AKA, We don't need no stinkin' Debates! Just cram it in the 1,603-page Budget Bill.
Now everyone sign on the dotted line ... and nobody gets hurt.
And it shall be decreed across the land ...
by the United States Government Printing Office -- Founded: March 4, 1861:
DECEMBER 9, 2014
RULES COMMITTEE PRINT 113-59
TEXT OF HOUSE AMENDMENT TO THE SENATE
AMENDMENT TO H.R. 83
[Showing the text of the Consolidated and Further
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015]
1 In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the
2 Senate, insert the following:
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Consolidated and Fur-
5 ther Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015’’.
[...]
pg 5
22 SEC. 8. ADJUSTMENTS TO COMPENSATION.
23 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no ad-
24 justment shall be made under section 610(a) of the Legis-
25 lative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 31) (relating
pg 6
1 to cost of living adjustments for Members of Congress)
2 during fiscal year 2015.
3 SEC. 9. STUDY OF ELECTRIC RATES IN THE INSULAR
4 AREAS.
5 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
6 (1) COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY PLAN.—The term
7 ‘‘comprehensive energy plan’’ means a comprehen-
8 sive energy plan prepared and updated under sub-
9 sections (c) and (e) of section 604 of the Act entitled
10 ‘‘An Act to authorize appropriations for certain in-
11 sular areas of the United States, and for other pur-
12 poses’’, approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C.
13 1492).
14 (2) ENERGY ACTION PLAN.—The term ‘‘energy
15 action plan’’ means the plan required by subsection
16 (d).
17 (3) FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES.—The term
18 ‘‘Freely Associated States’’ means the Federated
19 States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall
20 Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
21 (4) INSULAR AREAS.—The term ‘‘insular areas’’
22 means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
23 Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and
24 the Virgin Islands.
pg 7
1 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
2 the Secretary of the Interior.
3 (6) TEAM.—The term ‘‘team’’ means the team
4 established by the Secretary under subsection (b).
5 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after
6 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall,
7 within the Empowering Insular Communities activity, es-
8 tablish a team of technical, policy, and financial experts—
9 (1) to develop an energy action plan addressing
10 the energy needs of each of the insular areas and
11 Freely Associated States; and
12 (2) to assist each of the insular areas and Free-
13 ly Associated States in implementing such plan.
14 (c) PARTICIPATION OF REGIONAL UTILITY ORGANI-
15 ZATIONS.—In establishing the team, the Secretary shall
16 consider including regional utility organizations.
17 (d) ENERGY ACTION PLAN.—In accordance with sub-
18 section (b), the energy action plan shall include—
19 (1) recommendations, based on the comprehen-
20 sive energy plan where applicable, to—
21 (A) reduce reliance and expenditures on
22 fuel shipped to the insular areas and Freely As-
23 sociated States from ports outside the United
24 States;
pg 8
1 (B) develop and utilize domestic fuel en-
2 ergy sources; and
3 (C) improve performance of energy infra-
4 structure and overall energy efficiency;
5 (2) a schedule for implementation of such rec-
6 ommendations and identification and prioritization
7 of specific projects;
8 (3) a financial and engineering plan for imple-
9 menting and sustaining projects; and
10 (4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward
11 implementation.
12 (e) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 year
13 after the date on which the Secretary establishes the team
14 and annually thereafter, the team shall submit to the Sec-
15 retary a report detailing progress made in fulfilling its
16 charge and in implementing the energy action plan.
17 (f) ANNUAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later
18 than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary re-
19 ceives a report submitted by the team under subsection
20 (e), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate commit-
21 tees of Congress a summary of the report of the team.
22 (g) APPROVAL OF SECRETARY REQUIRED.—The en-
23 ergy action plan shall not be implemented until the Sec-
24 retary approves the energy action plan.
Good thing that the "Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau" are getting
an "Energy Plan" eh?
Welcome to the 19th Century guys ... Whew! The rest of us were worried about that one ...
Now scanning ahead a few pages ... Ding! Ding! we have a winner ...
pg 33
11 CORPORATIONS
12 The following corporations and agencies are hereby
13 authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of
14 funds and borrowing authority available to each such cor-
15 poration or agency and in accord with law, and to make
16 contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year
17 limitations as provided by section 104 of the Government
18 Corporation Control Act as may be necessary in carrying
19 out the programs set forth in the budget for the current
20 fiscal year for such corporation or agency, except as here-
21 inafter provided.
22 FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION FUND
23 For payments as authorized by section 516 of the
24 Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums
25 as may be necessary, to remain available until expended.
pg 34
1 COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION FUND
2 REIMBURSEMENT FOR NET REALIZED LOSSES
3 (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
4 For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be nec-
5 essary to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for
6 net realized losses sustained, but not previously reim-
7 bursed, pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17,
8 1961 (15 U.S.C. 713a–11): Provided, That of the funds
9 available to the Commodity Credit Corporation under sec-
10 tion 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act
11 (15 U.S.C. 714i) for the conduct of its business with the
12 Foreign Agricultural Service, up to $5,000,000 may be
13 transferred to and used by the Foreign Agricultural Serv-
14 ice for information resource management activities of the
15 Foreign Agricultural Service that are not related to Com-
16 modity Credit Corporation business.
17 HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
18 (LIMITATION ON EXPENSES)
19 For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit
20 Corporation shall not expend more than $5,000,000 for
21 site investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations
22 and maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement
23 of section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental
24 Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C.
pg 35
1 9607(g)), and section 6001 of the Resource Conservation
2 and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6961).
[... and so on ... and so on ...]
Only 1600+ more pages to go ...
to FIND OUT what our "must pass" Tyrants, er ah, I mean "Representatives"
have "ordained" for the American People this time around,
in exchange for extreme-privilege of keeping our Government viable for about another year or so.
Helluva way to run a country ... Don't ya think?
Kind of makes me think one of the main prerequisite for the Job is ...
Wanted Public Representative: to speak up for, and protect the common interests of approximately 700,000 of your fellow Citizens -- Must be very good at looking up and counting Line Numbers.
Sounds about right ... Oh yeah and in the PD fine-print:
Must be good at remembering to return "financial favors" ...
and definitely MUST like taking long Vacations, most of the rest of the year -- when not cramming for "must pass" Budget Bills.
IOW, just another
Piece of Congressional Cake!