billion in tax expenditures in 2010. As the Center for American Progress’s Seth Hanlon outlines in detail, these unnecessary and outdated tax breaks include a break for percentage depletion, a break for domestic manufacturing of oil production, a break for “intangible drilling costs,” a break for doing business overseas, a break to write off the costs of searching for oil, and the “last in, first out” break which essentially allows oil companies to pay less income taxes if the price of oil goes up. As Vasquez notes, these are activities that companies would already undertake and profit from without federal assistance. In total, these subsidies will cost taxpayers as much as $76.6 billion over the next decade. But rather than investing these profits in alternative energy or even more oil exploration, Big Oil is spending the vast majority of its net profit on enriching executives. A Citizens for Tax Justice report reveals that, between 2005 and 2010, the five largest oil companies used their profits to pay dividends and purchase its own stock. In doing so, the companies are driving up the companies’ share prices to the benefit of their board of directors and senior managers “whose compensation depends in part on rising stock values.”

GOP HYPOCRISY: Incidentally, another chunk of Big Oil profits pays campaign contributions to friendly lawmakers. 77 percent of the $65 million the oil and gas industry contributed in 2009 and 2010 went to Republicans. But the rising resentment of Americans who are footing the bill is sharply diluting that influence. GOP lawmakers are facing 74 percent of Americans who support eliminating tax breaks to oil. Even when presented with Big Oil’s bogus argument that ending the tax breaks would increase gas prices, 69 percent of voters — including a majority of Republicans — supported their elimination. Even Tea Party activists want them gone. The Republican response to the idea has ranged from confusion to sheer laughter to outright denial that the subsidies even exist. GOP presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty (MN) called the notion a “ludicrous” “tax increase” on oil companies. But as more and more Americans condemn such corporate welfare at townhalls, several Republican lawmakers are backpedaling hard to get in line with public opinion. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA), and Rep. Dan Webster (R-FL) all told constituents they’d support eliminating the subsidies. Even House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) admitted — however fleetingly — that oil companies “ought to be paying their fair share.” This support signals a promising shift that is only undermined by one small detail. Every single Republican voted in lockstep to protect the Big Oil subsidies on March 1, 2011. And since Ryan’s budget “retains $40 billion in Big Oil tax loopholes,” they actually supported them twice.

PULLING THE TRIGGER: Taking advantage of Republicans that have “seen the light,” the Democrats are building momentum to successfully revive a decades-old push to eliminate the industry tax breaks. All 15 Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee this week strongly urged Chairman David Camp (R-MI) to schedule a session to move tax subsidy repeal. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) led 30 other members in a letter to Boehner pushing an up-or-down vote on the Ending Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act. Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) signaled yesterday that House Democrats will use a procedural move today to force a vote on “a motion to repeal the Section 199 domestic manufacturing tax credit for the five largest oil companies.” Bishop will offer the motion during today’s debate on the first in a three-bill domestic oil-and-gas drilling package that’s been fast-tracked by GOP leadership. In the upper chamber, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will unveil a plan next Wednesday to eliminate the tax breaks and take a vote “as soon as possible.” This legislative action is welcome news to President Obama, who has repeatedly urged Congress to halt subsidizing oil companies and to invest in alternative energy instead. “When oil companies are making huge profits and you’re struggling at the pump, and we’re scouring the federal budget for spending we can afford to do without, these tax giveaways aren’t right,” he said in his last weekly radio address. With the White House, Congress, and the majority of the American people aggressively pushing to eliminate Big Oil subsidies, Republicans are being backed into a corner. Even President George W. Bush in 2005 noted that “we don’t need incentives to the oil and gas companies to explore. There are plenty of incentives.” To claim — and to vote — as if the subsidies are “legitimate tax provisions” is to quite literally side with ExxonMobil over the American people.

Bankrate.com

Auto loan rates for May 5, 2011 | 2011-05-05

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/national-auto-loan-rates-for-may-5-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110505

Here are the average auto loan rates from Bankrate‘s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

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CD rates for May 5, 2011 | 2011-05-05

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cd/national-cd-rates-for-may-5-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110505

Here are the average CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

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Credit card interest rates for May 5, 2011 | 2011-05-05

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/national-credit-card-rates-for-may-5-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110505

Here are the average credit card rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

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Home equity loan rates for May 5, 2011 | 2011-05-05

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/home-equity/national-home-equity-loan-rates-for-may-5-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110505

Here are the average home equity rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

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National mortgage rates for May 5, 2011 | 2011-05-05

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/interest-rate-roundup-for-may-5-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110505

See rates from our survey of CDs, mortgages, home equity products, auto loans and credit cards.

Congressional Budget Office

**The Underfunding of State and Local Pension Plans

Economic and Budget Issue Brief

The recent financial crisis and economic recession have left many states and localities with extraordinary budgetary difficulties for the next few years, but structural shortfalls in their pension plans pose a problem that is likely to endure for much longer. This issue brief discusses alternative approaches to assessing the size of those shortfalls and their implications for funding decisions

http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=12084

Cinco de Mayo -Congress meets

The Senate Convenes at 10:00amET May 5, 2011

 Following any leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for debate only until 5:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the first hour equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the Majority controlling the next 30 minutes.

The next roll call vote is expected at 5:30pm on Monday, May 9. That vote will be in relation to a nomination.

The Senate reached the following agreement with respect to Executive Calendar #61, the nomination of Edward Milton Chen, of CA, to be US District Judge for the Northern District of California:

At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, there will be 3 hours of debate on the Chen nomination, with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the Chen nomination.

Unanimous Consent:

Discharged HELP and adopted S.Res.158, National Charter Schools week w/ an amendment to the preamble.

Adopted S.Res.166, commemorating May 8, 2011, as the 66th anniversary of V-E Day.

Adopted S.Res.167, recognizing the historical significance of the Mexican Holiday of Cinco de Mayo.

Adopted S.Res.168, commemorating and acknowledging the dedication and sacrifice made by Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers killed and injured in the line of duty.

Adopted S.Res.169, a resolution to authorize testimony, documents and legal representation in the case of Social Security Administration v. Charlotte N. White.

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CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MAY 5, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

3:41 P.M. – The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on May 6, 2011.

On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.

2:08 P.M. – SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

2:00 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

MEXICO-UNITED STATES INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP – Pursuant to 22 U.S.C 276h, and the order of the House of January 5, 2011, the Speaker appointed the following member of the House to the MEXICO-UNITED STATES INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP: Mr. Pastor of AZ.

1:59 P.M. – Mr. Stearns asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Friday, May 6, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, for Morning-Hour Debate. Agreed to without objection.

Mr. Stearns asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Thursday, May 5, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 6, 2011. Agreed to without objection.

1:58 P.M. – ADJUSTED WHOLE NUMBER OF THE HOUSE – Under clause 5(d) of rule XX, the Chair announced to the House that, in light of the resignation of the gentleman from Nevada, Mr. Heller, the whole number of the House will be 432.

The House received a communication from Representative Heller wherein he resigns as a member of the House of Representatives effective at 1:30 p.m. on May 9, 2011.

H.R. 1230: to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain offshore oil and gas lease sales, and for other purposes

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 266 – 149 (Roll no. 298).

1:38 P.M. – On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 171 – 238 (Roll no. 297).

1:21 P.M. – The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

1:14 P.M. – DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes on the Lujan motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to report the same back to the House with an amendment to require the 4 leases that would be offered for sale in the underlying bill to specify that all oil and natural gas produced from such leases is offered for sale in the United States and not exported, pending reservation of a point of order. Subsequently, the reservation was removed.

1:13 P.M. – Mr. Lujan moved to recommit with instructions to Natural Resources.

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

1:12 P.M. – The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1230.

On agreeing to the Connolly (VA) amendment Failed by recorded vote: 176 – 240 (Roll no. 296).

1:05 P.M. – On agreeing to the Holt amendment Failed by recorded vote: 174 – 240 (Roll no. 295).

12:41 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Connolly amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Connolly demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

12:31 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 245, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Connolly amendment.

12:30 P.M. – Amendment offered by Mr. Connolly (VA). An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part B of House Report 112-73 to ensure that Lease Sale 220 does not interfere with Naval or other DOD operations.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Holt amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Holt demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

12:19 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 245, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Holt amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Holt.

An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part B of House Report 112-73 to remove provisions in the bill that would `deem’ the safety and environmental review done in 2007, prior to the BP spill, sufficient for new offshore oil and gas leasing. The amendment would allow lease sales to go forward, but require new environmental and safety reviews, following the BP spill.

11:06 A.M. – GENERAL DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1230.

The Speaker designated the Honorable Steve Womack to act as Chairman of the Committee.

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 245 and Rule XVIII.

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1229 and H.R. 1230. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. H.R. 1229 and H.R. 1230 shall each be debatable for not to exceed one hour, equally divided and controlled. In each case, the previous question shall be considered as ordered and in each case, a motion to recommit, with or without instructions is allowed.

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 245.

H. Res. 245: providing for consideration of the bill ( H.R. 1229) to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to facilitate the safe and timely production of American energy resources from the Gulf of Mexico, and providing for consideration of the bill ( H.R. 1230) to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain offshore oil and gas lease sales, and for other purposes

11:05 A.M. – Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 245 – 167 (Roll no. 294).

10:58 A.M. – On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 241 – 171 (Roll no. 293).

9:19 A.M. – DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 245.

9:14 A.M. – Considered as privileged matter.

9:02 A.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches, which by direction of the Chair would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.

9:01 A.M. – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Sanchez, Loretta of CA to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

9:00 A.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend William Byrne, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Washington DC.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.