Archive for the ‘Issues’ Category

Senators struck down two amendments that would repeal provision in the 2010 health care overhaul (PL 111-148, PL 111-152) requiring businesses to file a 1099 form to the IRS for every vendor to which they pay more than $600.

The first amendment, offered by Nebraska Republican Mike Johanns, would pay for the repeal with spending cuts.

The second proposal, by Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., did not contain offsetting language.

Johanns expressed disappointment that senators rejected his repeal effort, 61-35, which fell short of the required two-thirds vote.

“More than 40 million businesses across the country are now in jeopardy of being hit by this paperwork monsoon,” Johanns said in a statement.

Johanns argued earlier in the day on the Senate floor that a repeal must be fully offset because the midterm elections sent a clear message about how Americans view Washington’s spending habits.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the repeal of the reporting provision would increase the deficit by $19.2 billion over 10 years. The Johanns amendment would require $39 billion in spending rescissions (cuts or offsets).

Baucus, whose amendment was rejected, 44-53, warned that the Johanns version “would give the unelected director of OMB unprecedented authority to determine the source of this funding, and that would abdicate congressional responsibility over the budget.”

Another Failed Obama Policy…

“The Obama administration Monday conceded that cellulosic ethanol producers won’t come close to hitting a congressional target to deliver 250 million gallons of fuel next year made from grasses and other vegetation not used for food.”

Just because you pronounce it, doesn’t make it so…

“The Environmental Protection Agency set at 6.6 million gallons the amount of cellulosic ethanol that must be blended into vehicle fuels in 2011. The EPA set the target as part of an annual process for implementing a 2007 law that

orders

oil companies to blend in an ever-increasing amount of renewable fuel into the gasoline and diesel supply.”

Congress had

mandated

that 250 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol be added next year, but without any large-scale commercial plants, the supply isn’t available. (DUHHHHH!!!)

GOP’s Pledge Offers Clear Plans to End Uncertainty by Stopping Tax Hikes & Cutting Gov’t Spending
Washington

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) responded to weak third quarter GDP data by calling for immediate enactment of the Pledge to America.

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