THE DAILY WHIP: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015

**Following one minute speeches, the House is expected to recess until approximately 3:30 p.m. At that time, the House will reconvene and consider the four bills listed for consideration under suspension of the Rules. Any recorded votes requested on suspensions will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

**Members are advised that following suspension debate, the House will complete general and amendment debate of H.R. 1195. Votes on amendments, motion to recommit and passage of H.R. 1195 are expected to occur in the House tomorrow. This is a change from the GOP Leadership’s previously announced schedule.

Suspensions (4 bills)

1. H.R. 471– Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015, as amended (Rep. Marino – Energy and Commerce)
2. S. 535 – Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 (Rep. Portman – Energy and Commerce)
3. H.Con.Res. 21 – Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby (Rep. Hoyer – Transportation and Infrastructure)
4. H.Con.Res. 25 – Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (Rep. Barletta – Transportation and Infrastructure)

Continue Consideration of H.R. 1195 – Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act (Rep. Pittenger – Financial Services) (One Hour of Debate). In its original form, this bill represented a bipartisan agreement to amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 with a provision which would have established a Small Business Advisory Board within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and codified the CFPB’s Credit Union and Community Bank Advisory Councils.

These boards would provide credit unions, community banks, and small businesses within the financial services sector with a seat at the table, allowing them to consult with the CFPB as it promulgates and implements new rules to protect and fortify the American economy, as well as provide guidance on evolving small business practices.

However, as has become a regular occurrence, House Republicans are once again attaching a poison-pill amendment to a bipartisan agreement. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the creation and staffing of these essential entities will cost $9 million over 10 years. Despite last week’s estate tax repeal, which affects only 0.2% of the population and would cost $269 billion, coming to the Floor without a payfor, Republicans have insisted that this cost be offset from within the funding of the CFPB, by limiting the amount of direct funding that the Bureau may request from the Federal Reserve for two future years. The CFPB projects that this bill would limit its budget by $45 million in FY2020 and $100 million in FY2025. These cuts to the CFPB budget are unnecessary and would create a burden on the already limited funding for the agency. 

This tactic has turned a bipartisan agreement into a bill that Democrats cannot support. Republicans have long-opposed the CFPB and this ruse is merely a back-door attempt to limit its funding and undermine its ability to protect our nation’s consumers and their fiscal safety. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

The Rule, which was adopted on April 15, provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order 2 amendments, debatable for 10 minutes, equally divided between the offeror and an opponent.  The amendments are:

Kuster Amendment #1. Requires the CFPB Director to include representatives of minority- and women-owned small business concerns in the membership of the Small Business Advisory Board, and to include financial institutions predominantly serving traditionally underserved communities and populations and their interests in the membership of the Credit Union Advisory Council and Community Bank Advisory Council.
Kuster Amendment #2. Encourages the CFPB Director to ensure the participation of veteran-owned small business concerns in the Small Business Advisory Board.

Bill Text for H.R. 1195:
PDF Version

Background for H.R. 1195:
House Report (HTML Version)
House Report (PDF Version) 

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Wednesday, April 22: The House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to consider H.R. 1560 –Protecting Cyber Networks Act (Rep. Nunes – Intelligence) (Subject to a Rule). The House is also expected to complete consideration of H.R. 1195 – Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act (Rep. Pittenger – Financial Services).