Debate on House Floor right now: H.R. 1644 “STREAM Act” benefiting big coal (House Reports: 114-277) because just passed was the overriding Rule, H.RES.583. —Contact U.S. Rep’s. to vote against H.R. 1644 & express your approval or disapproval for prior vote on H.RES.583 ~~~~~ Oppose H.R. 1644 because it only delays protection of Appalachian communities from destructive effects of mountaintop removal mining; simply the next salvo in a 5-year-long political attack the current Majority has been waging on the Stream Protection Rule, a rule that was just released in July 2015 and has not been the subject of any committee hearings since then.
H. RES. 583. It is a completely closed rules on a massive package of legislation which the rule also directs action in January 2017. Live House debate is online now here (either live or from the beginning of today’s House session) [fast forward to 0:43:40] and here (live this minute only).
Please take immediate action on bills that will be on the House floor for votes today and tomorrow, Wednesday 1-12-16 After the State of the Union address and before Iran sanctions relief implementation date later this month. Of many terrible consequences in these bills, one is to prohibit President Obama from delivering on sanctions relief that the House (Congress) had an opportunity to vote on the deal September 10, 2015. There were not enough votes to override a veto nor even to send a resolution of disapproval to the President. And the agreement now has gone into effect. House Committee on Rules Monday has approved H.R. 3662 on a purely partisan vote. The bill was drafted and introduced without consultation with or input from Democrats on the Committee or in the House.
Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121 or Capitol toll-free* at 855-686-6927:
- Ask for your Representative by name. Ask rep. to vote no on overriding H. RES. 583 and to vote no on underlying bills H.R. 3662, and the rest.
- Please click here if you need to look up the name of your Representative.
H.RES.583 Latest Title: Providing for consideration of bill (H.R. 1644) to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to ensure transparency in the development of environmental regulations, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 22) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the definition of "waters of the United States" under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3662) to enhance congressional oversight over the administration of sanctions against certain Iranian terrorism financiers, and for other purposes; and providing for proceedings during the period from January 14, 2016, through January 22, 2016.
The R E P O R T in two parts that accompanies H. Res. 583 from the House Committee on Rules regarding House Resolution 583 that passed by a record vote of 8 to 4 is here including Significant DISSENTING VIEWS. A second part is a separate Report on the same legislation here including two recorded votes of 1-11-16, yesterday.
The rules report specifies much action including these:
Section 3 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3662, the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act, under a closed rule. The resolution provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill. The resolution provides one motion to recommit.
Section 4 of the resolution provides that on any legislative day during the period from January 14, 2016, through January 22, 2016: the Journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved; and the Chair may at any time declare the House adjourned to meet at a date and time to be announced by the Chair in declaring the adjournment.
The bills might be sent to President Obama for signature immediately tomorrow, if passed.
H.R. 3662 – Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act is here. It is yet another example of unproductive partisan politics to undermine what is now established U.S. policy. This bill does not offer measures to strengthen our foreign policy towards Iran. The bill was not drafted in the Foreign Affairs Committee, and no Democrats were consulted during the drafting of the bill. It faces a certain veto by the President but that is irrelevant because this entire charade exposes the U.S. to the entire world as a lying piranha instead of a stable trusted partner who abides by principles of reciprocity and accord.
House Committee on Natural Resources members Raul GRIJALVA [AZ-3, Ranking Member], Jared HUFFMAN, Don BEYER, Alan LOWENTHAL and Grace NAPOLITANO are dug-in leading the fighting against H.R. 1644 “STREAM Act” (House Reports: 114-277). Documented by a 2005 Environmental Impact Statement, nearly 2,000 miles of streams were buried or degraded by mountaintop removal mining from 1985 through 2002. Mountaintop removal mining destroys wildlife habitat, contaminates surface and drinking water, leads to flooding, and as an increasing number of studies show, raises the rates of cancer, birth defects, lung disease, and heart disease in people who live nearby.