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THE DAILY WHIP: THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Press Types
Daily Leader
For Immediate Release:
2016-06-16T00:00:00
Contact Info:

Mariel Saez or Latoya Veal  202-225-3130

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House Meets At:First Vote Predicted:Last Vote Predicted:
9:00 a.m.: Legislative Business

Five “One Minutes”
11:00 – 11:30 a.m.12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Complete Consideration of H.R. 5293 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (Rep. Frelinghuysen – Appropriations).  H.R. 5293 appropriates $517.1 billion in FY 2017 base discretionary budget authority for the Department of Defense – plus an additional $58.6 billion in discretionary budget authority designated for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).

House Republicans added $15.7 billion to the Administration’s base, non-war funding request and used the OCO ("emergency war funding") designation to exempt this spending from the defense portion of the discretionary budget cap agreed to in last fall's Bipartisan Budget Act.  The total funding level would meet the President’s request of $576 billion, including the $58.6 billion designated OCO, and likewise conforms with the BCA firewall cap.  However, unlike the President's request, it uses $15.7 billion of the OCO-designated funding amount to pay for non-emergency base budget funding needs. In doing so, the bill underfunds expected warfighting costs and does not provide funding to pay for salaries or provide mission support for men and women serving abroad past the end of April 2017.  This funding cliff will force a new president to submit a request for emergency supplemental funding within weeks of being sworn into office. 

The measure includes a military pay raise of 2.1% (0.5% above the President’s request) and does not block the Administration’s request for a 1.6% raise to DOD civilian employees.  Also, the bill continues provisions prohibiting the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S or closure of the facility. It also includes funding for sexual assault prevention and response programs in the military and suicide prevention and outreach programs.

Lastly, despite repeated promises of openness and transparency, House Republicans are reversing course and bringing H.R. 5293 to the Floor under a structured rule to avoid votes on tough issues, after their Members voted down their Energy and Water appropriations bill because it banned discrimination against LGBT Americans.  Just two weeks ago House Republicans broughtH.R. 5055 – Energy and Water Appropriations, 2017 to the Floor, only to have less than 1/3 of the House vote in favor.  That vote can be found here.  Instead of having to vote again on this issue and show the American people where they stand, Speaker Ryan has chosen to shut down the process.

In the Statement of Administration Policy, the President’s senior advisors stated that they would recommend he veto this bill. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

The Rule provides for no further general debate.  As of last night, the House completed debate through the Conyers Amendment.  The following amendments remain to be debated:

Yoho Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Gabbard Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Grayson Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
McGovern Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Lee Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Polis Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
McSally Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Barletta Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Smith (NE) Amendment (10 minutes of debate)

The following amendments had recorded votes pending as of last night:

Shuster Amendment
Ellison Amendment
Rogers (AL) Amendment
Quigley Amendment
O’Rourke Amendment
Huffman Amendment
Poe Amendment
Sanford Amendment
Buck Amendment

Byrne Amendment
King (IA) Amendment #25
Gosar Amendment

King (IA) Amendment #27
Lamborn Amendment
Massie Amendment #30
Massie Amendment #31
McClintock Amendment

Mulvaney Amendment
DeSantis Amendment
Rohrabacher Amendment

Walberg Amendment
Conyers Amendment

Suspension (1 bill)

  1. H.R. 5471 – Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act (Rep. McCaul – Homeland Security). This bill combines three bills that previously passed the House. H.R. 4401 – ALERT Act – passed the House by a voice vote on February 29th. H.R. 4401 strengthens US Government counter radicalization efforts by allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better use existing fusion centers.  These centers will bring together law enforcement agencies, intelligence representatives, first responders, and other state and local organizations to reach out to communities. H.R. 4820 – Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act – passed the House on April 26th.  That vote can be found here.  H.R. 4820 requires DHS to use the testimonials of former extremists to combat domestic terrorist recruitment.  H.R. 4407 – Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act – passed the House on May 16th.  That vote can be found here.  H.R. 4407 codifies the Counterterrorism Advisory Board (CTAB), which is the central counterterrorism decision-making body at DHS and sets the procedures of issuing terrorism alerts.
The Daily Quote

“Even as LGBT is­sues have been thrust in­to the spot­light in Or­lando and on the House floor, many con­gres­sion­al Re­pub­lic­ans have made one thing clear: They’d rather not talk about it… House Speak­er Paul Ry­an [R-WI] rolled back his open-amend­ment policy in or­der to bar Demo­crats from bring­ing an an­ti­discrim­in­a­tion ap­pro­pri­ations amend­ment to the floor be­cause it opened a rift in the Re­pub­lic­an Party; he would rather take heat for chan­ging his floor pledge than sub­ject his mem­bers to thorny de­bates and votes on an LGBT is­sue.”

-      National Journal, 6/15/2016