House Vote Today - H.R. 3803: DC Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act #HR3803

The House is scheduled to vote on the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) today under suspension of the rules.

Currently:

• Abortion is legal in D.C. up until birth for any reason.
• Recent polling shows that 63% of Americans support banning abortion on pain-capable unborn children and 70% of women support such a ban.
• The most common method of abortion used in the late second trimester is the “D&E” or dismemberment abortion, which involves using a long steel tool to grasp and tear off, by brute force, the arms and legs of the unborn child. Then the head is crushed and removed.
• There is substantial evidence that unborn children can feel pain at least by 20 weeks. Leading expert Dr. Anand at the University of Tennessee has stated, “It is my opinion that the human fetus possesses the ability to experience pain from 20 weeks gestation, if not earlier, and the pain perceived by a fetus is possibly more intense than that perceived by term newborns or older children.”

H.R. 3803: District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
Sponsor: Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] (introduced 1/23/2012)      Cosponsors (222)
Related Bills: S.2103

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ALL ACTIONS 

Legislative Findings:

(1) Pain receptors (nociceptors) are present throughout the unborn child's entire body and nerves link these receptors to the brain's thalamus and subcortical plate by no later than 20 weeks after fertilization.

(2) By 8 weeks after fertilization, the unborn child reacts to touch. After 20 weeks, the unborn child reacts to stimuli that would be recognized as painful if applied to an adult human, for example, by recoiling.

Affordable Care Act Update

1. COURT ACTS ON HHS MANDATE TWO DAYS BEFORE DEADLINE
2. CBO PARTIALLY UPDATES COST ESTIMATE FOR ACA REPEAL
3. CONGRESS SETTING PRIORITIES FOR DEFUNDING HEALTH CARE LAW
4. NO LEGAL AUTHORITY TO PUT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE CUTS ON HOLD
5. AFFORDABILITY RULE IGNORES CHILDREN
6. ACA IN THE STATES
7. IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE TAX
8. OBAMACARE VS. ROE
9. MCDONALD’S CFO SEES UP TO $420M IN NEW HEALTH-CARE COSTS

House Suspension Votes Tuesday

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

2013 Medchip Misinformation Abounds

NewsWithViews is reporting reporting, along with many others, the following incorrect information:

WILL AMERICANS RECEIVE A MICROCHIP IMPLANT IN 2013 PER OBAMACARE?

By Paul McGuire
July 23, 2012
NewsWithViews.com

House Wednesday

On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. First votes expected: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Last votes expected: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

One Minute Speeches (15 per side)

H.R. 6168 - President Obama’s Proposed 2012-2017 Offshore Drilling Lease Sale Plan Act (Suspension, 40 Minutes of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Doc Hastings / Natural Resources Committee)

Complete Consideration of H.R. 6082 - Congressional Replacement of President Obama's Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan, Rules Committee Print (Structured Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Doc Hastings / Natural Resources Committee)

Affordable Care Act loses 69% of its deficit-reducing effect in 16 months

In March 2011, CBO said that the law would reduce the deficit by $210 billion over 10 years, despite increasing spending by $1.042 trillion over 10 years, from 2012 until 2021. The new estimate covers 2022. Using the same time frame, repeal would only add $65 billion, CBO said. (On The Money)

To recap:

• March 2011: Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit by $210 billion over 10 years
• July 2012: Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit by $65 billion over the same time frame.

There is a $145 billion difference between $210 billion and $65 billion which amounts to a 69 percent loss of effectiveness in how much the Affordable Care Act will reduce the deficit.

Some of the change is attributed to fewer covered and other factors in the Supreme Court ruling.

Nonetheless, watch for the trend to continue.

July 24: CBO Analyses Related to the Affordable Care Act

House Schedule

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Friday, the House is not in session.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 459 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

2) H.R. 4157 - Preserving America's Family Farms Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Tom Latham / Education and the Workforce Committee)

3) H.R. 5986 - To amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act to extend the third-country fabric program and to add South Sudan to the list of countries eligible for designation under that Act, to make technical corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States relating to the textile and apparel rules of origin for the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, to approve the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Dave Camp / Ways and Means Committee)

H.R. 6002 - Congressional Replacement of President Obama's Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Doc Hastings / Natural Resources Committee)

H.R. 4078 - Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Tim Griffin / Oversight and Government Reform Committee / Judiciary Committee)

House Legislation Introduced

Rep. John Fleming (LA-04) introduced H.R. 6137, the Helping Save Americans’ Health Care Choices Act of 2012, which would repeal the damage done to HSAs by ObamaCare and strengthens them so consumers can keep more of their own money.

Six bills introduced have been combined into H.R. 4078, the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act.

Jim Jordan (OH-04), Rep. David Camp (MI-04), and other members introduced H.R. 6140, the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act, which would prohibit the Obama administration from unilaterally granting itself the authority to exempt states from the work requirements that were a critical element of welfare reform enacted in 1996.

Affordable Care Act Update

1. EXPECT THE HEALTH CARE LAW TO REENTER THE HEADLINES
2. CONGRESSIONAL ACTION RELATED TO ACA
3. FUNDING ISSUE TAKEN UP IN ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL
4. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: CENTRALIZING POWER
5. REACTION IN THE STATES
6. A LEGAL STRATEGY ON IMPLEMENTATION
7. IMPLEMENTATION LEGAL STRATEGY CUTS TWO WAYS
8. HHS MANDATE LAWSUITS
9. MEDICARE CUTS IN ACA TO HARM SAFETY NET HOSPITALS
10. BUSINESS COMMUNITY REACTION

House Suspension Votes

The House meets at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.

House Schedule - H.R. 5872, H.R. 5856

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

H.R. 5872 - Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 (Suspension, 40 minutes of debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Jeb Hensarling / Budget Committee)

H.R. 5856 - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2013 (Open Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Young / Appropriations Committee)

Week ahead: Senate amendment to repeal ACA

This week's healthcare schedule will remind some of a quieter, simpler time — a time before healthcare reform. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled on the Affordable Care Act and the House has voted to repeal the law for a second time, the issue may finally recede somewhat on Capitol Hill. This is especially true as August recess approaches and as other issues — such as Medicare payments to physicians — cry out for attention before January 1.

The one exception is a possible healthcare repeal vote in the Senate, recently promised by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

"I would remind you all that we had that vote in 2011. Every single Republican voted to repeal it," McConnell said at a press conference Tuesday. "We believe it's appropriate to have that vote again and we'll be working to get that kind of vote in the near future." That day, he filed an amendment to the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act that would repeal the law. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has vowed to block the effort.

—Healthwatch

Affordable Care Act Update

1. A LONGER VIEW OF THE HEALTH CARE COURT OPINION
   
2. HOUSE PASSES 'REPEAL OF OBAMACARE ACT'
   
3. DASCHLE: DEFUNDING IS BIGGEST THREAT
   
4. COST OF PRESIDENT'S HEALTH LAW RISES WITH EACH NEW ESTIMATE
   
5. REACTION IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY
   
6. CONSCIENCE RIGHTS (BACKGROUND)
   
7. HHS MANDATE LAWSUITS
   
8. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM TAX REPEAL ACT
   
9. REACTION IN THE STATES
   
10. EFFECTS ON PREVIOUS HEALTH CARE POLICIES
    
11. SIDE EFFECTS OF THE HEALTH CARE LAW
    

House Tuesday - Suspension Votes

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) S. 2039 - A bill to allow a State or local government to construct levees on certain properties otherwise designated as open space lands (Sponsored by Sen. John Hoveven / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)

2) S. 1959 - Haqqani Network Terrorist Designation Act of 2011, as amended(Sponsored by Sen. Richard Burr / Judiciary Committee)

3) H.R. 6018 - To authorize appropriations for the Department of State for fiscal year 2013, and for other purposes, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen / Foreign Affairs Committee)

4) S. 2165 - United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012(Sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer / Foreign Affairs Committee)

5) S. 2009 - Insular Areas Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman / Foreign Affairs Committee)

S. 3290: Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012

S. 3290: Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012
Sponsor: Sen Vitter, David [LA] (introduced 6/13/2012)      Cosponsors (30)
Related Bills: H.R.3541

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ALL ACTIONS 

Bill Text

Findings:

1. Women are a vital part of American society and culture and possess the same fundamental human rights and civil rights as men.

Legislative Update

In addition to health care related items, Congress has a full week ahead.

DC Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
On Tuesday, July 10, 2012 the House Judiciary Committee will hold a mark-up of several bills including H.R. 3803, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This legislation would prohibit any abortion from being conducted in the District of Columbia on unborn children 20 weeks post-fertilization age or later.

Affordable Care Act Update

1. SUPREME COURT TERM ENDS, 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW STANDS
   
2. HOUSE TO VOTE ON TOTAL REPEAL OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW
   
3. HOUSE TO VOTE ON FUNDING IMPLEMENTATION OF 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW
   
4. HOUSE HEARING TUESDAY ON TAX RAMIFICATIONS OF NFIB V. SEBELIUS
   
5. 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW THREATENS PRACTICE OF MEDICINE
   
6. 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW HINDERS MISSIONS
   
7. 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW IGNORES RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
   
8. NFIB V. SEBELIUS WAS FRAUDULENT BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT
   
9. TAX INCREASES INCLUDED IN THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW
   
10. STATES REJECTING THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW
    

Findings in Repeal of Obamacare Act address abortion funding and conscience protections

House Republicans late Thursday released their proposal to repeal the 2010 healthcare law, arguing that it has increased healthcare costs, puts Americans at risk of losing coverage and is dragging down the economy.

The Repeal of Obamacare Act is a response to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the law, and argues that despite that ruling, solving the nation's healthcare problems must begin with repeal of the law.

"The path to patient-centered care and lower costs for all Americans must begin with a full repeal of the law," the Repeal of Obamacare Act reads. (The Hill)

Findings number (7) and (8) address the issue of abortion funding and conscience protections:

House Markup - H.R. 3803: DC Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On Tuesday, July 10, 2012 the House Judiciary Committee will hold a mark-up of several bills including H.R. 3803, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This legislation would prohibit any abortion from being conducted in the District of Columbia on unborn children 20 weeks post-fertilization age or later.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012 10:00 a.m. 2141 Rayburn House Office Building

A hearing on H.R. 3803 was held in the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on May 17, 2012.

July 11: House to vote on repealing Affordable Care Act

The Supreme Court decision indicates that we have entered an age where, unless something changes, the federal government will be in indefinite control of health care. On July 11th, the House will move to make that change and vote on a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor delivered the following remarks at a press conference with House Republican Leaders:

House FY2013 Financial Services Appropriations bill prohibits implementation of the Affordable Care Act

The House as early as next week will pass legislation prohibiting the IRS from receiving any money from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement the 2010 healthcare reform law.

Passage of the financial services spending bill is especially timely in light of last week's Supreme Court ruling that penalties the government can impose under the law against people who refuse to buy health insurance can be seen as a tax, because it is enforced like a tax.

Supreme Court 2011 Term End: Affordable Care Act Upheld

Thursday’s Supreme Court decision to uphold “Obamacare” (a.k.a., the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) came as a welcome surprise to many, and left others fuming. Chief Justice John Roberts, who ultimately sided with liberals on the Mandate issue, has been hailed as everything from a savior to a traitor in the big decision of whether implement a universal-like health care system in the U.S. (Forbes)

The only way Roberts could get a majority to uphold the law — and thus assign the opinion to himself, the prerogative of the Chief Justice — was to join with the liberal wing on the narrow question of whether the mandate was in fact a tax even if President Obama and Congress denied it was. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined with him for this critical portion of the opinion.

The cobbled-together nature of the decision doesn’t diminish its sheer legal cleverness, bordering on brilliance. By upholding the law, Roberts sheltered the court from liberal criticism. At the same time he asserted at least two powerful holdings that pushed the authority of the court further than it had ever gone before. That makes Roberts the heir to the one of the first Chief Justices, John Marshall, who protected the infant court from being strangled in its crib in the early years of this country while also establishing its power to invalidate acts of Congress.

House Hearings - Dodd-Frank Burdens

The House Financial Services Committee plans to spend much of July focusing on the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and what committee Republicans say are the law's burdensome regulations on companies and consumers.

"With this month marking the second anniversary of passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Financial Services Committee is focusing attention throughout July on the burdens this law's 2,300 pages and more than 400 new rules layer on American companies, financial markets and consumers," committee Republicans said this week.

House Hearing - Tax Ramifications of NFIB v. Sebelius (2012 health care law ruling)

The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing next week on the "tax ramifications" of the Supreme Court's ruling on the healthcare law.

The July 10 hearing will mark the first chance for members of Congress to formally hash out the surprise ruling, which allowed the law's mandate to buy health insurance by treating it as a tax, even though Chief Justice John Roberts said it could not be upheld as a way to regulate commerce under the Commerce Clause.