The spending bill would fund nearly all of the federal government through September 2015, except for the Department of Homeland Security, which it would fund only through February, in retaliation for President Obama’s unilateral action to defer the deportation of as many as five million undocumented immigrants. Congressional Republicans plan to take up funding for the agency — which has primary responsibility for carrying out the president’s immigration directive — early next year, when they will control both chambers of Congress and believe they will have more leverage. The rush Tuesday to post the legislation underscored the 113th Congress’s dubious record as one of the least productive in modern history — governing by deadlines and cliffs of its own making, and struggling to pass even some of the most pro forma pieces of legislation. The spending bill is geared toward combating threats from afar, with roughly $5.4 billion in emergency funds to fight Ebola in West Africa, nearly $74 billion for wars and other overseas operations, and more than half of the overall package going to military spending. However, Republicans hope to attach a provision that would make farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and small businesses that use financial instruments to hedge risk exempt from regulations under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street regulatory law. Senate Democrats and the Obama administration oppose that move — a standoff that could mean the federal terrorism risk insurance that has aided the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan and construction in other areas prone to terrorism threats could expire at the end of the year. AS LONG AS THE REPUBLITHUGS CAN KEEP THEIR MILITARY MACHINE ROLLING ALONG, THEYRE HAPPY CAMPERS. SO WHERES THE JOBS BILL, RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE?? AND WHERE ARE MORE TAX BREAKS FOR THE WEALTHY HIDDEN?? nytimes/2014/12/10/us/politics/congressional-leaders-reach-deal-on-spending.html?emc=edit_th_20141210&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=61338361
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 05:53:35 +0000
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