STILL DOING NOTHING

The current session of the Republican led Congress seems to be following in lockstep with its “do nothing” predecessor.

TPP – The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) is essentially a trade agreement with a dozen Pacific Rim countries designed to promote economic growth, innovation and job creation by reducing restrictive trade barriers.  Congress gave the president the “Fast Track” authority to negotiate the deal.  Now that the deal is done it is incumbent upon congress to debate the measure and put it up for a vote.  But congress is not interested.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the vote: “certainly shouldn’t come up before the election.”  McConnell even issued a warning to the president: “I think the president would be making a big mistake to try and have that voted on during the election.  There’s significant pushback all over the place.” McConnell is correct in that there are concerns among various trade groups that the TPP would result in the loss of American jobs.  We should have that debate.  But that is no reason to delay.  The real reason McConnell doesn’t want to get into the issue now is twofold: his caucus is more interested in securing their re-election prospects than debating a controversial trade bill that might hurt them with the voters and Republicans have zero interest in giving Obama a “win” before he leaves the Oval Office.

ZADROGA BILL – On December 22, 2010 congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.  The bill was named after James Zadroga, A New York City police officer who died of respiratory disease attributed to his participation in rescue and recovery operations conducted in the rubble of the World Trade Center following the 9/11 attacks.  The legislation was designed to provide monitoring and financial aid to first responders who became ill as a result of their work at the 9/11 site.  The bill expired on October 1, 2015.  But last Thursday Senate Republicans successfully filibustered a motion to renew the legislation.  In the Republican led House…266 members have co-sponsored a bill to renew the Zadroga Act.  It only takes 218 to a bill…so the votes are there.  But House leadership refuses to bring the bill to the floor.  Why?  Because the “pay for” comes from closing a tax loophole that would prevent millionaires and foreign multinational corporations from using tax havens to avoid paying taxes on US income.

AUFM – The United States has been waging a war against ISIS for seventeen months.  The US military has made over 9,000 bombing runs against ISIS targets.  3,500 Special Ops. Forces are in Iraq and Syria conducting military strikes against ISIS strongholds.  11 US soldiers have been killed in these battles.  Yet congress has refused to exercise its responsibility by formally voting on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).  England, France, Germany and Russia have all formally declared war against ISIS.  But no the US.  Our elected representatives are happy to sit on the sidelines and criticize President Obama’s foreign policy strategy.  Those running for president are more than eager to rile up their supporters by calling for carpet bombings and the flexing of America’s military might.  It only took two days for the Republican led House to pass legislation that effectively treats desperate Syrian and Iraqi refugees as enemies of the state; placing almost impossible hurdles for them cross to gain entry into the country.  But no one on the Hill is willing to go on the record as being for or against a war against ISIS.  “War votes” can make or break ones political career.  Better to criticize from the sidelines while other do the heavy lifting.