Now that the government is back up and running and the American public has looked away, the House of Representatives got back to work privatizing our government. H.R. 3080 takes the first steps towards privatization of water projects typically done by the Army Corps of Engineers, using entirely fixable budget issues as the justification. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: (VIDEO) Music: by (found on ) , passed the House 417-3 Renames a veteran's medi...
Oct 26, 2013•38 min•Ep. 50
The shutdown is over & the debt ceiling postponed; we take a close look at the new law that finally ended the unnecessary crisis. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: Now It's Over by (found on ) Music: by (found on ) , the law that ended the shutdown and suspends the debt ceiling 144 House Republicans - a majority - the new law The is officially dead! Standard & Poors estimates the government shutdown Senator Frank Lautenberg of pneumonia at age 89. F...
Oct 19, 2013•37 min•Ep. 49
For this episode, I read the entire The following is a resource for finding information within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. My goal was to highlight the portions of the bill that will most directly affect our lives and put them into plain, understandable English. I'd also like for you to be able to find the text that makes these rules within the bill. The easiest way to search within a bill is by section number. You'll have to read a bit to find exactly what you're looking for...
Oct 13, 2013•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 48
In the hours before the government shutdown, the crisis could have been averted. We take a look at the hours before the deadline and see what Congress has done since they slammed the government's doors shut. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: by (found on ) Music: by (found on ) The is the one that has no attacks on the Affordable Care Act; if this bill comes up for a vote, it . Who to call to end the shutdown: The bills that passed before the shutdo...
Oct 05, 2013•36 min•Ep. 47
In this bonus episode, we take a detailed look at the House GOP's latest version of the short-term government funding bill which would delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and therefore guarantee that the government will shut down. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: which would delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act on the House's first version of a continuing resolution on the Senate's version of a continuing resolution...
Sep 30, 2013•29 min•Ep. 46
The Senate edited the House's version of the short-term government funding bill, stripping out the language that would not-really defund Obamacare. Full details on the Senate's version, including some surprising good news, and a quick recap of the tiny bit of work the House accomplished this week. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) of the 2014 Continuing Resolution Senator Ted Cruz during a fake filibuster (VIDEO) What Senator Ted Cruz did What is the , the...
Sep 27, 2013•23 min•Ep. 45
This week the House of Representatives passed a government funding bill that allegedly "defunds ObamaCare" but... not really. They also tried to cut food stamps, push nuclear power, exempt mining from environmental regulations, and more... Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: by (found on ) Music: I See Trouble Comin' by (found on ) Bills Discussed in this Episode the bill that funds the government until December 15, 2013 and supposedly "defunds ObamaC...
Sep 21, 2013•31 min•Ep. 44
This week, after Russia took the Syria vote off the House schedule, the House did not fund the government for 2014 despite their September 30th deadline. In this episode, we look at what they did instead. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) President Obama's speech from Tuesday, September 10th regarding Syria: and Music: Get Out of Our House by (found on ) Incorrect assertion that the is already extended was made by , , and The that prompted the lazy news or...
Sep 14, 2013•31 min•Ep. 43
In June 2013, the House of Representatives passed their version of a Department of Homeland Security funding bill. The House prioritizes border security and locking up immigrants at the expense of emergency preparedness and the TSA. Details and much more in this episode... Links to Information in This Episode The House version of the Department of Homeland Security funding bill (has not been signed into law) The explanation for funding levels, which is more interesting to read than the bill itse...
Sep 07, 2013•40 min•Ep. 42
While the U.S. Congress remained on vacation, British Parliament was called back to debate a pending attack on Syria. We also look at some facts about Syria that suggest we might be getting into a Shock Doctrine type of situation. Links to Information in This Episode Intro Music: by (found on ) Song: by (found on ) Buy by Naomi Klein (Amazon) of the British Parliament debate on August 29, 2013 of the Syrian chemical attack on August 20, 2013 Obama Administration says an attack According to the B...
Aug 30, 2013•41 min•Ep. 41
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) did not exist before September 11, 2001. In this episode, we look back at the bills that created these new government agencies. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Music: by (found on ) The Department of Homeland Security was created by the (signed into law on November 25, 2002). President Bush signs the Homeland Security Act into law. Contains an interview with , ...
Aug 26, 2013•44 min•Ep. 40
On July 19, 2003, the House of Representatives passed that would largely eliminate the Federal government's role in K-12 education and expand the number of charter schools in the United States. stated purpose is to undo a portion of the 2009 stimulus bill (the ) called , along with a program that Race to the Top helped enact in most of the United States. Race to the Top was a $4.35 billion contest between the States. Financial prizes were awarded to states based on school performance, teacher pe...
Aug 18, 2013•32 min•Ep. 39
In this episode, we catch up on most of the bills that passed the House during the last two weeks of August. A lot of bills were passed; very few have a prayer of becoming law. Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) Is now law Covered in detail in the second half of Continues a system designed to expedite the approval of anti-biotics for animals Caps revenues from application fees paid by pharmaceutical companies Music: by (found on ) Has been amended by the Senate, passed the House again on July ...
Aug 09, 2013•32 min•Ep. 38
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan tried to attach an amendment to the Department of Defense funding bill for 2014 which would have limited the government's authority to collect our telephone records. The amendment failed but not by much; the episode highlights the debate. Links to Information in This Episode Text of the Amash Amendment At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following new section: Sec. __. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to execute a Fore...
Jul 26, 2013•32 min•Ep. 37
During the week of July 10-11, the House of Representatives passed a funding bill for agriculture programs which had only been available to read for 20 hours. In this episode, we take a closer look at what was in that surprise bill. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: by (found on ) : The original Farm Bill which failed to pass the House in mid-June : The Factory Farm Bill, which passed the House on July 11, 2013. : The Factory Farm Bill TITLE I: Commodities programs TITLE...
Jul 20, 2013•32 min•Ep. 36
Most of this episode is dedicated to the Energy & Water funding bill that passed the House of Representatives; however, the House also pulled a fast one this week, passing a 608-page agriculture bill that was available for public-reading for less than one day. Links to Information in This Episode Intro Music: by (found on ) Music: by that explains the reasoning behind the funding levels in H.R. 2609 , the 608-page bill that was passed in less than one day Republicans promised to prohibit votes o...
Jul 13, 2013•40 min•Ep. 35
Before taking a week off for July 4th, the House passed a bill forcing the Obama administration to sell offshore leases to the oil and gas industry. Links to Information from this Episode Music: by (found on ) President Obama put a after the Deepwater Horizon spill detailing the areas with most untapped oil and gas resources Lease 220 off of Virginia's coast by the Obama Administration Santa Barbara off their coastline 2010: Bill signed into law allowing off of the California coast [caption id="...
Jul 07, 2013•31 min•Ep. 34
In this episode, the House of Representatives tries to approve ultra-deepwater drilling in the "Western Gap": The middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Links to Information in This Episode The Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act : The guy who told me that the How ultra-deepwater drilling is done The from Craig Pittman, TampaBay.com, April 13, 2013 - Matt Smith, CNN, April 29, 2013 Where is the Western Gap? - Tom Fowler, Wall Street Journal, February 21, 2012 Ex...
Jun 29, 2013•29 min•Ep. 33
In this episode, the House schedule has Jen frustrated, the House Farm Bill unexpectedly dies, and the House passes an abortion bill. Links to Information in This Episode Congress wants to get rid of , the abortion bill Representatives Quoted in This Episode
Jun 21, 2013•32 min•Ep. 32
In this episode, we take a look at the first draft of the 2014 Department of Defense funding bill and see what it tells us about the United States future in war. We also look at three bills the House passed for Wall Street. Links to Information in this Episode Music: by (found on ) Music: Gambler's Blues by (found on ) Artwork:
Jun 15, 2013•36 min•Ep. 31
In this episode, a look at the House's 2014 military construction and veterans funding bill's first-draft and then examine whether it's wise to continue a system that fast-tracks applications for animal anti-biotics. Links to Information in this Episode Music: "In Your Name" by (found on ) : Funding for military construction and the Department of Veteran's Affairs of President Obama's May 23, 2013 speech on national defense to National Defense University in Washington, D.C of President Obama's s...
Jun 08, 2013•45 min•Ep. 30
The House passed , a bill waiving permit requirements for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and passed , a bill that could raise interest rates for college students while tying their rates to the market. Links to Information in this Episode: Music: by (downloaded from ) , the Keystone XL bill. about Keystone XL's effect on the climate. Refineries in Texas are . Keystone XL route from Canada to Texas running through their land. [caption id="attachment_577" align="aligncenter" width="758"] Bitume...
May 24, 2013•40 min•Ep. 29
In this episode, highlights from the House Ways and Means Committee IRS scandal hearing. IRS staffers made a list of keywords including Tea Party, 9-12, Patriot, etc. to help them find social welfare groups applying for tax exempt status that were actually political in nature. This is the scandal you've been told about; the real scandal is how many of them have been approved. Background In January of 2010, the Supreme Court ruled in the infamous Citizen's United case that corporations count as p...
May 18, 2013•31 min•Ep. 28
After a health care rant, we look at H.R. 1406, a bill that would have allowed workers to get vacation time instead of cash for their overtime. It's a bill I'd actually like to see survive. Links to Information in this Episode Music: by Music: by () Music: by () It just keeps getting worse. I am scheduling a vote for next week on the full repeal of . — Eric Cantor (@GOPLeader) Representatives Quoted in Order of Appearance Repeal ObamaCare montage I "Interest-free loan" montage...
May 10, 2013•32 min•Ep. 27
The House worked on two bills this week. H.R. 527, which changes the way we sell helium, passed in a beautifully bipartisan way. H.R. 1549, which dismantles a piece of ObamaCare, died a uniquely Republican death. Links to Information in this Episode Music: by () Text of , an example of government functioning properly. Music: by () Text of Washington Post: Representatives Featured in this Episode (in order of appearance)
Apr 27, 2013•28 min•Ep. 26
, better known as CISPA, passed the House of Representatives and is now moving into the Senate. It's a better bill than it was in the last Congress, but it's still not ready to become law. Links to information in this podcast Music: by (found on ) Representatives Quoted in This Episode (in order of appearance) Further Reading
Apr 25, 2013•31 min•Ep. 25
In the hours before the Boston marathon bombing, President Obama quietly signed a bill gutting the STOCK Act. Full details on the shady way both houses of Congress passed the bill in under two days. Executive Producer: Anonymous Please Support Congressional Dish Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: [email protected] Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or ...
Apr 21, 2013•26 min•Ep. 24
This episode is dedicated to my family, friends, and neighbors in Boston.
Apr 17, 2013•26 min•Ep. 23
The House passed two bills this week designed to prevent regulation enforcement; one prevents environmental reviews on certain hydro-power projects, the other prevents the National Labor Relations Board from functioning at all. A small conduit hydroelectic project[/caption] Links to Information in this Podcast Song: by (downloaded from ) Text of the bill: Song: Work Til You Die by (downloaded from ) Text of the bill: Representatives quoted in this episode:
Apr 12, 2013•34 min•Ep. 22
Part 3 of the continuing resolution followed by a history of Trailblazer and ThinThread, the NSA's spying programs. *Forward to 28:20 to hear the Trailblazer vs. Thinthread (NSA spying) story* Executive Producer: Kevin B= Billion M= Million DIVISION E: VETERANS Title I—Department of Defense Construction (TOTAL: $10.6 B) $1.7 B: Army construction available until 2017 for "acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment of temporary or permanent public works, military installations, facilit...
Apr 07, 2013•52 min•Ep. 21
