Senate Bills We Should Be Watching

[From the diaries -- Hunter]

Many of us were caught napping on two pieces of legislation that have/will become law; the so called 'Class Action Fairness Act of 2005' and most recently the vile 'Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005'. My intent in writing this is to provide a heads up on a few other Republican bills that have been introduced in the Senate. Most of the proposed legislation will be familiar, and I have provided the bill number and appropriate committee where it has been assigned.

The bills I have chosen to draw attention to are relevant to the following; Social Security, medical malpractice liability, permanent tax cuts for the wealthy, abortion prerequisite and 'profanity' on public airwaves. One additional topic has a joint resolution calling for a constitutional amendment on same sex marriage; they don't have the votes but introduced it anyway.

if you're interested, there is more below

MEDICAL LIABILITY

As we have seen, special interest legislation seems to be the urgent call of the Senate. I'll begin with a bill that rewards the insurance industry S.354

A bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

This is the bill that caps plaintiff non-economic damages at $250,000 regardless of medical error, legislates plaintiff attorney remuneration and sends a hearty fuck you to the jury after they have finished deliberations. Why do the Republicans trust a jury to decide life or death, yet don't trust a jury when it comes to money? Full text of S. 354

ABORTION PREREQUISITE

Eliminating abortion is always on the Republican agenda, but this next bill, S.51 'Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005' inserts Congress into the dialogue between a woman and her physician;

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require an abortion provider, before beginning any abortion of a pain-capable unborn child (defined as an unborn child who has reached a probable stage of development of 20 weeks after fertilization), to: (1) make a specified statement to the pregnant woman that Congress has determined that there is substantial evidence that the process will cause the unborn child pain, and that the mother has the option of having pain-reducing drugs administered directly to the child; (2) provide to the woman an Unborn Child Pain Awareness Brochure (unless she waives receipt) and an Unborn Child Pain Awareness Decision Form; and (3) obtain on the form the woman's signature and her explicit request for or refusal of the administration of drugs to the child.

I am sure that there is large percentage of people who would find opposing this bill to be incompassionate, yet one underlying danger is that it establishes the concept of pain in the fetus without conclusive medical evidence; one more small step to legitimize the 'pre-born' ideology. This bill has 33 co-sponsors including the chairman of the committee Mike Enzi and three other committee members, Alexander, Ensign, and Sessions. Full text of S. 51

Let the members of the committee know of your thoughts on the above two bills; The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions membership;

Edward Kennedy (D-MA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Christopher Dodd (D-CT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Tom Harkin (D-IA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
James Jeffords (I-VT) Tel: [phone]
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Patty Murray (D-WA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jack Reed (D-RI) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Mike Enzi (R-WY) Chairman Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Judd Gregg (R-NH) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Bill Frist (R-TN) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Richard Burr (R-NC) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Mike DeWine (R-OH) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John Ensign (R-NV) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Pat Roberts (R-KS) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

BROADCAST DECENCY

Next up is the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 S.193, which essentially increases the fines on broadcasters that offend the Christian fundamentalists;

Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that, if the violator of the terms and conditions of any Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license, permit, or certificate is either a broadcast station licensee or permittee or an applicant for a broadcast license, permit, or certificate, and such violator is determined by the FCC to have broadcast obscene, indecent, or profane language, the amount of forfeiture penalty shall not exceed $325,000 for each violation or day of such violation, to a maximum of $3 million for any single act or failure to act.

This bill is simply more intimidation of free speech. I wonder how long it will take for the fundies to take aim on the Internets (watch out Maryscott!). Anyway, the bill has 26 co-sponsors including Byrd, Conrad, Dorgan, Lieberman, Lincoln, and Pryor from the Democratic side of the aisle. Full text of S. 193

The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has the bill; these are the members

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) Tel: [phone]
John Kerry (D-MA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Byron Dorgan (D-ND) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Tel: [phone]
Bill Nelson (D-FL) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Ben Nelson (D-NE) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Mark Pryor (D-AR) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Ted Stevens (R-AK) Chairman Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John McCain (R-AZ) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Conrad Burns (R-MT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Trent Lott (R-MS) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Olympia Snowe (R_ME) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Gordon Smith (R-OR) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John Ensign (R-NV) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
George Allen (R-VA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John Sununu (R-NH) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jim DeMint (R-SC) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
David Vitter (R-LA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

SAME SEX MARRIAGE

This Joint Resolution sits in the Judiciary committee

S.J. Res.1. SECTION 2. Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.

The piece of shit has 26 co-sponsors, all Republican. Full text of S.J. Res. 1 Anyway here are the members of the Committee on the Judiciary. This might be valuable in contacting Senators on the judicial nominations as well;

Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Tel: [phone]
Edward Kennedy (D-MA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Joseph Biden (D-DE) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Herbert Kohl (D-WI) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Russ Feingold (D-WI) Tel: [phone]
Charles Schumer (D-NY) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Richard Durbin (D-IL) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Arlen Specter (R-PA) Chairman Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Charles Grassley (R-IA) Tel: [phone]
Jon Kyl (R-AZ) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Mike DeWine (R-OH) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Tel: [phone]
John Cornyn (R-TX) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Sam Brownback (R-KS) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Tom Coburn (R-OK) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

PERMANENT TAX CUTS

One of the very first bills introduced in this session was S.7 the 'Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Act of 2005'

A bill to increase American jobs and economic growth by making permanent the individual income tax rate reductions, the reduction in the capital gains and dividend tax rates, and the repeal of the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes

We all know that this is a pet project for Bush. It has 5 co-sponsors and sits in the Finance committee. They need to know that this is irresponsible. Full text of S.7

SOCIAL SECURITY

Lastly, Sen. Hagel introduced his `Saving Social Security Act of 2005'. Yep, right in the midst of the bankruptcy bill debates. It differs somewhat from the yet-to-be-announced 'plan' that Bush is talking about all around the country. The bill, S. 540 would only affect those at age 45 or younger.

`SEC. 250. DEFINITIONS. `For purposes of this part--
`(1) INVESTING WORKER- The term `investing worker' means any individual--
`(A) who after the date of enactment of this part--
`(i) receives wages on which there is imposed a tax under section 3101(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
`(ii) derives self-employment income on which there is imposed a tax under section 1401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
`(B) who was born on or after January 1, 1961, and does not make an election to waive investment-based social security under this part as provided under section 251(a).
`(2) SOCIAL SECURITY SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR EMPLOYEES (SAFE ACCOUNT)- The term `social security savings accounts for employees' or `SAFE Account' means an account established for an investing worker within the SAFE Investment Fund under section 252.
`(3) SAFE INVESTMENT FUND- The term `SAFE Investment Fund' or `Fund' means the fund established under section 253.
`(4) SOCIAL SECURITY INVESTMENT BOARD- The term `Social Security Investment Board' or `Board' means the board established under section 254.
`(5) COMMISSIONER- The term `Commissioner' means the Commissioner of Social Security.

You really should read the text of this bill. My guess is that it will be amended in committee, but as far as I know this is the first salvo. Full text of S. 540 The Committee on Finance members are listed below. Let them know what you think about the above two bills.

Max Baucus (D-MT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) Tel: [phone]
Kent Conrad (D-ND) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
James Jeffords (I-VT) Tel: [phone]
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
John Kerry (D-MA) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Blanch Lincoln (D-AR) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Ron Wyden (D-OR) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Charles Schumer (D-NY) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Charles Grassley (R-IA) Chairman Tel: [phone]
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Trent Lott (R-MS) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Olympia Snowe (R-ME) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jon Kyl (R-AZ) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Craig Thomas (R-WY) Tel: [phone]
Rick Santorum (R-PA) Tel: [phone]
Bill Frist (R-TN) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Gordon Smith (R-OR) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Jim Bunning (R-KY) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Mike Crapo (R-ID) Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

Hopefully, folks here might find this information useful and open up a discussion on these issues.