Ways and Means Democrats Kick Off “No Excuses” Jobs Agenda

Ways and Means Democrats Kick Off “No Excuses” Jobs Agenda

Ways and Means Committee Democrats last week introduced kicked off a “No Excuses” jobs agenda aimed at spurring long-overdue action by congressional Republicans to boost job growth. Democrats on the Committee kicked off the agenda by introducing legislation to extend 100 percent bonus depreciation through 2012, a bipartisan measure to encourage capital investments and job growth. The extension would be paid for by eliminating a tax break for the five largest oil and gas companies, which combined to earn $32 billion in profits during the first three months of the year alone.

To coincide with the effort, Democrats launched a No Excuses Facebook page, where they will highlight important jobs measures and encourage Republicans in the House to finally get down to work on real jobs legislation.

Consumers Owed $1 Billion in Health Insurance Rebates

Later this week, the Supreme Court will rule on whether the provisions of the Affordable Care Act will continue to go into effect.  One of the provisions of the health care reform law requires insurance companies to spend at least 80% of the premiums they collect on actual medical care, rather than on their own profits and overhead costs.  On June 21, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that more than 12 million Americans will receive $1.1 billion – an average of $151 per household – in rebates from health insurance plans this summer because insurance companies failed to meet that requirement.

Rep. Levin remarked that this “is another example that vital health insurance reforms in ObamaCare are working to make health care more affordable.  Tens of millions of Americans are already benefitting from the law.  The news underscores what is at stake in the upcoming Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act.”

Endless Giveaways to Big Oil

The House of Representatives is increasingly a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Big Oil companies.  ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Shell have made more than $650 billion in profits since 2005, yet the House Leadership continues to turn back efforts by Democratic lawmakers to end the $4 billion in unjustified federal tax subsidies that go to Big Oil every year.

Last week, the Republican Leadership brought an energy bill [H.R. 4480] to the House Floor that contained additional unneeded giveaways to Big Oil.  The bill – which passed the House on a largely party-line vote of 248 to 163 – irresponsibly expands drilling on public lands, rolls back policies to provide for the growth of safe and responsible U.S. energy production, endangers public health, and undermines the Clean Air Act.  That’s why a diverse coalition of sportsmen groups, health organizations, and environmental groups oppose H.R. 4480.  For more information, click here. 

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Block Imports of Harmful Invasive Species

The Asian carp was imported into the United States in the 1970s and used in fish farms.  The carp escaped into the Mississippi River in a flood and now threaten the Great Lakes.  In Florida, thousands of pythons and anacondas are literally taking over the Everglades.  The snakes were imported as pets and were released into the environment.

Rep. Levin has joined with other Great Lakes lawmakers in sponsoring legislation by Rep. Slaughter of New York, the Invasive Fish and Wildlife Protection Act [H.R. 5864] to give the federal government new tools to prevent harmful invasive species from being imported into the United States.