Congress survived the first month of the 114th Congressional session! In January alone, Members of the House introduced 720 bills and resolutions, and Senators introduced 384. And yet Congress managed to pass only one bill which became law in January: the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (HR 26), which extends of terrorism insurance for commercial buildings.
The First Month in the Senate
The Senate already made history in January. It voted on more amendments than it considered in all of 2014. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell explained: “We’ve actually reached a milestone here that I think is noteworthy for the Senate. We just cast our 15th roll-call vote on an amendment on this bill, which is more votes — more roll-call votes on amendments than the entire United States Senate in all of 2014.” (The reason for the series of votes was the Keystone XL pipeline approval, which was passed by the Senate last week.)
The First Month in the House
The House passed 27 bills in January, which are now pending in the Senate. However, House Speaker John Boehner – despite having the largest majority in the House since the 1940s –pulled two bills off the House floor this month: one restricting abortions after 20 weeks, and the other, a border security bill.
The House, in its first month, is also considering another lawsuit against the President, this time over his executive actions that gave legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants. In a conference meeting, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said House members would vote on a resolution authorizing the House to take legal actions, including filing a new lawsuit against the President or joining the lawsuit filed by 26 states against the executive action. (The House has another lawsuit pending against the President regarding the Affordable Care Act, which it filed last year.)
The House did work together in a bipartisan fashion to pass a series of bills related to human trafficking awareness and prevention. These 10 bills – which make up more than a third of all bills the House passed this month – now go to the Senate for consideration. (See the list of bills.)
The First Month on POPVOX
On POPVOX, the Fair Tax Act has gotten the most attention among our users in January. More than 2,100 verified constituents shared their voice about the bill – the vast majority supporting it. The Responsible Body Armor Possession Act (HR 378) also received significant attention among POPVOX users. (Incidentally, this bill was also the most searched bill on Congress.gov, the Library of Congress’s website.) Here’s a look at January’s Top 20 list of bills on POPVOX.
POPVOX Top 20: January 2015
Here are the bills and proposals that POPVOX users weighed in on with Congress in January.
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#1 Fair Tax Act (HR 25)
"To promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales tax to be administered primarily by the States," according to the bill summary. Repeals the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax. Imposes a national sales tax on the use or consumption in the United States of taxable property or services. Sets the sales tax rate at 23% in 2017, with adjustments to the rate in subsequent years. Allows exemptions from the tax for property or services purchased for business, export, or investment purposes, and for state government functions. Prohibits the funding of the Internal Revenue Service after FY2019. On POPVOX: 2,028 Support | 106 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on the first day of the Congressional session, 1/6/2015.
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#2 Responsible Body Armor Possession Act (HR 378)
To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians, with exceptions. On POPVOX: 13 Support | 1,340 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/14/2015.
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#3 Fair Tax Act (S 155)
"To promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales tax to be administered primarily by the States," according to the bill summary. Repeals the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax. Imposes a national sales tax on the use or consumption in the United States of taxable property or services. Sets the sales tax rate at 23% in 2017, with adjustments to the rate in subsequent years. Allows exemptions from the tax for property or services purchased for business, export, or investment purposes, and for state government functions. Prohibits the funding of the Internal Revenue Service after FY2019. On POPVOX: 1,017 Support | 77 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/13/2015.
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#4 Keystone XL Pipeline Act (S 1)
— Bipartisan — "Authorizes TransCanada to construct and operate the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to the US Gulf Coast, transporting an additional 830,000 barrels of oil per day to US refineries, which includes 100,000 barrels a day from the Bakken region of North Dakota and Montana. Upon passage, a presidential permit would no longer be needed to approve the project," according to the bill sponsors. On POPVOX: 420 Support | 167 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the Senate on 1/29/2015. Sent to the House for consideration. (The House passed its own version of the bill.)
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#5 Repeal Executive Amnesty Act (S 129)
A bill to repeal executive immigration overreach, to clarify that the proper constitutional authority for immigration policy belongs to the legislative branch. On POPVOX: 332 Support | 43 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/8/2015.
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#6 Authorizing a Lawsuit Against the President (HRes 11)
Providing for authority to initiate litigation for actions by the President or other executive branch officials inconsistent with their duties under the Constitution of the United States with respect to the implementation of the immigration laws. On POPVOX: 264 Support | 54 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on the first day of the Congressional session, 1/6/2015.
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#7 Defund Executive Amnesty Act (HR 227)
Prohibits the use of funds for certain immigration-related policies, including executive orders or any other executive policy issued after March 11, 2011, that provides for parole, employment authorization, deferred action, or any other immigration benefit or relief for individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States (with exceptions for asylum, temporary protected status, or cancellation of removal by an immigration judge). On POPVOX: 276 Support | 41 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/8/2015.
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#8 Keystone XL Pipeline Act (HR 3)
To approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the House on 1/9/2015. The Senate passed its version, and the two version will be reconciled before going to the President for consideration. On POPVOX: 217 Support | 83 Oppose
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#9 Free Trade with Cuba Act (HR 403)
“Would lift the long-standing embargo on trade with Cuba to give American companies their fair share,” according to the bill sponsor. Cuba sits 90 miles off the US coast and has a GDP of $60 billion. On POPVOX: 82 Support | 182 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/16/2015.
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#10 Clay Hunt SAV Act (HR 203)
— Bipartisan — Requires the VA to create a one-stop, interactive website to serve as a centralized source of information regarding all VA mental health services for veterans. Addresses the shortage of mental health care professionals by authorizing the VA to conduct a student loan repayment pilot program aimed at recruiting and retaining psychiatrists. Requires evaluations of all mental health care and suicide prevention practices and programs at the VA to find out what’s working and what’s not working and make recommendations to improve care. Establishes a peer support and community outreach pilot program to assist transitioning Servicemembers with accessing VA mental health care services. (Source: Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN)). On POPVOX: 194 Support | 61 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the House on 1/21/2015; and by the Senate on 2/3/2015. Now goes to the President for his signature.
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#11 Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act (HR 37)
A package of 11 bills introduced in the 114th Congress "which make it easier for small businesses to grow and hire, creating more opportunity for all," according to the bill sponsor. On POPVOX: 191 Support | 55 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the House on 1/14/2015. Now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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#12 Dept. of Homeland Security Appropriations, 2015 (HR 240)
Makes appropriations for the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015. “In total, the bill provides $39.7 billion in discretionary funding for DHS, an increase of $400 million compared to the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. The bill prioritizes frontline security – including all operational, counterterrorism, and threat-targeting activities, and essential tactical equipment – and saves taxpayer dollars by reducing overhead costs and cutting funds for lower-priority programs. The bill also includes several approved amendments to limit the President’s recent actions on immigration and to require DHS to enforce current immigration laws,” according to the House Appropriations Committee. On POPVOX: 41 Support | 179 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the House on 1/14/2015. Now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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#13 Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act (HR 196)
Would “require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ban so-called “paid prioritization” agreements between a broadband provider and a content provider,” according to bill sponsors. On POPVOX: 71 Support | 148 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/7/2015.
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#14 Save American Workers Act (HR 30)
— Bipartisan — Would repeal the 30-hour definition of "full-time employment" in the Affordable Care Act and restore the traditional 40-hour definition, according to the bill sponsor. On POPVOX: 156 Support | 62 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Passed by the House on 1/8/2015. Now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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#15 Secure Our Borders First Act (HR 399)
“The Secure Our Borders First Act will be the most significant and toughest border security bill ever set before Congress. We are putting fencing where fencing is needed and technology where technology is needed to ensure a smart, safe, and cost-effective border. We tell the government how to secure the border step-by-step, and put in place real penalties for ignoring the will of Congress,” according to the House Homeland Security Committee. On POPVOX: 143 Support | 74 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Was scheduled for a House floor vote the week of Jan. 26 – 30, 2015 but was postponed indefinitely.
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#16 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)
— Bipartisan — “Seeks to afford basic protection to mothers and their unborn children entering the sixth month of gestation,” according to the bill sponsors. Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater, except: (1) where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions; or (2) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the result of incest against a minor, if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency, or if the incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency or to a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse or neglect. On POPVOX: 143 Support | 74 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Was scheduled for a House floor vote the week of Jan. 19 – 23, 2015 but was pulled from consideration. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC) actively opposed some of the language in the bill: “I remain disappointed that the concern for the language of mandatory reporting of rape to law enforcement held by House Republican women and many men were not addressed before our leadership made the decision to pull the bill from the House floor in the eleventh hour.”
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#17 National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act (HR 402)
— Bipartisan — To provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State. On POPVOX: 204 Support | 11 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/16/2015.
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#18 Prevention of Executive Amnesty Act (HR 31)
To prohibit the use of funds to implement the immigration policies set forth in the memoranda issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security on Nov. 20, 2014, or the memoranda issued by the President on Nov. 21, 2014. On POPVOX: 196 Support | 18 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/16/2015.
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#19 Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act (HR 52)
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to comprehensively reform immigration law. Provides a path to earned access to legalization for those who meet certain eligibility requirements, among them: 1. Residency requirement (The alien was physically present in the United States for a continuous period of not less than 5 years immediately preceding the date on which this provision was enacted and has maintained continuous physical presence since then); and 2. Community service (if older than 18, has performed at least 40 hours of community service.) On POPVOX: 33 Support | 174 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/16/2015.
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#20 Repealing the Affordable Care Act (HR 370)
To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. On POPVOX: 166 Support | 37 Oppose
Action in the 114th Congress: Introduced on 1/14/2015.
** Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of a complex legislative system.**
