THE DAILY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2018

Daily Leader

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HOUSE MEETS AT:	FIRST VOTE PREDICTED:	LAST VOTE PREDICTED:
10:00 a.m.: Morning Hour 12:00 p.m.: Legislative Business Fifteen “One Minutes”	2:30 – 3:30 p.m.	9:30 – 10:30 p.m.

H.Res. 1001 – Rule providing for consideration of H.Con.Res. 119 – Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy (Rep. Scalise – Ways and Means) (One hour of debate). The Rules Committee has recommended a closed rule that provides for one hour of general debate, equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means. The Rule waives all points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution.

The Rules Committee rejected a motion by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts to provide for consideration of Mr. Engel of New York’s Resolution H.Res. 999 which endorses Speaker Ryan’s statement rebuking President Trump’s remarks in Helsinki where he refused to hold President Putin accountable for interfering in the 2016 elections and directly undermined the U.S. intelligence community.

The Rules Committee rejected a motion by Mr. Polis of Colorado to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #2, offered by Rep. Polis, which expresses the sense of congress that a carbon tax would be beneficial to the U.S. economy. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

Continue Consideration of H.R. 6147 – Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (Rep. Calvert – Appropriations). This bill combines two FY19 appropriations bills – Department of Interior, Environment Appropriations Act, and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act – into one “Minibus” package that fails to fully fund critical domestic programs and includes controversial policy riders, many of which Democrats have successfully fought to keep out of the enacted appropriations bills in past years.

Neither division in this bill receives an increase from the FY18 enacted level. Republicans have prioritized what little additional funding is available to non-defense appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security, presumably to fund President Trump’s border wall and deportation policies. This approach leaves many Democratic priorities virtually flat-funded. Additionally, the Financial Services division does not utilize its full allocation, effectively cutting the bill by 2.5%, undermining the Bipartisan Budget Act passed earlier this year.

The Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations divisionis flat-funded from FY18 and contains numerous problematic provisions. This division:

Cuts funding for EPA: EPA is funded $100 million below FY18 levels and EPA’s operations accounts are cut by $228 million below the current level.
Destroys protections for our environment, natural resources, and wildlife: Reduces funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by $65 million; repeals Waters of the U.S. Rule; and includes several controversial Endangered Species Act provisions.

The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations division is riddled with poison-pill policy provisions. This division:

Cuts the bill’s total discretionary allocation by 2.5% by creating a “Fund for America’s Kids and Grandkids:” $585 million is appropriated into a special fund at the Treasury Department that cannot be tapped until the federal budget deficit is eliminated, a disingenuous attempt to appear fiscally responsible after Republicans added $1.8 trillion to the deficit by giving tax cuts to the wealthy. This appropriation comes out of the subcommittee’s allocation and effectively cuts the non-defense discretionary spending cap set in February’s Bipartisan Budget Act.
Zeroes out funding for Election Assistance Commission (EAC) grants: Less than two years after Russia targeted the election systems of at least twenty-one states – including accessing the Illinois voter database – Congress is shirking its responsibility and is failing to protect our democracy. In committee, not a single Republican voted for Subcommittee Ranking Member Quigley’s amendment to provide $380 million, the amount appropriated in FY18, to help strengthen and improve our outdated voter technology to prevent future intrusions.
Subjects the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to the appropriations process: This has been a longstanding goal of House Republicans so they can zero out or significantly reduce funding for CFPB.

It is essential that this irresponsible bill be defeated and replaced with a bill that protects our democracy by updating our nation’s antiquated election systems, adequately funds measures to protect our environment and natural resources, and that stands by the Bipartisan Budget Act that was enacted in February. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

The Rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order 87 amendments. A full list of the remaining amendments can be found HERE. As of last night, the House has completed debate through Beyer Amendment #41.

Postponed Amendment Votes (5):

Biggs Amendment #1
Grijalva Amendment #25
O’Halleran Amendment #27
Adams Amendment #29
Grothman Amendment #39

**Members are advised that the House is expected to complete consideration of H.R. 6147 tomorrow.

Suspension (1 bill)

H.Res. 990– Supporting the officers and personnel who carry out the important mission of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as amended (Rep. Higgins (LA) – Judiciary)

Postponed Suspension (1 bill)

H.R. 1037 – To authorize the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended (Rep. Lynch – Natural Resources)

Motion to Go to Conference and Democratic Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2 – Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Rep. Conaway – Agriculture)

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK

The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Thursday, July 19: The House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to complete consideration of H.R. 6147 – Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (Rep. Calvert – Appropriations). The House is also expected to complete consideration of H.Con.Res. 119 – Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy (Rep. Scalise – Ways and Means).

THE DAILY QUOTE
“The health department has quietly dipped into tens of millions of dollars to pay for the consequences of President Donald Trump’s border policy, angering advocates who want the money spent on medical research, rural health programs and other priorities. The Department of Health and Human Services has burned through at least $40 million in the past two months for the care and reunification of migrant children separated from their families at the border — withhousing costs recently estimated at about $1.5 million per day… ‘This is not a policy we should be pursuing,’ said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the Labor-HHS-Education subcommittee chairman, criticizing the administration's plan to split families at the border.” - Politico, 7/18/2018

THE DAILY QUOTE

“The health department has quietly dipped into tens of millions of dollars to pay for the consequences of President Donald Trump’s border policy, angering advocates who want the money spent on medical research, rural health programs and other priorities. The Department of Health and Human Services has burned through at least $40 million in the past two months for the care and reunification of migrant children separated from their families at the border — withhousing costs recently estimated at about $1.5 million per day… ‘This is not a policy we should be pursuing,’ said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the Labor-HHS-Education subcommittee chairman, criticizing the administration's plan to split families at the border.”

- Politico, 7/18/2018