Civic Register
| 6.4.22
House Takes Up Democrats’ Gun Control Package, Senate to Consider Bipartisan Expansion of Healthcare for Veterans Exposed to Toxins
How do you feel about this week’s congressional schedule?
What’s happening in Congress?
- Congress returns from recess this week with the House set to debate Democrats’ gun control bills, while the Senate starts debate on a bipartisan bill to expand healthcare and benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxins during their service.
- Off the floor, a bipartisan group of senators who are negotiating a potential compromise gun safety bill that’s focused on red flag laws, background checks, and securing schools are expected to continue their talks.
SENATE SCHEDULE
- The Senate meets Monday and will vote to start debate on the nomination of Alex Wagner to be assistant secretary of the Air Force. If it succeeds, a confirmation vote could follow on Tuesday.
- Later in the week, the Senate will take up a bill to expand healthcare coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time serving in the Armed Forces. The Senate will substitute its own bipartisan bill for the House version of the legislation, which passed on a 256-174 vote.
- If the bipartisan group of senators makes progress in their negotiations, the Senate may move to consider their gun control package later this week or next. However, if the compromise proves elusive, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) may set up votes on other proposals.
- Committees will hold hearings on domestic terrorism; U.S.-Syria policy; and expanding Social Security.
HOUSE SCHEDULE
- The House starts its week Tuesday with votes on a dozen bills under the fast-track “suspension of the rules” process which requires a two-thirds majority for passage. Most of the 12 bills are related to policies and programs affecting small businesses.
- The rest of the week is expected to be focused on a pair of gun control bills introduced by Democrats. The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act would establish federal red flag laws and expand federal grants for such laws at the state level, while the Protecting Our Kids Act is a package of eight gun control bills Democrats passed out of the Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote.
- Committees will hold hearings on gun violence; detecting and quantifying methane emissions from the oil and gas sector; and ocean climate action.
Check below throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.
Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.
HOUSE
Monday
- No votes are expected.
Tuesday after 6:30pm (under suspension of the rules)
- H.R. 6087 – Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2022
- H.R. 7352 – PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act of 2022
- H.R. 7334 – COVID-19 EIDL Fraud Statute of Limitations Act of 2022
- H.R. 5879 – Hubzone Price Evaluation Preference Clarification Act of 2021
- H.R. 7622 – Small Business Workforce Pipeline Act of 2022
- H.R. 7664 – Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act of 2022
- H.R. 7670 – Women-Owned Small Business Program Transparency Act
- H.R. 7694 – Strengthening Subcontracting for Small Businesses Act of 2022
- S. 3823 – Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act
- H.R. 7776 – Water Resources Development Act of 2022, as amended
- H.Con.Res. 88 – Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby
- H.R. 7667 – Food and Drug Amendments Act of 2022, as amended
Wednesday after 12pm or Thursday after 9am
- H.R. 7910 – Protecting Our Kids Act
- H.R. 2377 – Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2022
- Additional legislative items are possible.
Friday
- No votes are expected.
SENATE
Monday after 5:30pm
- Cloture motion on the nomination of Alex Wagner to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Rest of the Week (tentative)
- Confirmation of Alex Wagner to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
- Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3967: Honoring Our PACT
Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!
— Eric Revell
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Just remove the unique liability protections granted to gun manufacturers in this country. They market the AR-15 like weapons as tools to fend off attacking hoards, and people buy them for that capability. Yet gun manufacturers are shielded from liability claims due to false advertising or misuse of their products.
I cannot think of any other industry in this country which is protected by law from liability claims for marketing their products to wanna-be Rambo's nor absolved of responsibility for the mis-use of their products that can rapidly murder dozens of innocents in any crowded venue.
What if asbestos manufacturers, tobacco companies, opioid manufacturers, hazardous chemical manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, toy manufacturers and others were absolved of liability claims? Does anyone really think that anything would have changed or that we would be safer?
Gun manufacturer’s profitability has been used to buy political favor and provide these exceptionally unique liability protections. They have no incentives to not falsely advertise nor to limit the lethality of AR-15 style weapons sold to the general public, and have every reason to increase their profitability by continuing to manufacture ‘new and improved’ increased lethality weapons.
Since the issues currently driving the actions of the gun industry are all monetary, remove the monetary protections our country uniquely provides to just the gun industry. The gun industry subject to the kind of liability claims that applies to everything else, will find it to be monetarily in their interests to not market their products to wanna-be Rambo’s or to sell weapons that can easily be used to inflict mass murder of innocents in crowded venues.
Money speaks - remove the unique liability protections afforded to gun manufacturers and their quest to maintain profitably will force them to make safer weapons which are less likely to be grossly misused.
Democrats listen up!
Midterms are quickly approaching. While most Americans align with your party values & ideals, Republican strategy is going to mop the floor with you!
I urge Democrats to get it together!!!
Here's how:
1. The number one concern the majority of most Americans have is INFLATION!!! In every Republican ad & every right wing newscast, Biden & the Dems are being beat over the head with this! Yet, what is the Democrat's messaging??? Crickets.
Every candidate, every ad, every chance you get to address this issue, you NEED to do so! Americans NEED to know this is a WORLDWIDE problem caused essentially from the Pandemic!!! Then, list the top three things this administration is doing to address this (like raising interest rates, etc.). If the Republicans are standing in the way of any or all of these solutions...cALL THEM OUT!!! Don't forget to use the latest statistics, such as how much per gallon gas costs in other countries to highlight what good shape we're in.
2. Most Americans want action on: the January 6th insurrection, the Supreme Court intention of overturning Rowe, and reasonable legislation for guns. USE THIS!!! With a consistent party message. It will motivate people to get to the polls.
3. Because many states have switched up voting laws...you must ensure voters are registered!!! Find easy pathways to register voters & don't forget the twenty year olds, POC, financially challenged communities!
There are more ideas out there & I would love to hear them. I do not want to see Congress flipped, leaving us with two more years of ineffective, obstructionist governing.
Get it together!!!
There's a saying: Expect nothing, and you will never be disappointed. In terms of legislation, best to not hold your breath for the Senate to do anything really significant. Sorry, but not sorry. Judges are what really count in the end, and they can't be filibustered!
As usual the House is quite busy.
Regarding Senate I don’t understand there’s just two things coming up for theatrics, strike that, debate and votes?
Can I attend to stick pins in the windbags? Puhleeze?!
Good they are working but gun control so weak and shooting all the time they need to go boold but the republicans will defeat any thing like that.
It's is unbelievable that the republicans in our government have sold their souls to the far right & the NRA. GUESS MONEY & power walk & talk & their duty to uphold our constitution & protect those of us who elected them do not matter. I cannot believe that this continues & the republicans refuse to ban assault weapons & large magazines, no matter how many adults & children are murdered every year. Apparentky all that matters to them, is to stay in power & get more money.
disgusting. They have sold the ur. OUNTRY right down, along w/ their souis.
guess their children go to private schools & have lots of security. They are a disgrace & should retire. Their allegiance is not to our country. They are traitors to our democracy
Bipartisan Gun Safety Legislation focusing on background checks, red flag laws and school hardening is a good 1st step, better than nothing and the most important piece of legislation in Congress this week.
It may not be perfect but it does address rising gun violence in public places with the most recent examples occurring in a grocery store, a hospital and a school so a solution to gun violence in public spaces needs to address address all public spaces not just schools which background checks and red flag laws do.
School hardening targets only schools and ignores other public spaces, is a quick fix tried before without success and lacks empirical evidence (countries, states, studies implementations demonstrating effectiveness).
However in the interests of bipartisanship, consensus and moving forward this legislation should be passed. There are enough lobbyists from the $3B school hardening industry interested it may actually have a chance.
The National Education Association (2019) called hardening schools a quick fix (spend billions of dollars) with a school safety expert calling it “wow over how” taking money from training, planning, behavioral and mental health intervention supports for students, and other best practices and won’t prevent gun violence without keeping guns out of the hands of individuals who shouldn't have them in the first place. NEA, AFT and Everytown call for the passage of "red flag" laws that allow families and law enforcement to intervene and temporarily restrict a person’s access to guns when it is evident they pose a threat to themselves or others.
Additionally, many of these security measures were implemented with little to no consultation of the empirical literature and a failure to enact evidence-based responses.
Educators, school leaders, and school safety experts are championing proven best practices (background checks, red flag laws) and the $2.7 billion security industry is organized and lobbying Congress, states and districts that sophisticated and expensive products and services are the answer to their problems. Their focus is taking school security out of the hands of education agencies and put under the authority of homeland security departments to implement physical security measures and infrastructure hardening,"
According to AP, security firms in 2018 "helped Congress draft a law that committed $350 million to equipment and other school security over the next decade. Nearly 20 states have come up with another $50 million, ad local school districts are reworking budgets to find more money." Afterwards:
1) Public schools employing security professionals increased from 42% to 57% over 10 adding
2) security staff & law enforcement officers from 36% to 48%
3) law enforcement officers
School Resource Officers from 32% to 42%
4) security cameras from 19.4% to 80%
locking or monitoring doors have increased especially in schools serving low income and minority students.
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (2020) updated its security protocols. Texas Tribune reported $69K was part of a $100M state grant to “harden” schools across Texas following the shooting that killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School. Governor Greg Abbott called the effort “to make schools safer places for our students, for our educators, for our parents and families.”
1) Uvalde police officers swept hallways in active-shooter drills
2) Uvalde SWAT team mapped layouts.
3) Law-enforcement departments prepared to transform schools into fortresses at a moment’s notice.
4) Uvalde chief of the school district’s police force called the exercises “very successful”
Case control study of 39 years proving that armed resource officers actually increase deaths,
"the rate of deaths was 2.83 times greater (emphasis added) in schools with an armed guard present."
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2776515
https://www.causes.com/comments/12207
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/school-hardening-not-making-students-safer-say-experts
https://www.educationnext.org/protecting-students-from-gun-violence-does-target-hardening-do-more-harm-than-good/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15564886.2017.1307293
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-security-measures-really-stop-school-shootings/
https://www.the74million.org/article/inside-the-3-billion-school-security-industry-companies-market-sophisticated-technology-to-harden-campuses-but-will-it-make-us-safe/
As if the Senate weren't dysfunctional enough, a dozen Senators have been missing key voted for nominees. No matter which side they're on, we pay these Senators to vote and if they can't be bothered to show up, what are they doing?
https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/06-7-2022/happening-today/
This requires more attention. Our senators work for us and must do their jobs by voting, especially on appointees and nominations.
Gun control laws are vital to our safety. Children should not be dying for "freedom." Anyone who votes against these laws will have blood on their hands, and they will go down as on the wrong side of history.
The Senate won't do anything except talk. Republicans will use the filibuster and won't let anything get done...
Especially glad about the toxin bill for Bets. A dear friend has been suffering for years from his exposure. It has stifled his abilities and is serving to shorten his life all for serving his country. We owe these brave folks.
It's a long time coming shen the federal government would not care for Vet with health issues resultng from toxians while serving in the milatary. Now that so many have already died off Congress can make the situation more palable having so many Veterans die from dieases causeses and resuling from there service days. To little to late for many families!
This brainstorming should have happened about 15 years ago. Figure it out!
ACTION BOX/What You Can Do About It.
Vote pro-gun legislators in both parties out of office.
Stop with the gun control already. We know this is a slippery slope, and it will end badly in the long run for the law abiding citizens.
I hope we get some gun reform this week. SMH
Please do more to control guns and gun violence. I feel that the gun lobbyists have been running things for way too long and have been controlling public opinion by scare tactics.
I personally support legislation that would prevent anyone who is under age 21, anyone who has mental issues, anyone who has a felony record, and anyone who has a record of physical abuse from buying or owning a firearm of any kind.
It's time to end the madness.
Clif Conklin
Congress has become nothing more then a partisan joke.
Honestly I'm more afraid of the damage that Brandon and the psycho left will do to this country than anything else.
I think the topics listed are some good topics to be tackling. Gun packages are top priorities. I don't expect that any laws considered will stop the violence we have seen, but anything is a GOOD step FORWARD towards gun control. NO ONE that i know is asking for the stop of 2nd amendment priveldges, but those priveldges should be with reasonable and responsible regulations. This has to begin stopping some where. Imagine if some of these laws were passed in the 1990s. Where would we be today? I argue in a much better position.
And, methane gas emisions along with ocean climate action should always be something among topics. DISCUSSIONS need to continue on these issues.
To my reps,
Be concise with the Jan 6th hearings.
The worst thing you can do is drone on and on, like Adam Schiff does. I hope you don't use him. He enjoys the sound of his own voice and you need to learn from his impeachment mistakes. Take control of the narrative while remembering to speak to the lowest common denominator of who your audience is. In other words, speak plainly and not like an elite.
TERM LIMITS!
Anti-LGBTQ bigots sniveling about equal rights being 'shoved down their throats' is a tired and typical gaslight-y LIE meant to demonize all LGBTQ citizens while framing themselves as beleaguered 'victims' of ...
Exactly what, scumbags?
We see you despicable traitorous pieces of shit.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/public_surveys/2000_mules_documentary_s_message_resonates_with_voters
Republicans like Cornyn, Cruz, and Granger need to get off their fat asses and start working for the people of Texas. All they ever do is say no to everything that the people want and everything that would be helpful. Then kiss the ass of the former WH resident and his minions. It's way past time for Republicans to start working for the people.
we need to tackle gun control and climate change
The agenda looks good, but if the damn Republicans sit on their collective obstructionist asses as they have done for years, then the agenda means nothing. We need meaningful gun reform and we need it NOW, not 20 years from now. M-care expansion is common sense-dental and vision should be a normal part of M-care coverage and should have been since M-care was started.