AFSCME Legislative Report
AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
November 9, 2007
In this issue:
Labor-HHS-Education Spending Bill Faces Bush Veto
On Thursday, the House voted 279 to 141 to pass the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education spending bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 3043), after the Senate stripped out of the bill funding for Military Construction and the Veterans Administration. The Labor-HHS bill reflects a compromise between the spending levels in the original House and Senate versions of the legislation, and contains $9.8 billion more in spending for labor, human services, health care, and education programs than Bush proposed in his budget. President Bush has promised to veto the bill because the funding levels exceed his budget request. The Senate and House will schedule votes, probably next week, to attempt to reach the two-thirds supermajority required to override the expected veto.
(Fran Bernstein– fbernstein@afscme.org)
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Fate of Children's Health Program Uncertain
House and Senate negotiators worked through the week to come to a new compromise with a group of House Republicans on legislation to reauthorize, or renew, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). It is unclear whether compromises made by Democratic leaders and Senate Republican negotiators will win over enough House Republicans to achieve a veto-proof majority in the House. The White House and House GOP leaders are pressing hard to defeat the bill which would expand coverage to low-income children currently eligible for SCHIP but unenrolled due to insufficient funding. Despite changes to the bill, the Administration continues to state that the President will veto the bill citing an ever-changing list of problems with the legislation.
(Barbara Coufal– bcoufal@afscme.org)
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Congress Overrides President Bush Veto for the First Time in His Presidency
On November 8, the Senate joined the House in overriding President Bush's veto of the Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 1495/S. 48), legislation that authorizes $23.2 billion for addressing pressing infrastructure needs as well as funding hundreds of home district water projects. This is the first override of a presidential veto during the Bush Administration. The Senate easily cleared the two-thirds majority needed, with the veto override passing with an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 79-14. The House vote took place on November 6, with 138 Republicans joining Democrats in a 361-54 vote to override Bush's veto.
(Cynthia Bradley– cbradley@afscme.org)
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House Passes ENDA
On Wednesday, November 7, the House approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which bans discrimination against gay and lesbian employees. In more than 30 states, competent and qualified workers can be fired simply because of their sexual orientation. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill.
(Blaine Rummel– brummel@afscme.org)
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House-Senate Conferees Approve HUD-Transportation Spending; Bush Veto Likely
House and Senate negotiators agreed on an FY 2008 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bill and we expect both chambers to approve the agreement soon. However, President Bush has already threatened to veto the bill. The agreement funds $3.79 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and thus rejects the President's attempt to cut the program by $822 million. The agreement also funds $4.2 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, $200 million more than Bush's request and $336 million above current spending. However, HUD's data shows Public Housing Authorities (PHA) need $5 billion this year. Although the bill's final text is not yet released, it reportedly would permit PHAs with less than 400 public housing units to opt out of HUD's asset management requirements and would permit PHAs flexible use of capital funds.
The conference report provides $40 billion for the nation's highway system; $1 billion to address deficient bridges across America and $3.5 billion for airport efficiency, modernization and safety grants. In addition, the report provides $9.65 billion in transit spending, an amount that is $250 million above the President's request. And finally, the conference provides $195 million for the repair and reconstruction of the I-35W bridge in Minnesota that collapsed on August 1.
(Marc Granowitter– mgranowitter@afscme.org and Cynthia Bradley– cbradley@afscme.org)
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Subcommittee Hears Private Prisons Bill
On Thursday, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security heard testimony on the Private Prison Information Act of 2007 (H.R. 1889). The bill, introduced by Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA), will level the playing field between public and private facilities by requiring private facilities to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Currently, private facilities are not required to divulge information such as salaries, turnover rates and levels of training for corrections officers. AFSCME submitted a letter to the subcommittee expressing support for H.R. 1889.
(Blaine Rummel– brummel@afscme.org)
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AFSCME Testifies on GPO and WEP in the Senate
Priya Mathur, a member of AFSCME Local 3993 who also serves on the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) board, delivered strong testimony on the harmful and unfair impacts of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), two arbitrary laws which may substantially reduce the Social Security benefits of many government pensioners. The hearing was held by the Senate Finance Committee's Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy, chaired by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). Sen. Kerry expressed strong support for reducing the harmful effects of GPO and WEP. All of the hearing testimony is available on the Committee's website http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearings.htm.
(Becky Levin– blevin@afscme.org)
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Senate Confirms Mukasey for Attorney General
On Thursday, the Senate narrowly confirmed Michael B. Mukasey as attorney general by a vote of 53 to 40. Six Democrats and Independent-Democrat Joseph Lieberman (CT) joined Republicans to confirm the nomination. Not since 1952 has an attorney general nominee received such a slim vote of support. Mukasey came under fire during Senate hearings when he refused to state whether or not he believes that waterboarding, a simulated drowning technique, is torture.
(Cynthia Bradley– cbradley@afscme.org)
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