From our Hill Sources: Congress is in recess this week, but the Senate will return early to consider NSA data collection. Last week, the Senate passed “fast track” trade authority, which now goes to the House. Also, a look at bills related to veterans in honor of Memorial Day.
NSA Data Collection Sunsets on Sunday
The Senate will return on Sunday, May 31, to attempt to pass a bill before the midnight deadline that will "sunset" major provisions of the PATRIOT Act. They failed in their attempt to reach a deal before they left for the Memorial Day recess. Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) “filibuster” on Thursday added to the delay.
Meanwhile, the House passed its version – the USA FREEDOM Act – before leaving for recess. So now, the Senate is left with few options to pass a bill before the sunset: accept the House bill or hope the House returns to vote on a Senate-passed alternative.
USA Freedom Act (House bill, HR 2048)
Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) To reform intelligence-gathering programs operated under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). According to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), the bill:
- Ends bulk collection (“In place of the current bulk telephone metadata program, the USA Freedom Act creates a narrower, targeted program that allows the Intelligence Community to collect non-content call detail records held by the telephone companies, but only with the prior approval of the FISA Court. The records provided to the government in response to queries will be limited to two “hops” and the government’s handling of any records it acquires would be governed by minimization procedures approved by the FISA Court.”);
- Prevents government overreach (“strengthens the definition of “specific selection term,” – the mechanism used to prohibit bulk collection – to ensure the government can collect the information it needs to further a national security investigation while also prohibiting large-scale, indiscriminate collection, such as data from an entire state, city, or even zip code.”);
- Strengthens protections for civil liberties (“creates a panel of experts to advise the FISA Court on matters of privacy and civil liberties, communications technology, and other technical or legal matters.”). (Source: House Judiciary Committee) (Read bill text)
From our Hill Sources: The Senate started working with the House-passed bill, but it failed to achieve cloture by two votes. The Senate then attempted to pass a straight two-month extension of the PATRIOT Act, and that failed to achieve cloture as well.
At that point, Majority Leader asked (many times) for unanimous consent to shorter-term extensions, but senators (primarily Senator Rand Paul) continued to object. (Watch that exchange)
”Fast Track” Trade Authority Goes to the House
Also on Friday, the Senate considered, and passed, Trade Promotion Authority to allow the Obama administration to negotiate trade agreements within Congressionally-defined parameters that would then receive an up or down vote in Congress.
Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (“Trade Promotion Authority” or TPA-2015) (S 995)
Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) —Bipartisan— “Outlines 21st century congressional negotiating objectives that any administration – Republican or Democratic – must follow when entering into and conducting trade talks with foreign countries while also increasing transparency by requiring that Congress have access to important information surrounding pending trade deals and that the public receive detailed updates and see the full details of trade agreements well before they are signed. When the trade agreement meets the United States’ objectives and Congress is sufficiently consulted, the legislation allows for trade deals to be submitted to Congress for an up-or-down vote, an incentive for negotiating nations to put their best offer forward for any deal. At the same time, the bill creates a new mechanism to withdraw TPA procedures and hold the administration accountable should it fail to meet the requirements of TPA,” according to the bill sponsors. (Read bill text) Senate Democrats also negotiated into the “fast-track” package consideration of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act (S 1268), a federal program that helps retrain workers who have lost their jobs because companies moving production overseas.
From our Hill Sources: TPA now must be considered by the House, where House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is supportive though many in the Republican caucus are not. This vote is anticipated to be another nail-biter that will require Democratic and Republican cooperation. The White House is pushing for House Democrats' support, while 151 House Democrats sent a letter saying they will not support TPA.
Honoring Veterans on Memorial Day
Three years after the end of the Civil War (May 5, 1868), an organization of Union veterans established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. May 30 was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. (Nine facts about Memorial Day.) This week on POPVOX, we are highlighting bills related to veterans:
GI Bill Fairness Act (S 602 and in the House, HR 1141)
Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) “Would ensure wounded Guardsmen and Reservists receive the GI Bill benefits they’ve earned,” according to the bill sponsors. “Members of the Guard or Reserve who are wounded in combat are often given orders under 10 USC 12301(h) for their recovery, treatment and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, federal law does not recognize such orders as eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill education assistance, meaning that unlike other members of the military, these members of the Guard and Reserve actually lose benefits for being injured in the line of duty. The GI Bill Fairness Act would end that unequal treatment and ensure these service members are eligible for the same GI Bill benefits as active duty members of the military.” (Read bill text)
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (S 681)
Sponsor: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) “To ensure thousands of Navy veterans known as "Blue Water" vets from the Vietnam War exposed to the powerful toxin Agent Orange will be eligible to receive disability and health care benefits they have earned for diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure, according to bill sponsors. “During the Vietnam War, the US military sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam to remove jungle foliage. This toxic chemical had devastating effects for millions serving in Vietnam. In 1991, Congress passed a law requiring Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide presumptive coverage to Vietnam veterans with illnesses that the Institute of Medicine has directly linked to Agent Orange exposure. However, in 2002 the VA determined that it would only cover Veterans who could prove that they had orders for “boots on the ground” during the Vietnam War. This exclusion affects thousands of sailors who may have still received significant Agent Orange exposure from receiving VA benefits.” (Read bill text)
21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act (S 1203)
Sponsor: Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) “Comprehensive legislation designed to create a system that can withstand surges in disability claims without generating another veteran disability claims backlog,” according to the bill sponsors. “Will assist and educate veterans on the benefits of submitting a completed claim and encourages the use of the resources and services available to help a veteran complete a claim.” “Institutes improvements to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) processes to increase accuracy and efficiency at the regional office level, and ensure transparency.” “Holds the government accountable and helps to ensure the claims process is a priority.” (Read bill text)
Charlie Morgan Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act (S 270)
Sponsor: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) “Extending veterans benefits to same-sex couples and their families regardless of where they live,” according to the bill sponsor. “The legislation is named after the late New Hampshire National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan who passed away in 2013 after a battle with breast cancer; after her passing, Morgan’s wife and daughter were initially ineligible to receive certain survivor benefits until the Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. To this day, families in states where same-sex marriages are not recognized remain ineligible for certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.” (Read bill text)
— 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. —
