From our Hill Sources: Congress is in recess this week for July 4th, but there’s still a lot happening in Washington. The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional. The Treasury Dept. announced there will be a woman on the next $10 bill. A new bill was introduced guaranteeing paid vacation days. And take a look at Congressional transparency.
The Supreme Court’s Same-Sex Marriage Decision and the 14th Amendment
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5-to-4 vote that all state same-sex marriage bans violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of due process and equal protection. Justice Anthony Kennedy, in writing the majority opinion, explained:
“The right of same-sex couples to marry that is part of the liberty promised by the Fourteenth Amendment is derived, too, from that Amendment’s guarantee of the equal protection of the laws. The Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause are connected in a profound way, though they set forth independent principles. Rights implicit in liberty and rights secured by equal protection may rest on different precepts and are not always coextensive, yet in some instances each may be instructive as to the meaning and reach of the other. In any particular case one Clause may be thought to capture the essence of the right in a more accurate and comprehensive way, even as the two Clauses may converge in the identification and definition of the right.” (Source: SCOTUSblog)
In Congress, the Supreme Court’s decision also brought up the issue of religious freedom. In introducing the First Amendment Defense Act (HR 2802), Congressman Raul Labrador (R-ID) explained:
“The decision makes it all the more important that Congress move to protect the religious liberty of those who believe in traditional marriage. No American should be penalized for following their religious beliefs or moral convictions. In the majority opinion, Justice Kennedy states, ‘The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered.’ To provide those very protections, I have introduced the First Amendment Defense Act.”
First Amendment Defense Act (HR 2802 and S 1598 in the Senate)
Sponsor: Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) “Would prohibit any federal agency from denying a tax exemption, grant, contract, license or certification to an individual, association, or business based on their belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.” As the bill sponsor explained: “It is imperative that we move quickly to protect the religious liberty of religious organizations and persons and I call on the leadership of the House and the Senate to speed up consideration of this bill and its companion, S 1598, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT).” (Read bill text)
Thinking about a Summer Vacation?
With Congress in recess—and most kids heading for summer break—we wanted to share a recently introduced bill that would guarantee 10 days of paid vacation:
Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act (S 1564)
Sponsor: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) “Would provide 10 days of paid vacation for employees who have worked for an employer for at least one year. A recent study by Oxford Economics found benefits of taking time off from work include higher productivity, greater employee retention, increased workplace morale, significant health benefits and a boost to the economy,” according to the bill sponsor. (Read bill text)
Do You Read the Bills?
Many POPVOX users often ask us whether people actually read bill text before weighing in—and whether Members of Congress read the bills before voting. We’re also often asked why Congress can’t simplify their proposals. To that end, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) recently introduced a package of bills addressing Congressional transparency. “Too often in Congress, legislation is pushed through without hearings, amendments, or debate. I firmly believe the American people have a right to be part of the legislative process. My bills will allow citizens sufficient time to read and give input to members of Congress as they consider legislation impacting the lives of all Americans,” Sen. Paul said.
Write the Laws Act (S 1575)
Sponsor: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) Prohibits an Act of Congress from containing any delegation of legislative powers, whether to: (1) any component within the legislative branch, (2) the President or any other member of the executive branch, (3) the judicial branch, (4) any agency, (5) any quasi-public agency, (6) any state or state instrumentality, or (7) any other organization or individual. (Read bill text)
One Subject at a Time Act (S 1572)
Sponsor: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) To end the practice of including more than one subject in a single bill by requiring that each bill enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject. (Read bill text)
Read the Bills Act (S 1571)
Sponsor: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) Bars a vote on final passage of a measure (except private bills) from occurring in either chamber, unless: (1) the full text of the measure is published at least seven days before the vote on an official website of each chamber, (2) public notice of the specific calendar week during which the vote is scheduled to take place is posted on the respective website within six days before the Monday of such week, and (3) there is a reading of its full text verbatim by the Clerk or the Secretary to the respective chamber. Requires a Member of Congress, before voting in favor of final passage of any measure (except a private bill) to sign an affidavit, executed under penalty of perjury, that the Member either: (1) was present throughout the entire reading of each such measure, and listened attentively to such reading in its entirety; or (2) before such vote, read attentively each such measure in its entirety. (Read bill text)
A Woman on the $10 Bill
Last week, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that a woman will be featured on the 2020 release of the $10 note. The year 2020 will mark the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The Treasury Department is “asking the American people to share ideas, symbols, and designs for the new $10 note that reflect what democracy means to them.” You can share your ideas by visiting thenew10.treasury.gov.
To date, Martha Washington is the only woman whose portrait has appeared on a US currency note. The engraving appeared on the face of the $1 Silver Certificate, Series 1886 and 1891, and on the back of the $1 Silver Certificate, Series 1896. (Learn more.)
Related Bills in Congress
Panel to Recommend a Woman on the Ten Dollar Bill (S 1613)
Sponsor: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Require the Secretary of the Treasury to convene a panel of citizens to make a recommendation to the Secretary regarding the likeness of a woman on the ten dollar bill. (Read bill text)
Celebrating the First Woman in Congress Currency Act (S 1633)
Sponsor: Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) Requires that former Montana Representative Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, be featured as the first woman on U.S. paper currency. (Read bill text)
“Jeannette Rankin, a proud Montanan and the first woman to serve in Congress, has left a lasting mark on our nation’s democratic process,” according to the bill sponsor. “She is a true example of America’s rich legacy of service and I urge the Treasury to make her the first woman to serve as the face of our paper currency.”
Harriet Tubman Tribute Act (HR 2610 and in the Senate, S 1508)
Sponsor: Rep. John Katko (R-NY) Would require the Secretary of the Treasury to place Harriet Tubman’s likeness on a Federal Reserve Note by 2017. (Read bill text)
Harriet Tubman “bravely led countless Americans to freedom and opportunity, courageously fought for her country, and was an outspoken advocate for women’s suffrage,” explained the bill sponsors. “Placing Harriet Tubman on our US Currency is a fitting tribute to a woman who fought to make the values enshrined in our Constitution a reality for all Americans.”
— 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. —
