THE DAILY WHIP: TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2015

**Following one minute speeches, the House is expected to consider the three bills listed for consideration under suspension of the Rules. Following suspension debate, the House will continue debating amendments to H.R. 2822 starting on page 75, line 9.  Any recorded votes requested will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. Members are advised that the 6:30 p.m. vote series will include votes on amendments to H.R. 2822.

**Members are also advised that following last votes, the House is expected to complete consideration of amendments to H.R. 2822.  Any recorded votes requested will be postponed until tomorrow.

Suspensions (3 bills)

1. H.R. 907– United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015, as amended (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen – Foreign Affairs)
2. Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 91 – Veteran's I.D. Card Act (Rep. Buchanan – Veterans’ Affairs)
3. H.R. 1531 – Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (Rep. Connolly – Oversight and Government Reform)

Continue Consideration of H.R. 2822– Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (Rep. Calvert – Appropriations). H.R. 2822 provides approximately $30.17 billion in discretionary budget authority for FY 2016, which is $246 million (0.8%) below FY 2015 levels and $2.038 billion below the President’s request. 

The bill provides $7.4 billion in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a cut of $750 million below the FY 2015 enacted level and $1.2 billion below the President’s request.

In addition to drastic cuts to the EPA, the bill contains numerous controversial, poison-pill environmental policy riders, including a prohibition on the implementation of the final rule to clarify federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act as well as riders prohibiting forthcoming regulations by EPA on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants (the Clean Power Plan) and any changes to the definition of “fill material” and “discharge of fill material” under the Clean Water Act.  The bill would also prohibit the use of the social costs of carbon in rulemaking related to regulating greenhouse gases. With respect to the Interior Department, the bill contains additional riders to prohibit funding to write a rule to list the sage grouse and to require the delisting of grey wolves under the Endangered Species Act, to block new rules that would protect streams from mining pollution, and to prohibit the use of funds to implement new rules on hydraulic fracking on public lands.

The result of these cuts, consistent with Republicans’ dangerous budget’s policy of maintaining sequester level spending caps,  and poison-pill riders is a bill which is not a serious attempt to fund the Department of the Interior, but, rather, is just another in a long line of Republican attacks on the EPA. By insisting on these funding levels while restricting the ability of the EPA to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment, House Republicans are endangering our nation’s air, water and public health. For these reasons, the Administration issued a SAP stating that, should it reach his desk, the President’s advisors would recommend he veto this bill. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

The Rule, which was adopted on June 24^th, provides for no further general debate and makes in order any amendment offered that complies with the House Rules.  Additionally, the Rule provides for 10 minutes of debate per amendment equally divided between the proponent and an opponent and up to 10 pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate offered by the Chair and Ranking Member or their designee.

Members with amendments should be prepared to offer them today.

The following amendments have recorded votes pending: 

Rep. Garamendi Amendment
Rep. Capps Amendment 
Rep. Sablan Amendment
Rep. Castor Amendment

Bill Text for H.R. 2822:
PDF Version

Background for H.R. 2822:
House Report (HTML Version)
House Report (PDF Version)

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Wednesday, July 8: The House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to complete consideration of H.R. 2822.  The House is also expected to continue consideration of H.R. 5 – Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act (Rep. Kline – Education and the Workforce) (Subject to a Rule). The House may also consider a Motion to Go to Conference on H.R. 644 – Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act.