Our Banner

Mail address:

Cynthia Lucas #1 Mandalay Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 - We could use some help with expenses.

Martin 9/12 Calendar (& City of Stuart)

Monday, June 17, 2013

In this MegaVote for Florida's 16th Congressional District

June 17, 2013
In this MegaVote for Florida's 16th Congressional District:
Recent Congressional VotesMegavote
  • Senate: Farm Bill – Passage
  • House: FY 2014 Defense Authorization – Passage
Upcoming Congressional Bills

  • Senate: U.S. immigration policy
  • House: Farm Bill
Recent Senate Votes
Farm Bill – Passage - Vote Passed (66-27, 7 Not Voting)

The Senate gave overwhelming approval to the five-year reauthorization of farm, conservation, and nutrition programs, setting up a legislative showdown with the House. The final vote, which cleared the measure 66-27, came after two weeks of debate and more than 200 amendments offered on the Senate floor. Seven senators missed the vote because of travel delays. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Senate bill would cost $18 billion less than the 2008 farm policy law (PL 112-240), which expires Sept. 30. Senators trimmed $4 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food aid to the poor, by requiring that recipients receive a minimum payment of $10 from a heating assistance program to be eligible for SNAP. Nutrition assistance will be a major sticking point with the House version, which cuts SNAP by $20.5 billion. The Senate bill ends $5 billion a year in direct payments made to farmers and landowners, channeling off those funds to create a hybrid of insurance-like plans and other price controls to help farmers protect against steep market drops. It would reduce support for farmers earning more than $750,000 annually, following a study on the effects of implementation. Unlike the House measure, the bill requires subsidized insurance program participants to meet soil and water conservation requirements. It also replaces dairy price support programs with new insurance and a supply management plan to reduce price-depressing supply surpluses. Before passing the bill, the chamber adopted, 48-38, an amendment from Vermont Democrat Patrick J. Leahy that would provide for ultra-high-speed broadband service in a rural Internet pilot program.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES
Sen. Marco Rubio voted NO
Recent House Votes
FY 2014 Defense Authorization – Passage - Vote Passed (315-108, 11 Not Voting)

After voting on a series of amendments, including rejecting one from Adam Smith, D-Wash. to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba by the end of 2014, the House passed this bill authorizing spending on the Defense Department and national security programs for fiscal year 2014. Ignoring the White House administration’s threat to veto the bill, they passed a $638.4 billion measure that includes $85.8 billion for war costs, requirements for the Defense secretary to detail military intervention options in Syria, and new guidelines and harsher penalties for sexual assault in the armed services. Sexual assault amendments from Lois Frankel, D-Fla., and Michael R. Turner, R-Ohio, making it an offense to abuse one’s authority in the chain of command and establishing mandatory minimum sentences of discharge, dismissal and confinement for certain offenses, respectively, were adopted.

Rep. Vern Buchanan voted YES
Upcoming Votes
U.S. immigration policy - S.744

This week the Senate will resume consideration of this bill to overhaul the nation’s immigration policy.


Farm Bill - H.R.1947

The House is scheduled to take up its version of the farm bill later this week.

No comments:

Subscribe