If you are not convinced of the importance of gaining a majority in the Senate in 2006, I hope the following will urge you to reconsider your position. Below are printed five peices of legislation proposed by Senate Repubicans. I provide brief explanations of the legislation, and I also list each bill's cosponsors. As you read the legislation, you will notice certain patterns, which I will explain below. You will also notice how aggressive these bills are in furthering George Bush's agenda. In many ways, this diary is meant to disgust, upset and mobilize the readers of DailyKos. Although some of this may not be very surprising, it can provide us with more ammunition during the 2006 midterm elections.
#1 S.J. Res. 1
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage.
Once again, Sen. Wayne Allard has proposed an amendment to the US Constitution defining marriage as "only of the union of a man and a woman." This amendment applies not just to the US Constitution, however; it also applies to "the Constitution of any State." Submitting the bill, which is called the "Marriage Protection Act," on 24 JAN 2005, Allard hoped the expansion of the Republicans' majority in the Senate would flout the Democrats' attempt to filibuster this bill. The bill was recently approved for full Committee consideration by the Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights. Here are the bills predictable cosponsors:
Sen Alexander, Lamar [TN]
Sen Allen, George [VA] - 2006 Incumbent and potential Republican candidate for the 2008 Presidential race
Sen Brownback, Sam [KS] - Potential Republican candidate for the 2008 Presidential race
Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS]
Sen Cornyn, John [TX]
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC]
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]
Sen Frist, William H. [TN] - Potential Republican candidate for the 2008 Presidential race
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK]
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Kyl, Jon [AZ] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen McConnell, Mitch [KY]
Sen Roberts, Pat [KS]
Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Sessions, Jeff [AL]
Sen Shelby, Richard C. [AL]
Sen Stevens, Ted [AK]
Sen Talent, Jim [MO] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Thune, John [SD] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
#2 S. 7
A bill to increase American jobs and economic growth by making permanent the individual income tax rate reductions, the reduction in the capital gains and dividend tax rates, and the repeal of the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
Having had received instructions from George W. Bush after the Republicans increased their majority in the Senate during the 2004 elections, Sen. Jon Kyl crafted legislation on 24 January 2005 to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Notice this bill was introduced on the same day as the Allard bill. The Republicans certainly know how to work quickly when it comes to furthering Bush's agenda. The bill has already been read twice, and it is awaiting the consideration of the Committee on Finance. Here are the bill's cosponsors:
Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]
Sen Frist, William H. [TN] - Potential Republican candidate for the 2008 Presidential election
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen McConnell, Mitch [KY]
Sen Roberts, Pat [KS]
Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
#3 S. 1302
A bill to amend the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to stop the Congress from spending Social Security surpluses on other Government programs by dedicating those surpluses to personal accounts that can only be used to pay Social Security benefits.
Erroneously named "Stop the Raid on Social Security Act of 2005," Jim De Mint's bill, introduced on 23 JUN 2005, or after the American public rejected Bush's attempt to liquidate Social Security and substitute it with private investment accounts, promises to maintain Social Security benefits for those born before "January 1, 1950," but those born after this date must establish private investment accounts with credit gained from all wages earned after "December 31, 2005." The bill therefore only stops the raid on Social Security for today's Seniors. Rick Santorum is currently touting his support of this bill in his 2006 campaign. Recently referred to the Committee on Finance, this bill may receive attention in the near future. Here are the bill's cosponsors:
Sen Brownback, Sam [KS] - Potential Republican candidate in the 2008 Presidential elections
Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Cornyn, John [TX]
Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID]
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]
Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC]
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Sununu, John E. [NH]
#4 S. 51
A bill to ensure that women seeking an abortion are fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child.
Also submitted on 24 JAN 2005, Sen. Sam Brownback, emboldened by the Republcans' expanded majority in the Senate, thought the time was ripe to chip away at Roe v. Wade. Acccording to his bill, all medical representatives terminating a pregancy "20 weeks after fertilization," whether it be by "dismemberment, poisoning, penetrating or crushing the skull, or other methods," must engage in the psychological manipulation of their patient by reciting the following:
"`You are considering having an abortion of an unborn child who will have developed, at the time of the abortion, approximately XX weeks after fertilization. The Congress of the United States has determined that at this stage of development, an unborn child has the physical structures necessary to experience pain. There is substantial evidence that by this point, unborn children draw away from surgical instruments in a manner which in an infant or an adult would be interpreted as a response to pain. Congress finds that there is substantial evidence that the process of being killed in an abortion will cause the unborn child pain, even though you receive a pain-reducing drug or drugs. Under the Federal Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005, you have the option of choosing to have anesthesia or other pain-reducing drug or drugs administered directly to the pain-capable unborn child if you so desire. The purpose of administering such drug or drugs would be to reduce or eliminate the capacity of the unborn child to experience pain during the abortion procedure. In some cases, there may be some additional risk to you associated with administering such a drug."
Notice how Congress, or its more extreme Republican members, has usurped science in determing when a conglomeration of cells experiences pain. Penalties for not uttering this ridiculous mantra are very severe. A second offense can result in the revocation of a medical administrator's liscence. One of the most graphic and lurid bills I have ever read, it is awaiting the consideration of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Here are the bills cosponsors:
Sen Alexander, Lamar [TN]
Sen Allen, George [VA] - Potential Republican candidate in the 2008 Presidential elections
Sen Bunning, Jim [KY]
Sen Burns, Conrad R. [MT] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA]
Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS]
Sen Coleman, Norm [MN]
Sen Cornyn, John [TX]
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen DeWine, Mike [OH] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC]
Sen Ensign, John [NV] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]
Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC]
Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA]
Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE]
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK]
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Kyl, Jon [AZ] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen McConnell, Mitch [KY]
Sen Roberts, Pat [KS]
Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Sessions, Jeff [AL]
Sen Shelby, Richard C. [AL]
Sen Talent, Jim [MO] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Thune, John [SD] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Voinovich, George V. [OH]
#5 S. 988
A bill to permanently repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
Just in case Kyl's bill does not pass, Sen. Jeff Sessions, an ostensible "fiscal conservative," submitted a bill on 10 MAY 2005 that permanently repeals the estate tax. Only benefitting the very wealthy, this bill will increase the deficit and decrease the funds available for social programs. Sessions, you might remember, was perversely touting this bill as a solution to the financial devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. The bill is awaiting the Committee on Finance's attention. Here are the bill's cosponsors:
Sen Alexander, Lamar [TN]
Sen Allard, Wayne [CO]
Sen Allen, George [VA] - Potential Republican candidate in the 2008 Presidential elections
Sen Bunning, Jim [KY]
Sen Burns, Conrad R. [MT] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA]
Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS]
Sen Cornyn, John [TX]
Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID]
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Ensign, John [NV] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY]
Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC]
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK]
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 2006 Incumbent
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Sununu, John E. [NH]
Sen Thune, John [SD] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - Rubber stamp elected in 2004
Notice how Vitter, Thune, Martinez, Burr, De Mint and Isakson, the 6 Republican freshmen in the 109th Congress, all blindly support this legislation. The charge that they are rubber-stamps, mere puppets, is proven in this diary. Vulnerable 2006 incumbents such as Burns, Talent and Santorum will also have to explain their sponsorship of this legislation. And Jon Kyl, having had already earned over a million dollars from a Bush fundraiser, will have to explain to his constituents why he desires to make the unpopular President's tax cuts permanent. If Democrats had a majority in Congress, none of these bills would ever make it to the floor. But with one more session of the 109th Congress ahead of us, some of this legislation will make it to the floor, and I imagine the Republicans will scream for an "up or down vote." Let us try to derail Bush's agenda by donating to the campaigns of our 2006 Democratic challengers and incumbents.