Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Foreign Policy

US Lawmakers Visit Taiwan, China Conducted ‘Combat Readiness Patrol


Second Amendment

Republicans warn ATF taking 'giant leap toward a federal firearm registry'

Abortion in “Build Back Better”

The Build Back Better Act, H.R. 5376, has significant Hyde problems: it allows taxpayer dollars to fund elective abortion and subsidize plans that cover election abortion, and it creates funding streams that could be used for abortion facilities or abortion training.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) spoke for a minute on the House floor Thursday, 11/18/2021, in support of protecting life and in opposition to the Build Back Better Act:

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said it was completely unacceptable that the Build Back Better Act expands taxpayer funding of abortion in many new and expanding programs.

The National Right to Life Committee has pointed out that even ObamaCare contained a provision that specifically permitted States to ban elective abortions in their exchanges. The BBB, starting in 2024, would explicitly override the laws of those States.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Biden once said that those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them. This bill coerces us to pay for abortion on demand.

Mr. Speaker, unborn babies need the President of the United States and Members of Congress to be their friends and advocates, not powerful adversaries subsidizing their violent destruction.

Mr. Smith of New Jersey had additional remarks prepared for delivery:

In Context: Understanding what fixes

Of the two tracks of the Biden/Schumer agenda, the bipartisan bill went to President Biden, and the partisan reconciliation bill goes to Senator Manchin.

Even from the bill that is now law, action is not imminent. Notice the absence of “shovel-ready” to describe any of these projects. The government faces the same workforce shortage as everyone else, a problem it is making worse through excessive overreaching mandates and penalties.

Senate Majority Leader Schumer illuminated Thursday how the legislation approaches issues. Take, for instance, the voter pain point of prescription drug costs, specifically insulin. The list price costs have been rising, so Democrats think “Build Back Better will make it so Americans with diabetes don't pay more than $35 per month on insulin” and since that amount is lower than what people have been paying, “people will have more money in their pocket.”

(1) It’s never that simple because problems are never that isolated. (2) Any time any government directly modifies prices previously agreed upon by sellers and buyers there are unintended consequences. Artificially pushing down prices both increases demand and decreases supply. (3) In this case, government isn’t just changing prices for patients, but is also shifting costs to insurance companies.

The party that prides itself on governing takes a similarly simplistic and isolated approach to other issues as well. If you want to solve “gun violence,” eliminate guns and there will, supposedly, be no more violence with guns. If employers aren’t paying enough, they just make them pay more. There’s very little understanding or consideration of how the diverse parts of the economy fit together and affect one another. The underlying assumption is that most everything man does is fine, and we just need laws to fix everything else.

Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

Related Headlines:

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined, summarized

Executive Session

Bill honoring 13 service members killed in Afghanistan heads to Biden's desk — H.R. 5142

Senate confirms first Native American to direct park service

NC's next federal prosecutors confirmed by US Senate

Senate confirms Google critic to lead DOJ antitrust division

Legislative Session

Senate advances defense bill after delay (Over US–China Competition Bill) • Sanders vows to oppose — H.R. 4350


House — Actions passed, summarized

Suspension of the Rules

House passes bill to expand veterans' access to COVID-19, flu vaccines — H.R. 5671

Considered Pursuant to a Rule

House votes to censure Gosar and boot him from committees (H.Res. 789) • Gosar censured and removed from committees over anime AOC video in mostly party-line vote • Boebert faces heavy criticism after Gosar floor speech (1-minute speech)

Rep. Kevin McCarthy bashes $1.75 trillion spending bill in marathon floor speech — Full speech: 3 hours before midnight, 5 hours after

US House votes to pass $1.9tn social spending plan (H.R. 5376) • Biden hails passage • Maine Rep. Jared Golden only Democrat to vote against • Bill has abortion, Health Care Provisions, Temporary immigration protections

In Context: In Everything Give Thanks

Congress is set to return for its full November week in session. The next three weeks could define or redefine America.

The second of those three weeks is the most important.

Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers

National Security / Military

Pentagon, Congress increasingly worried about the rise of Chinese military

Senator Menendez Opposes F-16 Jet Sale to Turkey

Some troops are driven to suicide by hunger, experts say

Gallagher Urges Senate to Authorize Global War on Terror Memorial on Mall


Foreign Policy

PM Modi meets US Congress delegation, has ‘frank’ discussion on shared issues


Fourth Amendment

The White House Abandons Bank-Reporting Plan . . . for Now

In Context: After Elections

A year ago, who expected the Executive Branch of the U.S. Federal government to take a whole-of-government approach to censoring anything but words of praise for the coronavirus injection and to making everyone take said injection? When during the 2020 presidential campaign were we promised to be fired if we did not comply? Those were actions we learned to expect only after the new Administration assumed power.

In elections across the country this week, at least 10 percent of Americans voted for a different direction for the country than they did a year earlier. If we were able to reason together, the Administration would conclude the American people want less of what it is offering. However, we're not dealing with reason. We're dealing with Deuteronomy 28 madness in this country.

Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Report

Related Headlines:

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined, summarized

Executive Session

Schumer touts the “first openly gay woman to serve…in any Federal circuit court in the country” and a nominee who would be “the highest ranking Muslim in government”

Legislative Session

Senate votes to block consideration of John Lewis Voting Rights Act — S. 4


House of Representatives — Actions passed, summarized

Suspension of the Rules

House passes bills to shore up small business cybersecurity

40 House Democrats vote against resolution supporting Cuban protesters — H.Res. 760 (Agreed to 382-40)

Considered Pursuant to a Rule

House holds longest vote in modern history as Democrats struggle for unity — 207-219

House passes infrastructure bill, sending it to Biden's desk • Lawmakers who bucked their parties • mayors praise passage — H.R. 3684