Congress returns for short pre-election session
WASHINGTON (AP) - When lawmakers return to Washington on Monday, they face big issues, including taxes, spending cuts and the prospect of a debilitating "fiscal cliff" in January. Yet Congress is expected to do what it often does best: punt problems to the future.
With Election Day less than two months away, their focus seems to be on the bare minimum - preventing a government shutdown when the budget year ends Sept. 30.
Democrats controlling the Senate and their House GOP rivals also will also try to set up votes intended to score political points or paint the other side with an unflattering brush two months before the election. Their efforts are sure to be overshadowed by the presidential campaign.
Topping the agenda of substantive business is a six-month temporary spending bill to finance the government's day-to-day operations. The annual appropriations process on Capitol Hill collapsed about midway through the campaign season. The stopgap measure would give the next Congress time to fashion a full-year plan. There would be no more sure way of driving Congress' approval ratings even lower than for lawmakers to stumble into a government shutdown right before the Nov. 6 vote.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., hope to present the measure this week, with a House vote as early as Thursday. The measure also will ensure a steady flow of money into disaster aid accounts.
More challenging is what to do with one of the most significant pieces of leftover business, a five-year farm bill. It would overhaul crop safety net programs while funding the food stamp program that now provides assistance to more than 46 million people.
The current farm act expires at the end of September. House Republican leaders are wary of bringing the bill to the floor. It now appears that Congress will at most opt for a temporary extension of the old bill, including drought aid for livestock producers whose assistance programs expired last year.
But it's not certain lawmakers will do even that. Without a formal extension, food stamp and other nutrition programs would continue to function beyond Sept. 30. Most farmers would not be affected because the current farm bill covers 2012 crops regardless of when they are harvested.
The food and farm legislation has bedeviled House leaders because many GOP conservatives want deeper cuts to food stamps than Democrats, whose votes are needed to pass the measure, are willing to go for.
In all likelihood, political votes are on tap. New York Sen. Charles Schumer, a key Democratic Party strategist, wants a procedural vote on the House Republican budget plan written by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP vice presidential nominee.
"Let 'em embrace it again," Schumer said while making the rounds at the Democratic convention last Thursday.
In the House, Republicans promise a vote Friday on a bill called the "No More Solyndras Act," which would phase out Energy Department loan guarantees for solar and wind energy companies. It's unlikely to even get a vote in the Senate.
Solyndra Inc. went bankrupt last year after receiving a loan guarantee from the Obama administration, even as some White House aides raised red flags. The California company's failure left taxpayers on the hook for $500 million.
But after a full five-day workweek, House members could be packing up and leaving the Capitol by Friday evening to return to their districts to campaign. At most, they'll return the following week. The Senate is also likely to have a shortened September schedule.
What may be most noteworthy then about the abbreviated pre-election session is not what Congress is doing but the stack of must-do work that lawmakers are leaving unfinished until a postelection lame-duck session.
Topping the list is the expiration of the full menu of President George W. Bush-era tax cuts on Dec. 31. The resulting tax increases, when combined with more than $100 billion in automatic across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect at the same time, have become known as the fiscal cliff. Economists warn that unless Congress acts, the one-two austerity punch would send the fragile economy back into recession.
The automatic cuts are punishment for the inability of last year's deficit reduction "supercommittee" to strike a bargain to cut 10-year deficits by at least $1.2 trillion as promised by last summer's debt and budget pact. The Bush tax cuts were originally set to expire at the end of 2010 but were renewed two years ago. President Barack Obama promises to raise the top tax rate on upper bracket earners back to the Clinton-era level of 39.6 percent, up from 35 percent now.
Other pressing issues for the lame-duck session include averting an almost 30 percent cut in physicians' Medicare fees, the food and farm bill, passing the annual Pentagon policy bill, a Russia free trade bill and legislation to reform the Postal Service, which is now losing $25 million a day. Congressional inaction now would mean the Postal Service will default on a $5.5 billion payment into its pension fund that due at the end of the month.
With Election Day less than two months away, their focus seems to be on the bare minimum - preventing a government shutdown when the budget year ends Sept. 30.
Democrats controlling the Senate and their House GOP rivals also will also try to set up votes intended to score political points or paint the other side with an unflattering brush two months before the election. Their efforts are sure to be overshadowed by the presidential campaign.
Topping the agenda of substantive business is a six-month temporary spending bill to finance the government's day-to-day operations. The annual appropriations process on Capitol Hill collapsed about midway through the campaign season. The stopgap measure would give the next Congress time to fashion a full-year plan. There would be no more sure way of driving Congress' approval ratings even lower than for lawmakers to stumble into a government shutdown right before the Nov. 6 vote.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., hope to present the measure this week, with a House vote as early as Thursday. The measure also will ensure a steady flow of money into disaster aid accounts.
More challenging is what to do with one of the most significant pieces of leftover business, a five-year farm bill. It would overhaul crop safety net programs while funding the food stamp program that now provides assistance to more than 46 million people.
The current farm act expires at the end of September. House Republican leaders are wary of bringing the bill to the floor. It now appears that Congress will at most opt for a temporary extension of the old bill, including drought aid for livestock producers whose assistance programs expired last year.
But it's not certain lawmakers will do even that. Without a formal extension, food stamp and other nutrition programs would continue to function beyond Sept. 30. Most farmers would not be affected because the current farm bill covers 2012 crops regardless of when they are harvested.
The food and farm legislation has bedeviled House leaders because many GOP conservatives want deeper cuts to food stamps than Democrats, whose votes are needed to pass the measure, are willing to go for.
In all likelihood, political votes are on tap. New York Sen. Charles Schumer, a key Democratic Party strategist, wants a procedural vote on the House Republican budget plan written by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP vice presidential nominee.
"Let 'em embrace it again," Schumer said while making the rounds at the Democratic convention last Thursday.
In the House, Republicans promise a vote Friday on a bill called the "No More Solyndras Act," which would phase out Energy Department loan guarantees for solar and wind energy companies. It's unlikely to even get a vote in the Senate.
Solyndra Inc. went bankrupt last year after receiving a loan guarantee from the Obama administration, even as some White House aides raised red flags. The California company's failure left taxpayers on the hook for $500 million.
But after a full five-day workweek, House members could be packing up and leaving the Capitol by Friday evening to return to their districts to campaign. At most, they'll return the following week. The Senate is also likely to have a shortened September schedule.
What may be most noteworthy then about the abbreviated pre-election session is not what Congress is doing but the stack of must-do work that lawmakers are leaving unfinished until a postelection lame-duck session.
Topping the list is the expiration of the full menu of President George W. Bush-era tax cuts on Dec. 31. The resulting tax increases, when combined with more than $100 billion in automatic across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect at the same time, have become known as the fiscal cliff. Economists warn that unless Congress acts, the one-two austerity punch would send the fragile economy back into recession.
The automatic cuts are punishment for the inability of last year's deficit reduction "supercommittee" to strike a bargain to cut 10-year deficits by at least $1.2 trillion as promised by last summer's debt and budget pact. The Bush tax cuts were originally set to expire at the end of 2010 but were renewed two years ago. President Barack Obama promises to raise the top tax rate on upper bracket earners back to the Clinton-era level of 39.6 percent, up from 35 percent now.
Other pressing issues for the lame-duck session include averting an almost 30 percent cut in physicians' Medicare fees, the food and farm bill, passing the annual Pentagon policy bill, a Russia free trade bill and legislation to reform the Postal Service, which is now losing $25 million a day. Congressional inaction now would mean the Postal Service will default on a $5.5 billion payment into its pension fund that due at the end of the month.
I believe this is one more reason we need term limits. These people are always interested in what benefits their political careers more than they are in doing what's best for this country. Our government is to large, has
taken to much control, and is self serving to say the least.
I dont see why they even bothered returning to DC; they could have stayed home, gone on vacation to exotic lands, or gone to disneyland and gotten more accomplished. They would have at the very least saved taxpayers money.
These crooks get nothing accomplished except lie, cheat, and rack up a crushing federal debt.
Look people here is what happened. Before the stimulus the budget for all of the US funded projects from the DOE, was about 300 million that was divided on population density. Under stimulus that went to 3 billion dollars a year, again was passed out based on population density. The problem is the money went to city, counties, and utilities, which were used to much smaller budgets. These municipalities were told that they had to spend those funds by June of 2013 or they would lose it. So they then went and dulled it out to Not for profit Community Action Agencies, that again were used to much smaller budgets, and didnât want to lose it so they started mis-spending millions of dollars in consultants and hired people at a premium price that were used to dealing with money of that volume. At the end of the day the Energy stimulus, just like the regular stimulus didnât really create very many jobs.Â
All the drama in the 11th hour 59th minute etc.! I mean after all it's only the middle-class and poor futures at stake.....
Austerity measures don't work. Look at Greece and several of its neighbors. The gov needs to cut pork from non essential area's and people need to do a better job of electing folks, and communicating with those elected to work for the will of the people, not the will of the gooberment. Both sides need to concede on reasoning for the better of the country, and actually listen to the people that elected them there.Â
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I have seen first hand how the billions were mis spent in the energy sector. Solyndras is just one of many companies that failed.Â
"In the House, Republicans promise a vote Friday on a bill called the "No More Solyndras Act," which would phase out Energy Department loan guarantees for solar and wind energy companies. It's unlikely to even get a vote in the Senate."
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So.. the House passes a bill... and the Senate-controlled by Harry Reid and the Democrats- refuses to vote on it.
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And this would mean that the REPUBLICANS are the obstructionists?
@Sid Vishess The argument you just cited clearly illustrates that nothing gets accomplished. If the democrats introduced a measure or vote, the republicans would obstruct it as well. Both parties are guilty of the same thing. Partisan politics is/are the worst thing that could have ever happened to this country's political system. I'm sure if the founding fathers could see what has become of the country they created, they would have thought twice about leaving Britian in the 1600s
 @northwestsurferÂ
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"I'm sure if the founding fathers could see what has become of the country they created, they would have thought twice about leaving Britian in the 1600s"
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Actually this is exactly what the founding fathers had in mind. It is called "checks and balances." It prevents one political party from seizing too much control and power. If one party gains too much power and then abuses it by governing against the will of the people the people have the opportunity within two years to stop them by voting them out of power. A perfect example is the 2010 mid-term elections where the American people unhappy with what the Democrats were doing gave the Republicans control of the house of representatives not so they could work with Democrats to pass even more unpopular legislation rather so they could stop them. The Republicans are doing exactly what the American people elected them to do, they are stopping the Democrats cold until they can fix a mistake in 2012.Â
@ByeByeBarry  I dont think this is what they had intended. They might have started with political parties but it has evolved into something beyond what they intended (I am certain). We could accomplish much more in government if we did away with political parties.
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I look at the rest you typed, and its simply a matter of opinion, you dislike the democrats and want someone besides Obama in office.
@Sid Vishess
I'd also like to point out that Solyndras Was started on grant money, and bailed out once already, and are still going bankrupt. Oh but wait first off it was Obama's buddy that started it, and most of the work performed to date, has been in Belgium. I guess we now know who is sending jobs over seas.Â
Bet they don't do much now that they have returned from an undeserved break...They get to many breaks...and don't get much done except bickering back and forth on who's better for the country.. only to the country's detriment.
One other thing, a really good read is the book "Do not ask what good we do."Â Available at your local library.
Congress deliberately hamstrung the postal service when it required advance payment of medical coverage. It was an attempt to force the postal service into bankruptcy so private businesses could take over its business.