Thursday, March 9, 2017

News: Murder, Defense Appropriations, Repealing Obamacare, Women, Eating Dogs and Cats, Missiles, Financial Scams, Wiretapping, Whistleblowers, Education

Police: Solano County man kills daughter-in-law with hammer
SFGate
March 8, 2017

A 63-year-old man was arrested after confessing that he beat his daughter-in-law to death with a hammer in the garage of their Suisun City home because she disrespected him, police said Wednesday.
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Congressman Andy Biggs’ Statement on Passage of FY17 Defense Appropriations Act
Andy Biggs (R-AZ, 5th)
March 8, 2017

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2017. This bill appropriates $577.9 billion for the Department of Defense ($516.1 billion in base discretionary funding and $61.8 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations / Global War on Terrorism funding). After voting on the bill’s passage, Congressman Andy Biggs released the following statement:
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Bilirakis Gives Remarks During Debate on the American Health Care Act
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL, 12th)
March 8, 2017

During a key House committee debate on the American Health Care Act, the bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) highlighted constituents who faced problems due to the ACA.
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Reps. Bishop, Johnson Re-Introduce Bipartisan Mobile Workforce Bill in 115th Congress
Mike Bishop (R-MI, 8th)
March 7, 2017

Congressman Mike Bishop (MI-8) has re-introduced his third bipartisan bill in the 115th Congress with support from Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-4), the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2017. The bicameral legislation, once again led by Senators John Thune and Sherrod Brown, simplifies state income tax requirements for employees who work multiple days per year outside the state of their residence.
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Blumenauer on GOP Health Care Plan: “Stop This Trainwreck”
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR, 3rd)
March 9, 2017

Today, despite stringent opposition from Democrats, the House Ways and Means Committee took its first step in moving the Republican “health care” proposal toward the House Floor. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) voted against the bill and released the following statement:
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Bonamici Statement on International Women’s Day
Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR, 1st)
Mar 8, 2017

Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) released the following statement in recognition of International Women’s Day:
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BORDALLO STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam)
Mar 8, 2017

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today released the following statement regarding International Women’s Day.
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Boyle Introduces Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2017
Brendan Boyle (D-PA, 13th)
March 7, 2017

“The fact that this legislation is even necessary today is astonishing. It is past time for us to outlaw such a cruel and barbaric practice once and for all. The Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2017 will finally make it illegal to slaughter animals most of us think of as family members. It is my hope that, with the passage of this bill, the United States will no longer be party to this disgusting practice,” said Congressman Boyle.
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Feinstein, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Veterans’ Recruitment Bill
Senator Dianne Feinstein - (D - CA)
March, 9 2017

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined 7 Senate colleagues to cosponsor the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act, which will prioritize the U.S. Department of Justice COPS grant applications of law enforcement agencies who use that funding to hire veterans. This legislation was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) and also cosponsored by Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Dean Heller (R-Nev.).
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Senators Introduce Legislation to Limit Spending on Nuclear War-Fighting Missiles
Senator Dianne Feinstein - (D - CA)
March, 8 2017

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 7 other senators in introducing legislation that will limit funding for a new nuclear-armed air-launched missile, also called the Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO). The cruise missile would be more precise and could be launched without warning, putting pressure on other nuclear-armed states to keep their arsenals on high alert and increasing the risk of nuclear war. Cruise missiles also come in both nuclear and non-nuclear varieties, so the use of a non-nuclear missile against another nuclear-armed state could be mistaken for a nuclear strike, leading to unintended nuclear war. The missile and its refurbished warhead will reportedly cost between $20-30 billion over twenty years to build. Specifically, the legislation caps funding for the missile and its warhead at 2017 levels until the Trump administration submits a Nuclear Posture Review to Congress.
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Flake Introduces Resolution to Protect Consumers from Overreaching Internet Regulation
Senator Jeff Flake - (R - AZ)
March 7, 2017

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, today introduced a resolution to repeal economically harmful broadband regulations issued by the Obama administration.
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Senators Gillibrand And Collins Announce New Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Seniors From Financial Scams
Senator Kirsten E.Gillibrand - (D - NY)
March 7, 2017

U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today announced the Senior Financial Empowerment Act, new bipartisan legislation to protect seniors from financial fraud.
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Senators Graham And Whitehouse Request Warrant Applications And Court Orders Related To Possible Wiretapping Of President Trump, Trump Campaign, Or Trump Tower
Senator Lindsey Graham - (R - SC)
March, 8 2017

U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, today sent a letter to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Acting Deputy Attorney General requesting information on possible wiretapping of President Trump, the Trump campaign, or Trump Tower.
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Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Whistleblowers
Senator Chuck Grassley - (R - IA)
March, 8 2017

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) Reauthorization Act and the Follow the Rules Act Wednesday. These bipartisan pieces of legislation would provide greater protections to federal government whistleblowers.
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Senate acts to protect authority of states to manage their own schools
Senator Michael B. Enzi - (R - WY)
March 9, 2017

The Senate voted today to rescind a Department of Education regulation that directly contradicted a bipartisan education bill Congress passed in 2015, which put control back in the hands of states and parents.
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Putting Cats, Dogs, Pigs and Cows on the Menu...

by Shonda Ponder
March 9, 2017
Opinion


Brendan Boyle (D-PA, 13th) introduced a bill in congress on March 7, 2017 that would outlaw eating dogs and cats in the U.S.A.

At first glance, I am thinking, "Now that is ONE piece of legislation by a Democrat that I can actually get behind."

However, upon further thought, I start thinking, where does it stop? What happens when they outlaw pork? Should we be telling Americans what to eat (outside of legislating against cannibalism) in the privacy of their own homes?

Just a thought.

I may not like what you have to eat, but shouldn't I protect your right to eat it?

It sickens me to think my Milo would get eaten, though. On the other hand, it probably sickens Jews and Muslims and some Christians to eat pork just as badly. It sickens Indians to eat cows. So, where does it stop?