THE DAILY WHIP: TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015

H.Res. 315– Rule providing for Consideration of H.R. 2596 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Rep. Nunes – Intelligence) (One Hour of Debate). The Rules Committee has recommended a structured Rule that provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The Rule allows for 16 amendments, debatable for 10 minutes equally divided between the offeror and an opponent. The Rule allows one motion to recommit, with or without instructions, and waives all points of order against the legislation.

The Rule also includes a provision allowing for the motion to reconsider the vote on the question of concurring in the remainder of Title 2 (TAA) of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1314 may continue to be postponed through the legislative day of Thursday, July 30, 2015.

The Rules Committee rejected a motion by Ms. Slaughter of New York to provide that if the House reconsiders the vote on TAA that it also reconsiders the vote on TPA. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

H.R. 2596 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Rep. Nunes – Intelligence) (One Hour of Debate). This bill authorizes appropriations for FY 2016 for 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, and it also authorizes funding for specific intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the Federal Government.  Overall funding for FY 2016 is authorized 1% below the President’s request but 7% above FY 2015.

The bill makes cuts to less productive programs while increasing funding for certain critically important programs. It sustains capabilities to fight terrorism and counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  However, the bill includes restrictions on the transfer of Gitmo detainees, including transfer to the United States or to a “combat zone,” which is defined broadly by an IRS statute.

Also similar to the NDAA, the bill inappropriately misuses the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) designation, authorizing approximately 43% more OCO funds than requested by the President – a dangerous gimmick intended to go around the sequester level defense spending cap from the Budget Control Act, while leaving the non-defense sequester level cap in place. This gambit will destabilize long-term national security planning, and allow domestic priorities to wither on the vine.  By removing pressure to replace the sequester level defense caps, it makes a new budget agreement less likely, with drastic negative consequences for our nation’s schools, roads and bridges, law enforcement, scientific research, and other domestic priorities critical to all hardworking Americans. If Republicans want to lift spending above the Budget Control Act's caps, then they should work with Democrats to replace the dangerous and irrational sequester for both defense and non-defense spending with a balanced solution. Lastly, the White House has issued a SAP stating that the President’s senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

For questions on the bill, please contact the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence at x57690 to arrange Member access to the classified annex.

A full list of the 16 amendments made in order can be found HERE.

Bill Text for H.R. 2596:
PDF Version

Background for H.R. 2596:
House Report (HTML Version)
House Report (PDF Version)

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Wednesday, June 17: The House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to consider H.Con.Res. 55 – Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces deployed to Iraq or Syria on or after August 7, 2014, other than Armed Forces required to protect United States diplomatic facilities and personnel, from Iraq and Syria (Rep. McGovern – Foreign Affairs) (Subject to a Rule) and begin consideration of H.R. 160 – Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 (Rep. Paulsen – Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule) and H.R. 1190 – Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015 (Rep. Roe – Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule). The House is also expected to consider bills under suspension of the Rules.